Abner Daniel: A Novel

A young man named Alan Bishop walks the fields of his family’s farm, watching a sturdy ploughman work the corn while his mother hurries to the house, worried about the latest scheme of his father. Their homestead, with its white‑columned porch, bustling poultry yard, and sky‑blue ceilinged parlor, feels both timeless and fragile as the Bishop family debates a risky land purchase that could change everything.

The tension rises when the local lawyer arrives, promising wealth from timber‑rich hills that lie far from any railroad. Alan and his mother, aware of the growing debt and his father’s obsession, begin to suspect that the venture may bring ruin rather than prosperity. As the characters grapple with pride, ambition, and the pull of the mountains, the story invites listeners into a vivid portrait of rural life and the uneasy choices that shape a family’s future.