The Bells of Chugiak Book 1: The Builders

The old-timers advised the young men taking advantage of the Homestead Act to settle in Alaska, “marry first and bring your wives with you. There ain’t but one woman for every ten men.”

The WWII veterans took the advice seriously. Some of the new wives were mail-order brides, some arranged marriages. Some were whirlwind affairs that didn’t sober up until they had reached the underdeveloped territory. These women had one thing in common. Hardened by the Great Depression, filling in for the work force while the men were at war, they were ladies who knew their own minds

The men built the foundations of their communities, the women built the society. Each time there was an emergency, the women rallied first, responding to the immediate needs while their husbands were at their jobs.

Millie is a gregarious woman, so gregarious people wanted her to like them because if she didn’t, there must be something terribly wrong with them. Yet Millie, for all her friendliness, stands off a claim-jumper alone.

Andrea has jumped out of one marriage and contemplates another but relishes her northland freedom. Handy Andy, as she was called, is a jane of all trades. If she isn’t the ideal housewife, she is someone you can lean on and makes a spectacular best friend.

It was hard to imagine mousy Doreen as a strong pioneer woman. Tiny, with a high-pitched, nervous laugh, her best assets seem to be dancing and ice-skating. She shows what she’s made of when her husband goes missing on a solitary hunting trip.

Beth has a drinking problem, and her problem gets her in trouble. It also helps her realize what the community is lacking – a spiritual guide to keep them from floundering.

They are the most vulnerable in the winter, when dark days, darker nights, and loneliness plague them. They gather at the Wolf Creek Trading Post and the comfort of the proprietor, Solace Grant, to discuss their plight. When it’s decided they need a pastor, the Wolf Creek women are determined to have one by any means possible. They ring out like bells and their summoning brings together the best of all possible worlds.