Mary Alice Monroe
Talks about Shorebirds …
and a Whole Lot More!
Story and photographs by Shauneen Hutchinson
M
ary Alice Monroe is a nationally
recognized author who makes her home
on the nearby Isle of Palms. Her novels
have routinely made the New York Times
bestseller list, and she has inspired an impressive following of
faithful readers. In April of 2017 she was named to the South
Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. Best of all, she has never
been content to rest on her ability to attract an appreciative
audience. Not only does she use her talent to entertain her
readers with tales of love and intrigue, she invariably weaves
relevant information about the natural world into her sagas,
providing education and inspiration. More importantly, Mary
Alice lives what she learns and features in her writing. She is a
passionate conservationist who has spent long hours walking
the beach on turtle patrol, volunteering as a rescuer of injured
birds and researching ways to protect dolphins and monarch
butterflies.
Happily for all of us, Mary Alice is a devoted friend of the
Kiawah Conservancy. She was featured in Cynthia Neal’s
documentary film about loggerhead turtles shown at our
2015 symposium and participated in that event. This year she
will once again participate in our annual symposium, and
the topic could not be more fitting—shorebirds, the natural
phenomenon featured in her latest book, Beach House for
Rent. The official launch of this lovely book took place in June
on Kiawah Island where Mary Alice spoke about her personal
experiences with shorebirds, particularly her beloved
pelicans. Beach House for Rent debuted at number nine on
the New York Times “e-book and print” best sellers list and
received a starred review in the Library Journal. The reviewer
observed, “Readers interested in environmental fiction
highlighting endangered birds, turtles, and lands will delight
in this latest novel featuring women who need the healing
power of nature.”
We caught up with Mary Alice during her current book
tour, and she graciously responded to our questions:
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Naturally Kiawah