Garlock, Dorothy 1942- (Dorothy Glenn, Dorothy Phillips, Johanna Phillips)

PERSONAL:

Born 1942, in TX; married Herb Garlock; children: two.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Clear Lake, IA. E-mail—contact@dorothygarlock.com.

CAREER:

Writer. Worked as bookkeeper and columnist for a local newspaper, c. 1964-78.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Named Outstanding Western Writer, Romantic Times Online, 1986; Silver Pen Award, Affaire de Coeur, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989; Reviewer Choice Award for Best Western Trilogy, 1988, for Best Western Saga, 1990; Best Americana Novel, Romantic Times Online, 1991; Lifetime Achievement Award, Romantic Times Online, 1997.

WRITINGS:

"ANNIE LASH" SERIES

Wild Sweet Wilderness, 1985, Grand Central Publishing (New York, NY), 2002.

Annie Lash, 1994, Grand Central Publishing (New York, NY), 1995.

Almost Eden, Vision, 1995.

"COLORADO WIND" SERIES

Restless Wind, Popular Library (New York, NY), 1986, Five Star (Unity, ME), 1998.

Wayward Wind, Popular Library (New York, NY), 1986.

Wind of Promise, Popular Library (New York, NY), 1987.

"WABASH RIVER" SERIES

Lonesome River, Popular Library (New York, NY), 1987.

River of Tomorrow, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Dream River, Popular Library (New York, NY), 1989.

Yesteryear, Thorndike Press (Thorndike, ME), 1995.

"WYOMING FRONTIER" SERIES

Midnight Blue, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Night Rose, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Sins of Summer, G.K. Hall (Thorndike, ME), 1994.

The Listening Sky, Wheeler Publishing (Rockland, MA), 1996.

Larkspur, Thorndike Press (Thorndike, ME), 1997.

Sweetwater, Wheeler Publications (Rockland, MA), 1998.

"DOLANS" SERIES

Ribbon in the Sky, G.K. Hall (Thorndike, ME), 1991.

With Hope, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1998.

With Song, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1999.

With Heart, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1999.

After the Parade, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2000.

"JAZZ AGE" SERIES

The Edge of Town, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2001.

High on a Hill, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2002.

A Place Called Rainwater, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2003.

River Rising, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2005.

"ROUTE 66" SERIES

Mother Road, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Hope's Highway, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Song of the Road, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2004.

OTHER

Love and Cherish, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1980, Five Star (Unity, ME), 1995.

Glorious Dawn, 1982, Five Star (Unity, ME), 1997.

The Searching Hearts, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1982, reprinted, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1997.

A Love for All Time, 1983, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1993.

The Planting Season, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1984.

Homeplace, G.K. Hall (Boston, MA), 1991.

A Gentle Giving, Wheeler Publishing (Hingham, MA), 1993.

Tenderness, G.K. Hall (Thorndike, ME), 1993.

Forever Victoria, G.K. Hall (Thorndike, ME), 1994.

This Loving Land, Warner Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Nightrose, G.K. Hall (Thorndike, ME), 1997.

More Than Memory, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Train from Marietta, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Wishmakers, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2006.

On Tall Pine Lake, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2007.

A Week from Sunday, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Will You Still Be Mine?, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Leaving Whiskey Bend, Grand Central Publishing (New York, NY), 2008.

Universal Press Syndicate series, Day Dreams, with a chapter each day running in major newspapers for one month; works translated into many languages.

AS DOROTHY GLENN

Sunshine Every Morning, Harlequin (New York, NY), 1985.

The Hell Raiser, Harlequin (New York, NY), 1990.

AS DOROTHY PHILLIPS

Marriage to a Stranger, Dell (New York, NY), 1982.

Sing Softly to Me, Dell (New York, NY), 1986.

She Wanted Red Velvet, Dell (New York, NY), 1986.

AS JOHANNA PHILLIPS

Gentle Torment, Jove (New York, NY), 1981.

Amber-eyed Man, Jove (New York, NY), 1981.

Passion's Song, Jove (New York, NY), 1982.

Strange Possession, Jove (New York, NY), 1982.

Hidden Dreams, Jove (New York, NY), 1983.

ADAPTATIONS:

Various books have been adapted for audio.

SIDELIGHTS:

Dorothy Garlock is an Iowa-based romance novelist who commented on her Web site: "I'm not looking to write the great American novel, win a Pulitzer or teach history. I write to entertain my readers." With dozens of romances to her credit, Garlock has certainly found an audience for her books, written under her own name and under three pseudonyms: Dorothy Glenn, Dorothy Phillips, and Johanna Phillips. Sybil Steinberg, writing in Publishers Weekly, commented on Wild Sweet Wilderness, noting that Garlock's characters "provide double doses of action and romance." In reviewing Sins of Summer, a PublishersWeekly contributor advised: "For those who like their romances dark, emotionally complex and brimful of grit, Garlock holds the reins masterfully."

