I had special inspiration for this novel.  I am the family historian and have traced my paternal lineage back to our roots in the British Isles.  My ancestors came to America quite early and many of the men fought in the Revolutionary War.  They were given land grants for their service and moved to the Carolinas.  The names you see in this book are actual names of my ancestors, although the story is completely fictional.  I like to think that the real Ephraim Potter shares absolutely nothing in common with my fictional Ephraim.  When developing Rufus’ character, I thought it would be an interesting twist to have the older son of an affluent family to be a fanciful personality–a “wood elf” type of child.  Duncan Robinson is totally a creation of my imagination, but it’s quite possible that I had at least a few strong, handsome Scottish men in my family tree!  I hope you enjoy a trip through my genealogical research set in fictional form.