No one comes here by accident. ~Frontier Nurse saying
These Healing Hills is the first book that I set in the Eastern Kentucky Appalachian Mountains and featured history of the region. In hunting for a new story idea I read about Mary Breckinridge and how she started the Frontier Nursing Service and brought midwives to go up into the hills to deliver babies at the mothers’ cabins. They not only delivered babies but gave maternity care before and after the births to give the babies and mothers the best chance of survival and good health. Eventually, she was able to get the people behind her in the area and managed to get a hospital built in Hyden, Kentucky.
When WW II started and the English midwives who had been coming to the area to deliver babies decided they should go back to England and help the war effort there, Breckinridge started a midwifery school to keep the Frontier Nursing Service going. That opened up a way for my character, Francine, to come to the mountains and train to be a midwife.
The story takes place over most of a year and goes through the different seasons in the mountains. One thing is sure that babies are born in all seasons. The Frontier Nursing midwife nurses were ready for that. They headed up into the hills whenever someone came for them no matter what the weather was. They went in heat or cold, rain, ice or snow, night or day. Once at the home of the mother in labor, they stayed until the baby was born whether that was a few hours or a few days. When I was remembering my books with winter and snow scenes, I can’t believe I forgot the snow and ice scenes in These Healing Hills.
So, tonight I searched out the scene where Fran has to deliver a baby during a time of snow and ice. When there was trouble or expected trouble for the mothers, they were carried out of the mountains to the Hyden Hospital. This birth was one like that, a breech birth that Fran thought needed to be handled at the hospital. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t cooperating with snow and ice making the journey from the mother’s home high up in the hills hazardous.
Here’s a little of the icy/snowy scene.
The sky had cleared and the moon on the snow made it nearly light as day. Fran kept her hand on Becca’s abdomen to gauge her contractions as they slid down the hill.
Mrs. Locke held her daughter’s hands and moved her lips in silent prayer. When she noticed Fran looking at her, she said, “I’m praying hard we make it down this mountain.”
The truck fishtailed as she spoke and both Fran and Mrs. Locke held Becca to steady her. Ben got the truck back on what passed for a road. For a few minutes, Fran thought they might make it. But then Becca’s pains were stronger as her body began to push out the baby.
“Tell Ben to stop.” Fran looked at Mrs. Locke. “This baby isn’t going to wait for the hospital.”
After the truck stopped, Fran pulled a baby blanket out of her saddlebag and handed it to Mrs. Locke. “Put this up under your coat to get it as warm as possible.” She turned to Ben and Carl who climbed out of the truck to stare at her. “Make a tent with these quilts to keep Becca warm.”
Fran warmed her hands under her armpits as she knelt beside Becca. “I’m going to help you, Becca, but you’ll be doing the work. Work you can do.” In her head, Fran added for herself, You can do this.
Moonlight filtered through the quilts as Fran positioned Becca and prayed the girl would be able to push the baby out quickly enough.
“Go ahead and scream if you need to,” she told Becca. “That might help.”
“Me a-screaming ain’t gonna be the first thing this baby of mine hears,” Becca gasped. “Ma, sing my baby here.”
I hope you enjoyed heading back to the hills for this snow scene with my nurse midwife.
Do you like stories set in Appalachia?
If you leave a comment on the post, you will have an entry into my winter book giveaway chance. If you left a comment on the last posts where I shared snowy scenes, thank you. If you leave a comment on this new post, you’ll get another entry to have an extra chance to win your choice of one of my winter books, including The Believer.
The deadline for entries is midnight EST, February 10, 2026. Winners will be notified by email and announced on my post on February 11th. You have to be at least 18 years old to enter. Each time you leave a comment on a new post before the deadline, you get another entry. Any comment will do. You can answer the question or comment on the scene or whatever you want too. I enjoy seeing what you think.
The prize will be a choice of one of my books with winter weather playing a part. I’ll pick two winners by random.
Comments 28
It’s been very cold and snowy in PA so far this winter. Great for reading books like These Healing Hills and other wintry stories!
