A Century Through My Eyes
- A thought

    Started as a thougt in early 2008, I wanted to write a book...hmm...but what would it be about? I like History; I want to be a historian; but what would people want to read. Personally, I would not be wanting to read a thousand page book filled only with boring facts and nothing excitng, another textbook that so many people my age despise; so... I want to write something that people my age would be interested in. Instead of Non-ficton, lets make a love story, an action story, a happy story, a sad story, a war story, a story that will touch the lives of many, with true emotion, yet...fictional.
    Instantly, a rush of power hit me and I said to myself- Wow! This just might work; how will I ever start? What did I do? I grabbed a one dollar, one subject notebook from school and started writing down my thoughts. What will the story be about? Who will the characters be? What will happen that will challenge all emotions of the reader? It's got to start somewhere! Whether I was at school, on a trip, or at home, I would be hit with thoughts that I wrote down. The process goes- thoughts progress to ideas, ideas progress to writing, writing progresses to part of a book. Once I put pieces together to the writing, a story started to form. 
    I am attached to this story. I can make lives, I can end lives, and I can shape and change the lives of the characters. That's the power of fiction, you can make it what you want it to be! As the story progressed, I learned then that you couldn't write a ficitional story front to back. If I would have started with a "Once Upon a Time" situation, I would have spoiled the story then and there and I would not be here today still writing. I can tell you straight forward- I don't know what is going to happen next and I don't know what the ending is. To me, it has become a powerful experience and It is become a situation that the characters are alive. They control my pen and paper, not me.


A Century Through My Eyes
- A Novel
By Andrew Sterling Carter



The name was chosen...
Enough about the thought or the idea! Let's actually talk about the book!
This is what it's all about!


    A Century Through My Eyes...hmm...they will say; what's it about? Well so far, I can clearly say that the title itself explains it all. The story is in the category as Historical Fiction; however, It's an auto-biography. Wow! That's confusing, some will say. Yes, it is not true, yet it's an auto-biography. I bet you're wondering who the main character is and where the story is set, and if it's Historical Fiction, you're wondering what time period the book is set in and what historical events are in relation to the story. Let me explain further as what the story is about.
    Peter Carter-Born in the prosperous days of the 1800's, he has a childhood like none other. Leisurely being raised on a tobbaco farm in the mountains of Virginia-yes; the Blue Ridge, he learns traditional values from his father and mother to carry on the trade of farming. Living on a plantation with slaves itself is an interesting enviornment for anyone, but suddenly his father Daniel passes away and he is left with the farm to tend to with his mother Sarah. The farm collapses, the slaves are released and the bloody war today known as the civil war settles in. For a year, Peter and his mother live harshly in the mountains away from the outside world where the war is taking place and thousands of lives are being lost by the week until, the household recieves a knock on the door. Peter is forced to fight the bloody war for two long years along with his closest friend, Hank Richardson and together they try their hardest to survive.
    I know you are thinking right now, this is another one of those war novels where the stakes are high to survive and they succeed and live happy lives all in all. All in all, I regret to say, the story doesn't end there. Peter Carter lives on. He confronts the strengths and weaknesses of love and loss and heartache within the years of reconstruction and manages to raise a family on into the turn of the century. Unfortunately for the reader, the story is not always happy nor sad. I try to present you a story, though fictional, that shows the truth of life, the affect it has on people and the affect that people have on it. I challenge you with all emotions; are you up for it? As Peter Carter lives on and travels the challenging path of life, he begins to understand it's purpose. I leave you now with only your thoughts......what will happen to Peter Carter? Will he have it hard or easy? Remember, his story is influencing my pen and he is in control. Are you ready for the challenge?

A Century Through My Eyes
-A Novel

By

Andrew Sterling Carter