Dorothy K. Fletcher is a veteran of the English language on two fronts—as award-winning writer and as dedicated English teacher in Duval County Schools. Fletcher moved from teaching to full-time writer of nonfiction, fiction and poetry. Her poems took her all the way to the Library of Congress to read; her nonfiction entertains readers of publications like the Pulitzer Prize-winning Christian Science Monitor and Chicken Soup books.
Remembering Jacksonville, a new book just released by The History Press, will bring Fletcher’s stories about Jacksonville’s yesteryear to those who remember them and those who will appreciate them for the first time.
Fletcher kicks off the tour for her latest book on Saturday, March 20, from 10 a.m.-noon with a signing at the Museum of Science and History (1025 Museum Circle) in Jacksonville. The MOSH signing is part of the Women in Literature Program.
After signing at MOSH, the author will head to The Bookmark (299 Atlantic Blvd.) in Atlantic Beach to sign there at 1 p.m. If you’ve never visited this bookstore, one of the area’s only independents, you’re in for a treat. People who work there actually read books.
Fletcher’s book grew from a regular column she writes for the community sections of The Florida Times-Union. Each column brings a piece of the First Coast City’s past to the present. One column that seemed to touch people deeply was a recent story about Miss Chic, an elephant that drew visitors to the zoo for almost 30 years before dying in her sleep after developing heart problems. In the 1920s, Miss Chic had been purchased with public donations.
Fletcher wrote, “When the city commission would not budget for the elephant, Acosta turned to ‘public subscription’ - pennies and nickels from the children of Jacksonville, donations from church benefits and even a Ford automobile.” [Florida Times-Union] Elmo W. Acosta was a city commissioner.
Fletcher has a genuine affection for the city where she’s lived for most of her life. “It’s really quite gratifying,” she said, “to be part of a place for so long and become the scribe that writes about it.” And there’s a personal reason she enjoys digging nuggets from Jax’s history mines. “I write about things that would totally disappear into oblivion—things that mostly live in memory.”
Fletcher also has another talent, one that’s taken her to places like France to perform. She is a vocalist and once you read her, you’ll see the impact of music on her work, especially her poetry.
Keep an eye on Fletcher’s website for future tour dates. Hopefully she won’t have to double up as she’s doing for the MOSH event and her signing at The Bookmark as she unveils ‘Remembering Jacksonville.’
Then again, having two book signings in a day is a good problem for an author to have.
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