JUST BREATHE!

It's been a long summer and as I face the summer's end I've begun additional research on dolphins, the focus animal of the Lowcountry Summer Trilogy. I'm hoping to spark new inspiration as I push through the end of the storyline, The Summer's End.  Writing is a lonely, confined, indoor activity.  For the past several months I've cut out activities and have been spending way too much time locked inside while outside my windows the seasons change.  I feel tense, uneasy, like a balloon about to pop.

I miss walking the beach.  I long to go out and stand on the Hunley bridge over Breach Inlet seeking out dolphins.  I miss my sea turtles that have left my island on their solitary journeys in the great sea. My only escape lately is to go out to my butterfly garden.  I rush outside multiple times a day, just long enough to steal a moment from my computer to search milkweed leaves for monarch eggs, feed the growing caterpillars and, perhaps, release a newly emerged butterfly to the garden.  Sometimes I just stand quietly and watch the sweet new monarch join the other butterflies to dance on the flowers, feeling the sun on my face. 

Yet, most of the time I'm  trapped indoors.  And it has been raining...a lot.  I feel a disconnect with nature--with the infinite vast and wild that takes my breath away and fills my soul.  Too much confinement makes me feel uneasy and agitated.  I'm out of sorts.  But... my deadline looms over my head (and I know y'all want the next book!) so I dutifully persevere.   

Which brings me to this morning.

In this grumpy frame of mind, I began prowling my library, digging through tomes for some new inspiration for this trilogy that is set against the adorably intelligent and compassionate dolphins.  I didn't know exactly what I was searching for but knew what I sought would be found in a spiritual realm rather than factual.  My hand fell on Ted Andrew's book Animal Speak. I paused.  Joseph Campbell stated that artists were the shamans of today and I believe this is true.  We must trust our intuition.  

I pulled out this book that is a dictionary of animal symbolism and the spiritual powers in all creatures, great and small.  These symbols are sometimes called totems. Since prehistoric times images have helped us transcend the physical to ascertain the spiritual.  To honor nature and to embody its wisdom in our lives.  Shamans believed that every species, every aspect of our natural world had the power to remind us of what we should manifest in our own lives.  They often dressed in animal costume to elicit the sense of wonder, even magic.  Shamans performed rituals that were tied into the rhythms of the seasons to bridge the natural world to the supernatural and offer richer, deeper meaning to their lives.

I can't say I fully understand how this connection to the spiritual power of nature works.  I do believe, however, that one can gain insights into one's life's journey and purpose by simply paying attention to the powers that surround us in Nature.

I realize some people think this kind of thinking is just silly.  Or "woo woo."  I, too, have second-guessed the messages I've heard, or ignored my intuition and the instincts that flared in my gut.  Too many times I've regretted not paying attention to the signals.  Never, however, have I regretted listening. 

Over the past twenty five years I've worked with many different species and I am confident that our connections with nature--both physical and spiritual--are essential to our well being.  And that they are just as powerful today in our modern era as they were in ancient times, if we only open our minds and hearts to what is possible.  We need this inclusive wisdom, perhaps even more today than ever before. 

So, this morning I grabbed the book Animal Speak for no apparent reason.  Just an intuitive hunch.  I searched for the totem dolphin because I thought surely the dolphin would be my current messenger.  Here is what the passage said:

"If dolphin has shown up as a totem, ask yourself some important questions.  What are your words and thoughts creating for you?  If unsure, when dolphin arises you will soon discover. Are you getting outside and enjoying fresh air? Are you holding in tensions? Are others? When dolphin shows up it is time to breathe some new life into yourself. Get out, play, explore, and most of all breathe."

 Just breathe!

I had to smile, even laugh!  I believe this is no mere coincidence.  Yes, I could easily explain it as such.  But to do so would be to deny the intuitive power that I believe lies within myself.  And within each of us if we open ourselves to possibility and listen.

