"King James Virgin: A Holiness Memoir" follows Elaine, a nine-year-old girl living in eastern Kentucky in a strict fundamentalist family, during the last days of November 1963. The Kennedy assassination and the Cold War are the backdrop for her story. Poor by most economic standards, Elaine is rich in dreams and imagination. Although her goals of becoming a glamorous woman of the world while maintaining her privileged status with God seem incompatible, she is determined to have both. She and her younger sister are amassing a secret fortune to provide their family with modern amenities and a well-stocked bomb shelter. But within one devastating week, the country loses its leader and Elaine's wealth evaporates. Her story, told in a voice rarely heard, is about faith and adversity, family and love during a time of dramatic societal change.

"A luminous, richly textured portrait of family and faith, beautifully written and vividly remembered." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)