Notes From the Road

It's the second week of the BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES book tour, and so far it has been a memorable and exhilarating adventure. 

One of the most amazing moments happened yesterday afternoon during the "Moveable Feast" literary luncheon in Pawleys Island, hosted by Litchfield Books.  It filled my eyes with tears. 

Before I explain why, let me share a little background first.  Most of my readers know I'm passionate about sea turtle conservation.  My personal work with these majestic creatures inspired not only BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES, but also my New York Times bestsellers THE BEACH HOUSE and SWIMMING LESSONS.  When planning this book tour, I knew it would be a perfect opportunity to not only celebrate the progress that's been made in sea turtle conservation but also share the exciting expansion plans of the South Carolina Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital.  As I've been saying during this book tour, let's move that hospital out of the basement.

We revealed the plan during the book launch party at the aquarium, and the huge crowd responded enthusiastically.  Proceeds from the party's book sales went toward the turtle hospital initiative.  Approximately 225 people attended the celebration, many of them were sea turtle volunteers themselves.  Fans traveled from all over the Carolinas to be there.  I even met a couple from New Hampshire!

Now, back to yesterday's Pawleys Island event.  I had just shared some of those hospital expansion details with the packed house, when the 'Moveable Feast' event coordinator spontaneously decided to pass around a glass jar to collect contributions for the cause.  The gesture alone made my heart swell and I figured they might collect a hundred dollars or so.  That would have been a wonderful donation.  My eyes bulged when told the final tally---$640! I was moved to tears by this group's generosity.  I have THE BEST fans! 

Just days before, Coastal Discovery Museum in Hilton Head Island, SC also raised money for the sea turtle hospital during a private book tour event.  Thank you all for your generous spirit. 

One more note about the South Carolina Aquarium.  The sea turtle rescue program manager, Kelly Thorvalson, and her team will be releasing two loggerheads back into the ocean at the Isle of Palms County Park on Friday, May 18th at 3pm.  I've been a part of these releases many times, and each one is an emotional sight to see.  If you live near Charleston, SC, I hope you'll be able to witness this incredible event.  You can learn more about the sea turtles being released on the Sea Turtle Hospital Blog.

I'm in North Carolina for the next few days and then I'll drive over to Kingsport, Tennessee.  Take a look at my complete book tour schedule and I hope to have the opportunity to say hello to you at one of these events. 

Book News, Book Events, and Book Releases

What a spring season! A lot is happening and I'm excited to share all the great news with you- book releases, signing events, book recognitions and so much more. Here we go---

THE BUTTERFLY'S DAUGHTER, just released last month in trade paperback, and has been selected as a 2012 SIBA Book Award Finalist for the year's Best Book. (Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance). I'm proud and delighted this book has wings!



NEW RELEASE: BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES
My new novel, BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES, is selected as a SIBA Okra Pick! I'm flattered to be one of only a dozen books chosen by Southern indie booksellers as a summer must-read.

BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES's big release is May 8th! It's a milestone ten years in the making. As the prequel to the bestsellers THE BEACH HOUSE and SWIMMING LESSONS, this release completes the saga of the beloved "turtle lady" Olivia "Lovie" Rutledge. BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES returns to Charleston and the Isle of Palms in 1974, a tumultuous period in the South for issues of class, infidelity and domestic abuse. Lovie reflects on the difficult choices she faced during that fateful summer that changed her life. I've always felt a bond to the character of Lovie 's story and her story as a wife, mother and "turtle lady" is one that I felt it was time to tell. You can see the book video trailer and read an excerpt on my website here.


BOOK TOUR
To celebrate the May 8th release of BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES, I'm going on a 20-city book tour that stretches from the Carolina mountains to Florida's sandy shores with several stops in between. Take a look at the tour schedule here . I hope you'll come by to say hello and support your local bookseller.

The book tour fun begins in Charleston, SC with an unprecedented, not-to-be-missed book launch event at the South Carolina Aquarium benefiting its Sea Turtle Hospital. Click here to view the invitation and RSVP.

