DAY OF THE DEAD: A TIME TO REMEMBER

Pumpkin carved?  Nope.

House decorated? Oops, forgot that too. 

Candy bowl loaded and ready? Yes!

I reluctantly confess that I’m not as clever or elaborate with my Halloween decorations as I was when my three children were growing up.  Yet, somehow I still manage to remember to buy a bag of candy for the trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood.  But who am I kidding?  There hasn’t been one child to knock on my door in the last five years!  We all know who is really eating all that candy...

Halloween marks the beginning of the season of family gatherings — Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and Christmas, well, it has already arrived at the major retailers! These are times that families gather to create memories.

Memories... how important they are to help us through both good and bad times.  We--each of us--are the caretakers of our memories.  Will we hoard them in dark recesses of our minds? Or will we dust them off and share them with loved ones?  One holiday that celebrates memories, and is often overlooked or misunderstood, is Day of the Dead.  Widely recognized in Mexico and Latin American countries, this is an annual celebration to remember loved ones who have passed and is observed on November 1^st and 2^nd, concurrently with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.  I was raised Catholic, so All Saints’ Day has always been a meaningful holiday.  In the United States, All Hallow's Eve...Halloween...is the big party day we all celebrate.

A few years ago, when I wrote The Butterfly’sDaughter, I learned more about the meaning and traditions of the Day of the Dead in the Mexican culture.  It includes building private altars called ofrendas decorated with bright orange marigolds called cempasùchil (or ‘flower of the dead’) to honor their beloved departed.  These ofrendas can include favorite items of their loved ones—foods, drinks, photos, and other special possessions.  

I love this tradition of remembering and honoring those special family members who have passed.  Also, in Mexico they believe that the thousands of monarch butterflies flying through the region to their winter sanctuary in the mountains this time of year are the souls of their dearly departed. The traditions and the magnificent migration of the monarch butterfly that culminate during the Day the Dead festivities are captured in The Butterfly’s Daughter. 

 I like to create a simple ofrenda in honor of my parents and my father-in-law.  I put their photos up amid bright orange marigolds, a decorated skull plus a few items that they loved and each time I pass it during the day I think of them.  Again, memories...  This, to me, is the power of The Day of the Dead.  We remember and talk about those who've departed, and by doing so, we keep their memories alive in our hearts.

This Halloween, rather than just dress up and eat candy, why not share a meaningful activity with your family?  Create an ofrenda.  Get the kids involved. Display favorite photos and treasured items of those special family members, light a candle and then invite the family together to hear stories of your grandmother, grandfather, parents, uncles, aunts.  The poignant stories, the funny ones--they all keep their memories alive!  These are the real treats of this season.  

THE GIFT OF READING

This past week I had the honor and joy of speaking to thousands of high school and college students, many of whom had read either SKYWARD or THE BUTTERFLY'S DAUGHTER for their summer reads program.  Bravo to Principal Rodney Graves at Crest High School in Shelby, NC; Principal Jeff Stevens at Spartanburg High School; Dr. Terry Pruitt of Spartanburg School District 7, SC; and Dr. Colleen Keith at Spartanburg Methodist College and their staff and the entire communities for encouraging strong reading programs!  Especially the summer reads program that included contemporary books the students selected. Use it or lose it doesn't only apply to the brains of older folks. 

The students I talked to were excited about reading. The day I visited Crest High School was the culmination of their summer read program. I walked through the halls while 100 classrooms were filled with students all talking about books! Does that even happen anymore?  It was thrilling to witness.  At Spartanburg High I was part of a panel with students discussing my books. I sat back in awe and listened to them debate plot and characters with emotion. At Spartanburg Methodist College, a two-year college, I was impressed by the commitment of the faculty and staff to support their students so that 80% of the graduates continue on to a four-year college.  An astonishing feat that beats the standard. The faculty and staff of all these institutions are spreading excitement about reading, putting books in students' hands, making reading relevant in their communities.

Yet, literacy begins at home.  Encouraging reading is not only the responsibility of our schools.  We parents and grandparents model behavior for our children-- and that includes reading. Many of us read to our children when they sat in our laps as toddlers or very young readers.  Too often, however, as our children get older we relinquish our role as reading mentor to the teachers.

