Mary Alice Monroe's Beach House Memories

Over the last three years at Azalea, we've been blessed to meet and work with a lot of amazing people. We have been even more fortunate to form friendships with some of said amazing people. One of those is our dear friend and New York Times bestselling author, Mary Alice Monroe. As a guest columnist for the "Literary Note" section of the magazine, Mary Alice has allowed us to share in the research, writing, and launch processes of her last two books, and we can't thank her enough for her support.


On the eve of the launch of her 14th  book, Beach House Memories, the prequel to her bestselling novel, The Beach House, we want to share a little about Mary Alice that you may not know...

Mary Alice Monroe found her true calling in environmental fiction when she moved to coastal South Carolina. Already a successful author, she was captivated by the beauty and fragility of her new home. Her experiences living in the midst of a habitat that was quickly changing gave her a strong and important focus for her books.

The writer of richly textured books that delve into the complexities of interpersonal relationships and the parallels between life and the land, Monroe's novels are published worldwide. She has achieved many "author" lists including the New York Times, USA Today and SIBA. She has also received numerous awards, including several Readers' Choice Awards, the RT Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2008 South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing and was featured at the National Festival of the Book. 

In 2011, The Butterfly's Daughter, which Azalea readers had the opportunity to preview in Mary Alice's first-ever column for us, won the International Book Award for Green Fiction.

An active conservationist, she serves on the Board of the South Carolina Aquarium, The Leatherback Trust and Charleston Literacy Volunteers and lives with her family on one of our neighboring barrier islands.

With that said, we want to invite you, our readers, to attend a special book signing event for Mary Alice's newest book, Beach House Memories, at the historic Timrod Library on Wednesday, May 9 at 6:30 pm.  She will do a short reading, speak about the writing process, answer questions and sign copies of her latest novel.  For more information and to R.S.V.P., contact the Timrod at (843) 871-4600.
 
And don't forget to look for Mary Alice's newest column in the summer edition of Azalea Mag!

-Katie

Tis The Season Oysters

Pine trees and cocoa are great, but a hot steamed oyster and a cold dark beer is why I look forward to winter. And this year I will be popping open that salty goodness with one super-cool oyster knife/bottle opener combo.

This hand forged knife from Georgia Oyster Knife is inspired by the historic ironwork of the Lowcountry. The  steel design with additional bottle-opening bar is the strongest and most unique oyster knife I've seen in a long time.  The knife is a must-have for anyone who appreciates the history, hand made crafts, and of course, beer and oysters! You can both the Original Georgia Kife, as well as the Lowcountry model at Four Green Fields Gallery.

www.fourgreenfieldsgallery.com

117-A Central Avenue  Summerville, SC 29483

(843) 261-7680

Wet Peanuts?

I can not remember a time when I opened my grandfather's fridge and didn't find a bowl of fresh boiled peanuts. I would pull the trash can up to the kitchen table for my shells and eat until I was stuffed. It's fair to say that I love boiled peanuts. But, news to me, apparently they are an acquired taste.

Last weekend my family and I were invited to a friend's neighborhood block party. We were told to bring some drinks and our favorite dish. Naturally we showed up with a cooler of beer and a large bowl heaping with hot boiled peanuts. There was an array of food laid out on a few tables on the edge of the cul-de-sac with everything from potato chips to crab salad. I found a place for me and the peanuts and I dug in. My friend, a recent transplant from the North who will remain nameless, approached me with a look like he just smelled something sour. "What are those?" he said. "Wet peanuts?" I convinced him to try one. It was obvious that he wasn't familiar with this Southern favorite. He held the peanut up to his mouth and squeezed. The brine splashed on his face and the nuts themselves oozed out of the shell. I quickly stopped him from eating it and handed him another, along with a quick lesson on how to eat one. As he put the peanut into his mouth I watched and waited for smile and for him to grab a handful. But it didn't play out as I had expected.

For most, a trash can is an essential part of eating boiled peanuts, but his need for the large green can sitting at the curb was different than mine at my grandfather's house. He didn't like it. Some things never cease to amaze me.

Anything And Everything

When we launched Azalea Magazine nearly two years ago, we had no idea what to expect. With a little uncertainty on how things would progress, we were fixed on what we wanted to accomplish. With a community alive with spirit, Summerville was ready for the spotlight, ready to have her stories told.  And we wanted to do just that. 

Believe me, this has been quite a ride. It’s been tough at times, but I can not image anything else that could be more rewarding. We have gotten to know so many wonderful people, visit all sorts of beautiful places, and tell some amazing and inspiring stories. So with everything steaming forward, we are busier than ever, but we are also driven to do more.

We are so excited about our latest venture. This June we launched the all new AZALEAMAG.COM, a perfect counter part to Azalea Magazine. You are still able to read the articles, shop the Azalea Store and renew your subscriptions, but our new site offers so much more.

Whether you want to know what’s happening Friday night, you need to find the perfect new home, or you want to find out what’s trending this season, AZALEAMAG.COM is the place to look. It truly is anything and  everything Summerville! 

Log on, we’ll see you there. -Will Rizzo