I'm looking forward to every signing event because each is uniquely fun and I always seem to be welcomed by the most wonderful and exuberant crowds who never cease to amaze me with memorable conversations during Q&A sessions and at the signing table.

As a real-life "turtle lady," I wanted to do something extra special with my readers for our beloved loggerhead sea turtles. So, a small number of tour events, such as the launch party, are also special fundraisers, in which a portion of every book sold will benefit a local sea turtle hospital in that area. Thank you to the event hosts who eagerly signed up to help me find a way we can collectively help volunteers and sea turtle hospitals in their efforts to support the loggerhead species for generations to come. Click here to learn more about the fundraising events and to RSVP at one near you.


BOOK GIVEAWAYS
Don't miss out on the chance to win a free book! A new contest will be posted on my website and Facebook fan page each week so check in often.

Other worthy book notes: THE BEACH HOUSE is on sale now as a special anniversary edition. The new paperback cover is beautiful! And THE BUTTERFLY'S DAUGHTER is now available in paperback as well.

Book tour is next week and I've still got lots of packing to do. I look forward to meeting you, reading your letters, and celebrating sea turtles!

Turtle Summer

Doing inventory of a loggerhead nest

When I'm not in the office working on a novel during the early morning or late evening hours of spring and summer, you'll find me walking the beach.  I'm a devoted "turtle lady." I spend as much time as I can fulfilling my responsibilities as a proud member of our island's local turtle team. 

My turtle summer is about to begin and it's extra special this season.  Read more on the Southern Authors Blog "A Good Blog is Hard to Find."  I'm delighted to be today's guest blogger. 

WHY I READ MY AUDIOBOOKS

Reading at Brilliance Audio Studio

Many people ask me why I choose to read my audiobooks, and what is it like to do it?  It’s definitely hard work.  Very, very hard.  To give you some idea, if you think you’d like to become a narrator, do what director Laura suggests: Try going into a small room and read for eight hours.  If you can do that, then continue every day for five days.

I had read my books at signings for years and many people had told me, “You should read your books on tape.”  When I was young, I took acting classes, as well.  So when the time came that an audiobook offer was made, I talked to the head of Brilliance Audio, Eileen Hutton, and told her that I’d like to give it a try. If my voice was worthy, then I’d read the book.  If not, I wouldn’t.  My feelings would not be hurt. We both wanted the audiobook to be the best it could be. I went to the College of Charleston, made a brief CD using their equipment and sent it off.  Eileen later called and told me, “That’s exactly how I heard the voice of Toy in my head!”

I read my audiobooks at the Brilliance Audio studios located in Grand Haven, Michigan.  It’s a beautiful spot, especially in the summer, but I always end up recording in mid winter! Once I was there when they got hit by a blizzard. It was both exciting and beautiful, especially since we rarely see snow on Isle of Palms. I stay at the Harbor House, a charming Inn overlooking Lake Michigan. My first book was Swimming Lessons and it took me five days to complete reading the abridged and unabridged. Since then, I’ve read Time is a River, The Beach House (we read that one in a studio in Charleston), The Butterfly’s Daughter, and now Beach House Memories. I must be getting better since I finished this last one in 3 days! Professional narrator Sandra Burr has read my back list.  

The recording booth

The routine is: I get picked up at the Inn and arrive at the Studio before 9 am. I wear soft clothing, no jewelry or make up.  I don’t drink coffee during the day as it dehydrates or soda while reading as it makes the stomach bubble and burp. Instead, I drink warm or hot water with lemon. It’s important to keep the throat hydrated during the recording.  My director and engineer are in an outer room with the script and computers, and I go into a second interior room behind double doors that is padded for sound.  There is a small lectern, a bright light, and a microphone, earphones and my script.  First we set up my mike and volume.  After that, I wait for the engineer’s signal from the window.  When he waves his hand, I begin to read.