I challenge parents, grandparents, and concerned relatives to read a book that is being read by your child. Then discuss it! Bring the book discussion to the dinner table.  Unplug the electronics and turn off the TV.  Talk about it in the car.  How often do you ask your child, "How was school?"  And then get the dismissive answer, "Good."  Try asking your child who his/her favorite character was in the book, or did he agree with the choice the character made, did she like the ending or what did she think the characters might do after the book ended?

If we want our children to read, we must read ourselves.  If we want to improve communication with our children and each other, we must create a calm and safe atmosphere that encourages discussion.  As parents, we must listen to and respect our child's opinion, even if--especially if--it differs from our own.  My son and I have polar opposite political opinions. But I love that he feels he can share his ideas and thoughts with us. Books that are read together can be a great jumping off point for discussions.  You'll be amazed, as I was this past week, by some of the strong voices and opinions you will hear!

High school and college are golden years.  A time of self discovery and dreams. Of finding one's own voice. Give a child a book and you give him or her the keys to his imagination.  Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis said,

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all."

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. 





Where Have the Monarch Butterflies Gone



Monarch in alfafa field


Many have been reading in local newspapers reports on the sightings of monarch butterflies as they fly south by the millions to their overwintering grounds in Mexico. What I’m not seeing, however, is mention of the sad reality of the crisis monarchs are facing.

The trend of decreasing numbers of monarchs has been going on for decades. The reasons for this are largely the disappearing milkweed across the great American prairies due to loss of open prairies, the heavy use of herbicides, and genetically altered crops. “We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of acres of land that are virtually sterilized except for human food crops,” said Lincoln Brower, professor of biology at Sweet Brier College who has been studying monarchs for decades.

To compound this problem, in 2009 fierce storms ravaged the sanctuaries and, coupled with the problem of illegal logging, devastated the monarch population from 50-70 %. Now the smallest population on record is on the wing, flying south to the sanctuaries--and they must pass through Texas.

Unfortunately severe drought and wildfires there have torched much of the vegetation and flowers. According to Chip Taylor, Univ. of Kansas and director of Monarch Watch, “They’re going to be encountering a thousand miles of hell as they go through a nearly waterless, flowerless, nectarless landscape.”

Whether the butterflies will arrive in the sanctuaries with enough weight to survive the winter is a serious concern.

What can we do to help save the monarch butterfly? Plant nectar flowers and do not spray them with insecticide. Plant milkweed (Asclepius) in the early spring. Milkweed is the monarch’s host plant, the only plant on which a monarch lays her eggs and the sole food of the caterpillar. By dedicating a small sunny area in our yards and parks for butterfly-friendly plants and flowers we can support the monarch during it migrations.

Milkweed is available at many local nurseries. This past year I’ve given away 10,000 free milkweed seeds. I’ll offer them again for spring planting. If anyone wants a free packet of milkweed seeds, contact me on my website or Facebook. Together, we can help the marvelous phenomenon of the monarch migration continue for future generations.

With Greater Appreciation

It’s National Hispanic Heritage Month, going on now through October 15, and I’ve been reflecting on my novel THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER. If you’ve read it then you know that the culture, landscape and mythology of Mexico were essential elements to the story. My main character Luz knew so little about her ancestors’ traditions. As she travels south across the Great Plaines States to her family seat high in the mountains of Mexico, Luz is following the same route as the millions of migrating monarch butterflies to their overwintering sanctuaries. The parallels of the human and wildlife’s sacred journeys were an inspiration to me as I wrote.

The writing of this book was a journey for me, as well. I learned to raise monarchs, I took a trip to Michoacán, Mexico to the butterfly sanctuaries, I studied Aztec myths. Everywhere I turned I discovered a rich source to plumb for my novel. When I finished, I had not only gained a greater appreciation for monarch butterflies, but also for the Mexican culture. Let me share with you some of the aspects that I found fascinating.

• The Day of the Dead is a major holiday in Mexico. In the United States, it is often mistakenly perceived as a ghoulish, Halloween type of holiday like we celebrate here. El Dia de los Muertos is a deeply spiritual holiday that coincides both with a phenomenal event in nature and the Catholic All Souls Day, a day of solemn prayer for all dead people. Imagine the powerful significance of a celebration that blends culture, nature, and religion! This year my sisters and I are building our own altar, or ofrenda, for our parents, sharing our personal stories with our offerings.

