Historical drama by local writer Frank Hopkins set in turbulent '60s and '70s

Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild members, in just the last few months, have published two mysteries, a gothic sci-fi thriller, a romance, a nonfiction account of Earl Bradley, and now, with Frank Hopkins’ "Unplanned Choices," a romantic historical drama set in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

"Unplanned Choices," which is available at Browseabout Books as well as on Amazon.com., takes place in New York City and Long Island during the turbulent period of the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, the women’s movement and the struggle to legalize abortion.

The novel, which follows the story of Steve Lynch and his first love Anna Marino, who becomes pregnant and dies during an abortion, also traces the impact of the abortion on Steve, the abortionist, Anna’s family and friends, and the investigators of Anna’s death. Ultimately, the story is not so much about the choices people consciously make, but about the consequences of those choices that can’t be foreseen.

Frank Hopkins, who has lived in Queens and Long Island, became involved in writing while earning his PhD in economics from the University of Maryland. Throughout his career, while holding the position of associate professor at the State University of New York at Binghamton, while working for the Department of Energy and while serving as a consultant, Hopkins continued writing numerous articles and technical publications.

Only upon retirement in 2001 to Ocean View did he finally find the time to write the novel he had long wanted to. "Unplanned Choices" is that novel.

Currently, Hopkins is active in the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild and the Eastern Shore Writers Association, where he participates in its Salisbury Writers Critique Group. For more information about Hopkins or his book, go to www.rehobothbeachwritersguild.com and click on the Our Writers tab.