As Andrews states, "humanity has lost that instinctive tie to the rhythms and patterns of Nature."  I wonder if we are so caught up in our technology that we have lost--even deny and ridicule-- our ancient connection to the natural world?

I am listening. Today I will take a long walk in the fresh air. I will find time to laugh and play.  I will take deep breaths.  And in the quiet I will open my mind to creative ideas.  I smile, because I know the words will flow.

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 5^th 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.  

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!

Why Dolphins, Why Now

 

MAM and Jax sharing a laugh at Dolphin Research Center

I get asked that a lot.  It’s a great question, considering that every novel I’ve published in the last decade is rooted in the natural environment of my surroundings, which we here in Charleston, South Carolina call the Lowcountry.  Sea turtles, birds of prey, butterflies, wild shrimp—the list goes on.  These natural elements aren’t the story themselves, but the inspiration.  I draw my story themes from what I learn from my volunteering.  My story world is authentic and the animals are so interwoven with my characters’ lives that they themselves become characters.  By the end of the book, you find yourself rooting for them—for their survival in both the story world and the real world.  

I’ve always loved dolphins.  Who doesn’t?  It must be that beguiling smile! Of all the species I’ve ever worked with—and I’ve worked with many—no other animal is self-aware or as intelligent as the dolphin.  If you are fortunate to get close enough to look a dolphin in the eye, you know you’re being just as closely regarded, even studied.   Because I live by the Atlantic Ocean, I'm fortunate to see dolphins leap from the waves, swim in pods on the creeks, and chase boats near the harbor.  I had been yearning to write a novel about a dolphin for quite some time. I have many species I want to write about, a long list.  I wait for some sign from the universe, some tapping on my intuition, a whispering that tells me "choose this one now." 

One day, during a special meeting for the board members of the South Carolina Aquarium, I got ‘the sign’ when guest Philippe Cousteau urged me to write a book set against the issues threatening dolphins today.  I had just seen the film, The Cove, and Dr. Pat Fair from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) had informed us that almost half of the dolphins living in Charleston's estuarine waters were sick.   Shocking!  So I cannonballed off that proverbial dock into the world of wild dolphins and after three years of research surfaced with not one story but three! 

This was a first for me—intentionally writing a trilogy.  The Beach House series was written over a span of years as my work with the sea turtles expanded.  I jokingly say it was a trilogy ten years in the making.   In The Lowcountry Summer Trilogy, I am setting out to write a trilogy of books in which all of my characters are touched by the harrowing journey of one charismatic dolphin, Delphine.  It's the story of three granddaughters, one seaside summer, and one dolphin.   Sweet Delphine is the thread that connects all the books.  The first installment—THE SUMMER GIRLS—comes out June 25^th.  

In THE SUMMER GIRLS, the behavior of the dolphin and the interactions shared between Delphine and the women were inspired from my work with dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida and research with NOAA in Charleston, South Carolina.  What the women do, out of love for the dolphin, is in fact dangerous to the species’ well-being. 

I've always felt that the signs and TV ads that inform the public DO NOT FEED THE DOLPHINS don't amount to a hill of beans when one is staring at that beguiling face in a boat or from the dock.  Everyone thinks, "Aw, I want to make contact.  I want to share a moment with this creature.  What harm can one fish, or sandwich, this one small something do?"  Now, imagine thousands of people thinking this...  This is my character, Carson's journey.  Through her eyes, I bring you to that very real moment and allow you to experience with her the natural consequences.  It's so much more powerful to experience the raw emotions and passions.  As a storyteller, I rely on the old adage: Show don't tell.

My hope is that when you finish the final page of THE SUMMER GIRLS, you’ll find yourself excited to see what will happen next to the sisters—Carson, Eudora and Harper--and to Delphine.  And through the characters’ intimate and emotional relationship with a wild dolphin, you’ll feel an even deeper love for the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin and see that you can make a difference. 

Want more?  Watch this brief interview about what compelled me to write about dolphins. 

You can also read an excerpt of THE SUMMER GIRLS at www.maryalicemonroe.com or my Author Facebook Page.  

