Mary Alice Monroe's Blog, page 20

WHERE HAVE ALL THE MONARCHS GONE?

It's monarch migration season!  Have you spotted any traveling through your area?

To help celebrate the phenomenon of this annual occurrence is the release of my second children's book, A BUTTERFLY CALLED HOPE .  Kids and adults alike will enjoy this photographic journey with a little girl named Hope who discovers a caterpillar in her garden and witnesses the miracle of metamorphosis!

To mark this special occasion, I've asked my friend and monarch mentor, Linda Love, to write today's blog entry.  We worked together on this book, along with my friend and photographer Barbara Bergwerf.  Linda is better known as "Nana Butterfly," and her words are informative and encouraging.  Read on to see how all of us can help sustain the monarch migration phenomenon.  And I hope you'll add A BUTTERFLY CALLED HOPE to your child's book collection.  


Written by:  Linda Love

When Mary Alice Monroe, Barbara Bergwerf and myself started putting together the book A BUTTERFLY CALLED HOPE, all we had to do is get in the car and go to several different local butterfly gardens.  The monarchs were there and all we had to do is put Hope, my granddaughter and main character in the children’s book, in the center of the garden and Barbara just started shooting away. 
But today that situation has changed.  Everywhere I go to give my butterfly presentations I get the same question, “Where are all the monarchs?”  All over the United States nature lovers are trying to find the Monarch butterflies, eggs and caterpillars. 
In October citizen scientists to the north are waiting every day for the Monarch Migration to start their trip to Mexico.  Migration is inherently risky. Monarchs must find habitat to meet their needs every day of the journey. Like links in a chain, the loss of one habitat component could break the monarch's annual cycle.  There has been a downward trend over the past decade but the numbers traveling south now are drastically reduced.
There are many reasons for the population decline.  First and foremost are the weather extremes we have had over the past year.  Drought and excessive heat resulted in low reproduction. Next came the excessively cold spring we had in early 2013.  The generation that over wintered in Mexico was slow to start the migration and had a hard time finding milkweed in their travel North through Texas and Kansas.

Many blame the use of herbicides for wiping out their natural habitat, namely milkweed.  As you can see, many things can be to blame but the best thing we can do is start the ball rolling in our own backyards.


We can’t change a lot of these factors, but first and foremost, we need to plant milkweed and lots of nectar plants that will attract butterflies to your backyard.  We should never use pesticides if we want butterflies, bees and hummingbirds to come.    One very positive thing to do is get our new book, A BUTTERFLY CALLED HOPE, and follow the lead of little Hope and how she learned to cultivate a caterpillar and then release it to the Heavens. 

The number one thing we can do to preserve butterflies and other animals is to teach the next generation how to protect our environment.  If you start with children we can be sure that they will inherit and preserve our wonderful earth and inhabitants.

Click here to learn more about or purchase your copy of A BUTTERFLY CALLED HOPE
Click here to follow Linda Love "Nana Butterfly" on Facebook.  

LET WILD BE WILD

We all are a part of the same fragile planet.  From the largest beasts to the tiniest creatures, we all live under the same moon, the same stars and the same sun.  I believe that most of us have good intentions to take care of Mother Earth.   Yet often, without realizing, we do little things that send a damaging ripple through our ecosystem. 

