Book excerpt: Frankie Silver was convicted and hanged in Morganton, North Carolina, for the murder of her husband in 1833. She left behind a 13-month-old daughter named Nancy, who was kidnapped by Frankie's family, the Stuarts, and taken to Franklin, North Carolina, to live. Several years later, her maternal grandmother sought custody of her and took her back to Yancy County. A LIFE FOR NANCY takes readers on a journey of Nancy's life from 1832 until her death in 1901. The murder of her father and execution of her mother would follow Nancy through a life filled with tragedy and heartache. With a husband who is caught up in the Civil War, survival is her top priority, and she will do anything to make sure her children are fed as poverty hits the Appalachian Mountains. Based on true stories handed down through the generations and actual documents found by family members, this work of historical fiction is full of mystery, romance and murder, as Nancy seeks to find some sort of peace in her life.