Donna Everhart

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WOMEN OF A PROMISCUOUS NATURE

RECOGNITION for WOMEN OF A PROMISCUOUS NATURE

*A Publishers Marketplace BUZZ BOOKS Selection*

“Eye-opening…Everhart writes movingly about the American Plan (a real government program that tried to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality) and its consequences in the first part of the 20th century. With its strong women characters, the novel is a brutal but unforgettable read.” – Library Journal on Women of a Promiscuous Nature

“Both a cautionary tale and a deeply compassionate rendering of women wrongly imprisoned in a system designed to break them, Everhart’s propulsive story is filled with injustice, intrigue, and the determination to fight back.” —LISA WINGATE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shelterwood

“A remarkable fusion of research and imagination [with] vivid scenes, compelling characters, perfect pacing—but most impressive of all is Everhart’s creation of Dorothy Baker. She is one of the most memorable characters I’ve read in recent fiction, and further proof of Donna Everhart’s immense talent.” –RON RASH, award-winning author of Serena

“In a time when the darkest chapters in American history are being erased, books are being banned, and women’s bodies policed, Donna Everhart’s “Women of a Promiscuous Nature is a must-read. Couched in the Eugenics Movement of the first half of 20th century, the infamous ‘American Plan’ made the lives of single working-class women and girls treacherously unpredictable. Throughout the U.S. and especially in the South, they could be snatched off the street on their way to work, locked up in reformatories, treated with debilitating mercury injections for imagined cases of venereal disease, physically punished for the smallest infractions, and sterilized without their knowledge. I learned so much from Everhart’s larger-than-life characters, whose stories will make you gasp and wonder if this could ever happen again in America. The best and most important historical novel I’ve read in years!” —MINROSE GWIN, author of Beautiful Dreamers   

“Donna Everhart writes like your neighbor who has come over to tell you of folks she’s worrying about. She infuses textbook history with ragged humanity. In Women of a Promiscuous Nature, Everhart offers a cautionary tale of the horrific consequences of The American Plan, a governmental effort to curb behaviors in women deemed promiscuous. Detailing shocking injustices, she also begs a nuanced consideration of the most dreadful consequences of mankind’s often misguided motivations. Most importantly, she puts the three women before us, with their individual circumstances in the face of the unthinkable, and inspires courage through their remarkable endurance. Everhart’s readers always expect they will come away from the last page with the dirt of her stories under their nails. There’s some heart’s blood, here, too. –KIMBERLY BROCK, Award winning author of The Fabled Earth

WHEN THE JESSAMINE GROWS

RECOGNITION for WHEN THE JESSAMINE GROWS

From Amazon Editor Kami Tei, “This historical fiction set during the Civil War is a story you likely haven’t read before – about a woman who stands strong, in spite of the consequences. It’s a harrowing tale of bravery and survival I will not soon forget.”

“Superbly crafted characters move the plot forward quickly, enticing the reader to turn each page to follow the action. The author expertly incorporates her historical research to reflect the mood of the time with gripping detail. Definitely recommended.” – Historical Novels Review on When the Jessamine Grows

THE SAINTS OF SWALLOW HILL

RECOGNITION for THE SAINTS OF SWALLOW HILL

REVIEWS for THE SAINTS OF SWALLOW HILL

“The distinctive settings of the turpentine camps in the South during the Great Depression will make an imprint on readers, just as Del and Rae Lynn do. Fans of Sarah Addison Allen won’t be able to put it down.” ~Booklist

“A desperate, gritty story set against a backdrop of hard knocks and hard times, Donna Everhart’s historically researched The Saints of Swallow Hill is the triumphant story of unlikely bonds fatefully formed among the turpentine camps in the rural, Depression era South.” ~New York Journal of Books

“This novel is a terrific find—an engrossing example of Southern historical fiction that’s full of gritty realism, heart, and hope” ~Historical Novel Society

THE MOONSHINER'S DAUGHTER

RECOGNITION for THE MOONSHINER'S DAUGHTER

“Rousing…movingly explores Jessie’s struggle with her eating disorder, viscerally describing her twin desires for nourishment and purging in relation to a deep need to define herself…Everhart’s story of self-discovery, rife with colorful characters and a satisfying twist, will thrill readers.”- Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“Everhart’s portrayal of Jessie’s coming-of-age is realistic and heartbreaking. You will root for Jessie, the Sassers, and the moonshine before it is all over.” – Linda Hodges, Fiction Addiction, Greenville, SC

“This riveting novel set in the 1960s will have readers, especially those who enjoy Kaye Gibbons and Anna Jean Mayhew, captivated from the first page.” –Booklist STARRED REVIEW

“Part of what makes Jessie a compelling character is that her flaws are recognizable. They define her without pushing the reader away. She slowly recognizes who she really is and what she can attain. This is not a story of unexpected epiphanies, but of gradual growth to an enhanced, effective self-awareness.” –Southern Literary Review

THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER is a Southern Literary Review January Book of the Month

THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER is a Southern Lady Magazine Book Club Selection

THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER is a MaryJanesFarm Farmgirl Book Club selection in February/March issue (on sale early January)

THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER is one of SheReads “Most Anticipated Women’s Fiction of 2020”

THE FORGIVING KIND

RECOGNITION for THE FORGIVING KIND

“Reminiscent of the novels of Lee Smith, Kaye Gibbons, and Sandra Dallas, Everhart builds a firm sense of place, portraying the tiredness and hope of a dry southern summer and voicing strong southern women.” ~Booklist

