A Giveaway to Celebrate Release Week for An Appalachian Summer

Some couriers on their way to Wendover perhaps. :Photo Courtesy of Frontier Nursing University Archives.

Tuesday is release day for An Appalachian Summer. Already books have gone out to some reviewers and early readers. But Tuesday, if you did a pre-order, my new mountain story will fly out to you. And I will love hearing what you think about the story.

When I decided to go back to Wendover, Kentucky for a new story, I wanted to give it a little different slant than my earlier book, These Healing Hills, that had Frontier Nursing Service history. I did enjoy featuring a nurse midwife in that story. But I kept thinking there was more history to share about the Frontier Nursing Service. While I was doing research for the story, I was continually impressed by Mary Breckinridge and how she had a vision of helping mothers and children who lacked basic healthcare. But Mary Breckinridge not only had a vision of a way to supply that healthcare, she was such a charismatic person that she drew others into her vision too. She talked midwives from England into coming to the Eastern Kentucky hills to ride horses up into the mountains to care for their patients in their primitive homes that lacked the conveniences that we take so for granted in our time. Heat came from fireplaces and often that was where the cooking was done too. Water was hauled in from wells or springs. The people could barely scrape out a living from the rough terrain. But these midwives came and made a difference.

Mary Breckinridge :Photo Courtesy of Frontier Nursing University Archives.

Then when the English midwives felt the call to go home to England when their country was fighting World War II, Mrs. Breckinridge started her own midwifery school in Hyden, Kentucky. To get the various and sundry chores and more done that would have burdened the nurse midwives, she brought in volunteers she tagged as couriers. These young women, usually from socially prominent families, came to rough it in the mountains and take care of the nurse midwives’ horses, run errands, deliver messages, clean horse stalls, accompany the midwives on calls, and in general, do whatever the nurse midwives needed for them to do.

When I read the first person accounts of some of these volunteer couriers, one thing was clearly evident. They loved their time in the mountains, doing something they thought useful and necessary. Some volunteered more than once. Others left from the mountains and went on to do other adventurous things. As word  got around about the couriers, more volunteered than needed. So a waiting list was started. Some of the couriers who went home, married, and had children, signed up their baby daughters as soon as they were born so that they might experience the same wonderful time they had known working with the Frontier nurses.

So after reading about the couriers, Piper came to life in my imagination.  Of course she has a whole cast of supporting characters to share her story. I did want to work in more of Mary Breckinridge’s story in this book.  I was able to do that through my male main character as I let him interview Mrs. Breckinridge. Sometimes writers have to be sneaky to lace in the historical facts they want to share. I do hope I made that interesting for readers.

Piper was in the mountains earlier than  Jeeps that showed up after the war. She rode horses everywhere she went up in the mountains. Mrs. Breckinridge loved riding in the mountains too and she loved the mountains and the mountain people. She had a rule for the nurse midwives and for the couriers. They weren’t to talk about religion, politics, or moonshine.  The couriers wore a uniform outfit of riding pants or jeans with a white shirt with a FNS patch on the sleeve.  This ensured they wouldn’t have any problems with the mountain people.

Here are a few quotes I pulled out of the story.

1. “We all have some bumps and bruises along the way, but the old world keeps turning. Even in the darkest hour, a smile can bring some light. (Nurse Freeman)

2. Sometimes one should go with the current and try something new. When they were midstream. When they had the means to do so. (Truda)

3. “It’s too late for regrets.”
“So it is. Have you had a good life, Truda?”
“I have.” She smiled as she added, “So far.”

4. “Are you going to be mad at me forever?” Jamie

5. “I think I’m in love.” Truda’s eyes widened in astonishment. “With a man I’ve met twice. Obviously, the mountain air has made me lose my senses.”

6. “My ma always used to say coulda, shoulda, woulda never got you nowheres.” (Kermit) 

7. Sometimes a person had to forget the obstacles and jump into the moment. (Jamie)

8. Can’t is not a word Mrs. Breckinridge ever wants to hear from any of her staff or nurses. (Miss Aileen) 

9. I went with one of the nurse midwives to deliver a baby. Well, I didn’t deliver the baby, but I watched. Didn’t faint, either. Wow! That’s all I can say. (Letter from Piper) 

I just sent  out a newsletter with a giveaway chance. If you didn’t get the newsletter, let me know and I’ll send one out to you. Also, I’ll be giving away books here too. For this first chance, let me know which of those quotes catches your interest and make you want to know what happens next. That will get your name in my drawing hat for a copy of your choice of one of my books. Fast giveaway on this one. Deadline to enter is Wednesday, July 1, at noon EST.  I’ll announce the winner in Wednesday’s post when I’m pretty sure I will start a new mystery photo contest.  Maybe, pretty sure. 🙂 But if not then, very soon. But meanwhile check out my Facebook page for possible links your chance to read more about me and the book, An  Appalachian Summer.

So what do you think? Which of those quotes grabs your interest?