Dear Virginia, Wait for Me: A Novel

(Paperback)

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A sensitive portrait of a vulnerable yet resilient young woman who, with the help of an inner voice and newfound friends, attempts to find her way at the turn-of-the-millennium Manhattan.

For as long as she can remember, Peppa Ryan has been guided by a benevolent voice in her head who she believes is Virginia Woolf. Though she's an exceptionally bright twenty-year-old, she suffers from crippling low self-esteem and has barely left her parents' ramshackle home in Queens, New York. Set at the turn of the millennium, Peppa defies her parents' wishes and ventures out on her own to a job at a Wall Street investment firm. But her parents continue to pull strings, insisting she date a handsome but penniless plumber in the hopes shell return to her roots. Peppa plans to immediately dismiss the plumber on their first date, but to her surprise they discover an unlikely bond over a shared love of the novels of Virginia Woolf.

Peppa continues to flourish and her confidence grows as those around her recognize and admire her analytical prowess. Then, when her relationship with her parents and the plumber becomes untenable due to a devastating betrayal, Peppa succumbs to her mental fragilities and suffers a collapse. With the help of her kindhearted boss, his eccentric client, and the voice of Virginia, Peppa recovers. And on one crisp and clear autumn morning she considers a path to reconciliation.

For those who lovedWhere'd You Go, Bernadette, The Remedy for Love,orAnd Then We Came to The End,this is a sensitive coming-of-age novel of a fragile yet brilliant young woman who, like Virginia Woolf, is determined to carve her unique path in life.

Reviews

"Full of wit, charm, and its fair share of everything bagels, Marcia Butler's moving book manages to be a warm and generous New York novel while grappling with the ghosts of childhood trauma, lost literary heroes, and societal definitions of "madness". Her protagonist believes she's being guided by the voice of Virginia Woolf, but it is Butler's voice comforting and astute, alive to the music of kindness as well as betrayal that holds you to the end." Jonathan Lee, author ofHigh DiveandThe Great Mistake

"What does it mean to hear voices Dear Virginia, Wait for Meis an original, poignant, and, yes, playful novel that deals with mental health, hidden supports, and the joys of love and abiding friendship. A vibrant book full of charms and surprises." Joan Silber, author ofSecrets of HappinessandImprovement

"Sometimes, all I want is to be immersed in a world in which the heroineembraces her own quirky brilliance while learningto accept help and love, and, in doing so,redefines family as a way of finding home. Enter Marcia ButlersDear Virginia, Wait For Me, a compelling, sweet, surprising novel with the unworldly and wise Peppa Ryan as its beating heart. I read it in just two sittings, rushing to know how it ends but wishing it would just keep going." Lori Ostlund, author ofAre You HappyandAfter the Parade

"As a book populated by those you would gladly share any given evening with, this story would happily grace the time spent.ProtagonistPeppa Ryan finds friendship in a way she nevercould have planned, or even imagined. Better yet, as someone who has never been truly heard, she listens to an inner voice both known and mysterious, and it becomes the key to her very survival. This wonderful novel has changed how, who and what I listen to.May it be that book for you." Gil Gross, broadcast journalist, CBS News

"Cinematic and evocative,Dear Virginia, Wait For Meexplores the serendipity in unexpected, life-altering friendships. With empathy andwit, Marcia Butler introduces us tocharacters that are simultaneously quirky and relatable, and an expansive New York City ripe with opportunity. Butler's page-turning prose compels us to explore the power ofhumor and hope in the face of despair." Keren Blankfeld, author ofLovers in Auschwitz

"Enchanting and evocative; every young woman who has struggled to find her true voice in a changing world will see herself in Peppa Ryan." Jessica Handler, author ofThe Magnetic Girl

"In this tender tale of familial and romantic love, Butler brings to life a quirky young woman, who has the gift of exceptional sensitivity and intelligence, but is trapped by her familys suffocating possessiveness and her own insecurity. Peppa is also audio clairvoyant, who in a delightful narrative twist, hears the voice of her heroine, Virginia Woolf, guiding and nurturing her across the barrier of time as Peppa wrestles to love on her own terms and become her authentic self in the 21stcentury." Jessica Brilliant Keener, author ofStrangers in Budapest, an Indie Next Pick and SIBA bestseller

Author Bio

Marcia Butler is a former professional oboist, interior designer, filmmaker, acclaimed memoirist, and author of two novels. Her third novel,Dear Virginia, Wait for Me, was inspired by the notion that everyone has conversations going on in their head. This can be slightly irritating, quite annoying, or in the case of mental illness, the voices often take control and destroy a persons entire life. What would happen if a young girl relied on the benevolent voice in her head to guide her, and what if that voice was Virginia Woolf After many decades in New York City, Marcia now makes her home in New Mexico.