The Brilliance Audio Team

First, you can’t get nervous.  That’s when mistakes are made.  A good run is when I get through several pages without error.  It’s like being in the zone for writing.  I can get caught up in the story and have fun with it. But sooner or later, I make a mistake and we have to stop. An error includes any noise, like a page rustling, a click, or body noises.  Then I can simply slip in my reading, like substituting the wrong word (could for should), making a singular word plural, switching pronouns, or sloppy pronunciation caused by a tired tongue or jaw.  And sometimes, for a really long sentence, I didn’t use my diaphragm to get a good breath and simply run out of steam.  Try it, and before long you’ll see what I mean.  When I make a mistake and we stop, the engineer tries to find a “hole” where he can let me jump back in seamlessly.

I’m not an actress so getting the accents right can be tricky. I do my best, and when I get into trouble, my director steps in to help me out.  I have a new appreciation for narrators who can really get great voices.  On the other hand, my readers know that I’m not an actress.  They want to know how I perceived the character in my head and how I heard the line spoken in my mind as I wrote it. For me, the story truly comes from my heart.  For example, for Beach House Memories, when I read the scenes between husband and wife, Stratton and Lovie, as they argued, it grew heated and highly emotional.  I felt these scenes intensely.  My tears were real as I read.  It’s a tough day.  So when the day is done, I’m spent.  I go home, eat alone in my room, and fall asleep early so I can be fresh the next day.

So why do I do it?  While I read aloud and create the voices for my characters, the story comes alive for me in a whole new way than when I wrote it.  I imagine watching your story world come alive for a film is as—or even more—thrilling for an author.  In reply, I read my audiobooks for the same reason I write my books—I love telling a good story.  I love bringing to life the characters in my head.  I hope you enjoy them!

AUDIOBOOK CONTEST GIVEAWAY: "Like" my Facebook fan page and you will automatically be entered to win a free Mary Alice Monroe audiobook during the month of March, courtesy of Brilliance Audio.  You will be contacted through Facebook if you are a winner. 

Click here to learn more about Brilliance Audio. 

BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES will be released in hardcover May 8, 2012.  Visit http://www.maryalicemonroe.com/ for details.  

 

THE LIFE CHANGER

Editor’s Note: "Swimming Lessons" will be re-released in paperback this July.

This week’s guest blogger is Sue Foster, a devoted reader who dedicates her time as a volunteer at the South Carolina Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital.

Summer 2007-- My life changed forever after reading “Swimming Lessons” by Mary Alice Monroe. On page 233, she writes:

“Once smitten with sea turtles, it was a love affair for life.”

How true! I loved reading the previous book, “The Beach House” that tells about the turtle ladies on Isle of Palms monitoring the turtle nests. “Swimming Lessons” introduced me to the sea turtle hospital at the SC Aquarium in Charleston. I was fascinated about the work that was being done with the rehabilitation of the sea turtles. By summer’s end, I had e-mailed the project manager, Kelly Thorvalson, about volunteering part time. Our schedules didn’t match and there were no openings in the hospital.

Fast forward to March 2009. Kelly e-mailed me and wanted to know if I would be interested in doing tours of the turtle hospital because they were expanding the tours. Would I, a retired teacher, be interested in educating people about sea turtles? Best e-mail of my life! I started May 1st.

(Here's a recent group photo of the Sea Turtle Hospital volunteers.  I'm third from the left in the back row.  Thank you, Barb Bergwerf, for sharing this snapshot.)

I finally got to see what excited the novel’s main character, Toy Sooner, in “Swimming Lessons” so much. Sick sea turtles came in, healthy turtles were released. I read what I could about them and asked endless questions of the staff and volunteers. Everyone always takes the time to talk about the turtles and their treatments. If it were not for "Swimming Lessons", I may have never fallen in love with these beautiful animals.

Visitors coming on the tours all love the turtle hospital and the turtles. One young lady from Pennsylvania came on a tour last fall and told me she was in the middle of reading "Swimming Lessons" and had to come. A person from Ohio had a copy of the book with her that she had just read and had to come see what the character Toy loved so. I’m asked all the time what got me to the sea turtle hospital after being a Special Educator for decades. "Swimming Lessons", I tell them.

