The Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes by David J. Mason is a historical documentary novel trilogy inspired by the true story of Mason’s great-grandfather, Parson Sykes. The trilogy traces Parson’s journey from enslavement in Southampton County, Virginia, through his escape and service in the Union Army during the Civil War, to his efforts to build a new life during Reconstruction.

Parson Sykes’s story is one of extraordinary courage, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of freedom. Born into bondage on a Virginia farm haunted by the legacy of Nat Turner’s rebellion, Parson endures the daily hardships of enslavement alongside his family. Yet, even in the shadow of oppression, Parson’s spirit remains unbroken. His exposure to new ideas while working on the railroad and his growing awareness of the abolitionist movement ignite a powerful yearning for self-determination.

As the Civil War rages and the grip of slavery tightens, Parson refuses to accept the limits imposed on him. He and his brothers engage in subtle acts of resistance, preserving their dignity and hope in the face of adversity. Parson’s journey is fueled by the conviction that liberation is not simply a matter of escape, but a profound act of reclaiming one’s humanity and agency.

Armed with scraps of information and an unyielding will, Parson orchestrates a daring escape to Union territory. The perilous journey, fraught with danger and uncertainty, is a testament to his ingenuity and resolve. Crossing into freedom, Parson enlists in the United States Colored Troops, joining the historic XXV Corps—the first all-Black corps to enter the fallen Confederate capital of Richmond. Through vivid vignettes, Mason honors the collective bravery of Black soldiers who fought not only for the Union but also for the promise of equality and justice.

Victory in war, however, is only the beginning. Returning to Southampton County, Parson confronts the harsh realities of Reconstruction: broken promises, persistent racial violence, and the struggle for true emancipation. Frustrated by the slow progress and systemic barriers, Parson becomes a fierce advocate for education, land ownership, and civil rights. His resilience is tested as he navigates the turbulent passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, confronting both hope and backlash.

Through mentorship, advocacy, and unwavering perseverance, Parson secures his right to vote, acquires land, and establishes himself as a leader in his community. His journey reveals that self-liberation is not a single act, but a lifelong commitment to justice and equality. Parson’s story is a powerful reminder that the fight for freedom is ongoing, demanding courage, resilience, and the refusal to yield to despair.

Drawing from family chronicles and official records, The Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes offers an intimate portrait of one man’s quest for autonomy and dignity. Mason’s trilogy illuminates the broader struggles and triumphs of African Americans during one of the most transformative periods in American history, celebrating the enduring power of self-liberation and the human spirit.

$9.99 each on Kindle.

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It’s early 1860, and war hero Captain Nathaniel Chambers, commander U.S. Army Fort Davis in the west Texas wilderness, has received a summons home to his family planation in Virginia. What ensues is an epic journey across a young nation seething with debauchery, brutality, corruption, and political intrigue, unwittingly on the brink of an unimaginable disaster; the American Civil War. Free on Kindle.

April 1862. The Civil War has been raging for a year. Union scout James Andrews hatches a bold plan to end the war go behind enemy lines in Georgia, steal a southern locomotive and bring it north, destroying the rail line and splitting the confederacy in two.

Union soldier John Wilson volunteers for the mission and embarks on a harrowing journey in enemy country to reach the town of Big Shanty. There, the other soldiers steal the locomotive called “The General” and embark a wild chase through the Georgia countryside with “The General”s engineer, Bill Fuller, in hot pursuit. $2.99 on Kindle.

‘The Cause of Darkness’ is the story of a 16-year-old boy named Teddy Miller set during the last full-year of the American Civil War. Teddy lives with his father and brother in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. They lead more-or-less normal lives even while the War rages around them.

But everything changes when their farm is burned, and Teddy’s father is arrested and sentenced to hang for espionage. Teddy’s single-minded quest to save his father reads like a grand adventure, full of gunfights, horse chases and 19th-century justice. There is even a beautiful Pinkerton detective who plays a major role in Teddy’s exploits. But nearly all the adult characters act solely in their own self-interest and few have Teddy’s welfare at heart. Left without adult guidance, Teddy takes actions to save his father which have consequences that he cannot fully comprehend; and it is the consequences of these actions that drive the novel to its conclusion. $4.99 on Kindle.

Northern Wolf is a military historical fiction adventure set in the American Civil War. Follow a small group of green Union cavalrymen fighting for each other and a land they hardly know in a novel that depicts the fraying fabric of a nation that is battling for its identity.

Join the 13th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry as they ride on a collision course with J. E. B. Stuart’s elite cavalry “the Invincibles” near a small Pennsylvanian town, Gettysburg. $0.99 on Kindle.

Eight out of ten people polled say they believe that the country is “mainly” or “totally’ divided.

There is a growing sentiment, in the majority of people in America, who believe that given our current state of affairs, we have never been more divided as a country. It is not only a political rift but it seems to be generational and cultural. People are starting to realize that they have nothing in common with their fellow countrymen. There is no common ground for compromise. That is remarkable considering all the instances of polarizing events that have occurred in our past, such as civil rights, abortion and the Vietnam War, just to mention a few. However, none of those controversies were divisive enough, to actually split the country apart.

Nevertheless, there is a precedent that did exactly x just that–tore this country asunder; resulting in four bloody years of slaughter that had brothers killing each other. It was the ultimate schism. The American Civil War was unquestionably one of the darkest times in our nation’s past.
The first Civil War is the blueprint for how a country becomes so divided, that it tries to annihilate itself. We must recognize it as such. We would be wise to study it, dissect it, deconstruct it and learn the lessons that it has to teach us, if we have any hope for the salvation of our country in the future.

We must take the words of Mary Chestnut to heart on the eve of the Civil War. “We are divorced, North and South, because we have hated each other so.” We must regard her words as a harbinger. $3.99 on Kindle.

From the end of the 17th century when a lone Frenchman homesteads in what would become South Carolina through the pinnacle of the Civil War, the Bodes family and those close to them endure hardship, triumph, scandal, and sometimes tragedy. They work to defend against enemies and establish alliances in the rapidly changing landscape of young America.

Over the years, the small homestead becomes a significant plantation known as The Cedar, frequented by traders and travelers. During an unseasonable storm in the South Carolina midlands in the early 19th century, an heiress who has lost everything seeks refuge at The Cedar and is determined to turn misfortune into opportunity and the saga of Vesper Bodes and young Elisabeth begins.

A must-read for fans of Civil War era historical fiction and southern literature! $0.99 on Kindle.

Zachary Webster was an innocent Maine farm boy before becoming a sharpshooter, but the violence of the Civil War battlefields has turned him into a natural killer. While home on his unit’s month-long furlough, he murders the man he believes has stolen his beloved. If you enjoyed Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, you should like this book. Free on Kindle.

Aislynn’s journey begins in New York City and leads her to a Utah mining camp where she must cope with three very different men. The novel races through authentic experiences involving historical events until it erupts in an unexpected ending. In today’s troubled world, Far Away Home will make you believe no matter how many challenges fate sends your way, the human spirit can triumph. $0.99 on Kindle.