Author's passion for South Carolina coast, turtles inspiration for novels

Mary Alice Monroe's novels reflect her concerns about the Carolina coast - the Aiken Reads discussion selection "Swimming Lessons" focuses on her work with the South Carolina Aquarium and Turtle Hospital, for instance.

Monroe discussed her volunteer work with sea turtles on the beaches of her home in Isle of Palms and how it informed the novel - a sequel to her breakthrough hit "The Beach House" - in a presentation Tuesday evening at the Aiken County Public Library.

The presentation followed an afternoon program Monroe gave for young readers Tuesday afternoon on her children's book "Turtle Summer."

Book signing sessions followed both presentations, with a stock of most of her works provided by event co-sponsor Booklovers Bookstore.

The evening program also included drawings for two signed books, "Sweetgrass" and "Swimming Lessons," sponsored by the library; and a drawing for a package of four tickets to the South Carolina Aquarium with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Turtle Hospital, donated by Monroe as a fundraiser for the aquarium.

"First of all, happy birthday, Aiken!" Monroe said. "When they told me it was Aiken's 175th anniversary and said you'd chosen 'Swimming Lessons' for Aiken Reads, I was truly honored. I was glad in a bittersweet way that this book was chosen, because of what is going on right now in the Gulf. We're always hopeful and always appreciative of any support for the Turtle Hospital, and so far no oil has reached our shores, but the Turtle Teams are ready. So it's good to know you're all learning about turtle rehabilitation now."

"Swimming Lessons" follows a mother and daughter through a summer on the beach working with Big Girl, an ailing sea turtle.

"When I wrote 'The Beach House,' rather than looking for characters or themes, I watched the turtles and let them tell me what the story would be. The hatchling leaves and comes back at maturity, which we now know is 29, 30 years; so I knew it would be a story of return. The mother leaves the hatchling, and I saw abandonment there, so I knew there would be mother-daughter issues. And with turtles there's fecundity - a female sea turtle lays a lot of eggs - so I knew somebody was going to be pregnant," Monroe said.

"'Beach House' changed the way I work. I don't use archetypal themes. I volunteer, I listen, I look for the people's stories I work with. I may not agree with all their attitudes, but I have to be true to their stories," she said. "Then I put it all together, and rather than go out, I go in. I try to find the soul of the story. With 'Swimming Lessons' it was the mother-daughter resolution; the story's question for the heroine is, 'Am I a good mother?' I think that's a pretty universal question."

Monroe's current book is "Last Light over Carolina," and her next novel, "The Butterfly's Daughter," is due in stores in May.

Contact Suzanne Stone at sstone@aikenstandard.com.