Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!
The hunt BEGINS on 10/15 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
- Hunt through our loop using Chrome of Firefox as your browser (not Explorer)
- There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 10/18 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
- Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!
Hi, I’m Ann H. Gabhart, and I’m living my dream of writing stories for readers like you. I started writing when I was ten and I’m still at it all these years later. I’m a happy writer when my characters start coming to life and take off down a story trail with me chasing after them. Those trails have led me through some small towns, my fictional Harmony Hill Shaker Village and up into the Appalachian Mountains. You can learn more about me and my stories here on my website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I did love writing about the mountains and headed back there for An Appalachian Summer.
In 1933, debutante Piper Danson, craving more from life than simply an advantageous marriage, jumps at the opportunity to volunteer with the Frontier Nursing Service in the Appalachian Mountains. The work is taxing, the scenery jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the people she meets along the way open up a whole new world to her. With romance and adventure in the Kentucky mountain air, Piper must be ready for anything, but will that include true love?
Piper’s character was inspired by the many first person stories I read about Frontier Nursing Service couriers. They went to the mountains looking for something different and they found it.
A BURNING DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Photo Courtesy of the Frontier Nursing University Archives
Imagine a young woman from a society family living a comfortable life. She has a closet full of fancy dresses ready for a summer season of parties. She has every privilege a young woman could want even during the Great Depression. Sounds pretty nice, doesn’t it? Now think about that young woman volunteering to spend her summer as a volunteer in Eastern Kentucky instead. That’s Piper in An Appalachian Summer with her burning desire to do something different. Piper came to life for me as I read about actual young women who embraced the challenge of spending weeks or months as volunteer couriers for the Frontier Nursing Service. This midwifery service, founded by Mary Breckinridge to provide healthcare for mothers and children in the Appalachian Mountains, sent nurse midwives on horseback up into the hills to deliver babies in their patients’ rustic cabins.
The Big House
The volunteer couriers assisted the midwives by running errands, caring for their horses, or doing whatever was needed. With no electricity and few conveniences, they bunked in outbuildings near the Big House, Mary Breckinridge’s log home that was the FNS headquarters. Each morning these adventurous young women got up and pulled on old blue jeans to go water the horses. After that, they never knew what they might be asked to do next, but the chances were it would be something different.
While the poverty in the mountains surprised the volunteers, they admired the strong sense of community the mountain people showed and how the families rarely seemed unhappy in spite of their struggles. The young women returned to their lives away from the mountains but they were never the same. They so treasured their time as FNS couriers that when they had daughters, they often signed them up on the courier waiting list as soon as they were born.
Do you ever think about what happens next when you come to the end of a story? If so, then perhaps you can imagine Piper having a daughter and signing her up for an Appalachian summer of adventure.
Here’s the Stop #13 Basics:
If you’re interested, you can order An Appalachian Summer on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, Baker Book House, or at your local bookstore!
Clue to Write Down: and
Link to Stop #14, the Next Stop on the Loop: Olivia Newport’s site!
But wait! Before you go, I’m offering a special prize here on my site – my first Frontier Nursing Service Appalachian book, These Healing Hills, along with a neat secret puzzle box shaped like an owl. Piper heard screech owls for the first time when she went to the mountains. Enter on the Rafflecopter by signing up for my e-newsletter (blue box top right on my website) or note that you’re already a subscriber or follow me on BookBub! (Entries USA & Canada only)
Comments 96
I signed up for your newsletter. Thank you so much for the chance. Your book sounds like a great read.
Author
Thank you, Alicia. I hope you’ll enjoy my newsletter when I send one out next month. I’m very glad you think An Appalachian Summer would be a book you would enjoy reading.
I chose to follow you on BookBub. I really want to read this series about the Frontier Nurses!!! Thanks for doing a giveaway!
Author
Great, Connie. Maybe you’ll be one of the winners that get all the wonderful books on this Scavenger Hunt. The Frontier Nursing Service history is fascinating. Mary Breckinridge had a vision of finding a way to help mothers and children and then she got others to share her vision. The success those nurse midwives had in practically eliminating maternity deaths and not losing babies was phenomenal for the times and considering they were delivering babies in rustic surroundings.
I am already a subscriber to your newsletter and follow you on Facebook. I enjoy talking walks with you and your dogs on your farm. Thank you for the beautiful pictures of wildflowers. I really enjoy reading about the Frontier Nursing Service.
Author
Thank you for being a subscriber and joining the fun on Facebook, Carol. So glad you enjoy the “walks” with the dogs and me. I love having a phone in my pocket that can be a camera to grab a photo of whatever I spot while I’m walking. I appreciate you reading my books and I’m so happy you liked my Frontier Nursing Service stories.
Thank you for the scavenger hunt. It’s a wonderful giveaway. I subscribed to your newsletter.
Author
Glad you have you on my newsletter list, Diana. I’ll be sending one out next month with some kind of giveaway. Not sure what yet, but I usually do something Christmas related in November. Can you believe Thanksgiving and Christmas is zooming toward us while we’re still having to try to avoid this COVID19 pandemic? I hope you enjoyed the Hunt and that you and your family are well.
Followed on BookBub! Your story sounds very intriguing, and I love that time period.
Author
Thank you, Debbie. I have written several stories set during or around the Great Depression years. It was a hard time for people but then sometimes it’s in those hard times when people show the most courage and character, don’t you think? I hope you’ll give one of my stories a try.
Thanks for sharing about the Frontier Nursing Service couriers. I loved learning about as I have never heard of it before. These are the kind of stories I want my daughter to read and be inspired by someday. Thanks so much!
