The Viet Nam war has just ended, but the military now wants to embark on its third quest to acquisition even more farm and ranch land for special maneuvers in this traditionally agricultural region of Central Texas. Acquisition could mean the destruction of small cities, cemeteries, and the lives of its inhabitants who have toiled and cared for the land for generations. The landowners decide to form a coalition to fight the corporate/military land grab which they feel is unnecessary and they enlist the aid of a newcomer to their midst, a young black man who is trying to put into action Martin Luther King’s “dream” in a region where the influence of the “Klan” still lingers. He wants to do his part to break the chains of a nation yet in turmoil. The young man has started a weekly newspaper called The Epitaph in one of the small cities and finds himself embroiled in an emotional roller coaster after he befriends an elderly rancher whose life is etched into the homeland. This epic novel is loosely based on actual events. Its setting begins at the turn of the 20th century with the rise of King Cotton and quickly evolves into modern times where issues of sovereignty of the land abound and questions about state-of-the-art weaponry in order to keep the military industrial complex profitable are explored. Featuring adventure, romance, and intriguing characters, the tear-jerk ending lives up to the title. W. LEON SMITH is the author of several books. A native of Central Texas, he has edited and published several newspapers over a 30-year period and is an accomplished reporter, photographer, investigator, landscaper, and keyhole gardener. He is former owner/operator of a movie theatre, has been a state-licensed irrigator, and was elected to several terms as a mayor of a small city. One of his companies, Keyhole Farm, LLC, manufactures keyhole garden kits. www.keyholefarm.com He is publisher of the highly acclaimed newspaper The Lone Star Iconoclast. Smith's works have been published in newspapers and magazines worldwide, including appearances in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and the British Journalism Review, to just name a few. He appeared in the documentary film, Crawford, Texas. His other books include The Switch Picher, Plant Your Garden In A Keyhole, and The Vigil - 26 Days In Crawford, Texas.