The West Virginia University Press has published Oradell at Sea, the 11th published book of Shinnston native Meredith Sue Willis.
The book features an engaging woman named Oradell Riley Greengold whose personality was forged in a West Virginia coal town much like Shinnston in the 1940s. Orphaned and then widowed early in life, Oradell came through hard times with a strong, practical approach to life and a firm sense of right and wrong. At the time of this novel, Oradell is an aging, wealthy woman planning to escape lifes excitement by taking a relaxing cruise. But when shipboard emotions run high, Oradell realizes that the right thing to do is get involved and take a stand.
Williswriting career has been both successful and varied. Many of her stories have appeared in leading publications and several were collected into In the Mountains of America. Her first novel, A Space Apart, received high praise from reviewers. In the”Blair Underwood”trilogy Higher Ground, Only Great Changes and Trespassers Willis wrote of a young woman coming of age in Willisown time. For young readers, Willis has written Marcos Monsters and The Secret Super Powers of Marco.
Willis also teaches writing at New YorkUniversity and has written three successful books for writers: Blazing Pencils, Deep Revision and Personal Fiction Writing. For more on Willis, go to:meredithsuewillis.com
“Meredith Sue Willis is obviously a very fine, successful, professional writer who has been published in the past by presses far larger and better known than we are,”said Patrick Conner, director of the _ WVU Press._ “That she has brought us Oradell at Sea indicates both her continuing commitment to her home state and her confidence that our design, editing and marketing operations can meet the high standards she has come to expect.”
The hardcover novel will be available Oct. 1 at bookstores or directly from the Press. Cost is $22.50.
The _ WVU Press_ is a service of the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and operates with major support from the WVU Department of English. For more information and a complete list of titles, visitwww.wvupress.com