Author
The Frontier Nursing Service has many inspiring real life stories, Brooke. I really enjoyed delving into the history of the Service and reading about the nurse midwives and the volunteer couriers. Mary Breckinridge gathered a great group of dedicated people around her when she started the service. It’s wonderful that you want your daughter to read uplifting and inspiring stories.
Always excited to discover a new author with a list of wonderful sounding books. Can’t wait to begin reading one. Have started following you on Bookbub
Author
That’s wonderful, Marilyn. I’m not exactly new. Far from it, but glad to be new to you. Hope you will enjoy some of my stories when you get a chance to read them.
Thank you for the giveaway. I am a subscriber and follower on Book Bub.
Author
Thank you, Judy. I appreciate you getting my newsletter and following on BookBub. I hope you enjoyed the Scavenger Hunt and I really hope somebody who does follow me wins the grand prize. Might as well be you, right? 🙂
Hi Ann, thanks so much for being a part of this great Scavenger Hunt. WOW!! That Owl shaped puzzle box is great and your books sound like I need to read them soon!!
Author
I’m all for the idea of you reading some of my books soon, Teresa. If you do, I hope you’ll enjoy the stories. I always have fun on these Scavenger Hunts because I get to read all the other authors’ posts and meet so many great readers. The puzzle box is fun. Maybe I’ll put a lucky quarter or dollar in it for the winner. 🙂
Sounds like such a good book Thank you for the chance!
Author
I’m glad you think An Appalachian Summer sounds like a good read, Sarah. I hope you’ll enjoy the story when you get a chance to read it. I liked writing stories set in the Appalachian Mountains with Frontier Nursing history.
I really enjoyed your Rosie Corner novels, and these Appalachian novels remind me of another of my favorites, Catherine Marshall’s Christy. Looking forward to reading them!
Author
That’s high praise to be mentioned with Catherine Marshall’s Christy. Others have said the same, Stephanie. I enjoyed writing my mountain stories. And I’m so glad you enjoyed the Rosey Corner books.
Ann, it makes me so happy to see all these positive comments. You are so very deserving! I am sure you have learned far more than your readers as you research for your historical Christian fiction stories. Your books make me long for a visit to the settings of your books. Someday you might consider doing an Ann Gabhardt Trail through Kentucky (your town, libraries where you speak, the stores that carries your books, maybe the area where you walk your puppies) and the Appalachian area. Another idea, your Shaker information that you share could be compiled into a booklet!
Yes, I am already a subscriber to your newsletter and am blessed when I read what you write. I think my very favorite book is Angel Sister mainly because my sister gave it to me, and it was the first book of yours that I read. Now, I think I have read most, if not all. I look forward to the next one as I have thoroughly enjoyed the last three!
Thank you for participating in the scavenger hunt.
Author
What a sweet note, Becky. Thank you so much for reading my books and my posts here too. I have considered a Hiker’s Devotional Book. Maybe I should trail around Kentucky a little more to find some interesting things to stare. I did put a dedication in one of my books to my readers who have gone to Hollyhill with me, spent some time in Rosey Corner, took a trip to Louisville in a dramatic time of political unrest (Words Spoken True), made many stops in my fictional Shaker village of Harmony Hill, stopped for an inspiring story in Springfield, KY. (River to Redemption), and now have headed up into the Appalachian Mountains with me. That’s quite a trail through Kentucky history.
I love that your favorite book is Angel Sister because your sister gave it to you. Those Rosey Corner books are all about sisters.
Hi Ann, I wanted to let you know that you are a new author to me! I love it when I discover new Christian authors. I have signed up for your newsletter and I’m now following you on Bookbub!
Author
Wonderful, Cyndi. I’m always glad to hear from a reader new to my books. I hope you will give one of my stories a try and that will make you want to try others. 🙂 Thanks for signing up for my newsletter and on BookBub.
Cyndi, I highly recommend Ann’s books! My sister introduced Ann’s books to me several years ago. I have shared many with friends. All have enjoyed and shared many positive comments. Her stories capture the essence of her characters and her words captivate, providing her readers with phrases and sentences that sing to the soul.
Author
“Sing to the soul.” What a great thing to tell me, Becky. I hope I’ll be able to come up with some of those good sentences for my next story. 🙂
Looking forward to reading your books!
Author
That’s great, Bri. Hope you’ll enjoy some of my stories.
I’m already a subscriber.
Author
I so appreciate that, Laurel. Thank you much.
Signed up for Ann’s News
Author
Thanks, Tonia. Guess I’d better be gathering up some fun news for you new subscribers.
Followed your BiokBub. 🙂 I love learning about history!
Author
Right, E.F.B. That’s one of the best things about writing historical fiction – how it opens doors to the past and events I can discover that I didn’t know about before as I do my research for stories.
I’m following on bookbub. I enjoyed the information. Thank you for the giveaway.
Author
Glad you enjoyed the post, Sarah, and thanks for following me on BookBub. That’s such a great place to learn about new releases and great sales. Hope you had fun doing the scavenger hunt.
Am eagerly anticipating reading the newest book.
Your research is awesome, too, for your books. Wow.
Romans 10:9-13
Author
Great, Nancy. I so appreciate you reading my stories. I do enjoy delving into the past to see where I can drop in some of my characters to see what happens next.
I love all the background information! Thank you for sharing. I look forward to reading it soon!
Author
I hope you’ll enjoy my mountain story when you get a chance to read it, Heather. I had a great time researching the Frontier Nursing Service and “going” to the Appalachian Mountains to let some people come to life in my book.