Clare Bills Knihy

Mountains of Trouble is based on the life of a common woman embroiled in extraordinary circumstances. It is 1912, and eighteen-year-old Cora is on a train to Kentucky, escaping her domineering mother's low expectations for Cora's life. She is hired to teach in a one-room schoolhouse in a Christian mission in the Appalachian Mountains, which she happily enjoys for many years. Until the unthinkable happens. Cora becomes caught in a nest of trouble she didn't create and can't seem to escape. As pain seems to follow her at every turn, she wonders if God has abandoned her. She is haunted by past decisions that threaten to keep her heart caged. But Cora never gives up searching and hoping. Her story is one of courage and resilience that will resonate with today's readers

This is an historic fiction, based on a true story. Helen yearns for a life of love, a family of her own. She was raised on an Iowa farm in the care of her overbearing, resentful grandmother. Now in high school, she's determined to erase the sad little girl with the greasy hair and dirty, shabby clothes who never seemed to fit in. When she captures the heart of Joseph, the hunk with the dimpled smile, quick wit, and energetic enthusiasm, she thinks she's buttoned up her future. Creating a loving family with Joseph would be a dream come true.As the young lovers reach for happiness and security, their naivety, impulsive choices, and the challenges of World War II put a snag in their plans. Helen's choices leave her in a nearly impossible situation. She'll need to draw upon her strength to stitch together a life of love while ripping out the anger that nearly strangles her heart, keeping her from a second chance at love.