One summer night in 1945, a family awakes to the terror of white monsters in white robes. The Ku Klux Klan has invaded the home and the lives of Mose and Bessie Thompson and one of their children has been taken. Every black person's fear since the time of slavery has happened. A Season of Innocence is a tale of race, murder, and the search for justice in a Southern white society. The murder of an innocent child changes the lives of all who are close to Bessie and Mose. This book carries a powerful message of love, family, friendship, loyalty, and the courage of a young girl to stand up for what is right in the midst of bigotry at its worst. Heartbreaking tragedy and loss are at the heart of this story, but humor and drama walk hand in hand throughout the pages. The story begins as World War Two is coming to an end and six year old Tillie anxiously waits for news of her father to come home.
About the Author: I was born in the small textile town of Tallassee, Alabama. My father was a textile engineer; therefore we relocated often during my growing years. We moved from Tallassee when I was almost 10 to LaGrange, GA, then onto Greenwood, SC for a summer. Then, onward to Abbeville, SC where I spent 4 happy years of 5th through 8th grade. From there I cried all the way to our new destination, Mooresville, NC. My last two years of high school were spent in Roanoke Rapids, NC. There I met Ken Buxton and we were married one year after my freshman year at East Carolina University. Our daughter was born in1962 and my son in 1966. We lived in Athens, GA. I worked as a telephone operator at Southern Bell in Athens while my husband attended UGA. We later moved to Wareham, MA when my children were age 8 and 4. To my disappointment, my children lost their Southern accents within two weeks of moving there. We lived near beautiful Onset Harbor and enjoyed boating and sailing as often as possible. We loved the area in spite of the harsh winters. I attended Bridgewater State while we lived there and loved every minute of it. Due to the downsizing of my husband's company, we had to move before my son finished school and before I finished college. A few months later we moved to Hopewell Junction, NY. We were there for 11 years. We still enjoyed boating but on the Hudson River this time, and we went whenever the weather permitted. We launched at Poughkeepsie and visited Kingston, and Hudson. Sometimes we headed south toward NYC and docked at beautiful, quaint Cold Spring, NY. I began my education again; this time at SUNY in New Paltz, NY. That's where I began to write--one creative writing course and I was hooked from then on. I continued working for ATT in Carmel and later, Peekskill, NY. After my husband retired on medical disability, I relocated with ATT in Marketing in Atlanta. Our department moved to Marietta. I retired in 1998. My husband's heart trouble worsened and in Oct. of 2001, he received a transplant. He has done very well, and we still reside in the same house here in Marietta. My son and his wife have 3 boys. They live in Sitka, Alaska and love it. My daughter and husband are happy in Seattle. Now, a senior citizen, I enjoy writing, walks in the park with my dog, the symphony in Atlanta, theatre, church work, and socializing with friends. We have a full life here, and we love Marietta!