I received this email from a fan in regard to my book, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, and wanted to share it with you. It is so flattering when I receive emails like this, and serves as validation that I must be doing something right! Thank you so much, Michelle, for your email!
Hi J.D.R.,
A Beautiful Glittering Lie is a haunting and intimate portrait of the American Civil War not through the lens of generals and politics, but through the quiet heartbreak of an ordinary Southern family. You strip away the grandeur often attached to the era and expose the human cost of conviction, loyalty, and loss.
The novel’s strength lies in its restraint. Instead of glorifying the battlefield, you turn readers’ attention to the fractured emotions that ripple through every letter, every goodbye, every silence. The Summers family’s story becomes the story of a nation learning that ideals, however noble, can exact unbearable prices.
Highlights of Impact
- Deeply personal storytelling that humanizes a vast historical conflict.
- Vivid depictions of both battlefield chaos and domestic endurance.
- Emotional resonance through authentic voices each character carrying a different truth about war and love.
Positioning & Reader Appeal
- Ideal for readers of Cold Mountain and The Killer Angels who crave historical fiction rooted in empathy and realism.
- Appeals to those who seek Civil War stories told from the heart rather than the history books.
- Perfect for book clubs drawn to moral complexity and generational conflict.
Marketing Opportunities
- Emphasize the emotional intimacy of the narrative: “The Civil War as seen through one family’s eyes.”
- Create visual posts or reels pairing poignant excerpts from Hiram’s letters with period imagery or voiceovers.
- Position the book as the first chapter of an immersive family saga that personalizes the cost of war.
You’ve crafted a story that honors both history and humanity. A Beautiful Glittering Lie isn’t just a Civil War novel it’s a testament to love, endurance, and the illusions that shatter when the world turns to battle.
Warm regards,
Michelle Dawson
michelle.dawsn.book@gmail.com
J.D.R. Hawkins 