MARY MORONY
APRON STRINGS
MARY MORONY is one of six children. She was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her family’s black maid raised her during a time and place of segregated schools and water fountains, as well as restaurants and movie theaters that prohibited black customers. The mother of four children, she earned a bachelor of arts in English at the University of Virginia, with a concentration in creative writing, when she was in her forties. Morony was inspired to write APRON STRINGS by the relationship she was privileged to have with her family’s maid, who taught her love and acceptance with warmth, humor, and unending patience. The author lives on a farm in Orange County, Virginia, with her husband, four dogs, and her daughter’s cat.
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At seven years old, Sallee Mackey is wary of the grown-ups that populate her Southern world—especially her mother, Ginny—and with good reason.
Ginny is flat out dangerous and not the kind of dangerous that threatens mortal harm, though at times death might be preferred. It’s far worse than that, especially if you cross her in one of her moods. Sallee learns early on to rely on stealth and a watchful eye—skills absolutely essential to living with her family. The one grown-up exception might be Ethel, the black maid who has been with the family for two generations. But even Ethel has secrets. |