Last week, I was informed that my latest book, Fool’s Gold Folly, has climbed up the Goodreads Listopia chart to #1! This novella tells the story of one of the minor characters in the Renegade Series, Patrick Mulligan. It describes what happens to him when he decides to uproot his family and take them to Colorado Territory after the Civil War in search of gold. The novella started out at #343, but it is now at #1 in the Great Historical Fiction division.
My most recent novella, Fool’s Gold Folly, has received the Award of Excellence by Spring Arbor University. The novella tells the story of a minor character in the Renegade Series, Patrick Mulligan, and what happens to him and his family once he decides to uproot them and take them out west to Colorado Territory in search of gold. The award is a very special honor, and I am so proud to share it with you! Thank you again for all of your ongoing support!
And third, I have a new cinematic book trailer for A Beautiful Glittering Lie, the first book in the Renegade Series. Let me know what you think! And thanks again for all your ongoing support!
Last week, I received a wonderful review from Kirkus Reviews for my novella, Fool’s Gold Folly. This book accompanies the Renegade Series and tells the story of one of the minor characters, Patrick Mulligan. Thank you so much, Kirkus Reviews, for your awesome review!
Despite the hardships and disappointments, the Mulligans never give up hope.
In 1869, an Irish immigrant couple move to Colorado with hopes of making their fortune in gold. Hawkins’ novel centers on Patrick Mulligan, his wife of two years, Briana, and the widowed Briana’s two children from a previous marriage (10-year-old Keegan and 8-year-old Kathleen).
As the novel opens, this Irish immigrant family is staying at a small hotel in Denver while patriarch Patrick looks for a job. They’ve recently arrived from Pennsylvania, and their hotel room is paid up only until the end of the week. But, as readers soon find out, bigotry against the Irish is keeping him from finding employment. They get by for the next few weeks until it’s time to move west to the town of Breckenridge, where Patrick stakes his claim for a parcel of land. Briana is offered a job as housekeeper for the widow Mrs. Tydings, in exchange for room and board for the family. Mrs. Tydings seems sweet at the beginning, but she is a harsh taskmistress, even putting the children to work. Meanwhile, Patrick secures a job tending bar. Every day he toils in his search for gold and then returns to work in the evening, serving drinks to customers. It’s a tough existence, but despite the hardships and disappointments, the Mulligans never give up hope. Patrick at one point befriends Silas Garvey, an elderly former prospector who’s dying from consumption, and the friendship leads to a pivotal turning point in Patrick’s life.
Hawkins’ gentle novella ambles along at a moderate pace, perked up with a bit of adventure: There’s a raucous bar fight and a dangerous standoff when Patrick must defend his family against “Runnin’ Wolf,” a renegade Native American. Simple prose, lavishly sprinkled with an Irish lilt, conveys bittersweet remembrances from the old country. The descriptions of the heat, dust, and back-breaking work of mining are evocative of the best tales of the Old West. Silas turns out to be a wily old-timer with a couple of surprises up his sleeve, giving the narrative a bit of a concluding twist through which Patrick learns the real meaning of a “rich” life.
A pleasant enough read … a bonanza of literary riches.
I have several things I’d like to share with you. First of all, my novellla, A Becharmed Callie Christmas, has climbed to number 12 on Goodreads Listopia rankings. This is such exciting news! Here is the link for you to check out:
The book was originally listed at number 476 but climbed all the way up to number twelve. Here’s special thanks to my assistant, Marla P., for making it happen!
Second, the A+ content on my Amazon has all been updated, and it looks amazing! I’d like to give a special shout out to my assistant, Olivia W., for assisting me with this. Here is the link so you can see it for yourself!
I have recently been receiving numerous offers from people who would like to create cinematic book trailers for me. I think it’s a lot of fun to see what they come up with. Although my son, Jesse, is my primary creator, some of these folks might be giving him a run for his money! Here is a book trailer I just received for Horses in Gray, my nonfiction book about Confederate warhorses in the Civil War. Thank you so much, Elizabeth Kate, for your creative input!
I also received another five-star review for the book. Here is that review, posted on Goodreads. Thank you, Bolally, for your five-star review!
Horses in Gray is a well-researched and engaging history book that shines a light on the important role of horses during the Civil War. J.D.R. Hawkins brings famous Confederate warhorses to life through detailed stories, historical facts, and fascinating background information.
The book does an excellent job exploring the bond between soldiers and their horses, while also explaining the hardships these animals faced during wartime. Readers will especially enjoy learning about famous horses connected to figures like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.
Easy to read and full of interesting details, this book is perfect for Civil War enthusiasts and animal lovers alike.
We have been working diligently to get more visibility for my books on various platforms. One project we’ve been working on is creating A+ content for Amazon with the Renegade Series. Here is what we have so far. Please don’t hesitate to let me know what you think. Thanks so much!
A+ CONTENT PREVIEW
The Renegade Series
J.D.R. Hawkins Civil War Historical Fiction
“A story about a family, a war, and the unbearable cost of both.”
The Renegade Series The war stories you’ve read told one side. This one tells the other. J.D.R. Hawkins is one of the very few female authors to write the Civil War from the Confederate front lines — bringing that world to life with unflinching honesty and extraordinary emotional depth. At the heart of the series is David Summers — eighteen years old, from a quiet farm in north Alabama. He owns no slaves. He has no political convictions. He only dreams of going out West. But when war reaches his family’s doorstep, he is forced to grow up in the most brutal way imaginable.
