#First50Words of a beach trash classic: "In Beverly Hills, only the infirm and the senile do not drive..."

Happy Summer!

First 50 Words: MY MEMORIES OF A FUTURE LIFE by Roz Morris

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"Absolutely gripping...Visual and visceral, original and odd." ~ FOR BOOKS SAKE

60 Second Review: WHITE LADY by Jessica Bell

Sonia, unfaithful wife of a Melbourne drug lord, yearns for sharp objects and blood. But now that she’s rehabilitating herself as a “normal” mother and math teacher, it’s time to stop dreaming about slicing people’s throats. Easier said than done.

 “Edgy, pacy, and chillingly real.” JJ MARSH, author of The Beatrice Stubbs series

 "...strikes at the heart of families in turmoil...a painfully honest portrayal of flawed humanity." ~C. S. LAKIN, author of Innocent Little Crimes

Jessica Bell is an Australian novelist, poet, singer/ songwriter /guitarist who lives in Athens, Greece. She is Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and author of the bestselling Writing in a Nutshell series.

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60 Second Review: ONE NIGHT AT THE JACARANDA by Carol Cooper

 The trouble with speed dating is that three minutes can last a lifetime. Diagnosed with cancer, Sanjay doesn’t have a lifetime to waste. Laure is a successful lawyer, Harriet is a struggling freelance writer, and Karen is a single mother of four. All are looking for a soul-mate, but first they need to confront who they really are.

 "A blinder of a tale” ~ THE SUN

 "Contemporary fiction for intelligent grown-ups. The characters are real, the medical details are spot on... An absolute joy" ~ CHRISTINE WEBBER, author and psychotherapist

Carol Cooper is a London-based journalist and award-winning non-fiction author. Her debut novel was a finalist in the Indie Excellence Awards 2014. In her spare time she’s a doctor.

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First 50 Words: An Unchoreographed Life by Jane Davis

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"An extraordinary level of emotion... superb storytelling." ~ THE CULT DEN

60 Second Review: AN UNCHOREOGRAPHED LIFE by Jane Davis

 An unflinching, gracefully written novel from the winner of Daily Mail's First Novel Award. Alison gave up the chance to be a prima ballerina when she became pregnant and turned to prostitution to provide for her child, but the tempting hope of a better life may come at a terrible price.

 "A brilliant and cleverly-written story about the relationship between a single mother and her daughter." ~ BOOK MUSE

 "An extraordinary level of emotion... superb storytelling." THE CULT DEN

Jane Davis is an award-winning author who isn't afraid to tackle the trickiest of subjects. She lives in Carshalton, Surrey with her star-gazing, beer-brewing partner, and a growing piles of books, CDs and general chaos.

 Visit Jane's website

First 50 Words: WHITE LADY by Jessica Bell

Buy WHITE LADY by Jessica Bell

“Edgy, pacy, and chillingly real.” ~ JJ MARSH, author of The Beatrice Stubbs series

60 Second Review: MY MEMORIES OF A FUTURE LIFE by Roz Morris

After ghostwriting a dozen books with 4 million copies in print, Morris makes her literary fiction debut with the tale of a brilliant pianist whose career is ended by injury. She turns to a mysterious healer and faces the possibility that her life is someone else's past incarnation.

"...dances between plausible reality and the shadowy realm of interpretation, underpinned by evident intelligence. A real corker." ~ WORDS WITH JAM

"Stylish, classy writing...profound ... page-turning." ~ FOR BOOKS' SAKE

Roz Morris teaches creative writing masterclasses for The Guardian in London, hosts a radio show, rides horses and was once hit by a train.

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First 50 Words: ONE NIGHT AT THE JACARANDA by Carol Cooper

Buy ONE NIGHT AT THE JACARANDA by Carol Cooper

“Sassy and classy in equal measures. A must.”
~ DR. PIXIE MCKENNA

No tweed bikinis! (10 Best Beach Reads I Actually Read on Beaches)

I don't dispute that all the books on the NPR Beach Reads list are great books. I've read 18 (and loved 16) of the top 20. But I'm not sure we're all clear on the "beach reads" vibe. I agree with Colleen's post yesterday -- the prime directive is fun. "Beach Read" is the essence of reading for pleasure, which doesn't mean it has to be brainless, but it needs to be a page turner with a vacationary feel. The NPR list seems to be geared toward people who wear socks to the beach.

