BETTY DRAVIS, Author of The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley

INSIGHTFUL SOCIAL OBSERVATIONS ... A FASCINATING STORY
"Betty Dravis has done it again! In her novel form she weaves not only an edge-of-the-seat thriller/romance, she also manages to ferret out the social maladies of the past few generations in the guise of her main character. Few writers rival Dravis's ability to make insightful social observations while leading the reader through a fascinating story. She knows her craft as a storyteller, while she shares her intuition as a significant journalist. 1106 Grand Boulevard is a fascinating journey well worth taking!"
— Grady Harp, author of War Songs and essays on the arts. Buy Books by Grady Harp.

ENDEARING TRIBUTE TO THE AUTHOR'S BEAUTIFUL SISTER!
"Betty Dravis has written a beautiful love story of epic proportions; although fictitious, it's an endearing tribute to her beautiful sister, her family, and their childhood home in Hamilton, Ohio. It's the perfect book for my Ohio publishing house, and I predict a big winner."
— Janet Sue Terry, author of Set Me Free series: Possibilities and Resolutions and others. Buy Books by Janet Sue Terry.

"There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
This pithy comment by Hamlet is perhaps the very essence of this engaging, thought-provoking novel about family dynamics and some of the dysfunction that, essentially, touches all of us to some degree. The resiliency of Dravis' heroine, Billie Jean, is indeed refreshing, wonderfully antithetical to the all too common saccharine, off-putting portrayal of many of fiction's leading ladies. How inspiring that someone can remain resilient and undaunted, even in the face of real adversity! Who ever said life is perfect? We need more fiction rooted in this human condition as opposed to the chimerical pabulum that we are besieged with all too often. Bravo to Dravis for being bold enough to break free from the creative intransigence that plagues so many writers. Don't we have enough formulaic novels already? Thank God for Ms. Dravis. Her creative prowess and intuitive narrative affords readers a window into relationships, adventures, and at times, heartache. Like all great fiction, 1106 Grand Boulevard holds up a mirror in which all of our reflections are cast, leading to introspection, self-analysis, identification, self-analysis and ultimately healing. This is a winner.
—Frank Nappi "Author of the novel ECHOES FROM THE INFANTRY" (New York) Buy Books by Frank Nappi.

Terrific Read!
I am such a fan of Ms. Dravis!!!! If you have not had a chance to check her out then it is your lucky day...this is the perfect book to start with. You'll love it! Buy your copy today! You'll thank me later!
—Millie "Bookworm" (California)

MY HEART GOES OUT TO BILLIE JEAN SLOANE ... A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE STORY
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's a man's kind of love story, too. It has romance, excitement, adventure, family love, nostalgia for the old hometown, etc. ... while teaching many moral lessons along the way.
—News Nose (Chicago)

What a wonderful, all-American family the Sloanes are.
Reminds me of my own family life a bit, but things were different in those days, and I think the author was adept at bringing the differences to light in a natural, unobtrusive way. Being a man, I wanted to rush forth to protect that beautiful, sweet Billie Jean and keep her from harm. I liked her strength on one hand, and shook my head at her weakness on the other. I liked the author as a sister/friend to Billie Jean too. Betty Lou, the young girl, seemed pretty bossy at times, but she made good sense and I think Billie Jean truly benefitted from their relationship. I think this is the best love story I've ever read because it seems more real than the others where the heroine can never be married more than once and the author has to go by some pre-determined plot structure. This story deals with multi-marriages and makes one understand just how and why a woman can be married so many times. Why did Billie Jean marry so often? Why did she leave her husbands so often? What was she seeking? In seeking the answer to those questions, you are in for the "read" of your life. This author had various subplots going and all were exciting, making me wonder where it would all end. She bills it as a "highly-dramatized" version of her sister's life, so I'm still left wondering what part was truth, what part fiction. Thought-provoking, but a terrific reading adventure. Being a newspaper reporter, I enjoyed reading about Betty Lou's real-life rise in the world of journalism. Interesting how she interviewed so many famous celebirities like Clint Eastwood, Ted Kennedy, Jane Russell and others. She'd make an interesting book, herself, so I hope some day she will write it. Some of Betty Dravis's scenes in this book are, perhaps, a bit too dramatic, but that's often true of new authors ... until they hit their stride. And I must admit those very scenes I label as "too dramatic" were the most powerful ones in the book, so maybe they aren't "too dramatic," after all. Dravis is a fresh, new voice with a down-to-earth storytelling style that I find very appealing. I look forward to reading more from this author.
—Harold Hortensky, newspaper reporter

This book lives up to it's hype! It delivers a thrill a minute; I couldn't read it fast enough!
I've been a fan of this author since reading her debut novel, Millennium Babe: The Prophecy in 2001. Then when she wrote a kids book, The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley, I ran right out and bought that one for my niece and nephew. Both are great books.I'm not big on reading romances, so thought I might pass this book by. But then I realized it's not a typical romance ... more of an epic love story, a family saga. So Dravis reeled me in again ... and am I ever glad she did. It's a fabulous reading adventure. Spending time with the Sloane family is a treat I would not have missed for anything! To make a long story short, I ordered it before it was released and received it a few days ago. I read it in two settings, and hated to put it down the first time, but I had to go to work. It's a real pageturner, just as Author David Meadows wrote in his review on the book's cover. Poor Billie Jean sure managed to get into a lot of trouble; some caused by her innocence, others by bad judgment, but all exciting, adventurous, and at times, laughable. What an exciting life she led. My heart went out to her on occasions, and at other times I rejoiced with her. (I often wanted to slap some sense into her, also, just like her sister wanted to do so often in the book.) It's a rags-to-riches story, in a way, but it's much more than that! The way this author blends the true facts of their family background and their childhood into this fictitious story is nothing short of spectacular. I love that old home of theirs. ... Even the address--1106 Grand Boulevard--rolls off the tongue like a taste of honey. I can see why Billie Jean hurried back home between broken marriages ... not only for that house, but for her loving family. Despite problems with her mother, her mother loved her dearly. And Mr. Sloane was quite a father, too ... with a big heart and a fine sense of humor. And all those siblings! Lucky author to have such a large, caring family. This story has everything ... adventure, romance, mystery, suspense, family love, sibling rivalry, etc. And above all, it has plenty of thrills. Very well-written. A delight to read. It drips with such nostalgia, it makes me long for my own childhood back in Indiana. And from that extraordinary foreword written by the author's real-life "first date" and the vignettes of her journalism career sprinkled throughout the book, it sounds like her life would make an exciting book, also. Any plans for that, Ms. Dravis? I would be first in line to buy your life story. Whether you write it as highly-dramatized fiction--like this book--or nonfiction, that should be a whopper! (I'm really curious about your interview with the living legend, Clint Eastwood. The details of how you met Dale Robertson, Jane Russell, Ted Kennedy, and other celebrities would be interesting too.) Hmmmmmm ...
—Flea Catcher (New Mexico)

Anecdotes By Betty Dravis

STALKING ALIOTO
A BAD HAIR DAY
Interview with Clint Eastwood
INTERVIEW WITH A STAR
Interview with Jane Russell
THE SWEET LITTLE OLD LADY