Muriel

About the Book

This book contains the story of a wise, wealthy, and beautiful woman who was a coal baroness of the Eastern Kentucky coal fields. There were many coal barons but, there was only one baroness, and further, she was a direct descendant to Elijah Combs, the original settler of Hazard, Kentucky, and Perry County. So she had a pedigree and a bloodline that no other woman could ever possess. This particular lineage was of great assistance to her when she attempted to cross certain lines or class boundaries. And cross them she did. In most business deals, her natural beauty was her greatest advantage in doing business with men. At that time, she was the only woman who owned vast holdings of Black Gold and native lumber. She was very successful at getting the best prices for her products.

About the Author

Charles Hays has had a wonderful career in engineering, which announces the fact that I am a has been. Prior to my days in engineering, I wrote for the Hazard Daily Herald newspaper, where I first got printer’s ink in my blood. From there, it transformed into magazine articles and books, especially since 2010, when my wife died of ovarian cancer. At that time, I turned to full-time writing to keep my mind off her unexpected departure. Since 2012, I have published 25 books and not one of them has been discovered by the reading public. So when it comes to my writing success, I have nothing to report. But that’s okay because I haven’t yet placed a pistol to my head. I am old and feeble. Pain is a constant concern. Most of my pals have gone underground. My truck won’t run. And I feel like I am just about done. I even feel a presence that is stalking me.