No Bells Will Ring

In No Bells Will Ring, Ruth Couch draws on her experiences as an elementary teacher to present the story of a young educator torn between the demands of her career and the needs of her dependent mother. Elizabeth is caught in a web of conflict as her mother continues to engage in behavior that is increasingly troubling. Elizabeth cannot turn to anyone for help without betraying her mother; only faith can sustain and guide her. The author hopes that this story will encourage those who may be struggling with career issues or the challenge of helping a parent deal with the sorrows and frustrations of the later years. The story is a work of fiction. All the human characters are fictitious; the only individual drawn from real life is Oscar the dog.

Ruth Couch grew up in South Arkansas and taught in the public schools and later at Arkansas State University-Beebe. She is the author of a book of verses about Arkansas and several articles in professional journals. As the only child of older parents, she has always been interested in the challenges of the later years of life, and she currently teaches creative writing classes at Shepherd's Center, a program for mature adults, in Beebe, Arkansas. She feels that it is important for all people, regardless of age, to continue to be enthusiastic participants in the life of their communities and their churches. She currently lives in Beebe and works part time for the Chamber of Commerce.