Jo Virden launches new book, My Darling Dorothy

Congratulations to Jo Virden, who yesterday had a book-launching party for her new book, My Darling Dorothy. It was a real pleasure doing the copy editing and proofreading for the book, which was five years in the making. It is based on letters from her mother’s two romantic interests in Nebraska before and during World War II. She has received two excellent reviews.

Foreword Reviews said, “Virden captures the ethos of the time perfectly, contrasting the rigidity of conservative social norms with spirited rebellion on the part of the children. . . . The pacing is exactly as needed to keep the story flowing smoothly, and Virden’s insightful skill with character development makes both the major and the minor characters shine.

“My Darling Dorothy is a sensitive and captivating tale that illuminates how, beyond the danger, despair, and depravity of war, there still remains a cherished place within each human being where dreams remain ‘safe and possible and untouched.’” (See https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/my-darling-dorothy/. )

BlueInk Review said, “Inspired by genuine letters that passed between her mother and two love interests during World War II, Jo Virden’s historical fiction romance, My Darling Dorothy, is an out-of-the-ordinary peek at wartime reality on the home front and abroad. . . . Over the decade covered by the main action, Virden [skillfully] and carefully zeroes in on incidents that reveal the chance and irony of war, as when Smitty’s malaria saves him from a landmine.

“Overall, the author has penned a compelling story—one that will hold particular appeal for fans of similar epistolary tales, such as Annie Barrows’ The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.”  (See http://www.blueinkreview.com/book-reviews/my-darling-dorothy-2/.)

The book is available on Amazon, Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, and Smashwords. 

When I read the book, I was reminded of Edna Ferber’s So Big. There’s something about the truth of the characters and the context of their locations that shines through in both books.