When Kent Narrows Sail and Power Squadron (KNSPS) member Lauren Monroe isn’t out on the water or meeting new club friends, she makes stuff up. Really! Recently, the Eastern Shore resident and published novelist took some time to answer our questions.
What brought you to the water and what kind of boating do you do?
Water settings have influenced my entire life. I was born in Pittsburgh, PA, home to three rivers, and spent every summer at Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland. I learned to drive a motorboat long before a car. Sometimes, I accompanied my father on his Flying Scot. My husband Bob and I moved to Montgomery County in 2001, and shortly thereafter, we discovered coastal towns along the Eastern Shore. We own a Grady White and use it for pure recreational boating, and my husband and sons fish off of it at times.
What’s the best part about belonging to a boating club?
Joining clubs is a great way to meet people when you move to a new community. I love to hear other KNSPS club members tell of their journeys… Growing up by a lake each summer, I saw plenty of unsafe boating practices. Being part of a boating club helps everyone to boat safely and pick up information, take classes, and enjoy the camaraderie of those with similar interests. When we volunteered at the boat show in 2013, I had just started writing my novel series. I was on a mission to find the right visuals when I created my character Steve’s boat. I found just the right one that didn’t convey vast wealth but was... well, cozy enough for him and Maren, a heroine with such an appropriate nautical name!
Do your books feature water and boating?
I created my women’s fiction series with a Chesapeake and nautical setting. “Letting Go: Book One of The Maryland Shores” takes place south of Annapolis, but with scenes also set in Washington, DC. “Second Chances: Book Two of The Maryland Shores” is set on both Western and Eastern Shores, with journeys elsewhere (no spoilers) and an ending which culminates in Ocean City. To learn more, visit laurenmonroenovels.com or facebook.com/lauren.monroe.novels
