Historical Fiction Novel About Civil War a Holiday Gift-giving Favorite as it Climbs Amazon Charts in Romance Category and Receives Accolades From History Fans for Accuracy and Focus on Honor and Duty

    GETTYSBURG, PA, December 02, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A Civil War novel penned by a Gettysburg, Pa., resident has become an Amazon best-seller in the Romance/Historical category as word of mouth about its sweeping portrayal of the War Between the States continues to spread.

Released in January 2008, Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia by Jessica James is the recipient of two prestigious Best Regional Fiction Awards and is already in its second printing. The book has been widely praised by historians for its historical accuracy, and by romance readers for its emotional description of the love that develops between the two main characters.

Civil War author Virginia Morton called Shades of Gray, "an incredible achievement and a treasure," while the Book Review Journal says it is "well written and expertly executed. You cannot leave this book unchanged in your understanding of the souls of the Civil War."

James said she is pleased with the response to her debut book, even though she does not consider it a "romance novel."
"I thought it would be a hard sell because Civil War buffs don't usually read fiction and romance/mainstream readers don't usually read Civil War books, but I've been pleasantly surprised," James said. "Shades is appealing to both these groups, and even more surprising, is being praised by men, as well as women. I think everyone relates to a good, old-fashioned love story that stresses high moral values and solid principles like honor and duty."

James has been written about in the Washington Post and does frequent book signings at Civil War events in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.

Patriot Press, the book's publisher, is preparing for a busy holiday season as the novel's fan base continues to grow and the holiday season spurs book sales for gift-giving. Shades of Gray moved into the Top 10 in the romance/historical category in November.

The Civil War novel is available on Amazon and other Internet retail sites. Signed copies can be purchased at the author's website: http://www.jessicajamesbooks.com.

About Patriot Press

Patriot Press publishes books that reflect the values and traditions of our nation's past, including the award-winning Civil War novel Shades of Gray by Jessica James. For more information, please visit www.patriotpressbooks.com or www.jessicajamesbooks.com.

# # #