 Otis: A Novel
By Dr. Mary Ellen Erickson, Ph.D.
Self-published by Mary Ellen Erickson, Kensal, North
Dakota, 2004, 252 pages, softcover.
 |
Marry Ellen Erickson at the
Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcase, Grand Forks, North Dakota,
November 4, 2007 |
Otis is a humorous story about a girl's coming of age in the 1950s.
Her thoughts, dreams and feelings conflict with her family traditions,
her religious philosophy, her need for independence, and her desire
to understand the family secret. This warm, funny, and sometimes sad
book brings out the best and worst in human nature as discovered by
a young farm girl who struggles to understand her own evolution into
womanhood during a turbulent transition time in the history of women's
liberation. This "chick lit" romance will not only appeal
to young female readers, but also older women, who were young in the
1950s, as they reminisce about their own youth and emotional struggles.
"Why did caring for someone have to hurt so much? Why
weren't there any books to tell you how to find romance without
all the pain?" These questions and many more were asked by
Ellie, who was born during the late years of the Great Depression,
grew up during World War II, and came of age during the optimistic
'50s. Ellie decides to tell her granddaughter about her German-Russian
heritage, her family relationships, and the environmental affects
on decision-making, so Kelsey will have an easier transition from
childhood to womanhood.
The women of the '50s had more sexual freedom, more educational
opportunities, and more confusion in their life than any preceding
generation as they tried to bridge the gap between marriage and
a career. Ellie's story could be the story of any independent young
woman who came of age during the '50s.
Her relationships with her family - especially her father, her
relationships with the young men she dates, and her curiosity about
the malevolent uncle all intervene in this story that reveals the
good and the bad in human nature.
This historical fiction novel will bring laughter and tears to
readers as they follow Ellie through her formative years.
About the author
 Mary Ellen Erickson, resides on a farm in central North Dakota
with her husband, Dwayne. Dr. Erickson is a retired teacher/school
counselor. She spent over 30 years working with students K-12
in fields such as music, physical education, social studies,
psychology, and counseling/guidance. Dr. Erickson has a B.S.
degree from Valley City State University, M.S. degree from North
Dakota State University, and a Ph.D. from Walden University.
She has written some children's books that stress values, character
and work ethic, a book on caregiving of elderly parents, and
is working on a series of fictional novels about love and marriage
in the 1950s and 1960s
Otis: A Novel
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