Dear Reader
Dear Reader,
It's March and I've spotted flocks of migrating birds flying through our area, including the dear robin that has always been a harbinger of spring for me! A flock of them were eating the berries from palms. Our pair of ospreys are at the Isle of Palms Connector nest, rebuilding for the next generation. As I walk the beach, my heart quicken when that certain, indefinable softness in the air tells me warm weather and sunny days will soon be here.
This spring will begin an exciting year of releases of my books in paperback and a host of audiobooks.
In May, SWEETGRASS will hit store shelves for the first time in trade paperback. This is the story of Mama June, matriarch of the Blakely family, who is rocked by a health crisis and rising taxes on the plantation. These two events lead to the revelation of family secrets that date back to the time of slavery. She must dig deep into her heart and history to find the truth that will bind her family together again. The Southern art of weaving intricate sweetgrass baskets is a metaphor for a mother weaving together the disparate strands of her family.
The new audiobook from Brilliance Audio will be a simultaneous release. This book was read by the talented Sandra Burr.
On June 8th LAST LIGHT OVER CAROLINA will be released in trade paperback. This follows last summer's wonderful success of the hardcover version, which hit the New York Times List and Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance's best seller list. Both men and women alike seem to enjoy the story of longtime shrimp boat captain Bud Morrison and his wife of thirty years, Carolina. This haunting and touching tale unfolds over the course of a single day, when the captain is injured at sea, triggering a massive search for his missing vessel.
The Brilliance audiobook is available now and was read by Sandra Burr.
In July, SWIMMING LESSONS will be released as mass market-- a perfect size for your beach bag or suitcase! This is the follow-up to THE BEACH HOUSE, with Toy Sooner now a single mother raising her young daughter at the beach while caring for injured sea turtles. The summer season evokes her abusive past and a parent's worst nightmare, forcing Toy to find her own strength and courageously face her fears.
The Brillaince audiobook is available now and I read this book. I also read TIME IS A RIVER, and this summer I'll be reading THE BEACH HOUSE.
And finally, with great excitement I get to announce the November release of my first novel THE LONG ROAD HOME, which has been out of print since 1995. I have often jokingly referred to it as "the best book no one has read." This is the story of socialite Nora MacKenzie, who is hit by both the shock of her estranged husband's suicide and the news that his Wall Street dealings left her bankrupt. She flees to their small Vermont farm to sort out her life. This story of bank scandals and tough times is timely again. The only editing I've done is for anachronisms. Remember the "Walkman" or how everyone was called "Dude" back then? I think it is more interesting for my readers to see my writing early on in my career, and the story remains strong and compelling. And here's a secret... The setting of the farm in Vermont is a depiction of our old family house there. I hope you enjoy the novel as much as I did reading it again after fifteen years!
As the books are released I will post more information on my website, so check in often. I'm also continuing this year to update my Facebook fan page and a weekly blog, which is a reflection on life and my books. It is a marvelous way, in our modern times, to keep in touch with my readers.
Meanwhile, I'm working on my latest novel, THE BUTTERFLY'S DAUGHTER. Those of you who have been visiting me on Facebook have seen photos of all the monarch butterflies that I raised last fall. This book will be released in hard cover from Simon and Schuster in 2011.
Happy Reading,
Mary Alice Monroe