Most of the 400 letters I discovered after my father’s death in Vietnam were love letters. Because of this, I felt compelled to include a chapter in the draft of my investigative memoir, Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew, where I resurrect his words and actions through a couple of these letters. In these letters, he reminisces about his honeymoon with my mother, and writes a beautiful and amazingly elegant quote, that still haunts and blesses me to this day
To write this chapter, I conducted extensive research and consulted several writers on how to write erotica tastefully. This included discussions with a professor of Apparel Design and Merchandising, who provided insights on describing the clothing and lingerie styles of the 1940s.
Although this chapter did not make it into the final version of my book, it has been published in the current issue of the literary journal Trajectory: Writing that Illuminates. I would like to extend special thanks to Chris Helvey, the editor and publisher of Trajectory, for providing a home for these love letters and scene. Issue 29 of Trajectory is available on Amazon for $16.00.
James B. Wells 