WWII-Era Memoir Features Collection of Love Letters From Naval Midshipman to Aspiring Fashion Designer

North Carolina author Elaine Luddy Klonicki releases non-fiction book "All on Account of You: A True WWII Love Story" (Lulu Press, 2007). In it, the author weaves memoirs and love letters from her parents' courtship in New York City in the 1940s. Earl Hamner, creator of The Waltons, calls the book "a rich documentation of a most romantic time."

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) June 10, 2007 -- Elaine Luddy Klonicki records the story of her parents' courtship during World War II in the non-fiction book "All on Account of You: A True WWII Love Story."

Earl Hamner, author of nine books and creator of the beloved family drama, The Waltons, says the book is "A rich documentation of a most romantic time. There is humor here, and fun, as well as an interesting insight to a remarkable historical period in our country."

After finding her father's love letters while moving her mother to an independent living residence, Raleigh author and former columnist for The News and Observer Elaine Luddy Klonicki realized their historical importance and decided to publish them.

"Writing this book was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle," says the author. "I started out transcribing the letters, over fifty of them. When I asked my mother to elaborate about the details, she related many stories about her and my dad's experiences during their courtship and early married life. She's a great storyteller, and I just kept writing it all down."

After finding several memoirs her 88-year-old mom had started, Elaine decided to write the book in her mom's voice so that readers could get a sense of the times. "She brought out boxes of items she had saved, and I couldn't believe it. I was holding letters and artifacts that were almost sixty-five years old."

Elaine scanned the artifacts, such as a keepsake from the graduation ball on her dad's ship, the U.S.S. Prairie State, and included them and over 120 photos in the book. She also included cartoons and ads from her dad's Navy yearbook, The Sideboy, and from a Collier's magazine from March 28, 1942 that featured the midshipmen of the Prairie State.

The book traces the relationship of Angie Courtney and Bill Luddy, who met after high school in Altoona, PA and began dating again in New York City in 1942. She was working in the fashion industry in New York after studying at the famed Traphagen School of Fashion, and he was a Ninety-day Wonder stationed on a Navy ship docked on the Hudson Bay.

Bill wrote to Angie almost daily from the ship. He supported her career aspirations, uncommon as they were for a woman in the 1940s. A deeply spiritual man, his letters offered her hope despite the troubled times. He felt certain that if it were God's will for them to be united in the end, they would be.

All on Account of You, also the title of a song Bill wrote for Angie, is a true story that reads like a novel. It is published by Lulu Press (www.lulu.com), the world's fastest-growing provider of print-on-demand books, and is available through their website or other online booksellers. Elaine and her mother Angie are conducting slideshow and book signing events in the Raleigh area.

About the Author
Elaine Luddy Klonicki is a freelance writer living in Raleigh, NC. Her column "Box of Chocolates" has appeared in The News and Observer. She has a B.A. in Psychology from North Carolina State University. This is her third book.

Media Contact:
Elaine Luddy Klonicki
www.klonicki.com
919-841-9044

"All on Account of You: A True WWII Love Story"
Non-fiction/Memoir
Paperback
Published By: Lulu Press (www.lulu.com)
Publication Date: February 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4303-0727-3
Price: $19.95
Pages: 268
Size: 6" x 9" x .6"

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