All on Account of You: A True WWII Love Story

Author: Elaine Luddy Klonicki
Publisher: Lulu Press (www.lulu.com)
ISBN: 978-1-4303-0727-3
Price: $19.95
Publication Date: February 2007

Angie Courtney is a spirited young woman realizing her dream. She is living in a girls' club in New York, studying fashion design. Bill Luddy, a boy she left behind in her hometown of Altoona, PA, is now stationed on a Navy ship docked on the Hudson Bay. They begin dating each other again in 1942 during his officers' training and he wins her heart through his daily love letters.

"It is a rich documentation of a most romantic time. I know because I was there. It was a time when every experience was heightened and shadowed by war. Music underlined every moment of our lives. Some of it was military music as we marched off to duty in Europe or Japan, but most of it was romantic. "A Kiss is Just a Kiss." "Till We Meet Again." "I'll See You in my Dreams."

And it is through music that Bill Luddy courts and wins his Angie. It was not only a romantic time, but this is a romantic love story. It is also a true story. It grows between two people who have known each other for a long time, and it is compellingly told by Angie's daughter, as her mother looks back on letters, poems, songs and personal recollections to document the realization that a lonely Navy guy and a student in New York City were meant for each other. There is humor here, and fun, as well as an interesting insight to a remarkable historical period in our country. And what might surprise some younger readers -- that some of us old fogies who lived through those distant times were just as passionate and reckless and headstrong and foolish as many youngsters are today. When I first read the manuscript, I predicted 'a lively sale,' and I am happy to say my prediction is already coming true."

Earl Hamner, Jr.
author, and creator of The Waltons and Falcon Crest TV show

Elaine Luddy Klonicki is a freelance writer living in Raleigh, NC. Her column "Box of Chocolates" has appeared in The News and Observer. To contact the author, please visit her web site at www.klonicki.com. Books are available through the publisher, Lulu.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Bordersstores.com, BooksaMillion.com, and other chains.