When Mountains Move Read online

  This story is, of course, a Colorado story, but the whole tale has its roots in the South. I thank the Lauderdale County Department of Archives and History in Meridian, Mississippi, where the research began years ago for Into the Free. In particular, I thank local authors and historians, Leslie Joyner and Richelle Putnam, who helped me discover dusty file cabinet drawers and too many buried secrets to share. I owe tremendous gratitude also to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw, who welcomed me into their tribe and shared such inspirational stories with me. Specifically, I thank Dianna Albertson and her husband, Glenn Gibson, MBCI. I’ll never forget the day I arranged to get into the car with a total stranger whom I knew only as Di. It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, and I’m betting Dianna felt the same way. But now we have a friendship that will last a lifetime. Thanks for taking a chance on me, Dianna, and for making me feel a part of the beautiful Choctaw culture.

  Also thanks to Priscilla Williams, SPM/Immersion Trainer with the MBCI, and Dr. Kenneth York, Tribal Historian and Language Consultant. Priscilla read early drafts of this book and helped me with the Choctaw language, never laughing once at my silly questions and showing tremendous patience as I strove to get every detail as accurate as possible. Her beadwork is second to none, and I strongly encourage you to support the MBCI by investing in their original, handmade arts and crafts.

  One of the best adventures that came along with writing this book was a day I spent in Frankie Germany’s Talented and Gifted (TAG) classroom at the Choctaw Tribal School. Her fifth and sixth grade students and Dr. York gave me a tremendous history lesson. Then they helped me name Millie’s baby and gave Oka her original name. I also was treated to a Thanksgiving feast with these students, and they ended my visit by singing “Amazing Grace” to me in their native language. It was such a moving day for me, one I will cherish forever. Thank you all!

  The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma was also instrumental in helping me shape this book. In particular, I owe tremendous gratitude to Presley Byington, Traditionalist on the advisory board for the CNoC, who also read early drafts of this book and helped me with the details and language. And also to Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer and her mother, Lynda Kay Sawyer. The Sawyers are authors, filmmakers, and Choctaw storytellers who strive to preserve the Choctaw culture. Also thanks to James Parrish, Andrea Pavlovsky, and Eleanor Caldwell, whose assistance with Into the Free continued to shape this sequel.

  In addition to Priscilla, Presley, and Sarah Elisabeth’s help with early drafts, I owe big thanks to early readers and critique partners: Marie Barnard, Alicia Bouldin, Mary Ann Bowen, Lynne Bryant, Carol Langendoen, Patricia O’Sullivan, Cindy Perkins, and Lisa Wingate. I hope you all already know how much your encouragement and your advice has meant to me along this journey. Thank you!

  Thanks also to Haley Fairbanks Bishop and her brother Jared Fairbanks for helping me research the finer details of old cars and trucks. Jared is a master at all things automotive, and I highly recommend him if you need anything to do with vintage vehicles. The dude knows his stuff. (And if you are interested in artwork featuring vintage vehicles, you must see the beautiful paintings of Dean Glorso.)

  I also got to meet many talented veterinarians while researching this book, including the wonderfully kind and hospitable Dr. Steve Shideler, who welcomed my daughter and me into his father’s home (Dr. Bob Shideler) where we were treated to a day of stories and artifacts from Colorado in the forties. Your kindness will always be greatly appreciated, and if anyone is looking for a good vet in Mississippi, the younger Dr. Shideler runs a clinic in Sardis. I also enjoyed chatting with Dr. Thomas M. Ellis, Veterinary Medical Officer, USDA, when he came to inspect my family’s own herd of sheep. Sometimes, a person with all the answers just walks through your door. That was Dr. Ellis. Thanks to all of these fine doctors for sharing their knowledge with me.

  Thanks also to Dr. Cletus P. Kurtzman and Dr. Steven Vaughn with the National Center for Agricultural Utilization, ARS, USDA, who taught me about the history of penicillin in our country. Both of these researchers currently run labs in Peoria, Illinois, at the same facility where penicillin was discovered. I enjoyed taking a peek into their bright minds and learning about the birth of antibiotics.