The Mexican holiday known as the Day of the Dead on November 1 and 2 corresponds with the arrival of the bulk of the monarchs to the overwintering sites in Michoacán. Locals consider the monarch butterflies to be the souls or spirits of departed relatives that have returned for an annual visit.

The white store-fronts were topped with tile roofs and window trims as bright as the peppers and tomatoes sold in the open market. The town was decorated with festive streamers looped between the buildings, their plastic colored flags flapping in the breeze. Locals thronged the sidewalks, carrying baskets overflowing with orange flowers, bread, sweets and traditional foods for the Day of the Dead. ~Chapter 22, The Butterfly’s Daughter

• Mexico is blessed with an incredibly rich and diverse landscape. There is a cornucopia of nature—migrating birds, whales, turtles, insects. The list is long. It’s no wonder that the Aztecs have always revered nature. The state of Michoacán where the monarch butterfly sanctuaries are located is mountainous and remote. Many of the villages and towns maintain their traditions.

• I have a new appreciation for the Mexican arts. Mexico is well known for its silver, but did you know that many of the great silver mines have closed? I visited Santa Clara del Cobre a town known for copper artisans. The art of making copper sinks is an ancient tradition. I had to have a gorgeous, small hand hammered copper sink which my darling husband carried home. I truly fell in love with the pottery, from the famous Televara to the intricate, vibrant green pineapple pots. There is so much art! Wood, clay, paper mache, contemporary, religious…. Seeing the artisans in Michoacán left a lasting impression, as did the genuine friendliness of the Mexican people there.

• The food! We all think of Mexican food as burritos, tacos, etc. that we buy at a restaurant or get from a can. I promise you, eating fresh, homemade tortillas with homemade refried beans and fresh salsa and guacamole…. There is no comparison! Some of the best meals I had were at tiny tiendas eating fresh off the grill. When I wrote about Abuela’s cooking and her baskets full of avocados, lemons, and lime I am reporting what I saw in the villages. Below I am sharing with you my recipe for refried pinto beans. It’s not hard and you will taste for yourself the difference.

From these experiences and so much more, I have developed a greater appreciation of Mexico and her people. I hope when you read THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER that you will enjoy the peek of an American girl’s journey to this beautiful country.

Refritos

2 c. raw pinto beans
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 c. minced green pepper
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. coriander (optional)
3 Tbsp. olive oil for sautéing peppers and onions.

Cook beans (over-cooking is desirable). Reduce liquid. Mash beans with potato masher.  Heat oil in skillet. Add onions, garlic and peppers and cook till translucent. Add cumin, salt and pepper at beginning of cooking.  Add mashed beans to veggies and seasoning and mix well. If too soupy, may be reduced over low heat at this point. Serve hot. Feeds 4-6 people.

Home, Thankful and Writing Again

I’m home now with toes in the sand beginning my next book.  In this quiet time, I’m also reflecting on the beautiful and creative people I met on this long adventurous tour.

First, I thank all the booksellers for graciously welcoming me to their stores, celebrating my birthday with a party and genuinely supporting my work.

Thank you to the readers who came to hear me speak at breakfasts, luncheons, teas or just at the front of the store. In my presentation, I spoke of how amazed I was during the writing of The Butterfly’s Daughter that so many people came to tell me their own butterfly experiences.

The Mexican culture believes that the souls of the dearly departed return home every fall on the wings of a monarch butterfly. This is the Day of the Dead celebration, a time of somber yet joyous welcoming home of the beloved. So when my readers shared with me how a butterfly came to them after the death of a loved one—at the funeral, in a park, etc.—I was deeply moved.  Joseph Campbell said that all great myths are rooted in truth. I believe this is so.  Thank you to all who shared with me these beautiful heartfelt stories.

I also want to thank everyone who requested milkweed seeds or emailed me photos of their milkweed in the garden. You are making a difference. The response to my free milkweed seeds effort was overwhelming and proves what I’ve always said—my readers care! On my website you’ll find links to organizations that will help you raise milkweed and caterpillars.

I’ve parked the car in the garage, unpacked the suitcase, made myself a cup of coffee and I’m back at my desk. Interestingly, I’m not exhausted. Meeting all of you, traveling to your cities and towns—connecting-- has energized me. The characters of Lovie and Cara and Russell are now calling to me. They are coming alive in my mind and I’m eager to share this powerful story with you. Please keep your letters and comments coming. I read each one. My love to you all!