“With a diverse cast and layered themes, The Forgiving Kind may be Everhart’s best yet.” Read full review here. ~Historical Novel Society Review

THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET

RECOGNITION for THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET

REVIEWS for THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET

“Readers will find The Road to Bittersweet to be a lovingly crafted coming-of-age novel set in the unforgiving Carolina hills. Everhart understands the mindset of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood as her world fills with hardship, betrayal, and the wonderment of growing up. Readers will be struck by how beautifully Everhart captures the dialect of her well-drawn characters and the landscape – both harsh and beautiful. Here is a story that tugs at the heartstrings with its believability and evocative prose, leaving readers believing there is always hope when a family stands together.”- RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

The book is Southern fiction at its finest and will likely appeal to those who like books with a mix of heart and adventure. -Historical Novel Society Reviews

Everhart (The Education of Dixie Dupree, 2016) is a good storyteller and makes her characters and their experiences come alive. -Booklist

Advance Praise for THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET

You will fall in love with Wallis Ann Stamper as she meets the bitter challenges of her hardscrabble life, inspired by her sweet love for her family Her grit and unfailing faith in herself will melt your heart, as it did mine. ~Sandra Dallas, New York Times best-selling author

Donna Everhart has created a heroine with real girl power. The teen-aged Wallis Ann is persistent and tough and above all competent in the face of catastrophe, steering her bedraggled family through a series of crises. In the end, the biggest challenge she has to contend with is her own human weakness and her willingness to forgive herself. Donna Everhart has written such an engagingly fast-paced story that the plot pulled me in from the first pages. ~Julia Franks, author of Over the Plain Houses (Hub City Press)

THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE

RECOGNITION for THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE

REVIEWS for THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE

“Everhart writes about the tension between mother and daughter with bravery and wit, unearthing the little things that can seesaw a relationship between trust and resentment. And I’m sure I won’t be the only one who sees glimpses of Harper Lee’s young Scout in Dixie’s stubbornness and naiveté. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Education of Dixie Dupree delves into subjects too powerful to allow the book to be labeled as charming. But there is a wistful magic in seeing the world again through a child’s viewpoint, even if that world is not as shiny and innocent as one would hope.” — The Amazon Book Review

“A harrowing story of domestic drama, with a Southern Gothic flair.” – Washington Independent Review of Books (read the full review here)

“This Indie Next Pick is a difficult read at times — there’s one scene in particular that I struggled with — but I applaud the author for tackling the darkest, most heinous corner of family life: the sexual abuse of a child. The novel brims with Southern charm and introduces the captivating voice of 11-year-old Ms. Dixie Dupree. Read it for her. She has a story that begs to be heard.” – BookBub

“This is a dark, haunting book that will linger with you for days, but despite the heaviness of the book, Dixie is a witty, charismatic burst of energy and sunshine who readers will want to rescue themselves. A remarkable story of the triumph of will, and a great coming-of-age novel.” – Historical Novels Review

“[A] harrowing coming-of-age novel set in Alabama…Readers will be drawn to Dixie, who is full of spunk and grit.”– Booklist

“With gravitas and heart…Donna Everhart does a deft job of writing about innocence lost.” – Business Insider, Insider Pick

“Everhart’s debut novel is a beautiful coming-of-age story, poignant in its content and description and written in brutally honest language. The author creates a compelling narrative that will grip readers as it leave an indelible mark on them, thanks to flawed, genuine characters and strong tensions. With a strong beginning to a powerful story and a strong-minded, spunky central character in Dixie, Everhart’s story is one to cherish.”– RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars Top Pick

“Young Dixie Dupree is an indomitable spirit in this coming-of-age novel that is a heartbreaking and honest witness to the resilience of human nature and the fighting spirit and courage residing in all of us, and for those who have lived in the underbelly of betrayal and child abuse. A triumphant debut novel which can transform a brokenness, bring forth a wholeness, The Education of Dixie Dupree would make a wonderful resource and academic book as well.” – The Huffington Post (Kim Michele Richardson)

“This debut novel is a page-turner from the very beginning. In a story of a family filled with pain, deceit, lies, and dark secrets across generations, Everhart allows readers to feel everything her young narrator, Dixie, must endure. For me, the mark of a good book is that I find myself thinking about it after I have finished reading, and The Education of Dixie Dupree will be with me for a long while.” – Mary O’Malley, Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville IL

“Please open your heart to Dixie Dupree. With unflinching honesty and a voice that rings with authenticity, she survives the unthinkable. Her story celebrates the resiliency of the human spirit and the triumph of the imagination. An important novel, beautifully written, this is a story to cherish.”—Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author

“In a powerful coming-of-age story that pitches southern charm against dark family secrets, the voice of 11-year-old Dixie Dupree captivates from the first page to the last.” —Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son.

“A searingly honest coming of age story with a heroine unlike any other I’ve met in a long time. I read this book through from start to finish in one sitting, simply unable and unwilling to put it down. Here’s to another beautiful novel from Donna Everhart.” —Holly Chamberlin, author of Seashell Season

“A poignant coming of age novel as gritty as red Alabama dirt. Dixie Dupree will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.” —Colleen Faulkner, author of Julia’s Daughters

“Secrets, lies, peach cobbler, grits, a hot Alabama sun, and a girl named Dixie Dupree who shows courage in the face of betrayal, strength when all falls down around her, and shining hope in the darkness. This is a story you’ll read well into the night.” —Cathy Lamb, author of The Language of Sisters

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