In THE SUMMER GIRLS, I wrote Carson’s experience with the dolphin Delphine to be representative of what’s happening out there.  She is any of us, out on the water’s edge, in the boats, captivated by this alluring species.  It always starts innocently.  A desire to communicate leads one to toss a bit of food from the side of the boat or the edge of the dock. We hope to draw the dolphin closer, to have an interaction.  Maybe we toss (ack!) some human food.  What harm can this one tidbit do? 
Sadly, it can cause a lot of harm.  Most people don’t realize that with each tidbit tossed we are encouraging dolphins to beg.  Now multiply that one tidbit by the hundreds, even thousands, of people who think the same thing.  We are creating a generation of beggars.  Dolphins, like most animals, will take the handout, despite its poor nutritional value. Free food!  To complicate matters, the begging interferes with mother dolphins teaching their young to forage and hunt.  The sad result is physical injuries from boat strikes, getting caught in fishing lines and lures, emaciation, and death.
We all think we know dolphins from what we’ve seen portrayed on television or in the movies.  But remember, Flipper was a trained dolphin in a human care facility.  These animals are accustomed to human interaction and it is monitored to protect dolphin health.  Our Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in the oceans and estuarine waters are wild, powerful creatures.  They are magnificent, intelligent animals with strong community bonds, unique abilities to communicate and have communal hunting strategies.  Mammals like us, females nurse and care for their young for years with the help of “aunties,” the other females in their pod.  Males form pair bonds that last a lifetime. 
Dolphins are curious about us, too.  If you’re out on a boat, paddleboarding, kayaking...they’ll likely come close or ride the wake of your boat. You don’t need to be invasive. Let me share a secret with you that all naturalists know.  The best way to get animals to PLAY with you is to remain still and quiet.  Let them come to you.  Enjoy the moment without feeling the need to touch or feed.  They’ll dash off if you do and you will have lost the opportunity to experience that rare, nonverbal communication that occurs when mutual respect, awe and wonder is shared.
At the end of the Lowcountry Summer Trilogy, I hope that my readers will feel connected to not only my characters, but to the dolphins as well.  I hope you will have enjoyed the three novels and on reflection realize that you’ve learned a lot, too.  If you find yourself wondering how you can help the dolphin--and I hope you do, just remember this one simple thing:  LET WILD BE WILD.  It’s what’s best for them and best for us.

It's Called Communication

   

    “I’m sorry I haven’t called in so long.”


    “I can’t believe how long it’s been, but I follow you on Facebook.”
    “I meant to write but…”
I confess.  I’m guilty of saying those statements more times than I care to admit.  Aren’t we all?  The busyness of everyday life makes it so easy to lose touch with those special people in our lives.  My typical excuse is work.  Sincere, but...  Be it writing, researching, deadlines, travel, revisions...the list goes on.  And I’m sure yours does too. 
The issue of communication is one many families are facing today and I wanted to explore it in my latest novel, THE SUMMER GIRLS.  In preparation for writing this book, I extensively researched the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, animals noted for their phenomenal ability to communicate and connect.
A dolphin’s elaborate communication system has yet to be fully understood.  Dolphins employ an intricate system of clicks, whistles, squeaks, and the powerful echolocation (sonar).  Recent research revealed how a mother dolphins gives her calf a " signature whistle" at birth.  This is equivalent to our names, an important discovery that points to their high intelligence and social sophistication.  Communication begins at the onset of life in a dolphin family!
In THE SUMMER GIRLS I created three characters--Carson, Eudora and Harper, half sisters who spent their childhood summers together with their Mamaw at Sea Breeze on Sullivan’s Island.  But like so many of us,  the bonds of sisterhood crumbled as they became adults and moved to distant parts of the country. At the story's onset, they are virtual strangers. 
Carson is a loner; she can't maintain a relationship, not even with a condo.   Dora is divorcing her husband and struggling to communicate with her nine-year-old son, Nate, who has Asperger’s Syndrome. And Harper connects to the internet but not face to face. Rather, she prefers to watch the world from a safe distance.  Each has a major communication flaw that the reader can relate to.  And their reunion doesn’t go as Mamaw planned.  Heated conversations and inflammatory remarks quickly dig up old family lies and disheartening truths.  
What can Mamaw do to help them?  What can any of us do to encourage communication in our families in the modern age?  What can the dolphins teach us?
Watch this short clip to hear more from me about the major theme of communication in THE SUMMER GIRLS.  

           

