8The title "14 Hands to Freedom" was created after the book was completed. The story itself has been told for years, and I always thought it would make a great book if I ever could get it down on paper. The timelines and families are true stories, but the adventures are my wild imagination of what could have happened.

A story of a German cavalry captain, his men, their horses, and families being chased out of Russia with goals to live free in America. Threatened by King Nickolas II, a recently appointed czar, who was to eliminate all Germans that live in Russia. Captain derived a plan to get out of Russia, sail for America, and find freedom and homestead land in North Dakota.

The story starts in 1896, as a cavalry captain and his men are sought out and then chased to the shores of the Black Sea. Captain hires two experienced English sailors, steals a Russian ship, and cleverly loads the entire community and their belongings onto the ship. They navigate the entire community of Germans from Russia to America. Battles with Russian soldiers, pirates, and winter storms harden the families, and battles of love, life, and happiness become all too real. Ten women become pregnant, and Captain struggles to keep balance between being a leader of men and a father of four teenage girls. Captain's two prodigies, the oldest and youngest, Mark and Glen, do everything they can to become cavalry men.

Glen's horse is fourteen hands tall and races his way across America. Mark continues to shoot his way through, and the huge piles of money they win create even a bigger threat. Captain's men are called upon several times to save his family. The soldiers are then forced to become cowboys and form a wagon train. They travel through snowstorms, rough rivers, and outlaw attacks. They drive thousands of horses and cows through the Midwest fighting wolves, coyotes, and more and finally find their homesteads in North Dakota.

14 Hands to Freedom will make you laugh, and it will make you cry, but mostly, it will make you want to see what's next for Captain and his community of Germans from Russia!