Author Mary Monroe is returning to Lexington, Alabama, in her latest release. I recently spoke with her about Bent but Not Broken.
Tell me about your latest book.
My latest book, Bent but Not Broken, will be released on March 25, 2025. It’s set in Alabama during the Great Depression. The main character, Naomi, is married to a man named Jacob Purcell. He is abusive and unfaithful. She falls in love with another man, and they make plans to run away together. Before they can get away, Naomi’s husband has a stroke and is permanently paralyzed. When she tells her lover she can’t leave her husband now and has to end her affair with him, he begins to stalk her. After a few months, he suddenly stops. When Naomi’s grown daughter comes for a visit to introduce her new fiancé, it turns out to be Naomi’s former lover/stalker. All hell breaks loose.
Why did you decide to write it?
I was stalked by a former lover many years ago, and I still have nightmares about it. I’ve read several books about stalking, but none of them were about black people. I wanted to do a story on this crime from a black woman’s point of view back in the day when there were few or no resources for the victims.
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
My favorite character is Naomi. She is caring and wholesome, but she makes mistakes like everyone else. Despite being the victim of a murderous stalker and having to care for her disabled husband like a baby, Naomi is so resilient and determined, she becomes a much stronger woman.
What was the hardest part about writing the story?
It was hard to come up with a way to get Naomi out of her stalking nightmare. I tried several different ways but finally settled on two. I actually flipped a coin to decide which one to use.
If you were to write a book about your life, what would be the title and why?
I would probably just entitle it: Mary Monroe: My Story.
What would you tell your 16-year-old self?
Get as much education as possible. Knowledge is power and can help you set realistic goals and help you achieve them.
What is something readers would be surprised to know about you?
I never attended college or took any writing classes. My “teachers” were some excellent reference books that I found in bookstores and libraries. They helped me learn how to develop plotlines and characters.
Tell me about a book that changed your life and why.
One book that stands out in my mind is The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest Gaines. It’s a fictional story about a former slave who lives to be a hundred-and-ten years old. On top of struggling from one day to the next, enduring extreme racism and violence; she manages to have a fairly happy and productive life. Her courage and determination still inspire me.
What’s next for you?
Bad Seeds will be released in March 2026. Louise Brooks is one of the nicest, most generous people in town. She loves her fiancé and her best friend and trusts them. What Louise doesn’t know is that these two have dark sides. They are having an affair and plotting to rob her of her hefty life savings. The two schemers don’t know that Louise has a dark side, too. When she finds out the truth about them, she orchestrates a vengeful scheme that will make them pay for their betrayal in a way that nobody could have imagined.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
I hope that more readers of all races support black authors. We write about so many different things; good and bad, but our stories are also entertaining, inspiring, and thought-provoking. An eighty-five-year-old Caucasian man who discovered one of my books in a library now claims to be my #1 fan.
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To learn more about author Mary Monroe, email her, visit her website or connect with her on social media.
Email address: Authorauthor5409@aol.com.
Website: http://www.Marymonroe.org