Summer Reading Trail - July

Sadly, this is the last month of the Summer Reading Trail. You can go directly to the list of US and UK writers by clicking on the illustration, or you can start on the Short Story page on my website. This is a collection of short reads, so if you'd like a three minute break, join us!

My story this month is straight from Summer.
Phoebe Matthews, Epic Award winner
Deja Vu Lover, Vintage Rose

Counting Down to Nowhere to Hide

What with the moving, the renovations, and everything else that interrupts routine, I neglected the calendar. I really have to get my white board mounted on my office wall. It's less than a month to the release of my next book, "NOWHERE TO HIDE" from The Wild Rose Press. I have a million things to do. Sorry if this post is interrupted, but I've got to dash for a bit. While I'm gone, maybe you can poke around the Coming Soon link on my website. I'll be back as soon as I can.

......

Oh, Good. Hi, everyone!

Terry's off running errands and she left her computer on. My name's Colleen McDonald, and I'm going to sneak in for a bit. Don't say anything to her, okay?

Romance Novels: Destroyers of Marriages?

I recently attended an athletic competition and brought along a book, as I always do. My husband was busy with his camera and tripod, taking photos and videos. As I lifted my nose out of the book to see if my son was on the mat yet, the middle-aged man sitting next to me said, “You’re gonna finish that book.”

I replied that I doubted I would finish it before the end of the meet, I was only on page fifty.

He nodded and became absorbed in the performances--I thought.

“That ain’t one of THEM ROMANCE NOVELS, is it?”

I showed him the cover. “No, it’s a Salman Rushdie novel. A LITERARY novel.” Which was slow-going, not nearly as fast a read as one of THEM ROMANCE NOVELS would be.

“Aha.”

I wasn’t in the mood to have a verbal joust with this man, so I didn’t reply: I WRITE THEM ROMANCE NOVELS. I continued to read. Slowly.

“Well,” he continued without any encouragement, “the reason I asked if that was one of THEM ROMANCE NOVELS is because I have a FRIEND. His wife starting bringing THEM ROMANCE NOVELS into the house, getting all kinds of ideas about whatnot, and the next thing he knew, my friend’s wife UP AND LEFT HIM.”

At that point, I looked him in the eye and said, “Methinks it had NOTHING to do with the ROMANCE NOVELS. I would venture to guess there were other issues.”

He gave me a sheepish grin and said, “Yeah, maybe.”

When I recounted the incident to my husband, he said, “He was hitting on you.”

Wow. What a great pick up line. Not.

But it did get me wondering. Is there a muttering mob of men out there who truly believe that THEM ROMANCE NOVELS can destroy marriages? Interestingly enough, when I searched on “Do romance novels destroy marriages?” the only hits I got were blogs written by women about how to destroy your marriage. Well, okay, thanks for clearing that up for me. I’ll let my husband know.

So, the next time I go to an athletic competition, I’ll be carrying the one of the biggest, hottest one of THEM ROMANCE NOVELS that I have in the house. You know, one with the half-naked man and woman on the cover. And if he asks that same question, I’ll reply, “Why yes it IS one of THEM ROMANCE NOVELS--and I like it so much, I’m writing one, too.”

Sharon Buchbinder

www.sharonbuchbinder.com

Fireworks for the mind: Surprising and Sizzling!

SCAM

PLEASE IGNORE EMAIL FROM GRGIALL@YAHOO.COM
I'VE HAD MY IDENTITY STOLEN AND SOMEONE IS SCAMMING PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THEM TO SEND MONEY; PLEASE PASS THIS ON;
EMAIL ME AT REBECCACAPRI@YAHOO.COM
I EVEN WORRY ABOUT PUTTNG THAT EMAIL HERE;
GOD, HOW DO WE FUNCTION IN THE E WORLD WITHOUT EMAIL?

Adam's Treasure is Released - Yippeee

I'm pleased to announce the release of my 4th historical romance. ADAM'S TREASURE is now available. Here is an excerpt to help get you interested in this Pinkerton Puzzler.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The seconds ticked by and no one spoke. But Adam knew there were men in the room; he could hear them breathing and smell their sweat mingling with the smoky scents.

A sharp prick of pain above his left nipple almost made him reach out to punch the closest person. He forcibly stopped any reaction. Just as he had told Marilla—no reaction to the unexpected.

“Do you feel anything?” a new voice asked.

“Yes,” Adam said, hoping against hope that he would say the right thing.

“What was it?”

“A torture.” The liquid warmth of his blood trailed down his chest.

A low murmur of approval rippled through the room. Someone took his right hand and led him forward.

“Mr. Adam Smith, as no man can become a Knight unless he is free, and of mature age…” The voice droned on and Adam answered as best he could.

“Kneel”

He did.

The rituals went on for hours. The blindfold stayed on. Adam kneeled and stood when told, answered questions and parroted vows.

“I solemnly promise that I will not write those secrets…hidden mysteries…prevent disclosure by my unworthiness…”

Men shifted and moved through the room. He was given wine to drink, laced with some underlying taste.

“…Violation, I understand, requires the penalty of having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by the root...” he recited.

More drink. Kneel. Stand. Darkness. Smoke.

“…So help me, God,” he repeated.

No faces. No friends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you liked it. Here are some links in case you did.

Purchase Adam’s Treasure from Amazon

Purchase Adam’s Treasure from Barnes and Noble

Purchase Adam’s Treasure (ebook) from The Wild Rose Press

Purchase Adam’s Treasure (print) from The Wild Rose Press

Have a great weekend!
~Diane
http://www.dianewylie.com

Quick note to readers:

June free Summer Reading Trail is up with links to the US trail and also the UK trail. It's a fun way to discover authors to follow. The reads are listed by type, lots of romances, some YA, and so forth. You can click the name or the picture for the link.

Phoebe Matthews
Deja Vu Lover, Vintage Rose