  Also thanks to Adam Burns with AmericanRails.com who helped me map the train route from Meridian, Mississippi, to Longmont, Colorado, in 1943–46, and to my dear friend, Kathy Haynes, who always answers all sorts of random questions about horses anytime I ask and who never rolls her eyes at her clueless writer friend (well, actually, Kathy, sometimes you do roll your eyes, but you give me the answers anyway, and for that, I thank you!). And thanks to Laura and Ken Parkinson for helping me with many details for a plotline of the book that was later cut. Unlike those details, I hope our friendship outlasts life’s edits.

  I’m also grateful that Elizabeth Monteith placed the winning bid at a charity auction to support Regents School of Oxford. Her generosity enabled her to name a character in this novel. As Mabel says, “There’s no such thing as coincidence,” because Elizabeth gave me the name Isabel. I knew as soon as she said it that she had named Millie’s baby.

  Thanks also to two friends and counselors, Lucille Zimmerman (author of Renewed) and Ken Murray, of Clarksville Family Therapy. Both have answered questions, offered advice, and blessed me with their beautiful friendship. For this, I will always be grateful.

  Of course, I owe BIG thanks to my fellow educators and students at Bramlett Elementary School in Oxford, Mississippi, who have given me room to try this writing gig while still letting me keep one foot in the world I love so much. My students bring such light to this world and such joy to my heart. I am honored to play some small part in their lives. It’s also a blessing to work with such inspiring, dedicated, generous coworkers. Specifically, thanks to Brian Harvey, SuzAnne Liddell, and Suzanne Ryals for your support and flexibility. In every language, I thank you.

  None of this would have ever happened without a few fine men taking a chance on a nobody writer who dared to submit her book for publication. Thanks to Greg Johnson, literary agent with WordServe Literary, and to John Blase and Don Pape, with David C Cook. There will never be words to express my gratitude to each of you for allowing me to live this dream. And to the entire team at David C Cook, particularly, Renada Arens, Ingrid Beck, Michael Covington, Ginia Hairston Croker, Nicci Jordan Hubert, Amy Konyndyk, Nick Lee, Karen Stoller (Oh, goodness, I cannot say enough about sweet Karen!), Mike Worley, and to my publicist, Jeane Wynn (I still can’t get used to the fact that I have a publicist … wow! But an even bigger WOW because I get to call you my friend.). I say it again and again, but because I get to work with you, I feel a bit like Millie … the luckiest girl in the world.

  I may never have believed I could write a story, and I may never have given it a try if I had not crossed paths with one special teacher many moons ago. Linda Purcell, I owe it all to you. Thank you for being the kind of person who said, “Of course you can!” instead of the kind who says, “No, you can’t.”

  Thanks also to the many “real authors,” who have offered unconditional support and friendship and who have given me some of the most incredible adventures of my life. There are too many of you to name here, but you each hold a very special space in my heart. THANK YOU!

  Finally, thanks to every single person who chose my debut novel, Into the Free, from the shelf, and who came back for a second helping. And to the teachers and the book clubs who keep the discussion going (especially all you Pulpwood Queens and Kathy L. Patrick of Jefferson, Texas!). And to the booksellers and librarians who find room for this story on your shelves. You have given Millie a voice, and that has given voice to Millies everywhere.

  Thank you all for letting Millie inspire you to reach out, to lift up, and to love one another.

  Notes

  Chapter 1

  “Who Wouldn’t Love You?” © 1942 Kay Kyser.

  “There Are Such T
hings,” lyrics by George W. Meyer, Stanley Adams, and Abel Baer © 1942 Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

  Chapter 3

  “Dearly Beloved,” lyrics by Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer, from the film You Were Never Lovelier, directed by William A. Seiter (Los Angeles: Columbia Pictures, 1942).

  Chapter 4

  “Taking a Chance on Love,” lyrics by Vernon Duke, Ted Fetter, and John Latouche © 1940 EMI Music Publishing.

