Sally and Me

An enchanting book for Tweenagers to Keenagers set in the early 1940’s. Connee discovers that staying in the home of wealthy cottage owners is both exciting and lonely. Sally, who becomes her best friend, lures her into mischief and adventure in the elegant summer resort – Bella Vista – managed by Connee’s parents. Sally’s big brother, Joe, challenges them to outsmart his tormenting antics. Connee learns that false pride can thwart her happiness and that Sally, though carefree, has a painful secret.

The action takes place in the mountains of North Arkansas during a period of history when there was no air conditioning. All over the nation, those who could afford it escaped the sweltering heat of their city homes and spent whole summers in the cool of resorts. Lazy days were spent fishing, playing cards, or just sitting on screened porches to enjoy the cool breezes. They rode horses at dawn, swam in pools or lakes, and at night foxtrotted or jitterbugged to the music of Big Bands.

Author Constance May Waddell (Connee) discovered her childhood diaries, musty with age. Tears fell on the moldy pages as she re-read them. She decided that now was the time to keep the promise she’d made to Roseanne Matofsky (Sally) as Roseanne lay dying at the age of forty-one. Constance would write the stories of their delightful teen escapades so that Roseanne’s children and grandchildren could hear them just as Constance had told them to her own. This is a book of real happenings, captured through the eyes and reality of a young girl in a different time and a different place. Waddell hopes those who read will experience an era when children could safely catch rides with strangers and when it was not unusual for whole families to work together in a business. “May they also identify with the universal feelings of being sad and happy at the same time, or growing beyond one’s childhood confusion to the beginnings of assurance.

Wendel Norton created 25 enchanting works of art to enhance Sally and Me. He captured not only the personalities of the characters, but the magical impression of a summer resort with its hotel standing like a beacon on the hill, its cool pavilion and popular underground nightclub, and a swimming pool with a unique spinning top. Whimsical lakes, creeks, trees, and horses provoke imaginative responses from the reader.

Constance May Waddell returned to her childhood home in Bella Vista, Arkansas to fulfill a promise to write Sally and Me. She is a columnist for two Arkansas newspapers and has published feature articles in Dallas and Houston publications. Waddell is a retreat leader, speaker and vocalist.

As Ms. Senior Arkansas, 1995, she placed in the top ten in the Ms. Senior America contest. She is a swimmer and holds the state record for the 50M breaststroke in her age group in the Senior Olympics. She won two ribbons in the 2001 National Senior Olympics.

Waddell served as program director for an eight state retreat center and as a volunteer in mission work in the early 90’s in Chile for the United Methodist Church.

She is an alumnus of Hendrix College and has a B.A. in Psychology from the U. of Missouri. She is a counselor in Bi-Polar Personal Growth and an instructor in Effectiveness Training for Women. While living in Dallas, she served as lay minister to women and children. Currently, Waddell is very involved in coordinating ministries and education for the Hispanic community in Northwest Arkansas.

About the Artist

Wendel Norton paints and sculpts at Hideout Mountain Studio in Snowball, Arkansas. He and his family built the studio from native timber high in the Ozark Mountains overlooking the Buffalo National River.

Norton has exhibited his work extensively, featuring shows in Little Rock, Dallas and New York City. He has illustrated collections of children’s songs written by Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul and Mary) and Jim Newton.

Norton is a graduate of Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. As a life member of The Art Students League in New York City, he studied sculpture with Philip Pavia. In St. Louis, he studied painting with Olive Chaffee.

Norton and his wife, Elizabeth, are partners in Norton Arts. Their company specializes in the conservation of fine and historic works of art. Projects have included Norman Rockwell’s first known illustration of merit.

Artist Vanessa Norton assisted in the development of the collection of illustrations for this book.