The Spark That Started it All

Are you like me after reading a really good book—wondering to yourself what sparked the idea behind the author’s story?  Memorable characters, suspenseful scenarios, unforgettable dialogue…I try to imagine what real-life experiences or observations in that writer’s life might have led to such a well-told story that kept me interested from cover to cover. 
I just returned home from a whirlwind book tour that has me both exhausted and exhilarated.  Exhausted because I’ve been on the road since the week before THE SUMMER GIRLS debut.  Exhilarated because I've received such amazing support and comments from readers and booksellers.  Thanks to all of you, this novel, book one of The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy, hit the main New York Times Best Sellers list.   
During the book signings, reading events and luncheons, readers often asked what was the spark behind THE SUMMER GIRLS? As I’ve mentioned in a previous post ( Why Dolphins, Why Now ), my style of writing weaves together the characters’ lives from my story world with the animals of our real world.  Nature is the inspiration for my novels.  I’ve long dreamed of writing about the bottlenose dolphins I often see here in the Lowcountry but the moment was just never right.  I hadn’t received a sign from above to write the novel; that is until one particular day at the South Carolina Aquarium.
While serving as a member of the board of directors, we were called together at the aquarium for an important meeting led by Philippe Cousteau—explorer, environmental activist and grandson of the famous Jacques Cousteau.  He was giving a special presentation about dolphins.  Coincidently, I had just watched a soul-stirring documentary on dolphin captivity in Japan called The Cove (an eye-opening, must-see film).  With Philippe were Dr. Stephen McCulloch of the Marine Mammal Research and Conservation program at Florida Atlantic Universityand Dr. Pat Fair, head of marine mammal studies at the Charleston branch of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).  They informed us that 48%--almost half--of the dolphins living in Charleston's estuarine waters were sick.   And 52% in Florida's estuarine waters.  I was shocked, as I'm sure you are, too.  It was during that meeting Philippe and Pat told me that it’s time to write the book about dolphins--now.  They understood how my novels can reach a wide range of readers, people who might not pick up a non-fiction article or book about dolphins. 
I dove first into academic research, learning everything I could about the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, the type of dolphin found in our waters.  I also began Photo IDs of our resident dolphins with Dr. Pat Fair.  Pat has since become my mentor in my research and a friend.  We zipped along the waterways in NOAA's Zodiac boat, stopping whenever a dolphin was sighted.  Photographs are taken of the dorsal fin.  These have unique markings similar to our fingerprints. The photos are then analyzed in the computers, dolphins identified, and the community health status observed.
Next I journeyed to the Florida Keys to volunteer at the Dolphin Research Center.  For several weeks I did whatever dirty job they asked me to do, slowly moving my way up the ladder to involvement with the dolphins.  I learned that dolphins are not only social and  highly intelligent creatures, but that they have huge personalities.  The second year's visit I volunteered in the Pathways program with a boy with special needs, and the Oddyssey program with wounded warriors.  I'll write more about these powerful experiences later.
During the many months of reading about, observing and working with the species, my story world opens up.  Characters take shape.  Plot develops.  Themes crystalize.  Everything starts coming together.  The dolphins taught me three major lessons: 

1) the power of communication
2) the importance of family and community bonds
3) to remember to laugh.  
From these lessons I created themes, then plot and characters.  Of the characters, there are two strong females, parallels that seam all three books together--Mamaw, the Muir grandmother and Delphine, the charismatic dolphin.   
THE SUMMER GIRLS isn’t about the bottlenose dolphin though.  It’s about three sisters, disconnected, unable to communicate and searching for their identities, brought together by their scheming grandmother, Mamaw, on hopes they will rediscover the bonds of family.  During a three-month stay at Mamaw’s Sea Breeze beach house, the women find their lifeline in a wild dolphin .
Little did I know that Philippe’s push to write the dolphin book I’d been dreaming of would become a trilogy!  And that leads me to the most frequently asked question I’ve been getting on tour, through my website and on Facebook—when’s the next installment coming out? 
The answer is…June 2014, my friends! 
Thank you for the massive support of THE SUMMER GIRLS, book one of The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy.  I'm already working on book two . I can’t wait to share more with you about the Muir girls and the beguiling dolphin, Delphine.

What did you find most interesting about the bottlenose dolphin in the novel?  What questions do you hope will be answered in the sequel?    

Vacationing Here Soon? Here's What I Recommend...

I not only write about the Lowcountry, I’m a long-time resident. So when you vacation here, you’re enjoying the same picturesque views, breathing the same intoxicating air, and living in the same natural landscape with creatures that inspire my novels, including my newest bestseller, THE SUMMER GIRLS.  

Thank you to Traveler of Charleston for inviting me to be a guest blogger today.  Whether you're local or from off, the free quarterly publication is a great resource before planning your next adventure.  Heading to Isle of Palms or Sullivan's Island soon?  Check out my personal recommendations here: Lowcountry Author Shares Her Charleston Beach Vacation Tips.