  Chapter 7

  Tender is the Night © 1934 F. Scott Fitzgerald, originally published by Charles Scribner’s Sons.

  Chapter 9

  “It Can’t Be Wrong,” lyrics by Max Steiner and Kim Gannon © 1942.

  Chapter 19

  “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth, originally published in 1807.

  “It Is Well with My Soul,” lyrics by Horatio G. Spafford © 1873.

  Chapter 20

  This Side of Paradise © 1920 F. Scott Fitzgerald, originally published by Charles Scribner’s Sons.

  Chapter 21

  Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz (Warner Brothers, 1942).

  Chapter 23

  Winesburg, Ohio © 1919 Sherwood Anderson, originally published by B. W. Huebsch & Co., New York and London.

  The Sun Also Rises © 1926 Ernest Hemingway, originally published by Charles Scribner’s Sons.

  The Great Gatsby © 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald, originally published by Charles Scribner’s Sons.

  Little Women © 1868 and 1869 Louisa May Alcott, originally published by Roberts Brothers.

  Chapter 31

  This Side of Paradise © 1920 F. Scott Fitzgerald, originally published by Charles Scribner’s Sons.

  Chapter 33

  Thoughts Moral and Divine, Wellins Calcott, originally published 1761.

  Bibliography

  Brown, Kevin. Penicillin Man: Alexander Fleming and the Antibiotic Revolution. UK: Sutton Publishing, 2004.

  Byington, Cyrus. Choctaw Language Dictionary. Asheville, NC: Global Bible Society, 2001.

  Culley, John H. Cattle, Horses, & Men of the Western Range. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1984.

  Denhardt, Robert M. “The Quarter Horse, Then and Now.” Western Horseman. 1939.

  DeRosier, Arthur H., Jr. “Pioneers with Conflicting Ideals: Christianity and Slavery in the Choctaw Nation.” Journal of Mississippi History (July 1959): 174–189.

  DeRosier, Arthur H., Jr. The Removal of the Choctaw Indians. Knoxville, TN., University of Tennessee Press, 1920.

  Jessen, Kenneth. Rocky Mountain National Park Pictorial History. Loveland, CO: J.V. Publications, LLC, 2008.

  Kershaw, Linda J., Jim Pojar, and Andy McKinnon. Plants of the Rocky Mountains. Auburn, WA: Lone Pine Publishing, 1998.

  Kershaw, Linda, Lee Craig, Erin McCloskey, and Ian Sheldon. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies. Auburn, WA: Lone Pine Publishing, 2004.

  Lax, Eric. The Mold in Dr. Florey’s Coat: The Story of the Penicillin Miracle. New York: Henry Holt & Co., LLC, 2004.

  Maltz, Wendy. The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse. 3rd ed. New York: William Morrow, 2012.

  Mould, Tom. Choctaw Tales. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 2004.

  Phelps, Dawson A. “The Choctaw Mission: ‘An Experiment in Civilization,’” The Journal of Mississippi History 16, no. 1 (January 1952).

  Price, Steven D. The American Quarter Horse: An Introduction to Selection, Care, and Enjoyment. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2004.

  Swanton, John R. “Source Material for the Social & Ceremonial Life of the Choctaw Indians: A Reprint of Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 103, 1931.” Philadelphia, MS: Mississippi Band of Choctaw, Reprint date unknown.

  Tingle, Tim. Walking the Choctaw Road. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press, 2003.

  Watts, Tom. Rocky Mountain Tree Finder. Rochester, NY: Nature Study Guild Publishers, 2008.

  Wells, Samuel J. and Roseanna Tubby, eds. After Removal: The Choctaw in Mississippi. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 1986.

  Wingate, Janet L. Rocky Mountain Flower Finder: A Guide to the Wildflowers Found Below Tree Line in the Rocky Mountains. Rochester, NY: Nature Study Guild Publishers, 1990.

  WHEN MOUNTAINS MOVE

  Published by David C Cook

  4050 Lee Vance View

  Colorado Springs, CO 80918 U.S.A.

