The Secret Child

A timeless tale, written in a very lyrical style, The Secret Child appeals to a wide range of ages; one of those favorite books cherished by more than one generation. Set in 1855, the central character is a thirteen-year-old girl, Marika--an Irish Traveller--running between her thribli, or clan, in Boston and her arranged marriage with a gypsy leader named Jacko in the Midlands of South Carolina. Marika's five-year-old brother Danny is with her, but falls ill and dies on the journey. Cautiously, she allows herself to form relationships with a free black man, Joseph, and a Quaker woman, Maggie. The book interweaves highly unexpected subjects and issues, such as slavery, human rights, and other harsh realities of 19th century South Carolina, along with a mystical, light-and-shadows world of ''Fairies'' who inhabit a nearby heavily forested Carolina Bay. The Fairies of the Carolina Bay have an ancient Celtic history; no tiny wings and fairy dust, these are true spirits of the woods. The Fairies accept Marika to live among them until she can determine what she wants for her future. She is pursued relentlessly and cruelly by the gypsy Jacko, befriended with great loyalty by Joseph and Maggie, and protected unwaveringly by the spirits of the forest. But, in the end, it is up to her to decide between her realities.

Marti Healy has been a writer for most of her professional life, including many years as the multi-award-winning Senior Writer for The Design Group. She currently contributes a regular column to The Aiken Standard, her hometown newspaper, and is also the author of The God-Dog Connection and The Rhythm of Selby. She speaks regularly to organizations, book clubs, and book festivals on the topics of her books and her writing career.