(NAPSA)—Sue Monk Kidd has been compared to Harper Lee, and is being hailed as a truly original Southern voice. In herfirst novel, she crafts a captivating story ofselfdiscovery, shared pains andjoys. A coming-of-age story set in 1960s South Carolina, The Secret Life of Bees (Penguin, $14.00) teaches important lessons about life and love. ; Lily has beenliv- =)\ ing on a peach farm “y' with her father # since her mother was killed. Her only real companion has been her “stand-in” mother Rosaleen. When Lily and Ros- aleen have to leave town, they take off toward a town called Tiburon, South Carolina—a name Lily found amid the few possessions left by her mother. There they meet an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters. Lily enters their mesmerizing secret world of bees and honey, and of the Black Madonna whopresides over this household of strong, wise women. Eventually, Lily finds the single thing her heart longs for most. The book is available at your local bookstore—to know more about Sue Monk Kidd log onto www.suemonkkidd.com.
