A Tale from the Hills

About the Book

In a mountainous region of Southwestern Virginia where poverty and hardship were an everyday part of life, there lived a family with the last name of Hill. The Hill children grew up without the benefit of a mother, but under the very watchful eyes of a humble but somewhat roguish father. In spite of many hardships and almost impossible living conditions, most of the children grew up to be proud and respectable citizens of Washington County. That is all except one, and his name was William.

William started life under the close scrutiny and support of his loving sister Alice, but after her death in a tragic accident, his life was changed forever. He became tortured by dreams of death and ghostly images which ultimately led to his running away from home at the tender age of twelve. Thus began a long and even more tragic journey of paranoia and mystery that ended when he was twenty-five.

William's journey took him from rural Virginia, through the Carolinas and further South, where he left murder and mayhem as his calling card. World War II was his only means of escape from capture for his hideous crimes, but he ultimately met his well deserved end at the hands of a nearly helpless old woman. He changed many lives and families forever but in the end he received his just rewards.

About the Author

As a child growing up in Southwestern Virginia, Terry gained an attachment and great appreciation for the rural life. He carried that appreciation into adulthood and now he feels a need to share a part of his beautiful region with others. Although this story is completely fictional, the area of which he writes is real and full of much unspoiled natural beauty.

Terry is a graduate of Tusculum College in Greenville, Tennessee, the oldest college in Tennessee and one of the oldest in America, and he is now a merchant in Marion, Virginia where he also resides.