My week began with taking a few moments to catch up on Facebook when I noticed a post from one of my favorite authors that I follow. I sat in shock as I realized the post was from her page, but it was written by her family. They were announcing that their dear mother and wife, Dorothea Benton Frank, had passed on Labor Day, September 2, 2019. Dottie, as her family, friends and fans called her, died after a brief battle with MDS, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a type of cancer much like leukemia. She was 67.
I was especially shocked since I had just been at a Meet and Greet event for Dottie in June as she promoted her latest book, “Queen Bee” which reached no. 2 on The New York Times best-seller list. She seemed healthy then. At another author Meet and Greet event this week, many of those in attendance were saying the same thing and wondering if she even knew she was sick. It really reminds me how precious every day is when I see how quickly this illness took her.
Dottie was known for writing about the Lowcountry/Charleston area. Her writing would be categorized as women’s fiction and even “beach reads,” but the labels may not clearly identify the depth of her writing skill and style. Her first book, “Sullivan’s Island,” was semi-autobiographical. It debuted at no. 9 on The New York Times best-seller list. She was known to add another title approximately one per year having completed 20 books total. Some of the titles include: “Isle of Palms,” “Pawleys Island,” “Folly Beach,” “The Last Original Wife,” “By Invitation Only” and “Same Beach, Next Year.”
I love the story about Dottie’s childhood home on Sullivan’s Island. When her mother passed, the siblings wanted to sell the house. Dottie did not; however, she didn’t have the money to buy them out. At the time Dottie was a fashion buyer turned executive for a sportswear line. She announced, “I’m going to write a book and I’m going to sell a million copies and I’m going to buy Momma’s house back.” Her first book ,”Sullivan’s Island: A Lowcountry Tale,” was published in 1999 and sold more than one million copies. Although she could now afford to buy her mother’s house, it had already been sold. She and her husband bought another house on the island instead.
I’m grateful I got the chance to hear her speak. Authors truly pour their souls into their writing, but I get a whole new appreciation of the master storyteller when I meet one in person. I got a sense of her personality, a warmth and sweetness mixed with a bit of humorous Southern sass.
Although Dottie will live on through her beloved stories, I will miss reading new books by her. I think it will be time to go back and re-read the ones in my personal library soon. If you haven’t read Dorothea Benton Frank, I think you should.