Pearls of Tradition

    She walked across the plush carpeting directly to her ornately carved, mahogany four-poster bed, where she saw three black velvet bags lying on the bedspread. Three necklaces for three granddaughters.
    “It’s high time I selected which necklace to give which girl.” Lucille crossed her arms over her ample breast. “I thought you said you was gonna let them pick out the one they like the best.”
    “No, no, Lucille,” Marietta replied impatiently. “That wouldn’t do at all.” She paused, turning her head to meet Lucille’s gaze. “It’s said,” she said in the manner of a sage, “that pearls take on the essence of the person who wears them.” She nodded, as though adding emphasis to the declaration. She began walking again. “I’ve worn those pearl necklaces for decades. Why, each pearl is positively infused with my essence. Don’t you see,” she said as though it were obvious, “that by giving my granddaughters my pearls, I’m passing on a bit of myself to each of them?” The very idea of it still had the power of giving her pleasure. “I’ve been looking forward to this moment for years.” 

                                                         -Excerpt from THE SUMMER GIRLS

The handing down of jewelry, especially pearls, is a time-honored tradition for many traditional families.  It is said that pearls absorb the essence of the woman who wears them.
I received my first set of pearls when I graduated from high school.  This is a tradition in my family.  I was so proud to wear them, though these pearls were not handed down to me from my mother but acquired for the occasion.   Years later, when I was on my honeymoon in Japan, Markus and I went to the small coastal town where Mikimoto pearl divers gathered baskets and baskets full of pearls.  My new husband bought me my first Mikimoto necklace, a single strand of lustrous pink hued beauties.  Later for our first Christmas together he surprised me with an opera-length strand, each handpicked by him.  A labor of love that made the necklace all the more precious to me.
Pearls have been revered since ancient times, wrapped in symbolism and meaning.  They were extremely rare and thus priceless, attainable by only the wealthiest in any civilization.  Pearls were a woman's most treasured jewelry until the early 1900’s when the process of cultured pearls was invented in Japan by Kokichi Mikimoto.  Anyone who knows pearls knows the Mikimoto name and their quality still holds value today.   Even though pearls are much more affordable today than ever before, they still symbolize elegance, class and beauty.  They adorn the neckline of countless brides.  They dress up most any outfit.  Pearls have always been the accessory of choice when one wants to be "lady-like."  And it’s taught among some southern ladies that she should never been seen in public without her lipstick and her pearls! But as with most things in life, old traditions fade away and new ones take their place.  The practice of passing down pearls may not be as popular today as it was just a generation ago.  And to many young ladies today, pearl necklaces--pricey Mikimotos and South Sea pearls or affordable freshwater -- are simply a fashionable accessory option. 
Despite the fading tradition, I felt that the tradition was an important element to include in THE SUMMER GIRLS .  I wanted to show the great thought and heart that Mamaw—a dowager of Charleston society and a woman of tradition—put into making her selections for each granddaughter.  The scene revealed not only her opinions of her granddaughters, her summer girls, with whom she has not spent time for many year,s but it also allowed me to present the girls' individual personalities to my readers in a "show not tell" manner.  And it’s equally as interesting to display in later scenes how the granddaughters respond to their gift, what they do with their pearls, and their modern attitudes toward family traditions.

The practice of passing down pearls is still alive in the south, yet I believe it’s an act that resonates with women from all regions.  Pearls are a symbol of elegance and tradition that, when worn, serve as a constant reminder of tradition, love, and of course, when handed down, the essence of the woman who once wore them.   Isn't the act of passing them to the next owner the true treasure?  Like Mamaw in the novel, I love my pearls, the feel of them around my neck, their creamy luster and the memories they invoke.  I, too, look forward to the day I hand down my treasured pearls to my girls --my daughters and granddaughters.  In this way, I will leave a bit of me with them, forever.
What’s your pearl story?  What item has been passed down to you that you most treasure?

