Mary Kathleen Mehuron
Mary Kathleen Mehuron is a career educator who made a splash with her first book, Fading Past, an autobiographical novel whose protagonist, like Mary Kathleen, grew up Irish-Catholic in New Jersey. The Opposite of Never is Mary Kathleen’s second book, and to finish it, she traveled alone to Havana in January 2015 in order to experience the city before it became Americanized. Mary Kathleen lives in a ski town in Vermont where they call her Kathy. This is where she and her husband raised three sons, and she is a columnist and writes novels and non-fiction books to raise money for her nonprofit Take Me Back. The mission is to raise awareness about and money for showcasing the history of the Mad River Valley. She also takes extended time to work on her novels on Grand Turk Island, Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, and Savannah.
And now comes her tour de force—Down on the South Beach Drag—on Simon and Schuster now!
quotes and testimonials
Down on the South Beach Drag
"In Down on the South Beach Drag, aspiring photographer Maeve meets the jaded Jersey Shore. All glitter and grit, Asbury Park simmers with carnal heat and carnie freaks. The Shore Sound is rising, innocence is falling as heroes easy to like and villains easier to hate fuel a steaming—and unforgettable—summer of initiation. This is coming of age like it once was and always should be!"
—New York Times Bestselling Author James M. Tabor of Blind Descent, The Deep Zone and Forever on the Mountain. He is also a winner of the O. Henry Award for short fiction.
"In the 1970s, eighteen-year-old Maeve O'Connor travels to a tired, out-of-the-way resort in Asbury Park, New Jersey hoping to spend her summer honing her photography skills, but she finds so much more than she ever expected. As Maeve settles into her summer home, a place filled with a diverse cast of counter-culture characters, she embraces the alternative lifestyle she discovers. This engaging story is full of quirky characters, unpredictable twists, a beautiful love story, and even an appearance by Bruce Springsteen. Mehuron's novel shines as it showcases the wonders of living outside-the-box. A joy to read!"
—Jacqueline Friedland, USA Today bestselling USA best-selling author of He Gets That From Me and The Stock Letters.
"I loved this coming-of-age story and its brazen heroine! Down on the South Beach Drag will transport you to a time and place when societal norms were a barrier for the wild hearts and talents of blossoming artists and free spirits. Thank heavens not everyone stayed behind those barriers! This unique novel is filled with lovable, wild, and unique characters and a storyline that will make you stand up and cheer.”
—Kris Radish, bestselling Author of The Year of Necessary Lies.
"Mehuron's Down on the South Beach Drag is a captivating journey of self-discovery set against the vibrant backdrop of 1970s Asbury Park. With a unforgettable kaleidoscope of characters and a story that tugs at your heart, this is a must-read for anyone who’s ever dared to really chase their dreams."
—Marley Gibson, best-selling author of Radiate and the Ghost Hunter Series.
“Ms. Mehuron’s latest novel is a work of art. She tells the story of a young girl who is exploring her identity and self-worth as she prepares to make her way in the world. Maeve struggles with the desire to begin her adult life on her own terms as she struggles with the baggage of having been a sheltered youth from a strict Irish Catholic household. She yearns for the opportunity to capture six unique images which are the key to her future as a photographer. Down on the South Beach Drag can be your next favorite “Beach Read”. It can be enjoyed as you dig your feet into the sand and allow Mary Kathleen to share with you what it was like to be young at the Jersey shore of the 1970’S. Mehuron has crafted this novel to be read in large gulps or in long, indulging sips. The pace of the book is rapid, the language crisp and familiar. Her character are round, complex and totally engaging. If you allow the story to linger on the pallet, and be absorbed by all of your senses, you will appreciate the rich, bold flavors of a story well told. There are notes of cotton candy and stale beer, a touch of bitterness, and a lovely bouquet of optimism. The smooth finish that lingers long after you have drained the glass, speaks to the talents of the vintner. Lift a glass and toast the bounty of her harvest! Chin, chin.”
—Super Fan John Student
The Belonger
“The warm breezes of the Caribbean, a wild hurricane, and a woman who finds her own power and becomes an unwitting heroine. Readers of this entertaining novel will be transported to a magical place where great loss and sacrifice pave the way to an unexpected love and life.”
—Kris Radish, author of Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral and The Year of Necessary Lies
“The Belonger’s Caribbean goes from idyllic to horrific as restaurateur Holly Walker struggles to survive a monster hurricane that attacks Grand Turk island. Storms of another kind erupt as love in paradise turns to love in the ruins, with a wicked plot twist that delivers more men than Holly can handle. This is a straight-shot read from start to finish, so Caribbean-real you almost expect sand to shake from the pages.”
—James M. Tabor, author of Blind Descent and The Deep Zone
“The Belonger is a romantic fiction set on the beautiful, tranquil Island of Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, before, during, and after a devastating hurricane. The author fills her story with such intrigue, emotional intensity, and freshness, drizzled with good-natured, hilarious banter and colorful descriptions throughout. An entertaining read that I recommend to anyone who loves the islands and enjoys relaxing in the sun with a cool drink and a good book.”
—Debby-Lee V. Smith Mills, coauthor of Things Mummy Used to Say
“The Belonger is a satisfying journey full of rich, realistic characters whose plights and challenges have you cheering for them as if they were family. Mehuron's crisp, descriptive writing draws you in and leaves you with memories so real you might just find sand in your toes.”
—Marley Gibson, best-selling author of The Ghost Huntress series and Radiate
Take Me Back: An Anecdotal History of the Mad River Valley
“Only after I had moved to the Mad River Valley did it begin to dawn on me what a unique place this is. It’s partly the topography, but it’s really the unique set of people who have chosen to live here, enjoying The Valley’s recreation, business opportunities and social life. Mary Kathleen Mehuron’s new book, Take Me Back, is a valentine to The Valley’s history since the ski slopes appeared. Stories of The Valley’s entrepreneurs, characters, residents, and visitors, famous and infamous, past and present, are thankfully recorded for posterity in book form. The numerous photographs and illustrations of people and places many will recognize are reproduced on a heavy paper stock reminiscent of a coffee table book. This is a good thing, since the pages will be revisited over and over again: The Warren Fourth of July parade, the Snuggery, the evolution of Sugarbush and Mad River Glen, the Bluetooth, Wood and Wood, The Warren Store – Take Me Back should be required reading for all newcomers. You can open to any page, go forward or back—it doesn’t matter: It’s all an enjoyable kind of ambling around in The Valley itself. This book is as local as it can get. Its source material, text, photographs, illustrations, design and funding were all provided locally. Production was largely done by volunteers. I was introduced to a wide range of wonderful people, locals and transplants, who mostly shared one trait: living life out of the box in an area they passionately love. I heard stories: so many stories—some heartwarming, some hilarious, and others wild and improbable, but true. All of them confirmed that the Mad River Valley is truly special. Proceeds from the sale of this book will support Valley organizations and initiatives. Overseen by a new nonprofit, Take Me Back, it has a mission to, ‘create products that raise awareness of and money for organizations in the Mad River Valley that want to showcase our history.’ Purchase a book by emailing marykathleenmehuron@gmail.com.” A special book for a special valley.
—Mike Noble