Dignity Series

  I made up my mind right then and there that I would just have to wade into this move like wading into a pond or lake I’d never seen before – slow and steady, feeling around for my footing and trying to avoid the sharp edges at the bottom that you never see coming.

***

News of what really happened to me – to us – spread through town like

  I made up my mind right then and there that I would just have to wade into this move like wading into a pond or lake I’d never seen before – slow and steady, feeling around for my footing and trying to avoid the sharp edges at the bottom that you never see coming.

***

News of what really happened to me – to us – spread through town like wildfire. It caught from one dry gossip tree to another and burned them to the ground with shame.

***

“Y’can do this, child – show ‘em why I call y’Dignity,” my old friend winked at me.

Skillfully written and sure to draw you in to its pages, When Dignity Came to Harlan is set in the early 1900s and follows twelve-year-old Anna Beth Atwood as she leaves Missouri with her family dreaming of a better life in the coal-rich mountains of Harlan County, Kentucky. Anna Beth’s parents lose everything on the trip, however, and upon asking strangers to take their girls in until they get on their feet, Anna Beth and her baby sister are dropped into the home of Jack and Grace Grainger – who have plenty of problems of their own. 

Anna Beth suffers several hardships during her time in Harlan, and if it wasn’t for her humble and wise old friend who peddles his wisdom along with his wares, all would be lost.   

Based on a true family history, this is a story of heartbreak and hope, challenges and perseverance, good and evil, justice and merciful redemption. It exemplifies the human experience in all its many facets and shows what it means to have real grit. 

Take the journey with us and see how, with the unseen hand of God, one girl changed the heart and soul of an entire town. 

 “A reminder of our forebears’ sacrifices and strength, this exquisitely-told story proves that no amount of poverty and pain are a match for fierce faith.”
– Lizbeth Meredith, award-winning author of Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters 

 "When Dignity Came to Harlan had me turning pages faster than just about any novel I've ever read. I could not put it down and was barely able to take care of my daily tasks. Its deep South, early 20th-century setting and plot are authentic, earthy, rugged, and brave. Rebecca Duvall Scott wrote this true-to-life tale in such a way that Anna Beth Atwood's tempest of truth is now seared into my heart and mind. Five stars are not enough, in my opinion. I can hardly wait to read the next book in this series, and I hope that this remarkable story makes its way to film. Every now and then a book passes in front of me that I know I will read more than once the minute I begin reading it. This is such a book."

- Mary Jo Thayer, award-winning author Close to the Soul 

  How often does this town welcome new folk? I wondered. I had been told the previous schoolteacher had held her position for thirty-some years… and something in my gut whispered I could be the outsider for the next thirty.

***

I crossed my arms over my heart. No matter how old I got, it seemed the little, wounded girl inside was only inc

  How often does this town welcome new folk? I wondered. I had been told the previous schoolteacher had held her position for thirty-some years… and something in my gut whispered I could be the outsider for the next thirty.

***

I crossed my arms over my heart. No matter how old I got, it seemed the little, wounded girl inside was only inches under the skin.

***

If anything could distract me from my own struggles, it would be Jenny Logan.

As a first-year teacher fresh out of college, Miss Anna Beth Atwood is struggling to find her own path both inside and outside the one-room schoolhouse. The trials of the Great Depression, racial segregation, social class division, and domestic violence don’t make her job any easier, but the real challenge will be confronting – and overcoming – her traumatic past once and for all.

Heartfelt, emotional, and painfully honest, the story of Teaching Dignity is a shining light in the darkest times. Written by award-winning author of When Dignity Came to Harlan, Anna Beth’s journey into adulthood reminds readers of the important adage “To thine own self be true,” but more importantly… where could we go but to the Lord?

Walk in Anna Beth’s shoes and see firsthand how the rekindling of one woman’s faith has the power to not only help her students and community but herself as well.

“Rebecca Duvall Scott proves, once again, that she is a masterful storyteller, creating a cast of loveable characters thrust into a world that is both peaceful and perilous, tender and troubling. Fans of When Dignity Came to Harlan will delight in this sweet, touching story of love, hope, redemption, and faith. If you’re looking for a gentle story that warms your heart and touches your soul, look no further than Teaching Dignity.” 

– Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

“Teaching Dignity evokes every human emotion. The history is rich, the hardships are difficult to bear, and the grit displayed time after time brings vice and virtue sharply into focus. Touching the depths of the reader’s spirit, this story will leave a lasting impression.” 

– Mary Jo Thayer, award-winning author of Close to the Soul