10,000 seeds of change

The book tour just finished.  What an incredible adventure!  As some of you know, when I set out on this five-week adventure promoting THE BUTTERFLY'S DAUGHTER, I also began a personal mission to help save monarch butterflies by pledging to get 10,000 milkweed seeds into readers' hands during book tour.  I had no idea that I would receive such a tremendous response from readers.  It was amazing! I was inundated with requests for milkweed seed packets.  Thanks to the volume of readers eager to plant this vital monarch food source I actually surpassed my 10,000 seed goal, even before the tour was finished. 

"Plant a seed. Make a difference," was my motto.  Monarch butterflies have been struggling to survive in the U.S., in part because their habitat has been disappearing due to development.  Milkweed is the only food source for monarch caterpillars.

For anyone interested in growing milkweed, I recommend that you visit http://www.livemonarch.org/ where you can request free seeds.  But at this point in the butterfly season, my advice is to order the milkweed starter plants on that site.  They're cheap and you'll get a 45 day jump on the season.  It's worth it.  The sooner you have milkweed in bloom, the sooner you can enjoy seeing monarchs in your yard.  I ordered quite a few rooted milkweed cuttings from Live Monarch and have had great success. 

Do you have milkweed growing in your yard?  What's your monarch butterfly experience so far?

This Ain't the Lowcountry

Book tour is going wonderfully well.  I'm in Florida right now and then move on to events in South Carolina, North Carolina, Illinois and Kansas for the next several days.

Today, I thought I'd answer a question on the minds of readers who know me best for my books that are set in coastal South Carolina. 

Q:  Many of your novels have been based on Southern landscape and culture. What compelled you to take a break from the norm and write about the Mexican culture and the Midwest?

A:  I didn’t take a break. Rather, when I set the stage for a novel I have to determine how to best bring my readers to the story world. For The Butterfly’s Daughter, I wanted to mirror the monarch butterfly’s migration—it had to be a road trip! So I began in the north, Milwaukee, and the girls traveled the same direct route a monarch would--across the Midwest, through Texas (a fine southern state!) all the way to Mexico. So in fact, I went farther south than in any previous book.

If you have questions you want me to answer about the novel post them in the comment box and I'll answer them as soon as I can.

By the way, I'll be heading Texas later this month for signing events in Dallas and Austin.  See the complete book tour schedule at http://www.maryalicemonroe.com/.

It's Fiesta Time

Wow!  The day has finally arrived for THE BUTTERFLY'S DAUGHTER.  The book release date comes just ahead of the Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo, and it's rather fitting.  The main character of my novel is a young American woman of German-Mexican descent.  And the story culminates in Central Mexico at the breathtaking site of the monarch butterfly sanctuary. 

In honor of the new book release and Cinco de Mayo festivities this week, I'm sharing with you a delicious refried beans recipe from a Moosewood cookbook that I've whipped up many times for family, friends and my book club.  It's a perfect dish for any fiesta! 

Refritos

2 c. raw pinto beans

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. chopped onion

3 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 c. minced green pepper

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. coriander (optional)

3 Tbsp. olive oil for sauteing peppers and onions.

Cook beans (over-cooking is desirable).  Reduce liquid.  Mash beans with potato masher. 

Heat oil in skillet.  Add onions, garlic and peppers and cook till translucent.  Add cumin, salt and pepper at beginning of cooking.

Add mashed beans to veggies and seasoning and mix well.  If too soupy, may be reduced over low heat at this point. 

Serve hot.  Feeds 4-6 people. 

5 Weeks, 29 Stops

In less than a week, I’ll hit the road for THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER book tour. It will be a five-week adventure filled with 29 stops in both the big cities and charming towns from Chicago to Ocean Isle, Austin to Hartsville, and Kansas City to Amelia Island. I will feel much like a migrating monarch when the tour is over!

I look forward to meeting new readers, re-connecting with others from book tours past, and sharing in conversations with guests during book tour events. I cherish all of the stories shared and friendships made. I may not remember everyone’s name, or immediately recall each face. But I treasure the experience to interact with readers.

