2016 Silver Award Winner – “Beautifully crafted and masterfully paced…a thematically rich story of abandoned slaves on the South Carolina Sea Islands in 1861.

 -Judge’s comments, Florida Book Award

 Outstanding Ratings – “An excellent read for anyone wishing to learn more about the events and repercussions of the American Civil War.”

   -Judge 10, 24th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards

 "Free to Be, by Gracie L. Chandler, is a riveting historical fiction novel that depicts the psychological effects of years of slavery...The level of detail and historical accuracy is impressive;...All in all, the setting, memorable characters, and storyline made for a compelling narrative, which is why I am thrilled to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars."

-Ritah, Offiicial Reviewer