2006-2007

Three days into the new year... The family is all gone, and the decorations are all coming down and going back into their boxes.

It has been a banner year. I had four books published: two about the war, and two about local history, which included material about the war. And, I had two articles in national publications.
One of those articles just came out: "McClellan’s Missed Opportunity" is in the new issue of America’s Civil War.

Two of my books won awards: The Battle of Hanover Court House and A Short History of Old Watauga County both won the Willie Parker Peace History Book Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians.

I was not the only member of the Hardy household published this year. My darling wife Elizabeth’s first book, Milton, Spenser and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C. S. Lewis Novels, was released about three weeks ago.

Best of all was the birth of our daughter, Isabella Laine Hardy, on December 20, 2006.
So what is in store for 2007? Another local history project, Remembering Avery County is just about finished. This is a collection of essays about local history, and will include some war materials, like essays on the Blalocks and on Grasslands, the home of Col. John B. Palmer (58th NCT). Then there is that history of the 58th North Carolina that I have been working on for several years. I have several articles accepted and awaiting publication, and have several more on the list to write.

Plus, we (me, Elizabeth, Nathaniel, and Isabella) all have a lot of adjusting to do. It will take time to figure out what the new normal will be.

I hope you too are looking forward to a great 2007.

Michael