The ultimate beach read... times 10!

by Rebecca J. Clark


Does this cover say "Beach Read" or what?

I am thrilled and honored to be part of this boxed set with nine other fabulous authors. Passionate Kisses will release in about a month--June 23, and I couldn't be more excited. 

Ten sizzling contemporary romances by ten amazing authors. Check out the trailer:

http://animoto.com/play/ZcnFkh66ovowmTLL0NEhmQ


Storm Damages
by Magda Alexander
After clawing her way out of a dirt-poor background, Elizabeth Watson's dream of an associate position at her law firm is within reach. As long as she keeps up her grades, makes law review. And stays out of trouble. But then British billionaire Gabriel Storm walks into her life. And trouble is his middle name.

Confessions
by Wendy Ely
When Chelsea Montgomery vanished eleven years ago, her hometown thought she’d been abducted . In truth, she'd given up the daughter she'd secretly had with Jordan Case . Now he confronts her to help find the child . With a little girl's fate hanging in the balance, will the uneasy partnership – stained by the past – transform into something else?

Reckless
by Jessi Gage
Cami is in a coma. While her body recovers in the hospital, she visits the dreams of the man who acted in anger on the freeway and caused her accident. Can she learn the meaning of forgiveness or will she let a single mistake drive her dream man away forever?

Against Her Rules
by Victoria Barbour
Elsie Walsh has one rule— no sleeping with the guests at her luxury inn on the rugged coast of Newfoundland— but Scottish playboy Campbell Scott is determined to show her that he belongs not only in her bed, but by her side at the Heart’s Ease Inn.

Shameless
by Rebecca J. Clark (this is me!!!)
Haunted by a tragic accident 20 years ago, John Everest knows he doesn't deserve a family of his own, so he spends his days building the most successful fitness franchise in Seattle... and his nights alone. But that all changes when Samantha Rossi storms back into his life.

Good Cop
by Liz Kelly
When two best friends enlist a pony-tailed firecracker to help shake up their good cop/bad cop images, fireworks ignite. One steamy romance plus a very funny bromance equals lots of laughs and a helluva love triangle.

Baby Stetson
by Nikki Lynn Barrett
Her past is full of holes, but new strangers in town are about to bring secrets, truths, and a chance at love.

Awakening
by Sydney Holmes
Once you step over the edge there’s no turning back. Nora Young, restless and adrift, dreams of passion, purpose and adventure. In walks mysterious and sexy Ryan Cole who seems to offer her everything she is looking for. Will they survive the fire they ignite?

Beacon of Love
by Allie Boniface
When travel journalist Sophie Smithwaite comes to Lindsey Point to investigate a haunted lighthouse, hunky local handyman Lucas Oakes is torn between protecting the town's secrets and giving in to the first passion he’s felt in years. Is preserving tradition worth sacrificing a chance at true love?

The Opposite of Wild
by Kylie Gilmore
The last thing Liz Garner expects in her new job as an elder care provider is Ryan O'Hare for a boss. The insensitive, arrogant, horribly… hot man she's avoided for years. When his Gran walks on the wild side, Liz joins her, risking both his ire and his passion.

Please "Like" our Facebook page to learn more about our boxed set and we'll remind you (probably about a gazillion times LOL) when it's coming out.




What to Read on My Summer Vacation

What I love about this time of year is the mindset of going on summer “vacation” and reading tons of great books!  I put “vacation” in quotes because writers don’t really take vacations. Even if we’re in another country seeing the sites, or making sandcastles on the Oregon coast, we are always working on new stories.  It’s hard-wired into our brains, and more often than not going someplace new sparks more story ideas.

Anyway, it’s that time of year again, the time we plan our great escapes into many books, but how do we pick which ones to read over our summer “vacation?” I decided I’d start by asking friends.

My buddy Barb, who reads every day of her life, had two suggestions for me:  “Orphan Train” and “Glass Butterfly.”  The latter especially intrigued me because it sounds like a tight suspense with romance plus it takes place in Cannon Beach – our favorite vacation spot! That’s me on the right in purple, making a sand creation with my son’s fiancĂ©e.