  David C Cook Distribution Canada

  55 Woodslee Avenue, Paris, Ontario, Canada N3L 3E5

  David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

  Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England

  The graphic circle C logo is a registered trademark of David C Cook.

  All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, scanned, resold, or distributed by or through any print or electronic medium without written permission from the publisher. This ebook is licensed solely for the personal and noncommercial use of the original authorized purchaser, subject to the terms of use under which it was purchased. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of David C Cook, nor do we vouch for their content.

  This story is a work of fiction. Characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Daniel 6:22 and Matthew 17:20 verses taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain.)

  Other citations are located in the Notes section at the end of the book.

  LCCN 2013943843

  ISBN 978-0-7814-0425-9

  eISBN 978-0-7814-1084-7

  © 2013 Julie Cantrell

  Published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group, Ltd., 10152 S. Knoll Circle, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130.

  The Team: John Blase, Nicci Jordan Hubert, Amy Konyndyk, Nick Lee, Renada Arens, Karen Athen

  Cover Design: Faceout Studios, Jeff Miller

  Cover Photo: Trevillion Images

  First Edition 2013

  Photo by Jodie Westfall

  Julie Cantrell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Into the Free, which won Christy Awards for Best First Novel and for Book of the Year 2013. Cantrell has served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review and is a recipient of the Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Fellowship. She and her family live in Mississippi, where they operate Valley House Farm.

  Visit DCCeBooks.com for more great reads.

  What people are saying about …

  When Mountains Move

  “Julie Cantrell’s When Mountains Move is a classic American novel of risk-taking, struggle, renewal, and redemption. This book took my breath away. If you loved Ms. Cantrell’s debut novel, Into the Free, you will treasure this sequel.”

  Amy Hill Hearth, New York Times bestselling author of Having Our Say and Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society

  “Julie Cantrell hits another home run with When Mountains Move—a gripping story of the uneasy trials of a new marriage and the hardships of ranching in the rough terrain of the Rockies. The biggest threat, though, is not the mountain lion that prowls in the shadows, but a harrowing secret from the past. Julie’s storytelling talents took me to the brink of emotion, and I came out on the other side cheering! Don’t miss this stunning sequel to Into the Free!”

  Carla Stewart, award-winning author of Chasing Lilacs and Sweet Dreams

  “Cantrell is a wise and beautiful storyteller. Readers will be instantly drawn to Millie—secrets and all—and will savor her grace-filled journey toward truth and freedom.”
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br />   Beth Webb Hart, bestselling author of Moon Over Edisto

  “Julie Cantrell is a born storyteller and her talent shines in When Mountains Move. This inspiring novel beautifully captures a time and place that will leave readers feeling that all is well in the world. It’s a journey into the western frontier, young marriage, and unresolved pasts, but above all, it’s a journey into the human spirit. Fans of Into the Free are sure to devour this magical and heartfelt story.”

  Michael Morris, author of Man in the Blue Moon, Slow Way Home, and A Place Called Wiregrass

  “If, like me, you are an armchair adventurer, you will love this beautifully written story about a young woman who treks to Colorado in 1943 to start a ranch with her new husband. Plagued by hardships often found in that era and a deep secret with the power to destroy everything, Millie’s journey culminates on a mountain where she faces an impossible choice. Julie Cantrell’s lyrical writing and engaging story captivated me for days. I loved When Mountains Move!”

  Kellie Coates Gilbert, author of Mother of Pearl

  “Julie Cantrell is a masterful storyteller. When Mountains Move is a gripping tale, full of charm and heart. Because the novel is true to Millie’s point of view, the reader is pulled at once into her world, her difficult decisions, and her reasons for choosing as she does. Each of her choices leads to another, and each ending brings a new, unexpected beginning. Reading When Mountains Move is like experiencing the Rockies in late spring: each peak exposes the reader to new heights, amazing beauty, and unexpected adventure. The result is a riveting tale that captures the reader’s attention and holds it long after the last page. This is an engrossing, drama-packed novel about forgiveness and second chances. Millie is a heroine readers young and old will believe in.”