I’ve been sharing some bits and pieces of scenes from some of my backlist books. Since my new story, A Chance for Kallie Mae, due out in May, is set in the Eastern Kentucky Appalachian area, I decided to share a little about some of my Appalachian stories. Last week, while my website was having some hiccups, I shared about how I tried to get the rhythm of my first Appalachian story right in These Healing Hills. (If you subscribe to my posts here and got that post or any of the others that initially were lost during the website hiccups more than once, I apologize.)
Tonight, I’m sharing a little about a secondary character in An Appalachian Summer, a book also with history of the Frontier Nursing Service, but coming from a different point of view. These Healing Hills is from the perspective of one of the midwives. An Appalachian Summer is from the perspective of a courier. Couriers for the FNS were young women, usually from well-to-do families, who volunteered to go to the mountains for a few weeks or months to run errands, take care of the horses, muck out stalls, and help the nurse midwives any way that was needed. They didn’t get paid. They lived rough without the modern conveniences they were accustomed to, and most of them considered it the highlight of their young lives. They felt so strongly about their time in the mountains that they would sign up their daughters on the courier waiting list as soon they were born. Piper was one of those couriers in An Appalachian Summer. She learned how to milk a cow and kill and pluck a chicken along with plenty of other eye-opening experiences.
But this post is about her aunt, Truda. While Granny Em that I wrote about in the post about the rhythm of the mountains was one of those surprise characters who sometimes just appear in a scene and find a place in my stories, Truda was part of the family from the beginning. But as the story progressed and I got to know Truda better, she didn’t just slide out of view after those first scenes I had expected her to be in. She showed up in the mountains to not only see Piper but a man she had once been attracted to when she was a young woman. So, coming to get re-acquainted with him is the idiotic dream she’s talking about here in this graphic. As it turned out, Truda even got her own viewpoint scenes as her character became more important to the story. In the following scene where she thinks about being midstream in her life, she is actually on a horse midstream in the river.
When Truda thought about it in the clear light of day, she realized she was being an absolute idiot, but every person should be allowed one idiotic dream in her lifetime. She wasn’t going with the expectation that she and Jackson would do more than exchange a few pleasantries and perhaps wonder how the other one had gotten so old. She blushed when she remembered how long she’d spent in front of a mirror that morning, trying to decide how old she did look. When she twisted to the side and peered at her rear in the mirror, she had smiled. At least she hadn’t put on weight. She looked the same as she had years ago, except, of course, for the aging.
Right. Except for those wrinkles beginning around her eyes and gray hairs sneaking in among the dark brown tresses. As water splashed up around her, she could almost feel the waves she’d worked so hard to crimp in her hair wilting in midstream.
Midstream. That’s where she was in her life.
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Hope you enjoyed this peek into An Appalachian Summer. The cover with the purple flowers is one that catches a lot of readers’ eyes when I’m at a book event.
What age do you think a person is when they get midstream in life?
Another Book Giveaway
For fun, let’s do another book giveaway. This time with my books with Appalachian settings as I share some from them. I might even share a little snippet from A Chance for Kallie Mae. Maybe. Let’s see. To enter, just leave a comment on the post. I’ll keep the giveaway going for a couple of weeks. The deadline for entries is midnight EST on March 7, 2026. I’ll announce the winner, after sending an email to her/him, on my March 8th post here on One Writer’s Journal. As usual, each comment on a new post from now until then will get a new entry. One winner will get her/his choice of one of my Appalachian books. You have to be at least 18 years old to enter.
Also, right now you can get a great preorder deal on A Chance for Kallie Mae from Baker Book House. There will be some added goodies, a bookmark and a signed bookplate while supplies last.
Comments 33
Well, I hope midstream is in the 45-50 range. I’m 74, and my mom will turn 94 in September. I have read almost all of your books and loved every one of them. Looking forward to Kallie’s story!
I feel like 45-50 is more midstream. But probably closer to 45. I love your books! I’m super excited for Kallie Mae!
Author
That’s fun, Sarah, that you’re looking forward to getting to meet Kallie Mae and my other characters. Thanks so much for reading my books. I’m super glad you’ve enjoyed my stories. Forty-five was the popular pick for midstream. Maybe we’ll all live to 90 or 100 to make it so.
