The Dora Chronicles II

By Ellen Gault

In Book I of The Dora Chronicles, Dora, approaching the angsty age of forty, takes action to rid herself of an odious (and secret) label: Virgin. As is often the case with desperate action, unintended consequences ensue when the action is accomplished. Dora quits her job as a high school English teacher in Denver (a job she never fully embraced), and, determined to reinvent herself, moves in with her new love, Clancy, in his vintage little house outside Walsenburg in rural southern Colorado. Book II finds Dora here, where no cars go, where she'd counted on being relieved, relaxed, romantic and creative--and of course, discovering her true "bliss" to follow. Instead, as so often happens when one goes "into the woods" (or into the weeds) she finds challenges she never considered and is ill equipped to cope with. She is anxiety ridden, often bored and puzzled by her predicament. There is no content provider in this new place. She questions all her previous actions and even her love and commitment to Clancy. Still, she determines she must find a way forward; she must make this new life work no matter what. Her rich neighbor, Eileen, befriends Dora and imposes her bliss: pickle making, vegetable growing, all the ars domestica. Dora is not enamored of burdock root or gardening. But she goes along to get along. Dora flounders. She eats too many donuts. Her discovery of a cache of journals written by Clancy's deceased Aunt Alice provides a sobering and engrossing distraction. And maybe some enlightenment about Dora's own life, for after all, she lives in Alice's old house willed to Clancy. Theron, Clancy's sometimes employer and ostrich rancher/ guru-to-the-gullible, introduced in Book I, is cooking up grandiose new schemes both for his ostriches and his disciples. He also seems to be losing touch with reality. His baby son, motherless Briskie, and his housekeeper and Dora's only real friend, Carmen, are in jeopardy. Clancy's ex-wife Dr. Lisa resurfaces to make a bizarre request which nonetheless offers some attraction--and benefit--to Clancy, while it poses a serious threat to Dora's relationship with him. Dora's twin, Audrey, after recovering from her basement dwelling agoraphobia gets her mojo back and tries to lend a hand and offer advice to her floundering sister.And finally, Dora finds herself on a scary life altering path she does not choose and one she never ever would have anticipated.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 197706745X
• ISBN13: 9781977067456
• Release Date: February 2018
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 285 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.7" x 6.0"