As I have mentioned in past books, this is a sequel to the previous and should be read after the others; The Reversion, The Revival and The Renewal, in order to fully understand it. My reason for this is simple; I've always found it tedious to read re-introductions of situations and characters, and so have no desire to write them.For those who have read the first three books in this series, you may have seen that I intended to title this one The Blessings of Freedom and make it the first in a new series called the New America series - my reason being that the action begins to expand beyond the original area of Stonemont. However, as the story continued to unfold, I changed my mind and decided to change the name to An Appeal to Heaven, a reference many of you will recognize, and make it the fourth book of the continuing Stonemont series so as not to create a false feeling of interruption in the progress of the story. Though the scope is expanding, it is still through the lens of Stonemont that we view that expansion, and Stonemont which remains the center of our attention as it continues to increase in its size, its influence and its interest in the world around it.An Appeal to Heaven is a transitional book - it continues and builds on the circumstances of its predecessors while expanding into new areas, both geographic and social, and does so through the eyes of both established characters and numerous new ones. As such, it is both a "cap" on the birth pangs of the new world and an introduction to the challenges of the future - a future that is far more complex and threatening than the initial stages of survival and reestablishment of elemental society following the collapse. It is, essentially, the framework around which the continuing series will be seen to take shape.And finally, a brief word about me and how I approach the writing of my books.I am a traditionalist. I hold to traditional values and consider them to be the foundation of a healthy, productive society and civilization.I am a Christian, and, without denigrating other belief traditions, agree with Patrick Henry's statement that "This great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians, not by religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ." Arguments against this are ill-informed and incorrect, and to ignore this would be to ignore the most important foundational principle of America.And I am a patriot, in that I subscribe to and support the principles on which our country was founded and under which it prospered, though not how those principles are often subverted.Some find this offensive - but those are not the ones I write for.To those of you I do write for - welcome back to Stonemont and the continuing adventure in the building of a New America!Semper Paratus, SCS