To Stand on Solid Ground: A Civil War Novel Based on Real People and Events

2021 Distinguished Favorite—Independent Press Award

“. . . thought provoking, educational, enthralling, haunting, deserving of a second read, and worthy of praise and recognition.”
The 2020 Award of Excellence
–North Carolina Society of Historians

Based on real people and real events, To Stand on Solid Ground brings to life an unusual relationship between Confederate loyalists and Union sympathizers. To Stand on Solid Ground does more than merely report historical events; it transports the reader back in time to face the profound need to support each other in a time of intense polarity. It offers insight, lessons and hope fitting to modern-day political divisions.

North Carolina secedes from the United States of America the same day Transylvania County is formed. It is the same day Robert Hamilton is appointed as its first sheriff. Many in the community share Robert’s opposition to slavery and his public plea to avoid secession. Yet, not all. Most family and friends suffer intensified divisions when they face the unavoidable call by the newly formed Confederate government to fight for, and support, the Confederacy. Robert must find a way to uphold his oath as sheriff and be true to his conscience, even if it means bending the rules. Yet, he cannot do this alone. Calling on a few close friends and family, Robert hopes to avoid discovery, but there is a problem. Elizabeth Neill, the daughter of his deputy, pursues her interest in a Confederate soldier and harbors a growing suspicion that the sheriff and his family have secrets. At the same time, her friendship with Pink, a young slave, challenges her naïve perspective on slavery. As the war rages, the newly-formed county must decide how to confront hunger and ruthless bushwhackers, neither of which honor Union nor Confederate loyalty.

Leslie Parker Borhaug grew up as a missionary-kid in Switzerland, where she struggled with reading and spelling in two different languages. In spite of her challenges, she attended Berea College, Kentucky, where she received her teaching degree. She taught sixteen years in North Carolina, half of those years with at-risk students, following her desire to positively impact struggling students. During this time, she was recognized as Transylvania County's Teacher of the Year. Borhaug also received her Master's in Reading and Literacy. Reading fluency remains her passion and continues to drive her to write high-interest level, low-reading level books under the pen-name LB Tillit. In addition, Borhaug established My Easy Read Books, LLC as a platform to promote reading fluency through providing engaging literature. Borhaug currently lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband.