The hardcover version of this book is the same as the paperback version.
Excerpt
Pa Daddy then pointed out to Granny that it was already very late at night, and his son-in-law was suppose to have returned Aunt Della home by now. Pa Daddy then pointed out that he was sick and tired of the way that his son-in-law and mother did things. He felt that his daughter’s marriage to his son-in-law, William, had been the source of problems.
Granny commented that it was late. She suggested that Pa Daddy retire for the night. Pa Daddy became more conciliatory or it seemed, and stated, “Well, I will just doze off here by the television. I will let you know when our daughter comes home. Helen, you go ahead and get some sleep.”
The sky seemed darker that night and the wind more intense than usual. There were dark foreboding clouds in the sky and it seemed a storm was approaching. Suddenly, the porch light was extinguished. The front door of the house creaked. A shadowy phantom crept out and sat on the porch’s rocking chair. The phantom sat concealed and veiled in darkness. Suddenly, rolling thunder broke the night’s silence and bolts of lightning lit up the sky. As bolts of lightning illuminated my grandparent’s house, a metallic shotgun could be seen on the phantom’s lap. The rear door of the house was pushed silently open and a shadowy figure with his heart pounding and his luminous eyes wide crept from the rear of the house. He dropped to his knees and then stealthily crawled under the front porch. He cringed and sucked in his breath as the rocking chair creaked back and forth on the timbers of the porch above him. As the chair continued its rhythmic rocking, the person under the porch slowly released his breath and began to breathe quietly.
When things did not appear promising at the hospital, William and his mother, Erdell decided that they needed to travel to South Carolina. It seemed that Annie’s sickness was the result of witchcraft or voodoo. They left Aunt Della in charge of William’s and Annie’s two children, Helen and Willie, at their house in an adjacent county. Afterwards, William and his mother departed their residence. They stopped before traveling to South Carolina and picked up two other men relatives, William’s uncle and cousin. They then traveled to South Carolina.
There they paid a practitioner of the black arts a considerable sum for a talisman that was guaranteed to correct my mother’s illness.
My father, William, his mother Erdell, and the two men relatives returned to the house in the adjacent county and picked up Aunt Della, my four year old sister, and me. My father drove the 1957 Chevrolet and his mother was sitting in the middle of the front seat with my father’s Uncle Jesse sitting on the front passenger seat closest to the door. The other occupants of the car were in the back seat. They then proceeded to the adjacent county to drop Aunt Della off at her parent’s farm.
The phantom sitting on the rocking chair cocked the shotgun, when he spied a lone car with its luminous headlights pull onto the long dark road that led up to the house. The weakened catch and spring on the cocking mechanism of the shotgun began to creak and groan and the hammer of the shotgun seemed to inch slightly forward on its own. The car continued on towards the house and pulled to a stop in front of it. The several occupants of the car saw the phantom stand up with a shotgun in his hand. They glanced at each other and were confused. Like in a bad dream, the phantom hurried down the steps of the porch. Swearing loudly, he walked to the driver’s side of the car and pointed the shotgun at the young man, William. He ordered the young man to get out of the car, but the young man refused.
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Reviews for "The Winds of Destiny, 2nd Ed. Hardcover"
Willie, I am not sure if you remember me or not but I met you at Camp Lejeune MCX last Saturday. I had a little boy (7) with me. Well, I just got done reading the book last night (I could have devoured it in a day but I have four youngins which make it hard to do much reading) and was very capitvated by it. Excellent job, it had the ability to bring a myriad of emotions to the reader. There were a couple parts I burst out laughing over. The one I remember in particular was when you were describing yourself at five listening to your aunts and uncles talking about the Russians and you thought they were insects, not humans, that was such a chuckle.
I also felt like I got to know alot of the people descrided, particuarly Granny. She seemed such a sweetheart despite of toughness that comes from farm life. Uncle John was a hoot! I like your sotry of him in the last chapter, how he said your Uncle Leon relaxed his hair and told everybody it was naturally straight, lol. I loved how Granny piped up about his escapeds with a 25 year old. Your Uncle Leon seemed such a neat soul! I picture in my head of your Uncle Leon (as far as physical appear goes) a young Sammy Davis Jr. Am I way off? Granny, I picture Alice the great from the kids show Little Bill. I love your elloquent descriptions of the farm and life there. All aspects of the book were awesome. I look forward to reading any sequel that may be coing out. Keep me informed. Also, if your ever at Camp Lejuene again, my husband and I would love to have you and Ruth over for some good ol' soul food! I am also a southerner, born in Virginny and spent most of my life otherwise in NC. Youv'e really got a gift there Willie! Your family is very blessed to have you, and I feel very privilled to have met you. I only wish I could have met you after I read to your book. Thanks for sharing your gift with others Willie! I have to get going for now... Hope to hear from you sometime in the near future! Have a great day!
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