Next, I was in my doctor’s office and noticed a book in the waiting room.  The title is “Brain on Fire” and my doc highly recommended it.  It’s a true story about a woman who is diagnosed as psychotic and is institutionalized, but they eventually discovered she had an autoimmune disease!  Fascinating stuff.  It sounds pretty heavy so I might read this while reading something lighter.

Since I also write screenplays, I looked at summer releases and realized I want to read the young adult novel “The Fault in Our Stars” before the movie hits theaters, so that will be moved to the top of my list.  Plus, I’ve always wanted to read “The Giver,” and never had a chance to read “The Book Thief.”

People Magazine features excellent book recommendations.  I keep a folder of their book recs and will pull one out at random.  Or maybe two.  These look great: “Picture Me Gone” about a 12-year-old girl who goes with her dad to help find his missing friend from childhood, and “The Returned” about dead people who start showing up, unchanged from the beyond. It’s the book that inspired the TV series “Resurrection” which I did not watch – just because I watch too much TV as it is -- and it sounds like a fascinating premise.  If any of you have read either of these, let me know what you think.

Do I scan bestseller lists?  Sometimes, but I figure those authors are getting plenty of attention.  I like to find the unknown, talented author with a sharp-witted voice and clever plot.  Where do I find those?  Well, one place is my local, amazing new/used bookstore.  McDonald’s Book Exchange is awesome and has tons of romance novels.  At least half of my reading list will be romances because they are positive energy for me and help balance out the more serious, depressing books.  It took me days to recover from “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.” (Can you tell I’m in a YA phase?)

After stopping by McDonalds Book Exchange, I came out with half a dozen books that piqued my interest including a fiction novel call “The Blue Hyacinth” because I liked the title.  Well, I didn’t just buy it for the title.  I also enjoyed the opening pages and for me that’s the defining moment.  I crack open a book, or surf the first few pages online, and know immediately if the author has a voice I’ll enjoy.  Here’s a pic of the romance room at McDonald’s Book Exchange.  This is just one of about 10 rooms!  Bet you’re pretty proud of me for only coming out of there with only half a dozen books, eh?

And then, of course, I’m excited to check out some of our very own Beach Read authors’ books.  Oh, my head’s spinning!  But in a good way.

What’s on your list this summer?  And how do you find books?  Do you belong to a book club?  Or do you consult magazines, family or friends?  Do tell!

Pat White
Patwhitewriter.com





We've been busy on the BEACH lately and haven't posted for a week or two but here's Diana Layne now to talk about a fun subject. Take it away, Diana...



What TV Shows Are Your Favorite?

 Recently on Facebook there’s been this post going around:

 

I’m thinking you’re going to choose one of your favorite TV Shows to be in, right? I did, I chose Bewitched, one of a short list of my all-time favorite TV shows. My thought was if I were a witch that I could twitch my nose and the housecleaning, laundry and cooking would all get done, and I’d have more time to write. Then Alicia Dean informed me that just because I chose Bewitched doesn’t mean that I’d get to be a witch. I cry foul!

 


 
 
 
 
So if I couldn’t be a witch, my next show would be Gilligan’s Island, followed by I Love Lucy. You might see a pattern here that these are old shows. Yes, I seem to have turned into my grandmother. She never had cable and once she learned to use a VCR, she’d set it up to record old movies that came on late at night on network TV. That was what she watched.


 
 
I gave up cable a few years ago, mainly for financial reasons. This was done knowing full well that I can only get two network channels (CBS, PBS) through an antenna on good days. I went through a period of withdrawal, but I had DVD’s and I bought a Roku and subscribed to Netflix and Amazon Prime (which is still much cheaper than that cable bill). I don’t miss cable at all!
 

And I tend to like the old shows I grew up on. Why? I’m not sure. Maybe trying to recapture my youth? Enjoying them from an adult perspective this time? I’m not sure, but my grandmother was on to something, because I’ve also started watching those old movies, the ones made in the 50s and 60s, and you know, some of those old movies are pretty darned good. And the old series…excellent!


So how about you? What sort of shows do you like? Are there current TV series you follow? Old series you like to watch over and over again?
 
Diana Layne
www.dianalayne.com
Available now: Pirate's Proposal
The Good Daughter, Trust No One