And this time, I’ll have something extra special to give readers in an effort to help save the monarch butterfly. My mission is to hand out 10,000 milkweed seeds during book tour. If everyone plants their seeds, the small effort will make a big difference in helping sustain the monarch population. Milkweed is the only plant on which a monarch will lay her eggs. And the monarch is the only bug species that migrates thousands of miles each year across the United States, like that of a whale or a bird.

Will you join me in helping save the monarch butterfly?

THE MONARCH AND THE AFTERLIFE

Have you ever experienced the presence of a deceased loved one through nature? Maybe it was the kind gesture of a total stranger that came when you prayed for a sign from above. Or it was a bird that landed nearby and peered at you the moment you began thinking of that loved one.
The monarch butterfly has a centuries-old symbolic connection to the afterlife in many cultures. I was fascinated by this fact, and so I started asking people about their personal experiences. I was amazed to discover how many said they’d had a personal connection with a butterfly after a loved one died. Perhaps at the funeral, or later when they thought of the person, a butterfly appeared.

So I included this element in my new novel, THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER, through a few of my characters who have there own experiences with the comforting presence of a deceased loved one during a monarch sighting. Little did I know that shortly after writing those scenes I too would have my own experience.

The lingering butterfly

My father-in-law passed away during the writing of this book. My son and I ceremoniously released three butterflies I had raised in his honor. Two flew promptly away, as they all want to do. But one butterfly lingered for a long time, alighting on my arm and my son for a long time. He seemed reluctant to leave. I was astonished. It was just as I’d described it in my novel! I released many butterflies that summer but this was the only time one lingered so long. It was memorable and poignant. I believe we have connections with nature that we simply do not understand.

Have you had a similar experience with a butterfly?

YOUR QUESTIONS, MY ANSWERS

Three weeks until the book tour!

During my events I always enjoy the questions readers ask about my novels, my conservation work or my life. So, to answer questions for all, I’m going to periodically do a question-answer session on my blog. Those questions can spark some interesting conversation. Here are two questions submitted to me through my facebook fan page.

Debra McKay Hearne asked: Which of your books is your favorite and why?

The book I just finished writing is always my favorite! I devote so much time and effort to the creation of the book that I feel so connected to it. Thus, right now, THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER is my favorite. I’d wanted to write a novel set against butterflies for years. Who doesn’t love butterflies?

As I began researching butterflies, however, the monarch stood out among all of them. It’s the only insect that migrates like a bird or a whale! Every fall this brave, fragile creature travels thousands of miles across the country to reach their overwintering grounds in Mexico. Then in the spring, they journey north again.

Once I fully understood the majesty of the monarch’s migration and visited the monarch sanctuaries in Mexico and witnessed the magic there that I fully committed to the monarch. From that trip and the many months of research— including learning to tag butterflies, creating a butterfly habitat in my yard, and raising them from egg to butterfly for release--- I found myself transformed as a writer, and fully able to appreciate the power of transformation that lies within us all.

Patricia Miles Burris and Lynda Young Chapleau both want to know: What do you plan to write about next?

I can’t let the cat out of the bag entirely just yet. But I will say that anyone who fell in love with sea turtles after reading THE BEACH HOUSE and SWIMMING LESSONS will especially love this little tidbit of information. You’ll soon learn more about the secrets surrounding Lovie Rutledge and the Primrose Cottage. I’m writing the book now and will continue all summer.  Stay tuned for more details.

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

 

28: The number of days until the release of my new novel, THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER

In stores May 3

27: The number of cities and towns I’ll be visiting during book tour

17: The number of times I’ll be sleeping in a hotel bed

10,000: The number of milkweed seeds I plan to hand out as my personal mission to save the monarch butterfly.

  

Yes, that is 10,000 seeds! Will you join me in this effort? I’ll be giving out seed packets, that I’ve pieced together myself while watching episodes of American Idol, to every reader I meet during book tour. To get yours, take a look at the list of appearances on my website, find the location that’s closest to you, and then come out to buy a copy of THE BUTTERFLY’S DAUGHTER and say hello.

 

Milkweed is the only plant on which monarch butterflies lay their eggs, but the supply has been severely impacted by development. Everyone has the power to help save this beautiful winged creature right from your own backyard. Plant milkweed and save monarchs!

I can’t wait to meet my readers and hear your stories during book tour. See you soon!