Life in Colonial Virginia is fraught with hardships, disease, and death. When rumblings against the Crown erupt into open warfare, Will and his son enlist in the 5th Virginia Militia Regiment.

Will leaves his grieving children for the dreary fields of Valley Forge. Lonely nights are filled with memories of his lost wife, whom he lovingly renamed Duck, and happier times at his tobacco farm on the shores of Whipponock Creek. Yet even surviving the intensity and danger of the battlefield as a scout, Will must also face challenges to his beliefs on religion, slavery, and patriotism.

Four years later, the fighting ventures close to home, threatening Will’s children. He has no choice but to muster out of the Continental Army. On his return, Will discovers that fighting the British is the least of his problems.

This historical novel is a fictionalized account of the author’s 4th great-grandfather.

Serving as a scout in the Continental Army forces a successful tobacco farmer to examine his commitment to friendship, family, and patriotism.

"The best of this novel, based on historical facts—the real-life Will Traylor is Pastecki's fourth-great-grandfather—is the chronicle of the protagonist's service as a scout under Washington during the war, a remarkable story." -- Kirkus Review 

The exhaustively researched and vividly detailed Whipponock Creek offers an insightful exploration of one man's personal journey during a tumultuous period in American history. Ronnie Pastecki's dedication to historical accuracy shines through, lending an air of authenticity to the narrative. Five-Star BOOK REVIEW by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Just as family, friends, and love are Whipponock Creek's themes, so do these values resonate with Ronnie Pastecki, the book's author. As a college student, Ronnie studied history, an interest that has always been with her. Finding genealogical proof of her 4th Great-grandfather's involvement as a scout at Valley Forge was the impetus for the writing of this historical fiction novel.

Ronnie Pastecki resides in Saratoga Springs, NY, with her husband of fifty years. She is the mother of two adult children and has one precious granddaughter. Ronnie spent nineteen years as a school library media specialist before becoming the Administrator for Grants & Program Development for the City School District of Albany. In her retirement, she discovered a flair for creative writing and was the recipient of different awards from the NC Senior Games Literary Arts Competition. Her frequent contributions to the Cape Fear Voices newspaper in Leland, NC, prompted her to write her debut novel.