I’ve read most of your books and enjoyed them all!
Author
That’s great, Mary. I really appreciate you reading my books and you letting me know you enjoyed the stories.
Author
It appears the popular answer for midstream in our lives is 45. That gets us all to 90. Or 50 which takes us to 100. People do live to a hundred more now than when I was a kid. Of course, anybody over 50 was ancient to me then. And now I think about how young they are.
And good for all of you who are down there at midstream and enjoying looking forward to that many more years.
I think a person is probably about 45 when they get midstream in life.
I would think maybe 45-50.
I think midlife is about 45-50. Maybe that’s because my mom will be 90 this year.
I think midstream in life would be at age 40.
I think the age of 45 is around midlife.
I like to think midstream is 50, but I think it’s really about 37..please enter me into the giveaway 🩷
I have always enjoyed Ann’s books and try to read every one I can get ahold of!
Author
That’s great, Joan. Thank you so much for reading my books. I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed my stories.
I LOVE The Song of Sourwood Mountain! I’m almost done with Small Town Girl, and LOVING it!! I had to order Love Comes Home today! I HAVE to know what happens next!! I honestly don’t know when that midstream is! I don’t think all of us go through something like that the same, either. I know a friend of mine had a horrid time when she turned 30, and it didn’t phase me. I haven’t hit an age yet that’s been bad, or that hit me weird. Since I’m getting super close to Medicare age, I’m guessing I’m not going to hit a time like that!
Author
I’m so glad you are enjoying your visit to Rosey Corner, Trudy. Those books were definitely some I loved writing. The first one, Angel Sister, was like taking a walk through my mother’s younger years with all the memories I threaded into the background.
I am pretty sure attitude matters the most when we age. I like the Satchell Paige quote about “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you really were?” I may not have that exactly right but you get the meaning. I think that can sometimes vary by the day or year and what else is happening to you.
I think “midstream in life” would be 45 or so, maybe just a bit older- about where I’m at now!
I Think midlife is also 45 please enter me in this giveaway!
You are on a roll, Ann!
Author
Thanks, Diana. Even when you’re way past midstream, you can keep on following your dreams.
An Appalachian Summer sounds intriguing to me and am looking forward to reading. No matter how old or young, it’s good to dream and it’s good to feel relevant! Yes, I definitely want to be entered in the giveaway. Midstream age – I think it is every ten years after 40.
Author
I like your point of view, Loretta. We can have a midstream in every decade or any year as far as that goes. It is good to keep dreaming and feel as though you matter and finding a way to enjoy your years no matter where you are in the stream of life.
An Appalachian Summer is already out there for readers. Maybe you can track down a copy and give it a read. Thanks for your interest in my stories.
I am 41 and I feel like that moment of feeling like I was midlife is now at 40+. I am still very much a dreamer.
And YES. I would love to be entered to win a book!
Author
How great to be in the midstream, Jo Ruth. Take full advantage of these years to keep dreaming and living the good life.
I think age 45 is midlife..
I love all your books. I would enjoy reading any of them. Looking forward to the new one.
Author
You are upping the midstream a little from Jolynn, Marlene. I think 45 is a good age to think about. I’ve passed that midstream point too. I think I might be out of the stream already. 🙂
I’m going to answer the question of “how old do you think people are when they’re midstream in life”? Since most people live to about 70, I’m going to say midstream would be like 35 years old.
Yes, I want to be entered into the giveaway!
Author
Then I passed midstream a long time ago, Jolynn. I knew that already without thinking about the numbers. Thirty-five is a great age for the rest of one’s life.
I would love to win one of the Appalachian books as I was born in Eastern Kentucky – Hazard and lived in Tribbey, a small coal mining town, until I was eight years old. I love your books!
Author
Always fun to hear from readers with Appalachian roots, Mary Ann. I love hearing the names of some of the places in Eastern KY. Tribbey is a good one. I also liked thinking about Thousand Stick Mountain in Leslie County that I got to use when writing my Frontier Nursing stories.
Thanks you so much for reading my stories. I appreciate it so much.