Over the last several months we have gotten a few responses here and there that are not actually spam. Whoo Hoo!. Anyway, I thought I would post them for everyone to read and enjoy. If you can answer their questions, please send me an email by visiting the CONTACT page and use the new form. I had to turn off the comments as I was getting just too much spam. This are just the last 5 we have received. If I have already posted one or two of these, well, I ask your patience.
Kimberly Hemphill (kimmiehemphill@gmail.com)
Subject: Sate Timball short story
Hi! Just read and enjoyed “A New Kind of Country” in which (on page 87) Dorothy Gilman mentions a short story she wrote in the 1950s about a dying woman named Sate Timball. Can anyone tell me the title of this story, or better yet, where I can find it online? Thank you very much!–Kimberly Hemphill.
I am sorry to say I do not know that story either. Unless she was referring to the story, “Sorrow Rides a Fast Horse“.Perhaps someone else has a copy they would be willing to share.
Gigi Matlack (gigi.matlack@gmail.com)
Subject: Sardines
Hello. I couldn’t figure out how to respond to posts, so I’m writing here in the “contact” section. I recently had surgery and to speed my recovery by being a compliant patient by staying in bed, I re-read all the Mrs. Pollifax books plus a few other early works by Dorothy Gilman. Reading them all in a short span of time, I realized that there are numerous mentions of sardines in the novels. I can’t be sure, but I think there are sardine references in each of the Mrs. Pollifax stories. I wondered if this was a personal writing challenge that Dorothy Gilman set up for herself…or if she just liked sardines. Anyone else see this… wonder about this? Take care. Gigi
I don’t know the answer to that one either but you could be right. Anybody able to tell us if Dorothy Gilman loved sardines?
Carla Swift (swiftyr1529@gmail.com)
Subject: The Mystery of the Barrel Organ
I’m in Germany and I ran across a book in a Care Center library written by Dorothy Gilman, or so it said. The name of the book in German was “Das Geheimnis der Drehorgel”. I’ve translated that to mean “The Mystery of the Barrel Organ”, (organ grinder?) I thought I would like to read it in English, but can’t find it in any of Dorothy Gilman’s listings. Did she ever write such a book? And if so, why isn’t it ever listed? And if not, where did this book come from? (The Mystery of the Barrel Organ Book)
I believe that was a translation of “The Tightrope Walker” It is about a young woman who found a note inside an old organ-grider or hurdy-gurdy machine.
Bill Moore (Bilkenmoo@aol.com)
Subject: First Edition Question
I’m trying to determine if my copy of “The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax” is a first edition/first printing. I’m wondering if you or any of your members might know what the identifying marks are for a first edition/first printing for this title. Mine is the 1966 Crime Club edition but it is not a “stated” first edition like all of the other later publications. Many thanks. Bill Moore
According to the World Catalog website of books it is a first edition of the story. Per all the newspaper articles I have found the first time that story was published was in 1966 – check out this link: https://www.worldcat.org/title/unexpected-mrs-pollifax/oclc/1614341
Marci Hanners (mhanners@gmail.com)
Subject: Four Party Line et al
I have copies of all three YA/Romance titles starting with the reprint Heart’s Design, Four Party Line and Calico Year. I’ve read them all multiple times. I can provide any information on the characters and plot that you would like to have. The settings, especially Four Party Line, are dated, but the characters are very real people and the stories themselves are not dated. I myself would love to find an original copy of Masquerade, but it’s very scarce and ridiculously overpriced by the purveyors who did find copies. But the softcover version is fine. I’ve found several of those and still own one. Let me know if you are interested in further information on these and in what form you would like that info.
Well, Marci Hanners, thank you so much for the offer and of course please send me whatever you have time to type up. Updates on any of the books are always welcome!