Real Dolphin Tales

Fourteen events and counting since last Tuesday’s official release of THE SUMMER GIRLS!  What a wild, wonderful book launch week it has been. 
I just left Chicago where I received a heartwarming welcome at the ALA conference, attended by 15,000 of the nation’s librarians. Wow!
Today I’m in Pawley’s Island, SC for the Moveable Feast Author Series hosted Litchfield Books.  The crowd is always lively and it really feels like a homecoming every time I go.  Then I’m off to another favorite book tour location—the Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle, North Carolina.  Then book tour brings me back home for the July 5th book launch party at Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms, SC and everyone’s invited!  We’ll dance to the sounds of steel drum music, enjoy Lowcountry-inspired nibblers, and talk about some behind-the-scenes details of my new novel THE SUMMER GIRLS.  Tickets are $10 per person.  But you must RSVP by tomorrow, Wednesday, July 3.  Call (843) 886-2020 to make your reservation.  I can’t think of a more perfect place to celebrate the release of The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy.  Click here to see complete tour schedule.
My longtime readers know that nature is the backdrop of my novels —sea turtles, sweetgrass, monarch butterflies, and now the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin.  And one thing people have been asking for during this tour is my own personal experiences with dolphins. 

The dolphin scenes in THE SUMMER GIRLS are not necessarily my own experiences, but they are inspired by the hands-on research I’ve done for this trilogy.  I have worked with the Charleston division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has been involved with a long-term study of resident dolphins here in South Carolina.  The situation is not good-- 48% of Charleston’s resident dolphins are sick.  The stats are even worse in Florida.  I’ve been with them on their watercrafts as they zoom across the water, identifying dolphins and their pods at dizzying speed.  I’ve had the honor of working closely with the Dolphin Research Center (DRC) in Grassy Key, FL where they’ve allowed me to get up close and personal with their resident dolphins.  That is where I’ve witnessed remarkable bonds and connections between dolphins and humans.  Oh and the stories that have been shared with me!
I’ve learned that dolphin mothers are just like human mothers.  There are the good mothers, the very strict mothers and the more laid back, easy going mothers.  Tursi is one of my favorite dolphin mothers that I got to bond with at the DRC.  She’s very strict, keeping her calves close and with her for a long time.  One morning, I was helping feed the babies and all of a sudden there’s Tursi giving me the hairy eyeball!  It was a look of who are you and why are you feeding my babies.  I spoke to her, offered her a fish and after some contemplation, she must have approved of me because she swam off without taking her babies away.  A couple days later, I was in one of the DRC’s ocean lagoons, floating in a raft as the enrichment toy for the baby dolphins that day.  The little ones were having a rambunctious good time, when suddenly, here comes Tursi zooming over and steers here baby away, then comes back to disperse the other calves.  She pauses in front of me, gives this look and glances at her dorsal fin as if she wants me to grab hold.  I do.  And she tows me clear across to the other side of the lagoon and leaves me there.  It’s as if she put me in time out!
My best experiences though weren’t necessarily ones involving me, but instead moments I witnessed between dolphin and child, dolphin and war veteran. 
The first involved the Pathways Program at the DRC for people with special needs.  I got to see the unique relationship dolphins forge with autistic children, connecting with them in ways that perhaps no one or nothing else can.  Dolphins are known for having a complex form of communication.  The autistic children taking part in this program cannot express themselves in ways that we normally expect or understand.  Yet, the dolphin can elicit emotion and response from them.  It’s truly beautiful to observe. 
On another day I met a young man, an injured veteran, now blind after being shot in the head by a sniper.  He had been in the hospital for eight months when he arrived at the DRC to participate in the Wounded Warrior Project.  The program’s goal is to promote a healthy transition to civilian life for those severely wounded during war, left with traumatic brain injury and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).  His guide was a former Navy Seal, so they seemed to share the same language.  He helped ease this obviously nervous blind man into the water.  What was so powerful to witness was seeing how he looked entering the water—his body was clenched, shivering and so tightly closed—and then again after spending time with a dolphin, for his first time ever.  The dolphin with the war veteran recognized his fears or needs and just grazed against his feet, very gently at first.  Then gradually, the soldier did reach out enough to touch the dolphin.  And the dolphin was so patient, letting the soldier take all the time he needed to relax.  Eventually he held on to the dolphin’s dorsal fin, and with his guide by his side, this blind, injured veteran was being pulled through the water by the dolphin.  The smile that spread across that man’s face conveyed so much emotion, revealed so much freedom—from his pain, his disabilities, his obstacles.  And that’s what dolphins do.  They force something out of you to make you happy.  It’s powerful.  And I’ll never ever forget that man’s smile. 
You know you’re being looked at when you look a dolphin in the eye.  And anyone who has had the opportunity to be that close with the species knows what I mean and agrees.  It’s a magical feeling, an unexplainable connection similar to the unspoken bond you might have with your favorite pet, but this surpasses that.  And even more remarkable is that a dolphin doesn’t forget you! 

