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Timely Summer Read: Author Mary Alice Monroe
Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: 2021/05 – May
Author Mary Alice Monroe will illuminate the timely and timeless lessons embedded within her new novel, The Summer of Lost and Found, with a pair of presentations, May 28 and 29.
Mary Alice Monroe
Best-selling author Mary Alice Monroe has just released a here-and-now book titled The Summer of Lost and Found.
Monroe will be discussing the new novel as well as her writing process on May 28 at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library, and on May 29 at Hudson Library in Highlands.
Although Monroe resides on the South Carolina coast, the Plateau is a favorite destination.
No doubt, fans and new readers alike will enjoy The Summer of Lost and Found, which explores pandemic dynamics as it relates to families: “forced isolation, economic strain, around-the-clock togetherness.”
She added, “From that examination emerged two main themes – letting go and living in the present. Doing both gives us fresh eyes to see our world around us. And oftentimes, you discover treasures in your life that you had not realized during the busyness and demands of daily life.”
An author’s journey involves not only self-discovery, but also history, culture, and the human spirit.
Monroe explained, “Writing The Summer of Lost and Found during 2020 was an experience like no other. When I write, I typically plot out the major details of every chapter before I write a single word. But not with this book. I wrote in real-time, and it was a roller coaster writing journey, much like our daily life journeys throughout the year.”
Even though some people may not consider reading about Covid-19 ideal summer literary escapism, Monroe urges readers to consider her stories are nature-oriented getaways; plus, “there are always lessons to learn, truths to uncover, and treasures to be found in the ashes of chaos and uncertainty.”
She is considered an effective writer who draws in her audience because of her ability to introduce characters and situations with whom readers can relate.
Monroe commented: “I believe it’s important to write what you know because it’s authentic to you through knowledge or personal experience. It doesn’t mean to write about your own life per se, but to draw inspiration and details from the compilation of your life’s experiences and the menagerie of people you meet along your journey.”
In fact, Monroe has been stretching her writer’s talents with the June 15 publication of her first middle school novel, The Islanders. It’s set on tiny Dewees Island in South Carolina and it involves a lonely 11-year-old boy finding himself and forging friendships that will carry him through a tumultuous family life.
Her talks at the libraries on May 28 and 29 are free to the public.
