Why Read This Appalachian Trail Book?

I’ve been on some amazing journeys in my life. Journeys of living as a wife and mom as well as a writer and hiker. Journeys of the heart. Journeys of a physical kind, like hiking the Appalachian Trail both north and south, one of the few women to have done it (and maybe the only one in my age group).

But the journey of having one’s adventure retold in a book for others to enjoy is one that goes beyond description. For me it is the new release of my book Mountains, Madness, & Miracles – 4000 Miles along the Appalachian Trail.

Yes, there are many, many books on the AT out there. But this one is different. 

And here are the differences-  

First off, it’s a double journey. North and South. You will see the Appalachian Trail from both viewpoints as I trek it. No other single book gives this perspective.     

Second, I did it northbound with my teenage son. Besides my viewpoint, you also get HIS viewpoint in the book as a couch potato and a young man who hiked little, and when he did so, begrudgingly. On day one he believed we'd just turn around and go home. Yet he accomplished the entire trail and with his mother, no less. Find out how he did it from his perspective. (Great for teens)

Third, this book is not a retelling of journal entries. We take the challenges we faced, the people we met, the events that transpired and through them, discover lessons about life, love, and the spiritual connection. For us the journey was a spiritual awakening. Now you may not be one into spiritual things, but there is so much more the book offers that we believe it can help make your hiking dreams come true.

Fourth, I have published over twenty fiction books, but this is my first nonfiction work. And I believe it is the most powerful book I have ever written. Why? It is not a fictional account. All this really did happen. And the madness and miracles happened, too.

Fifth, I pay tribute to humanity. I had people in my family as well as complete strangers do things that goes beyond the mere written word. I wanted to pay tribute to human kindness, which we need in this day in age where selfishness seems to reign supreme sometimes.

Lastly, I talk about God in it. God is important to me. Just as other things of a spiritual nature may be important to others, this book points to a Creator who cares about the small things. Who is not just looking at wars, tragedies, illnesses, the big stuff. But who also cared about a journey a mother and son undertook to hike some 2,000 miles. This book tells of those events. No matter what we are doing, what we face, what we endure, what we suffer, what makes us happy, the big or the small, He cares.

But don't take my word for it. After all, I like telling about my adventures. What others are saying:

Jennifer Pharr Davis who holds the record for the fastest supported AT hike and author of Called Again:  "Mountains, Madness, and Miracles proves that every journey is filled with providence and grace if we know where to look for it."

Bill Irwin, the first blind hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail with his guide dog and author of Blind Courage: "You must read this great and inspiring book. It will literally change your life!"

Paul Stutzman, thru hiker and author of Hiking Through: "This book explains in vivid detail what it takes to accomplish such a life-changing adventure. The pain, the emotions, and the spiritual applications will keep you turning the pages."



I hope you enjoy Madness, Mountains, and Miracles – 4000 Miles along the Appalachian Trail. And feel free to drop me a line about it.

Available now on Paperback and Amazon Kindle.  

From WhiteFire Publishing