Author
Hope reading my winter scenes don’t make you feel colder, Mary. I have written snowy or rainy scenes in the past and then been sort of surprised to see sunshine outside my windows. 🙂
Author
You all are the best. I enjoy reading your comments and I’m glad you like stories set in Appalachia. I’ve enjoyed going there for some of my stories.
Shirley, all my Appalachian stories have that Eastern KY background.
Una, you’re so nice to encourage me by saying you enjoy all my stories.
Marlene, your comment was encouraging too. I’m working on a new story and hoping it will be one you will like to read.
Sarah, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and like those Appalachian settings.
Connie Lee, life was sometimes hard for the people in the Appalachian regions. But so many of the people that lived there were strong and resourceful. I try to make my characters the same. Or at least, some of them.
Trudy, you’re my kind of reader and the kind of reader I am too. I like most any setting if the characters are ones I can like and the story is good.
Diana H, I’m so glad you like Appalachian stories since I’ve written several.
The excerpt from These Healing Hills sure makes me want to read it and find out what happens as Becca delivers her baby. All of the excerpts you give us from your books draws me immediately into the story. I’m looking at my library to find these.
Author
So glad the scenes I shared made you want to know more about my characters and the story, Janet. Hope you can find them at your library. Sometimes if you ask, they will consider purchasing a book or see if they can find it for you through interlibrary loans.
Such a wonderful excerpt!
Author
So glad you thought so, Deborah. I had several scenes I could have chosen in that book. Bad weather was something the Frontier Nurse midwives had to face all the time.
I do like stories set in Appalachia. I haven’t read These Healing Hills yet- if I win that will be my pick!
Author
I like how you went back and got more entries by commenting on the previous posts, Kris. Maybe that will give you an advantage. Just one more post before I pick the winner on the 11th. I always have fun with book giveaways, but sharing these winter scenes has been a new way to have fun with the giveaways. Maybe I’ll do one this summer with summer scenes.
Author
Martha, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my Appalachian stories and my historical fiction. And other writers, too, I’m sure.
Marti, I’ve never tried to write a story with a setting outside of the USA. I’ve stuck with Kentucky. Glad you like the Appalachian settings.
Dana, aww, that so nice to see. And encouraging. As you know, writers need encouragement.
Sharon, midwives and healers are a popular subject for stories, especially those in remote places like the Appalachian area years ago. Thanks for reading my midwife story.
Shirley, I enjoy delving into the mountain way of life with some of their unique sayings and the challenges of their isolated communities in the past before there were roads and cars. Cars and trucks were becoming more common in the hills by the time period of this story. That’s how I could have al truck in the scene. 🙂
Yes, I do enjoy books set in Appalachia.
I do like stories set in Appalachia. I like stories set anywhere!
I love reading your Appalachian stories. I enjoy reading about their struggles, joys, and their way of life.
Yes I Love Books that are set in Appalachia Thank you for the post and sharing
I love reading stories about Appalachia. Keep them coming.
I like stories set in Appalachia. I like reading all your writings
I like stories set in eastern KY.
This is one of my favorites. It’s also the story that got my daughter hooked on your books too. She currently has my copy of Song of Sourwood Mountain. She’s a nurse and doesn’t have a lot of time to read, so I’m her “no deadlines librarian” when she needs a book. 🙂
Author
A no deadlines librarian is someone good to have, Lavon. Thanks for sharing my stories with your daughter. Someone recommending a book to someone else is the best advertising a writer can have. Hope she enjoys visiting Sourwood Mountain.
I enjoy your books set in Appalachia. They. Show how life was lived in those days.
I enjoy books set in Appalachia. I have read several books about the midwives and nature healers in that area.
I love stories set in Appalachia, especially yours!
I love the Appalachian books! In doing my family’s genealogy, I discovered several ancestors from that region. Maybe that’s why I feel a kinship with your characters! Looking forward to another story from you based there.
Author
I’ve heard from a lot of readers with Appalachian roots, either those who have lived there, visited family there or like you, and have ancestors from the region. Many Appalachian people moved out of the area to find jobs, but most of them remember their roots and always have a little yearning for the mountains, for home.
Appalachia is probably my favorite setting for books that are set in the US.
Yes, I enjoy books set in Appalachia. I also enjoy Historical Fiction.