Mary Monroe will appear at the Five Points West Library on September 16 at 2 p.m. to discuss her new book In Sheep's Clothing. Ms. Monroe is an Alabama native.
an interview with Alabama Author Robert Inman

Tell us a little bit about your background.
I was born in Elba, Alabama and spent most of my youth there. Elba has had an enormous influence on me. When you live in a place where you can observe the same people interacting with each other over time, you can learn a lot about human nature, and that's essential for a storyteller like me.

When did you start writing seriously and how did you break into the ranks of published novelists?
I started writing seriously in the mid-70's. I worked at a public relations job at the University of Alabama while in the Creative Writing program. I began my first novel, Home Fires Burning, while I was working on my MFA. My professor put me in touch with his New York literary agency, and an agent there sold the book to Little, Brown.

What are you currently working on?
I'm currently working on several projects: a stage adaptation of my novel Dairy Queen Days; a children's  Christmas book; and a new novel, tentatively titled The Governor's Lady. I've completed a screen adaptation of Captain Saturday and hope to find a Hollywood studio to produce it. My first stage play, an original musical, Crossroads, is being produced in the months ahead.

Contributed by Leslie West, Bessemer Library