Three Roads Out: The Sequel to Along the Red Dirt Road - Paperback

by Jane Yearout (Author)

(NEW RELEASE)

SYNOPSIS: The roots of this story run wide and deep - culturally, geographically. Written during the first outbreak of Covid. No pandemic is mentioned, yet there are signs of impending danger. The story begins in the Shenandoah Valley, six months after epilogue to Along the Red Dirt Road concludes. Elements of the Civil War, Great Depression, the Holocaust, WW2, the Vietnam era, and current times are all crucial to story. Twists, turns, fear, hate, friendship, and revelation take center stage as Dr. KT Winslow, Larry Finler, the Wesslers, and others are barraged by new circumstances and excruciating choices.

The main protagonist is Annie's unmarried granddaughter, Dr. KT Winslow. It's been over eighty years since KT's enigmatic grandmother left town. Did Hillview forgive what she had done? What followed that autumn afternoon by the old stone wall? Annie is gone and now it's all on KT. Can she turn the page on Hillview and chart a new course as Annie had so long ago?

As with Along the Red Dirt Road (the prequel), expect an uplifting story packed with suspense, surprises, fascinating characters, a wide range of emotion - plus an abundance of hints and sub-plots for readers with hungry imaginations.

BLACK HISTORY, JEWISH HISTORY, CURRENT TIMES: The Hill family story (African American) is, in part, their patient, deliberate pursuit of the American dream - from Civil War days, through the Great Depression, WW2, and on to current times. The Wessler story (Jewish) is a long and winding one that begins in Europe and comes to rest in small town U.S.A. So, how did Hillview respond? How long will it take? Is Hilllview different, or are there places just like it tucked away in other parts of the world? Ultimately, both families showed, in great clarity, the power that comes with precious friendship and human decency.

GENRE: This book features key elements of Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery Fiction, Mainstream Fiction, Humor, Family Saga, Southern History, Black History, Jewish History, a timely slice of Modern Fiction - plus some features of Classic Literary Fiction and Young Adult Fiction. This is not a romance novel.

AUDIENCE: Three Roads Out speaks directly to people of many cultures and circumstances - with special relevance to baby boomers, mature teens, working adults, and socially conscious women (all ages). Book contains mildly colorful language and non-gratuitous violence, but no vulgarity, graphic violence, or sexual content.

THEMES & TOPICS: Alalia syllabaris (stammering), Anti-Semitism. Authenticity. Bullying. Bluegrass Music, Civil War. Confederacy. Community. Corruption. Courage. D-Day. Decency. Diversity. Dust Bowl. Dutch Resistance. Elitism. Ethnicity. Fear. Feeblemindedness. Fraud. Friendship. Generosity. Genocide. Great Depression. Historical Preservation. Holocaust. Home Guard. Homicide. Honesty. Hope. Immunization. Inheritance. Interracial Friendship, Interracial Love Story, Jewish Immigration. Jim Crow, Joy. Justice. Isolation. Lost Cause. Materialism. Mortality. Mystery. Nazis. New South. Old Guard. Old South. Pearl Harbor. Peer Pressure. Perseverance. Personal Empowerment (especially women, teens, minorities). Political Corruption. POWs. Pregnancy. Public Health. Quakers. Race and Gender Equality. Rule of Law, Rural Medicine. Scandal. Secrecy. Segregation, Single Mothers. Slavery. Starvation. Social Empowerment. Sundown Town. Tragedy. Truth. Underground Railroad. Union Army. Upward Mobility. VE Day. Wellness. WW2.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTINGS: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina. Pennsylvania, Maryland, Oklahoma, Washington, D.C.

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION: Meets/exceeds key guidelines for book selection.

BOOK CLUB/AUTHOR SESSIONS: Virtual (worldwide). In-person (Kansas City area).