Tenderness takes place in 1902 and features Jesse Forbes, a nurse who has traveled to the rural region outside of Harpersville, Tennessee, to help care for the families there during an epidemic of scarlet fever. While there, she meets Wade Simmer, a handsome young man with a dark streak, who is suspected of being the man known as "the Looker," an individual accused of breaking into homes at night and blindfolding young women before touching them. However, Jesse sees another side of Wade, finding him charming and hard working, and she is touched by his drive to help a young black boy named Jody in his effort to get an education. Jesse's own father hires a woman named Louella Lindstrom to work as his housekeeper and nanny to Jesse's younger siblings. Jesse discovers that Louella is far more mercenary than she appears, intent as she is to ultimately marry Jesse's father—a doctor—for his money. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly remarked of Garlock that "her attempts to make Louella a major criminal fall flat," but found overall that the more central aspects of the story were a success.

Garlock is perhaps best known for her Depression-era novels set in Dust Bowl Oklahoma. This unlikely choice of time and setting for a romance novel has allowed the author to explore character and romantic love under less-than-ideal conditions. Ribbon in the Sky, the title that starts the saga of the Dolan family, actually takes place just before and after World War I. The story begins when Letty Pringle, the fifteen-year-old daughter of an evangelical minister, finds herself pregnant. A hard man, her father beats her and throws her out, declaring her dead to anyone who will listen. Her boyfriend and the father of her child, Mike Dolan, has been away working to earn enough to marry Letty. Unaware of her pregnancy, he returns to fetch her only to hear of her death. Despondent, he immediately enlists. In truth, Letty is now living with her grandparents on their farm in Nebraska, and assumes Mike has given up on her. He finally returns five years later, begging her to let him into her life. While Letty does not want to forgive him, the rest of her family, including her son with Mike—Patrick—feels differently, and eventually Mike is able to work his way back into Letty's heart. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly was unimpressed with the book, calling it a "trite, cliché-ridden tale" featuring "cartoonlike villains."

In With Hope, Ann Henry must cope with the dual tasks of running her failing farm while caring for her rebellious half-siblings and the abused child of the married man she loves. Molly McKenzie in With Song, shattered by the sudden murders of her parents, is herself placed in danger by the federal agent seeking their killers. And in With Heart, Kathleen Dolan arrives in Rawlings, Oklahoma, to run the daily newspaper, only to find herself in a hotbed of dirty secrets and mortal peril. Booklist contributor Diana Tixier Herald called With Hope a "satisfyingly warm romance," while a Publishers Weekly reviewer praised the work for its "wit, freshness, and memorable characterization." Library Journal correspondent Barbara Perkins found the "wonderful Great Depression series" to be "a fun way to while away a long afternoon."

Garlock's After the Parade is a spin-off of With Heart and features a love story between Kathleen and Johnny, who become estranged before Johnny goes off to fight in World War II. When he returns, the two live apart but are soon brought together when Kathleen's life appears to be in danger from a stalker. Joan Hammond, writing on the Romantic Times Web site, called the novel a "touching story of two people at cross purposes."

In The Edge of Town, nineteen-year-old Julia is taking care of her five younger siblings and the household after her mother dies. Julia soon finds herself falling in love with neighbor Evan Johnson, who has just returned from World War I, but she dreads sharing a terrible secret with him. Writing in Booklist, Herald noted that the author has created "settings and characters so authentic the reader believes they have a past and a future." In a review for the AllReaders.com Web site, Kristi Kirkley called The Edge of Town "another wonderful book by Dorothy Garlock that will keep you on the edge."

More Than Memory is set in the 1950s and recounts the romance between Nelda and Lute, who are forced into marriage as teenagers when Nelda becomes pregnant. The marriage soon ends and the two go their separate ways. They come into contact years later, after the child's death, when the successful Nelda returns to Iowa after inheriting the family farm. A Publishers Weekly contributor called the romance novel a "breezy read." Harriet Klausner, writing for the AllReaders.com Web site, commented that the book is "an enjoyable historical relationship drama that makes the lifestyle of the 1950's heartland seem very much alive."