On May 1st of this year, we released 7 turtles. I had the privilege of releasing a baby green sea turtle back into the ocean. The sea turtle hospital has released 51 turtles! I will always be indebted to Kelly Thorvalson for giving me this remarkable opportunity and Mary Alice Monroe for showing me the path to the sea turtle hospital. Lastly, a special shout out for Dr. Shane Boyland (vet), Christi Hughes (biologist), and all of the dedicated volunteer staff.

IT'S GOOD TO BE 10

Do you remember how special it felt to turn ten years old? The anticipation as you counted the days until you could say farewell to single digit years?

I do-- and I am happy to wish the South Carolina Aquarium a "Happy 10th Birthday"!  In honor of it turning the big 1-0, here is my list of Top Ten Reasons I Love the South Carolina Aquarium.

    10. It has grown to be a leader in the conservation movement in the Palmetto State.

   

    9. It's the crown jewel of the Charleston Harbor and the city’s most-visited attraction. (you can’t get a better view of the harbor)

    8. The aquarium repaid it founding debt last year and faces an exciting new decade!

    7.  Attendance and membership keep going up, up, up!

    6. The Aquarium does a great job promoting education and conservation to kids of all ages.

    5. The cool albino alligator exhibit--one of only 50 albino gators in the world!

    4. The Sea Turtle Rescue Program has rehabilitated more than 50 sea turtles and released them home to the sea! (Be sure to get a tour)

    3. The Sustainable Seafood Initiative. More than 70 restaurant partners throughout the state. Great wine pairings and fabulous meals. (Make a reservation. Your palette won’t be disappointed!)

    2. The amazing 4-D Theater! South Carolina’s first and only about to open for wildlife experiences on the big screen. Move over Avatar!

And the #1 reason I love the SC Aquarium?

    1. The Aquarium’s staff and volunteers. Best of the best! They make the visit exciting for us all—and they are making a difference!

I could go on and on about my love for the aquarium and I’m proud to serve on its board.  Did you know the aquarium is the setting for my novel SWIMMING LESSONS? All the turtle experiences mentioned throughout the novel are actual sea turtle cases from the hospital. (If you haven’t read it, the paperback release is scheduled for July.)

Happy 10th birthday to the South Carolina Aquarium! I wish you another ten years of amazing successes!

 

SWIMMING LESSONS: True Tales at the Sea Turtle Hospital

There is no denying my deep affinity for sea turtles, particularly the threatened loggerhead. This ancient creature of the deep blue swam its way into the pages of two of my novels, THE BEACH HOUSE and the sequel SWIMMING LESSONS.

SWIMMING LESSONS is being re-released as mass market this July with a fresh seaside front cover. My hope is a new wave of readers will find themselves taking interest in the loggerhead as well as the sea turtle hospitals that care for the sick and injured.

In SWIMMING LESSONS, my protagonist Toy Sooner, a single mother raising her young daughter on Isle of Palms, is also caring for injured sea turtles at the Sea Turtle Hospital located at Charleston's South Carolina Aquarium. Each turtle Toy handles at the facility are reflective of actual case histories there.

Biologist Kelly Thorvalson, who is the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program Coordinator, blogs about the amazing turtle cases the staff and volunteers handle. Their mission is to help sea turtles survive in our ocean by healing the ill and injured for their return to the wild. It is through her dedication, and that of the volunteers, aquarium staff, and a long line of generous donors, that the SC Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital has grown into the amazing facility it is today.

After reading, or re-reading, SWIMMING LESSONS when it makes its return to bookstores in July, I encourage you to plan a trip to the SC Aquarium. We have two fabulous new exhibits—an extremely rare albino alligator and a 3D theater that lets you feel the splash of water and more as you watch a film. Also, the penguin exhibit has been extended. And don’t forget to take for a tour of the Sea Turtle Hospital. I hope the pages of my novel come alive when you see with your own eyes the spectacular sea creature that inspired me to write my turtle novels. I hope they capture your heart just as they did mine!