Historical Novel; Western Novel

In the summer of 1862, Iowa farmer, Silas Storm, volunteers for the Union Army and his wife, Elizabeth Jane, pregnant with their second child, must maintain their farm and meet the many challenges the absence of her husband creates.

Four generations of Silas's family and extended family discover their lives changing drastically while facing adversity and challenges: family secrets, denials, fears, forbidden love, death, and grief. Like Silas Storm on the battlefield finding courage to dodge the next Rebel bullet, they, too, must deal with their fears and transform those fears into courage.

Will they be able to survive? Or will it be their defeat?

"Well Janie, when I heard of the death of Lincoln it appeared to me that I had lost one of my mightiest friends. He was the soldiers' best friend, but he had done enough in this world and the kind hand of Providence called him home to live in peace." ~Silas, May 1865

Although the book is a fictional account of life during the Civil War, Linda Pendleton has woven actual letters written by her great-great-grandfather into her story, staying true to the military facts presented in his letters home to his wife. Print and Kindle at Amazon.

Corn Silk Days, Iowa 1862

by Linda Pendleton

The dramatic story of two families, four generations, during a time of upheaval when the United States is seriously divided by war. They discover their lives changing drastically while facing adversity and challenges: family secrets, denials, fears, forbidden love, death, and grief. Will they survive? Or will it destroy them?

Print and Kindle at Amazon

Reviews of Corn Silk Days, Iowa, 1862

"Great book filled with love, hate and war. This book held my interest continuously and the characters were well developed. Would recommend highly." ~Sylvia P.

"Love this book! Linda Pendleton says her love for genealogy influenced her writing of Corn Silk Days. Interestingly, at one point I had to draw a little family tree to visualize how the families in the story connected! Set in Iowa in 1862, Corn Silk Days might be imagined as something of a soap opera version of Little House on the Prairie, full of love, lust, heartbreak, and scandal. At the core, and separated through the entire story, are Silas and Elizabeth Jane Storm. Silas Storm's character is primarily developed through correspondence with `Janie' while he is away fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Home alone, taking care of their family and farm, Elizabeth Jane relies heavily on the help of their extended families. Corn Silk Days weaves through the ups and downs of life, and amazingly we see that many challenges of today were challenges that our ancestors also faced. You will fall in love with many of the characters, even the black sheep of the family, and long after you have finished reading this book you will wonder what became of their futures! As a huge fan of Linda Pendleton's nonfiction books, I thoroughly enjoyed reading her Historical Novel and can't wait to read more of her fiction work." ~Sahm

"WOW! What a wonderful story. What a great idea, I don't know if I have ever seen this done. Taking real slices of history and weaving them into a beautiful novel. The letters taken from a real soldier of the time is fascinating and gives the reader an intimate sense of the war and the times, and the story woven around his wife, the recipient of these letters is so full. These people are made very real, and the times and the life and the struggles feel so real. You forget where the real history and fiction begins and ends. As always Linda's characters are so full and interesting. You can't wait to see what comes next. A great way to get your history lesson and escape into a novel all at once. Thank you again Linda for another great read. You never disappoint." ~A. Boss

The Bold Trail, A Samuel Garrison Western

by L. R. Pendleton

In 1851, in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Northern California, gold hunters search for their riches, but Samuel Garrison is on an even more intense search. He is on the trail of a dangerous and evil man, and he carries .44 caliber bullets in his Colt Dragoon with the man's name on them. In Columbia Township, Ohio, Garrison left behind a busy life as a farmer and horse rancher, and at times, he wishes he was still in Ohio, rather than in this wild and barely-civilized frontier; but he is in gold country because he made a promise, one he intends to keep, even if it means his death. Garrison discovers his world changing dramatically as he faces anxiety, family secrets, denials, death, and grief. Can Samuel Garrison meet the many challenges and terrors that he faces in this raw land, and will he be able to transform those fears into courage?

At Amazon Kindle, Print, Audible