What is it about dolphins that you love so much?  Share your story in the comments section.

Happening in 2012

Aloha!  I'm home now enjoying my familiar Atlantic Ocean views after spending the beginning of my New Year at a cottage in the misty mountaintops of Maui, Hawaii! I enjoyed the Pacific views, ate lots of fish and pupu, and started writing my new book. It was an unforgettable way to celebrate the beginning of a very exciting book year.  Here's a snapshot of what's happening in 2012:

In April, THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER will be released in paperback, just in time for the return of the monarch. And I’m giving away more free milkseed seed packets for the early spring planting season. Milkweed is the sole food source for a monarch caterpillar. To learn more and request free seeds, click here.


Also coming out in April is the special tenth anniversary edition of THE BEACH HOUSE with a beautiful new book cover. I can’t believe it’s been an entire decade since the release of my first Southern novel.

That will be followed the May 8th release of my brand new prequel, BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES. It’s the return to Primrose Cottage on the Isle of Palms. The year is 1974, a tumultuous time for women’s rights in the South. At thirty-nine years old, Olivia “Lovie” Rutledge is married to an unappreciative husband and raising two young children. As she does every summer, Lovie and the kids head to her seaside cottage to carry on her ritual of being the island “turtle lady,” watching over nesting sea turtles. But this particular summer, Lovie finds herself falling in love and facing devastating consequences. BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES reveals the heart-aching reasons behind Lovie’s decisions---choices that forever shape the lives of her family during that one fateful summer. I've always loved the character Lovie and in this novel she expressed so much of my passion for sea turtles and nature. 

The BEACH HOUSE MEMORIES book tour is coming together nicely.  I’ll post the schedule soon on my website, blog and Facebook fan page.
The novel I’m currently working is based on dolphins, and I got to do some research on this fascinating species during my stay in Hawaii. Later this year I'm planning a trip to Florida to take part in dolphin rehabilitation work. 2012 is shaping up to be an exciting year. 





Thoughts on Writing: The Soul of Your Story

The theme of a novel is the writer’s vision. It is what the author wants to say and is reflected in plot, dialogue, setting, and metaphors. I believe a writer must possess the courage to express his or her convictions and passions in their novels. American writer and mythologist Joseph Campbell once said that commitment of expression makes artists the shamans of today’s world. We must put our ear to the ground and listen for what’s coming. Through our novels, we bring back the fire, or the knowledge, to our readers.

When John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath was published in 1939 it caused uproar of controversy and was one of the most commonly banned books of its time because of Steinbeck's obvious socialist sympathies. Nonetheless, the novel remains one of the most admired and studied works of social protest fiction of the twentieth century. Steinbeck was furious at the critics and replied if he couldn’t speak his mind in his own novels, then where could he?

I feel fortunate to make my living as a writer. I don’t take my career for granted. With each book I get to learn something new. Part of that learning process includes my time spent serving on various conservation groups, boards and volunteer groups. My participation in these organizations augments my work and inspires me personally and professionally.

While going through the research, the interviews, the volunteering, my theme and story develop. However, like the character in the novel, I change through my involvement. Digging deep to find the soul of the story is hard work. It involves contemplation, meditation, prayer. It makes the writing of your novel and experience of growth and renewal. Once I've understood my theme, it is my job to share that knowledge with my readers. To ask myself: Why are you writing this book? I believe what we have to say is not just worth the time it takes to create a novel, but I believe I have to say it.

Theme is not simply part of the story. It is intrinsic to the story. Our talent is to create that compelling novel peopled with memorable characters. Our craft should prevent our message from being preachy. My hope is for my work to not only be thought of as compelling, even memorable stories people want to share with others, but also to be a reflection of my commitment to preserve our natural world.

Next year I will jump into the ocean to help rehabilitate dolphins as research for my novel. I will keep my eyes and ears—and intuition—open and let the animals inform me of the theme of the novel. They have a message to share, I’m sure.