Marti Healy: The Rhythm of Selby
Book Club Discussion
August 21, 2009. Queenie C is delighted to discuss
The Rhythm of Selby with author, Marti Healy.
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
I
know that Selby is a fictional town, but do you live in or have you ever visited a town like Selby? Where did the idea for Selby originate?
This
entire novel is based on my own real life experiences when I first moved to Aiken, SC. So Selby is a thinly veiled real little town. I write a
column for the Aiken Standard, and have since I first moved here, so many of the experiences in the book were first documented as my columns.
These gave me the basic "outline" for the book, as it traces my first year in Aiken. Of course, there must be a little "tension" and "plot" and
"dialogue" to a novel, so much of that is made up. Most of the experiences and places and people start with reality, and then segue into my imagination.
Also, I know there are far too many characters than are necessary to "drive the plot" of the story but if you were my friend and wanted to be in
my book .... well, I put you in my book (you were even able to make up your own name). It made the entire process great fun! Part of the fun for
my local readers has been to try to figure out who is who and what is real and what is made up. Hopefully, readers from outside the area will just
enjoy a good story.
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
I
was hoping for a romantic relationship to blossom between Macy and Jonathan. I could've sworn that I felt the sparks between them! Why didn't it
happen?
You
aren't alone in that opinion! But one thing I've learned since entering my 50s (and beyond) is that you don't always have to have a typical "romance"
relationship for it to still be "romantic." You can have wonderful friendships and flirtations that go on for years. To me, these are often much
more fun and satisfying than typical, expected involvements. I believe my audience may understand that, and get a kick out of it, too. And both
Macy and Jonathan are terribly independent. And it's a small town; they know neither of them is going anyplace soon. Besides, who knows what may
happen if Selby should warrant a sequel?
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
"Everyone
has to have a homemade recipe for mayonnaise, you know." Do you have a homemade recipe for mayonnaise that you are willing to share with our BCQ
readers? If not, what is your favorite homemade recipe?
I
am afraid this, alone, may keep me from ever becoming a true Southerner. I cannot cook anything! I can slow-cook in my crock pot, but that's
about it. It's another thing I love about living in the South when you host a dinner party, everyone brings something. So all I do is set the
table and have someone else "man the grill" the rest is fabulous, because I tell each guest what type of food to bring. It's the perfect way to
entertain.
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
"Do
you believe a place can have its own distinct rhythm?" What is the rhythm of your town?
As
you quoted from the prologue of my book, you know I do believe every place has its own distinct rhythm and you are either in or out of sync with
it. This was taken from an early column I wrote about living in Aiken. So it is, in fact, a complete description of my own real hometown's
rhythm. I've lived here for five years now, and I love its rhythm and pace and cadence every bit as much now as the first day I felt it.
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
There
were some religious mentions and ghost sightings in this story. Where do you stand in regards to religion and ghost sightings? How did they add
to the allure of the town?
In
the book, Macy is an author of a book called The God-Dog Connection, things I've learned about God and faith from the dogs and cats in my life.
This is an actual book that I wrote before I wrote Selby. As I said, the book is based a great deal on reality. It was fun using the actual title
of the earlier book in the Selby book. I am very strong in my faith which is rather mainstream protestant (just like Macy, I belonged to the
Methodists in Indiana, but joined the First Presbyterian Church when I moved south). The God-Dog Connection book is very gentle and straight
forward and shows how our animals can teach us great lessons about faith and right living, if we just pay attention.
Relative to ghosts and fairies and magic and all I try not to "disbelieve" in anything. I find them great fun, don't you? And I really don't
find them conflicting to my faith and religious beliefs in any way. Some of the ghost stories in the novel are based on real ghost stories of
Aiken like the post office ghost. But the story that results from that in my book is totally made up. As I said, it's quite a mixture of reality
and imagination and fun. Many of the characters are real, many are composites, many are purely my imagination. Of course no real self-respecting
town of the American South would ever be without its ghost and ghost stories. It just isn't done! So they had to be an integral part of my story.
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
Can
you tell us what you are working on next?
I've
recently completed a manuscript called Walking With Dogs: A Spiritual Journey. The reader of The Rhythm of Selby will meet one of
my current dogs, Sophie (and that is her real name). I have since taken in another stray (the only way I get my dogs) and his name is Teddy. My
daily walks with them and the spiritual thoughts or considerations I had during these times with them in the woods and the horse district and
other inspirational places around town -- led to this book. They are a collection of real stories/experiences. Obviously animal-based and faith-focused.
A bit similar to The God-Dog Connection type of book.
I am now also about 2/3 of the way through with a new novel the title has not yet been decided. It is quite different from my earlier books rather
mystical and, I hope, also rather intriguing and touching and still fun. I'll tell you more about it later, when it's closer to publication.
I'm sorry I don't have publication dates for either at this time but thanks for asking!
Book Club Discussion: Interview with Marti Healy
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