Copyright 2019 by Abbie Johnson Taylor
Independently published with the help of DLD Books

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

The front cover image features the profile of a woman with olive skin, red lips, dark hair, and dark eyebrows. Her hair is styled in a low bun. She is wearing a low cut red dress that is bunched in the bust. Her collarbone is prominent and her neck is long. She is holding a bouquet of dried orange Calendula flowers. Behind her are some large white rings hanging on a white wall. At the top of the image is the Author’s name and the title of the book.When Eve went to her high school senior prom, she wore a red dress that her mother had made for her. That night, after dancing with the boy of her dreams, she caught him in the act with her best friend. Months later, Eve, a freshman in college, is bullied into giving the dress to her roommate. After her mother finds out, their relationship is never the same again.

Twenty-five years later, Eve, a bestselling author, is happily married with three children. Although her mother suffers from dementia, she still remembers, and Eve still harbors the guilt for giving the dress away. When she receives a Facebook friend request from her old college roommate and an invitation to her twenty-five-year high school class reunion, then meets her former best friend by chance, she must confront the past in order to face the future.

 

Excerpt from Prologue

 

“Oh, look at this!” said Charlene.

Eve turned and could only stare at the bright red dress she’d almost forgotten.

Charlene held the garment at arm’s length, admiring the three–quarter–length sleeves, low neckline, and gathered waist. “Oh, my God! This is beautiful! Where did you get it, and why do you keep it way off to one side in your closet?”

Eve then heard on the radio the mellow strains of “Lady in Red,” the song she’d pushed to the back of her mind and hoped never to hear again.

 

Chris DeBurgh—Lady in Red YouTube

 

Articles, Reviews, and Interviews

 

Article–The Sheridan Press August 21st 2019

Review–My Corner August 8th, 2019

Interview with Explorations in Creative Writing Note: Explorations in Creative Writing is a group with whom I meet at least once a week via phone conference, mostly for critique purposes. Soon after The Red Dress was released, others in the group asked me questions about it and other topics during one of our meetings.

Feature on Library of Erana: A Day in the Life of…

Feature on Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore

Dirty Dozen Interview on Library of Erana

 

Review by Ann Parsons, Author of The Demmies

 

It is with extreme pleasure that I am reviewing The Red Dress by Abbie Johnson Taylor! This book is classified as  “Human Relations” by NLS. (National Library Services for the Blind and Print Disabled) It is the story of a woman, her family and a red dress. The character development is stellar! The plot is intriguing, and the writing is Abbie’s usual simple and straight forward story telling.

I am truly delighted to report that this book is now available through NLS on BARD. (Braille and Audio Reading Download) As you might have guessed, this book is one that is close to my heart because I know Abbie. She belongs to my writing group. I watched this book come into being, and it was a wonderful process! I, and my fellow group members, were able to see writing as it is made, from inspiration through perspiration to the final product. It is my joy to recommend this book to you all, not only because it is an excellent read, but because it is the brain child of a good friend of mine. I hope you will all enjoy reading this book.

It is thought provoking because it explores the human character. How and why do we react in the ways that we do to events in our lives? What motivates us toward forgiveness and redemption? And finally, what makes a darned good read?

Now, if I were a sighted reviewer, I would probably go on for paragraphs about how marvelous it is that Abbie has written a book since she “had to overcome blindness”, blah, blah, blah. I’m not going to be so ignorant and disrespectful! I am merely going to say that Abbie is following in the footsteps of a million bards who are and were blind. She can write and write well, not in spite of her disability, but because she’s a good writer! I only mention this because if you find reviews of her previous work, you may find some who miss the whole point, concentrating on the author’s physical characteristics rather than on the writing itself. Don’t do that! Read this book because it is well written, not because the author has a visual impairment.

Congratulations to Abbie Johnson Taylor for getting her book onto BARD! Just in case anyone wants to read this in Braille, it is available from Bookshare as well.  If you should decide you actually want to buy the thing, go to: https://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com/ Isn’t it great to be able to support one of our own?

Ann P.

 

Review by Reader Gerardo Corripio

 

The following is a portion of a review from Gerardo Corripio, who listened to the recorded version from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. (NLS) It was posted on an email list for NLS users.

***

This is one of those novels that’s a light read, but also has lots of little life tidbits that get you to think. The moral that comes to mind after reading the novel is something to the effect of “closing cycles”. It’s very realistically done, and I was able to readily identify with the characters, their situations and dynamics needed to cope. Forgiveness and its rewards are also a moral of the novel. How liberating it can be, not only for the ones affected, but for the families involved!

***

 

Interview with TELL-IT-TO-THE-WORLD Marketing

 

Ordering Links

Click to order from Smashwords in various eBook formats.

Click to order from Amazon in Kindle format.

Click to order paperback from Amazon.

Click to download from Bookshare.

 

Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

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