I hope that after you read THE SUMMER GIRLS, you’ll find this saga unforgettable and feel a deeper sense of appreciation for and connection to the bottlenose dolphin, whether you see one for yourself or experience the species in the pages of my trilogy.  

Summer's Here, Win a Beach Vacation

Summer’s here on the Isle of Palms!  As a longtime resident, we’ve learned the ebb and flow of daily beachgoer traffic during the summer season.  Every weekend my husband and I map out our daily commutes to and from home based on beach-goer traffic patterns.  We can't leave the island between 3-5 pm!
But I’m not having to worry about that right now because today—June 25th-- is the official release of THE SUMMER GIRLS, and I'M ON THE ROAD!  It is my summertime ritual.   During the time of year when millions of American families head to a beach for vacation, I hit the road for book tour.  My husband stocks the freezer with pizza, my dog walker is on call, plenty of water and bookmarks in the trunk of my car, and my sister, Ruth, is Thelma to my Louise. 

Today’s book release is the official launch of The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy.  I'm at Moss Creek in Hilton Head and we're having a signature cocktail --a Dolphin Sunrise-- to celebrate the launch. So today I raise a toast to all my readers--Thank you!

THE SUMMER GIRLS is located on Sullivan's Island, SC and I have fun taking you to some of my favorite haunts.  In this novel, you’ll read about Dunleavy’s Pub, Home Team BBQ (read page 275 for details on the hushpuppies!), and Sandpiper Gallery.  They are definite must-visit locations.  For anything and everything coffee, wine, sweets and more, Café Medley is sure to please, in my opinion. 

A visit to Fort Moultrie is an adventure the entire family can enjoy.  History lovers will appreciate the island’s historic district, an eclectic mix of mostly family homes today that originally served as vital military resources, some dating back to the late 1800’s.  And make sure to drive by the island’s black and white lighthouse.  It has a unique triangular shape and is still active today. 


Next door to Sullivan’s Island, just on the other side of Breach Inlet, is my island home, the Isle of Palms.  Because of their geographical proximity, characters in THE SUMMER GIRLS spend some time on the I.O.P (as the locals often call it).  If you’re planning a trip to the island, one of the treasures here is Wild Dunes, a world-class golf resort at the northern end of the island.  The land is rich in history and is vital to the life cycle of the threatened loggerhead sea turtle.  The development plans of Wild Dunes and its impact on that area of the island in the 1970’s were important elements of my last novel, BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES.  Today, it’s a premier destination that is perfect for couples and families alike.  And I know that plenty of locals even vacation here.    You have a chance to WIN a getaway for two to Wild Dunes and experience a real-life Lowcountry weekend.  Click here to enter the sweepstakes on my Facebook page. 
While you’re staying on the Isle of Palms, you have to make sure to enjoy breakfast at the Sea Biscuit Café.  It’s worth the wait!  And if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see the kite man on Front Beach, as we call it.  It’s the area by the Windjammer and Coconut Joe’s restaurant.  I don’t know the guy’s real man but you can’t miss him.  He maneuvers a long row of brightly colored kites towing even longer tails, with such ease and grace.  His kite-flying moves are mesmerizing and fun to witness. 

And while you're on the beach, look for the orange signs that mark the sea turtle nests.  We're having a great start to the season.  But please don't use flashlights on the beach. Remember, lights out for turtles!  AND while standing along the shore, look out at the sea and scan the water for the tell-tale dorsal fins of the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins!

It will be awhile before I can enjoy some of my favorite local spots now that I’m on the road for the new book.  I guess you could say I’m kind of bringing a little bit of the beach to everyone who reads THE SUMMER GIRLS.  I've got approximately 30 special appearances (all listed on my website), so if I’m near your city or town, please come see me and we’ll celebrate the summer season together! 