High on a Hill features Annabel Lee, the daughter of 1920s Missouri bootlegger Murphy Donovan, and the romance she develops with law officer Corbin Appleby. When Appleby finds out about the illegal activities of the elder Lee, his relationship with Annabel is threatened as he faces the dilemma of abiding by his sworn duty to apprehend criminals. Klausner wrote that the author "shows why she is so highly regarded by readers and reviewers with her latest tale." Herald commented that the author is "such a good storyteller that the reader can feel the textures, hear the music, and smell the baking pie."

Garlock brings back the Jones family from previous novels, including The Edge of Town, in her book A Place Called Rainwater. Jill Jones finds herself in Rainwater, Oklahoma, running her sick aunt's hotel when she and friend and possible lover Thad Taylor find the severed arm of a murdered woman, who may have been the victim of a serial killer. Herald, in Booklist, wrote that the author "provides top-notch, edge-of-the-seat suspense."

Garlock has also written a series of Depression-era romance and mystery novels that feature characters traveling on the old interstate system. In Mother Road, Garlock tells of the romance between H.L. Yates, who is taking care of a friend's garage on old Route 66 in 1932 Sayre, Oklahoma. Yates is attracted to his friend's sister-in-law Leona, who is looked down upon in the small town because of past indiscretions. Klausner, on the AllReaders.com Web site, noted the many characters that pass by the old town because of the highway and commented that "the story line is at its strongest when Dorothy Garlock opens a panoramic view of a bygone America." Hope's Highway is the sequel to Mother Road and continues the Depression-era story featuring traveler Margie Kinnard, who is on her way to California and meets Colorado rancher Brady Hoyt, also headed for California with his orphaned niece. The group soon begins traveling together, providing each other with protection from robbers and a stalker, as Kinnard and Hoyt begin to fall in love. Herald wrote that the novel will "keep the reader eagerly turning pages and anxious for the next installment in this engaging series."

The "Route 66" series continues with Song of the Road, which features a romance between the pregnant widow Mary Lee Clawson, who is running a motor court in Cross Roads, New Mexico, and an ex-convict named Jake. Klausner called the novel "a poignant angst laden romance" on the Allreaders.com Web site. Klausner went on to note: "Hearts will go out to the heroine who has to worry about operating the business, paying off the mortgage, caring for her mother and worrying if her father-in-law will try to take custody of her unborn."

In River Rising, the author revisits the Missouri town of Fertile with a sequel to The Edge of Town that takes place a decade later. Nurse April Asbury has come to Fertile to work for much-sought-after bachelor Dr. Forbes. Although the men in town pay dutiful attention to the attractive April, the women gossip about her relationship with Dr. Forbes and perhaps other men. April, however, finds herself becoming smitten with the diffident Joe Jones, who had rescued her during a rainstorm when she first came to town. Gerry Benninger, writing on Romantic Times Online, called the novel "top-quality reading about an interesting American era." Herald noted that "fans will be delighted to catch up with the growing Jones family."

Garlock recounts the romance between Tate Castle, a rugged West Texas rancher, and Katherine Tyler, a beautiful but delicate woman from New Orleans, in Train from Marietta. The two become involved after Kate is kidnapped from the train in Texas and Tate is hired by Kate's father to find her. After coming to her rescue, Tate finds that he is attracted to Kate but doubts she is the tough kind of woman he needs, until the two face a series of travails together as they escape from Kate's kidnappers. A Publishers Weekly contributor called the novel a "sweet, satisfying Depression-era romance."

On Tall Pine Lake is Garlock's fiftieth novel. Set in Home, Arkansas, it is the story of Nona Conrad and her effort to make a new life for herself and her younger sister, Maggie. Their parents died several years earlier, and their half-brother, who is in charge of the estate, has no plans to care for them. Nona, Maggie, and friend Mabel Rogers travel from Little Rock to manage a fishing camp owned by Simon Wright, which becomes a setting for romance and adventure, much of which is the result of brother Harold's misdeeds. A Publishers Weekly contributor called this book "a delightful treasure."

