Welcome back! It’s the 24th week of First Sentence Friday and Free Book Friday! 

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About Women of a Promiscuous Nature

Accused of “promiscuity” in 1940s North Carolina, a young woman unjustly incarcerated and subjected to involuntary medical treatment at The State Industrial Farm Colony for Women decides to fight back in this powerful, shockingly timely novel based on the long-buried history of the American Plan, the government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half of the 20th century.

The day Ruth Foster’s life changes begins the same way as many others—with a walk through her North Carolina hometown toward the diner where she works. But on this day, Ruth is stopped by the local sheriff, who insists that she accompany him to a health clinic. Women like Ruth—young, unmarried, living alone—must undergo testing in order to preserve decency and prevent the spread of sexual disease.

Though Ruth has never shared more than a chaste kiss with a man, by day’s end she is one of dozens of women held at the State Industrial Farm Colony for Women. Some, like 15-year-old Stella Temple, are brought in at their family’s request. For Stella, even the Colony’s hardships seem like a respite from her nightmarish home life.

Superintendent Dorothy Baker, convinced that she’s transforming degenerate souls into upstanding members of society, oversees the women’s medical treatment and “training” until they’re deemed ready for parole. Sooner or later, everyone at the Colony learns to abide by Mrs. Baker’s rule book or face the consequences—solitary confinement, grueling work assignments, and worse.

But some refuse to be cowed. Against Mrs. Baker’s dogged efforts and the punishing weight of authority, Ruth and other inmates find ways to fight back, resolved to regain their freedom at any cost . . .

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First Sentence Friday Thoughts

In the timeframe of this story, (1941) there were many ways a woman could find herself sent to a facility like the Colony. Two of the main characters, Ruth and Stella, arrive for entirely different reasons. Ruth, as she walks to work, is stopped by local law enforcement for “looking suspicious,” then subjected to an invasive exam, deemed “infected,” and is taken away. For Stella, a victim of abuse, she’s sent to restore her “southern white womanhood” by her parents under the advice of a local doctor.

The other women you’ll read about in the story provide more examples of how women ended up in institutions, those like Frances Platt, and Josephine Littles. Each version represents historical facts, scenarios I came across while researching. In this week’s sentence, we get to hear from Opal, who is married to Jack. Jack gets to do as he pleases, while Opal is supposed to allow whatever that is. A man like Jack might declare his wife wasn’t living up to his expectations, or that she was unfit to care for his household and children. He could decide to send her away.

A couple of letters in the State Industrial Farm Colony for Women’s biennial reports I mentioned a few weeks ago provided some of these scenarios. In one instance, an individual in her early thirties with the initials S.P. wrote, “They are all glad I have changed so much. Mother said I didn’t even look like the same person, and I know I feel better. I help my little girl with her lessons at night, and she said she was glad I had come home so I could help her and teach her the right way to live. Tell Mrs. S. (Colony literacy teacher under Federal funds) I sure do thank her for teaching me to read and write.” S.P.’s husband writes, “I can never thank you enough for what you have done for my wife. She is really changed. We are very happy. Many thank to you all.”

This also shows what I posted about recently – the positive with a negative. This woman was illiterate, and learned to read and write at the Colony. A quick search on the internet revealed some of the most common reasons a woman could find herself in one of these facilities:

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Chapter 24

Stella

Stella enters the kitchen the next morning to find Opal at the stove, apron hanging off slim hips, her reddish-brown hair tidily pulled back in a bun at the nape of her neck.

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Question of the Week

One of the “comp” books used for Women of a Promiscuous Nature is The Handmaid’s Tale. Has anyone read this, and if so, what did you think of it? I’ll admit, I haven’t read it! I’ve been thinking of getting a copy. Should I?

The person who offers the most persuasive argument on why I might need to read Atwood’s infamous book, gets a signed copy of mine!

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PRE-ORDER Information

Pre-orders gauge the interest and signal to the publisher readers are eager for an author’s next work. If you’re holding out because you might win an ARC or a finished copy from First Sentence Friday, remember you can always give away the extra as a gift to a reader friend. 😉

Pre-order links for your convenience:

• Bookshop.org
• Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Amazon
• Hudson Booksellers
• Target
• Walmart

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Social Media

Last, but not least, don’t forget to:

• Add Women of a Promiscuous Nature to your Goodreads “To Read” shelf
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