The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy and Sweepstakes

I always know summer has arrived when I click on the television and hear the local meteorologists using terms like ‘heat index’ and ‘heat advisory’ during their weather reports.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not complaining about the summertime heat.  This year it was a long time coming.  Rather, I’m the opposite--grateful for sea breezes, porch fans and pitchers of sweet tea--with lots of ice and a twist of lemon, please!  I can’t think of a more natural, charming and beautiful place to be than right here at home in the Lowcountry.   The name comes from the fact the coastal area region sits at or below sea level, thus the term "low country," and is home to a maze of winding creeks, black-water swamps canopied by ancient cypress, and picture-perfect sights of the Atlantic Ocean. 

The heat and humidity of the summer season elicits a desire in so many of us to slow down, step away from the busyness of everyday life, and find time to enjoy a good book or two… or ten!  It’s been a thrill seeing my new novel THE SUMMER GIRLS on a number of best ‘summer reads’ and ‘beach reads’ lists, including CBS, Southern Living  and Deep South.  Even more exciting is that in one week, I’ll officially be sharing my new novel with you.  THE SUMMER GIRLS is the first installment of The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy.  The three novels take place on Sullivan's Island with the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin as the backdrop.  While researching the intelligent, social, and beguiling dolphins, so many layers began to take shape in this southern story it had to be a trilogy.


I draw the themes of my novels from the animals I'm researching.  Dolphins are masters of communication with their clicks, whistles, and sonar. They are very social and have strong family bonds.  Finally, there is something about them that elicits connection.  Thus I had my novel's themes: communication, family bonds, and connection.  From these I drew my plot, characters descriptions, and the issues facing my characters. Without giving any spoilers, here’s a brief preview of The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy.
THE SUMMER GIRLS- Marietta Muir, "Mamaw," is a grand dame of Charleston, SC, retired now at her ancestral summer home, Sea Breeze, on Sullivan's Island. Her granddaughters Carson, Eudora and Harper once adored vacations there, but it’s been years since they’ve visited and now the young women are estranged.  Mamaw fears once she is gone, the family bonds will fray so she invites her "summer girls" to celebrate her 80th birthday at Sea Breeze.  Mamaw, following the legacy of their pirate captain ancestor, drops a subtle promise of loot—pearl necklaces, priceless antique furniture, even the house—to lure her girls back home.  Once there, the three women uncover family secrets, failures, shortcomings and tragedies that further strain this family.  Their hope lies in a friendly wild dolphin, named Delphine.  And it is her harrowing journey that ties each of the stories together.
Each book in the trilogy focuses on one granddaughter, but the stories of all the women continue in all the books. In THE SUMMER GIRLS Carson takes center stage.  For years, Carson Muir has never really settled, certain only that a life without the ocean is a life half lived. Adrift and penniless in California, Carson is the first to return to Sea Breeze, wondering where things went wrong…until the sea brings her a minor miracle. Her astonishing bond with a dolphin helps Carson renew her relationships with her sisters and face the haunting memories of her ill-fated father. As the rhythms of the island open her heart, Carson begins to imagine the next steps toward her future.


SUMMER SOLSTICE (working title).  This book focuses on Dora, a southern woman who followed all "the rules" and is bitter when her marriage, her sense of self, her life falls apart.  Carson's continuing story has her traveling farther south to the gulf coast of Sarasota and to the Florida Keys.  Nine year old Nate, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, heads to Florida with Carson for life-changing  experiences with dolphins in managed care.  Readers get a glimpse of the magic-like power of communication between wild dolphins and autistic children.  This novel will reveal more of the unique ability dolphins have to connect with children of special needs in ways that perhaps no one and nothing else can.  I observed it first-hand during my research at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, FL and I assure you it is absolutely beautiful to watch.  This novel’s central focus is rehabilitation, the healing of self. Through this ongoing connection with one dolphin, Delphine, my main characters are challenged with the question of whether they can stretch beyond their comfort zone to communicate not just with animals but also with each other.  
SUMMER’S END- This book focuses on Harper, the youngest sister.  Unmarried, she lives with her British mother, a successful editor at a major publishing house in New York.  Harper is an academic, tied to the internet.  Her journey takes her to the history of Sullivan's Island and the early slave trading.  The main theme of this third and final novel is the question of release, or finding yourself.  It’s also a very serious question in the real world of marine science regarding dolphins, rehabilitation, and release to the wild.  But in the novel it’s also a critical issue in the lives of Mamaw’s “Summer Girls,” who are trying to re-connect with each other and heal themselves as well.  It’s the perfect conclusion for the trilogy--a summer season for three young women struggling to find their own identity, struggling to communicate, working to repair the bonds of sisterhood and reconnect with their family roots.  And during all of their challenges and discoveries they must also make the decision about the life of one dolphin.  Should Delphine be in human care or should she be returned to the wild, despite her injuries?
 When all the installments of The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy are finally released, I hope that the reader is touched by this profoundly moving relationship my characters have with a wild dolphin. A relationship that changes the course of all their lives.  No character is left untouched--and I hope that will be true for you, as well.   Delphine will highlight the communication and development of these women and their relationships and their healing.
Of all the species I’ve worked with--turtles, butterflies, birds--the dolphin is the one I felt a very close and personal bond. Perhaps its their intelligence, or the fact that we are both mammals.  In THE SUMMER GIRLS, I believe you’ll feel that deep, emotional connection too.     