A Week from Sunday tells the story of Adrianna Moore, a twenty-one-year-old young woman who learns at her father's funeral that the family is now in the care of his trusted yet sinister partner and attorney, Richard Pope. Pope has spent years attempting to catch Adrianna's eye, and now that he is in charge of her father's estate, he informs her that she must marry him within the week if she expects to inherit a penny. Adrianna couldn't care less about the money if it means spending her life with a man she does not love—one capable of blackmailing her into marriage. And so she runs away. Her flight is cut short, however, when she gets into a car accident with a truck. Quinn Baxter, the driver, also owns a local tavern. Adrianna agrees to play piano in Quinn's establishment in order to pay for the damage to his truck, just until her own car is repaired. In addition, she gives him a hand with his teenaged brother, who is handicapped, even though it means tangling with his nasty housekeeper, Lola, who has her eye on Quinn. Even as Adrianna and Quinn begin to develop feelings for each other, Richard and Lola become more problematic. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly observed that "Garlock's many readers will be satisfied by the triumph of good and love over evil and greed." Sheri Melnick, in a review on Romantic Times Online, declared that "this richly detailed, intensely captivating novel of star-crossed lovers comes brilliantly alive." Booklist contributor Diane Tixier Herald wrote: "Garlock vividly evokes 1930s America while creating a compelling story and finely drawn characters."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 15, 1998, Diana Tixier Herald, review of With Hope, p. 210; December 1, 2000, Ted Hipple, review of With Heart, p. 740; April 15, 2001, Diana Tixier Herald, review of The Edge of Town, p. 1538; May 1, 2002, Diana Tixier Herald, review of High on a Hill, p. 1512; October 1, 2002, Diana Tixier Herald, review of A Place Called Rainwater, p. 306; July, 2003, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Mother Road, p. 1872; December 15, 2003, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Hope's Highway, p. 733; June 1, 2004, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Song of the Road, p. 1710; May 1, 2005, Diana Tixier Herald, review of River Rising, p. 1573; October 1, 2007, Diane Tixier Herald, review of A Week from Sunday, p. 40.

Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 2006, review of On Tall Pine Lake, p. 978.

Library Journal, October 15, 1999, Barbara Perkins, review of With Hope, p. 123; November 15, 2000, Barbara Perkins, review of With Heart, p. 116.

Publishers Weekly, April 12, 1985, Sybil Steinberg, review of Wild Sweet Wilderness, p. 98; November 1, 1991, review of Ribbon in the Sky, p. 77; June 14, 1993, review of Tenderness, pp. 64-65; May 9, 1994, review of Sins of Summer, p. 69; March 11, 1996, review of The Listening Sky, p. 58; December 30, 1996, review of Larkspur, p. 63; August 3, 1998, review of With Hope, p. 81; January 1, 2001, review of More Than Memory, p. 73; April 2, 2001, review of The Edge of Town, p. 39; December 12, 2005, review of Train from Marietta, p. 38; November 6, 2006, review of On Tall Pine Lake, p. 38; August 13, 2007, review of A Week from Sunday, p 63.

ONLINE

All about Romance,http://www.likesbooks.com/ (May 28, 2007), Jennifer Keirans, review of The Edge of Town; Heidi Haglin, review of High on a Hill; Donna Newman, review of A Place Called Rainwater; Colleen McMahon, review of Mother Road.

AllReaders.com,http://www.allreaders.com/ (May 28, 2007), Harriet Klausner, reviews of A Place Called Rainwater, High on a Hill, Hope's Highway, More Than Memory, Mother Road, and Song of the Road; Kristi Kirkley, review of The Edge of Town; Ashley Abbott, review of Midnight Blue.

Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (May 21, 2002), Cynthia Meidinger, review of High on a Hill; (June 22, 2002), Maudeen Wachsmith, review of The Edge of Town; (December 15, 2002), Harriet Klausner, review of A Place Called Rainwater; (June 1, 2003), Sandi Shilhanek, review of Mother Road; (December 26, 2003), Lisa Menkhaus, review of Hope's Highway; (May 3, 2004), Harriet Klausner, review of Song of the Road; (June 12, 2005), Harriet Klausner, review of River Rising; (May 24, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Train from Marietta.

BookLoons,http://www.bookloons.com/ (May 28, 2007), Sally Selvadurai, review of Mother Road; Kim Atchue-Cusella, review of Song of the Road.

Bookreporter.com,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (May 28, 2007), Judy Gigstad, review of Mother Road.

Dorothy Garlock Home Page,http://www.dorothygarlock.com (May 28, 2007).

Romance Readers Connection,http://www.theromancereadersconnection.com/ (March 28, 2007), Debora Hosey and others, "January Author of the Month: Dorothy Garlock"; Shelby Bagby, review of The Edge of Town; Amanda Killgore, review of More Than Memory; Debora Hosey, review of A Place Called Rainwater.

Romantic Times Online,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (May 28, 2007), Joan Hammond, reviews of With Song, With Hope, With Heart, The Listening Sky, The Edge of Town, Sweetwater, More Than Memory, Love and Cherish, Larkspur, High on a Hill, Almost Eden, After the Parade, and A Place Called Rainwater; Gerry Benninger, review of River Rising; Kathe Robin, reviews of Mother Road and Hope's Highway; Sheri Melnick, review of A Week from Sunday.