The Abduction of Nelly Don, by Patrice Williams Marks: Frequently Asked Questions

The Abduction of Nelly Don FAQ

NOTE: CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS

I get so excited every time I get an email from someone who has read a book of mine, and even more so if they have questions.

Lately, I’ve been getting a few emails on my book, “The Abduction of Nelly Don,” with readers asking how I came across the story, what happened to Nelly afterward and her business, etc. So below please find an FAQ on Nelly. If I’ve missed a question that you still may have, please use my contact page to ask away!

How did you discover Nelly Don‘s Story?
I was watching “Mysteries at the Museum,” (a show on The Travel Channel) that picks out obscure artifacts at museums and tells you the story behind them. They focused on an original Nelly Don dress in one episode and told of her kidnapping. I was so fascinated that I immediately started researching her online. There was not a lot of information, other than one book written by a relative of Nelly’s’, which focused on her business (A Stitch in Time).

The only other information I found was from old newspaper articles written about her, her business, her abduction and her death. I read many articles, contacted the FBI for files related to the case and the local museum in Kansas who houses some of her items. From all this material I pieced together the story.

How Do You Know What to Fictionalize From a True Story?
I made sure to keep the bones of the story and important events. I also used real-life people who were involved with the case. From there I filled in the holes with fiction and made sure to add enough tension, suspense, and action.

Is the Business Still Around in Some Form?
Nelly created a dress empire which lasted for decades. She went back to work after the kidnapping and pieced her life together. The Nelly Don Dress Company was Nelly’s baby until the last 1950s, early 1960s when she sold it. The company is no longer in business, but, you can still find random Nelly Don dresses for sale on Ebay or Etsy.

Was Nelly’s Husband Really a Cheater?
Yap. But I hope that he didn’t come off as all bad. No one is all bad. I’m sure he was a complex person and truly experienced all the emotions that came from having a spouse taken from you. And remember, he was instrumental in helping get her vision off the ground.

What Happened to David?
David was Nelly’s first, and I believe the only child. She and the Senator raised David until the Senator’s death eleven years later. After that, there was nothing online or in public records that I could find about David. My guess is that he has passed on.

Why Didn’t Nelly Don Speak About The Abduction Afterward?
She did speak up during the criminal trials that followed, but never again after that. I can only assume that she wanted to put it behind her. Talking about it would send her right back to that situation to relive again. She probably also did not want to be defined by the abduction. These are my guesses. Nelly did live for a very long time; passing away in 1991 in Kansas City, MO at the age of 102. I wish I would have known about her story much soon, while she was still alive.

What Do You Want People To Get From the Book?
That Nelly was a pioneer in women’s fashion and that should never be forgotten. She was an amazing woman who supported and cared for her employees in ways unheard of then, and even now. Nelly gave working women a safe and creative working environment during a time when few had options.

Have a question not covered? Contact me and I’ll do my best to answer it.