In 1817 Charleston, two outcasts find an unlikely sanctuary in each other. Bebo, a fifteen-year-old healer's son stolen from Africa, and Saoirse, a young Irish immigrant serving a pretentious mistress, are bound by a shared sadness that blossoms into a forbidden love. But their refuge is short-lived. When their daughter, June, is born with "a little brown" skin, the resulting outrage tears the family apart. Bebo is sold away, and Saoirse, broken by isolation, leaves her child in the cabins of enslaved people. Clutching a carved wooden lion-the only remnant of a love never meant to survive--she disappears
Fast-forward to 1845, and the legacy of that union lives on through June's sons, George and Gee. George, a light-skinned young man who "hated before he thought," struggles to navigate a world that views his appearance as a frightening anomaly. Beside him is his eight-year-old brother, Gee, who is learning the heavy weight of fear while remaining fiercely dedicated to protecting the big brother who is his entire world.
Their lives collide with Pauline, a survivalist kidnapped from her family and desperate to escape a bitter tracker, Freejack. When a catastrophic accident at the Marse plantation threatens George's life, the young souls must navigate a treacherous landscape of racial tension, violence, and the impending shadows of the Civil War.
Swimming Through Mud is a sweeping, multi-generational saga exploring the enduring power of the human spirit. It is a story of those who "deserve a good life on earth" but must fight every step of the way to claim it. From the shackles of Charleston to the revolutionary whispers of the South, this novel is a testament to bravery, perseverance, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
About the Author :
After retiring from a career devoted to developing transit projects, RoseMary Covington Morgan began her writing career in 2019. Since then, several of her short stories have been published, including The Song in the anthology Storytellers-Tales from the Rio Vista Writers' Group, School Shopping, 'Twas, and My Big Red Shadow in the Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA)anthology publications and two poems in NCPA publications. Also, The California Writer's Club published her short story Minnow Mildred in their 2022 literary journal, Visions.
RoseMary was born in St.Louis, MO, and has lived in Peoria, IL, Cleveland, OH, and the Washington DC area. She currently lives in Elk Grove, CA.