■ Amazon · USA Today · Wall Street Journal Bestseller ■ Multiple John Esten Cooke Fiction Award Winners ■ B.R.A.G. Medallion — All Four Books
FOUR REASONS WHY READERS CHOOSE THIS SERIES
A Rarely Told Perspective Most Civil War novels tell the Union story. J.D.R. Hawkins goes to the other side — not to glorify, but to humanise. David Summers is not a symbol. He is a boy. That distinction changes everything.
A Family Saga at Its Core The Renegade Series is, above all, a story about what war does to a family. The waiting. The letters. The losses. The silences. Readers who love character-driven historical fiction will be completely absorbed.
Award-Winning Historical Accuracy Multiple John Esten Cooke Fiction Award winners. B.R.A.G. Medallion across all four books. Amazon, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller. The accolades reflect what readers already know.
Four Complete Novels From enlistment to Reconstruction — the full arc of the Civil War era across four richly layered novels. Start with Book 1 and you will not stop. This is the series that gets under your skin.
MEET THE HEART OF THE STORY David Summers & Jake Kimball North Alabama · April 1863 · Confederate Volunteers They didn’t want a war. They got one anyway. David Summers is tall with shoulder length brown hair. His best friend Jake Kimball stands beside him with collar length dark brown hair. Together they are just two Southern boys from Alabama with dreams bigger than their small town. They enlist together in April 1863. They march into a war that will demand everything — their innocence, their friendship, and the futures they had barely begun to imagine. Two boys. One war. A bond that nothing — not even history — could break.
THE COMPLETE SERIES — READING ORDER
1 A Beautiful Glittering Lie A boy enlists. A family fractures. The war begins. ■ John Esten Cooke Award ■ B.R.A.G. Medallion
2 A Beckoning Hellfire His father dies at Fredericksburg. David marches — this time for revenge. ■ Amazon Bestseller ■ B.R.A.G. Medallion
3 A Rebel Among Us Survival demands impossible choices. No one walks away unchanged. ■ John Esten Cooke Award ■ B.R.A.G. Medallion
4 Double-Edged Sword The war ends. The wounds don’t. David comes home to a world he no longer recognizes. ■ John Esten Cooke Award ■ B.R.A.G. Medallion
THE AUTHOR BEHIND THE SERIES
About J.D.R. Hawkins J.D.R. Hawkins is one of a rare few female authors writing the American Civil War from the Confederate perspective — bringing the front lines to life with a depth of research, empathy, and storytelling craft that has earned her some of the genre’s highest honors. An Amazon, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, her Renegade Series has won multiple John Esten Cooke Fiction Award winners and B.R.A.G. Medallions across all four books. Her inspiration came from a visit to the Gettysburg battlefield — and a burning question: what would drive an ordinary young man, with no stake in politics, to pick up a rifle and march into one of history’s most devastating wars? ■ Amazon · USA Today · WSJ Bestseller ■ John Esten Cooke Fiction Award Winners × 3 ■ B.R.A.G. Medallion × 4
My novel, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, is being featured this week on BookSignal Studio. This book is the first one in the Renegade Series, which tells the story of a family from north Alabama and how the Civil War impacts them. BookSignal Studio gives authors the opportunity to share their books with readers who might not otherwise see them.
According to their website… “BookSignal Studio was built for one reason: to help good books get seen.
“Too many strong books stay hidden, not because they lack quality, but because the right readers never come across them. In today’s market, visibility matters just as much as the writing itself.
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“We work with independent authors to improve how their books are presented, positioned, and discovered. From better feature placement to stronger book visibility and reader reach, our focus is simple: helping your book get in front of the people most likely to read it.
“We are not a publisher, and we do not take royalties or ownership of your work.
“What we offer is direct book visibility support through strategic placements, stronger positioning, and promotion built around reader attention.
“Since 2023, we’ve helped over 500 independent authors improve their book visibility, strengthen reader reach, and build better momentum around their books across multiple genres.
“At BookSignal Studio, we believe a great book deserves more than being published. It deserves to be discovered.”
“We have chosen you as one of our best authors for 2025. This is based on the quality of your book collection. Out of thousands of writers on platforms, your work caught the attention of our editorial team.”
Thank you so much for featuring my book on BookSignal Studio!
My novel, A Beckoning Hellfire, has a brand-new book trailer! This trailer represents the second book in the Renegade Series, which tells the story of several families during the Civil War and how their lives intertwine. Once again, here’s a special shout out to my super talented son, Jesse, for constructing this trailer! Please drop me a line and let me know what you think of it! Thanks again for your continued support!
Over the weekend, I recruited my son to help me design some new book teasers for my nonfiction book, Horses in Gray. He is an amazing talent and has helped me create book teasers for nearly all of my books, as well as book trailers for Horses in Gray, A Becharmed Callie Christmas, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, and A Beckoning Hellfire (which I will share with you next week). Here are the teasers we came up with. Please let me know what you think! And don’t forget to share! (Thanks again, Jesse Hawkins!)
J.D.R. Hawkins 