And here's a special offer: click here to enter the Lowcountry Weekend Sweepstakes ! Celebrate the launch of the Lowcountry Summer Trilogy in the Lowcountry! Who wouldn't want a getaway for two, enjoying nights at the Wild Dunes Resort and a sunset dolphin cruise?  Good luck and I can't wait to meet the winner!

A Letter from Mamaw

In the opening of THE SUMMER GIRLS , three sisters each receive an invitation, handwritten on creamy stationery with navy trim sprayed with the scent of their grandmother, Marietta Muir, or ‘Mamaw.’  She informs the women of her one and only birthday wish—to have them join her at her beach house, Sea Breeze, on Sullivan’s Island, SC for a party celebrating her 80thbirthday.  The letter proves to be more than just an invitation for each of them.  It’s an unexpected lifeline and an opportunity to restore family connections, rekindle friendships and offer forgiveness.    
Here at my home, the mail runs every afternoon at approximately three o’clock.  That’s when the unmistakable sound of the mail truck fills the afternoon air.  I don’t often rush immediately to fetch the mail because I already know what the contents are—a credit card offer, weekly ad, a bill or two, and maybe a home realty flier.  It used to not be like that.  Remember the days, not long ago--before email, nationwide cellphone plans, and online video chats?  Checking the mailbox was a daily chore you actually looked forward to.  You never knew what you would find.  Maybe it was a letter from your mother because, well, back then calling long-distance was not something one would do on a daily basis.  Or it was a postcard from your best friend, sharing the highlights of her family’s vacation.  Or it was a letter written by a child on a sheet of lined notebook paper thanking you for a recent gift.  And let me not forget to mention the thrill of receiving a love letter from your special someone.  If it were really special, it may even be marked with a red-stained kiss or enveloped in the sweet scent of cologne. 
The frequency of wonderful letters like the aforementioned has dropped dramatically in this day and age where we can communicate with anyone around the world in truly an instant!  Thankfully, the art form of letter writing is not entirely dead…yet (though the skill of cursive handwriting sure seems to be on its deathbed). The occasional surprise still arrives, stuffed between the masses of junk mail and bills, magazines and circulars.  Thank goodness for grandchildren, weddings and annual holidays!  And I love that pause a special letter gives you while standing at the mailbox.  You’re so interested to see something ‘special’ that you’re ripping open the envelope even before you walk back in your front door (for those of you with a post office box, I know the situation is a little bit different, but all share the same thrill).
While it’s much more convenient and necessary at times to send a text message or email, I hope we don’t entirely forget our letter-writing etiquette.  Some of my most treasured items are cards, letters and notes received from friends and loved ones.  I am from a generation who still stuffs these scared items in a shoebox to look at again and again.  Each handwritten note conveys so much about the recipient, the sender and that moment in time.  What will today’s generation do to preserve their treasured notes?  Text messages and emails just don’t convey the same meaning as the old-fashioned letter.  That may be why the women in THE SUMMER GIRLSall give in to Mamaw’s snail-mailed request-- some with more reluctance than others.  But nonetheless, the letter stood out from the usual pile of junk and went straight to heart. 
How often do you write to someone?  What are your most treasured letters?  



THE SUMMER GIRLS in stores June 25th.
Order your copy today at www.maryalicemonroe.com