This summer, despite an appalling state of over-employment, I'm trying to stick with the Infinite Summer schedule and make my way through David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest. I was enormously relieved to see Avery Edison's post yesterday, declaring the very truth I was too timid to voice: "I am not enjoying this book." The fact is, I don't think I'm going to make it to page 1000. I do want to read this book, but I think it's a winter thing.

The novel that's really calling to me right now is one of my old favorites. Reading Colleen's WIP recently made me remember how much I loved this book when I was a kid, and it tops my Books I Actually Read (and Mightily Enjoyed) On or Near Beaches and Highly Recommend in No Particular Order List '09.

Pleasure reading at it's coastalest...

#1 Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Thrilla chilla! Love! Reversals of fortune! Spectacular vistas of great writing and gothica. The second Mrs. DeWinter finds her way through a maze of murder and obsession.

#2 My Year of Meats by Ruth L. Ozeki
This book is so dang funny but there's still plenty of thinky thoughts. A fab young reality TV producer discovers offal truths about the meat industry. (Warning: Plan to eat a nice summer salad that day.)

#3 Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
An orphan's adventure in a simpler time and place. Everybody has that dear old friend they need to connect with once in a while, and Anne is mine. First read it on a beach camping trip in Michigan. (Yes, they have beaches in Michigan.)

#4 Valley of the Dolls by Jaqueline Susann
That's right! I said it! V to the D, bi-otch. Get in the tub and pretend it's the insane asylum. "Neeeeely! Neely O'Hara!" It's trashy, it's flashy, it's the sand-in-your-pantiest beach read of all time. Take two and call me in the morning.

#5 Scruples by Judith Krantz
See above. It's a feast of Funions and Tab in book form.

#6 Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
The loveliest, most delicious, truest, funniest, heart-rendingest novel I've ever read. Unrequited love and magical realism in old Mexico. Must must must must read. Ah, Destin. Ah, Esquivel. Ah, Gulf of Mexico, how I love you!

#7 Henry and June by Anais Nin
The subtitle is From "A Journal of Love" -The Unexpurgated Diary of Anais Nin (1931-1932). Yeah. Unexpurgated. Eat that, NPR. Nin's gorgeously salacious account of the time she spent with Henry Miller and his wife June. I started it in the bathtub at a hotel in Gibraltar and finished it on the ferry from Spain to Morocco. Couldn't wait to get back to Paris.

#8 Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel
Okay, I read most of this in a park overlooking the East River, but I say that counts. Amnesia, love, intrigue, haunting characters, twisty turns, and melodic writing. I read this book months ago and just can't get shed of it.

#9 Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday
As gut-wrenching, street smart, lovelorn and darkly comic as her music. First read this nestled in a sand dune when I was a kid in Pensacola Beach, then revisited when I knew being a memoir guru was what I wanted to do. Best celeb memoir ever. Lady Day's story is beautifully co-authored by William Dufty, a music enthusiast, freelancer for the New York Post, and Gloria Swanson’s last husband.

#10 Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Amado
Somehow manages to set a wry political parable against a lovely love story. Readable and unforgettable. Loved it 25 years ago on a firetower and rocky beaches in Northern California. The enchanting words and places are woven together in my head forever.

So there you have it. The ten best books I've read on the beach. Would love to hear your list! Dish it, darlings, dish it! And don't forget the sunscreen.

What Makes a Great Beach Read?

It's nearly August and so blazing hot here in Houston that going to the beach would be like reclining on a pancake griddle. But that hasn't stopped me from thinking about Beach Reads, especially after reading NPR's list of The 100 Best Beach Books Ever, tabulated from 136,000 votes by 16,000 fans of National Public Radio. (I love NPR!)

For your enlightenment, here are the top 20:
1. The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
2. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
3. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
4. Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding
5. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
6. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells
7. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
8. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
9. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg
10. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver


11. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
12. Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
13. The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan
14. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
15. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
16. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
17. Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
18. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
19. Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides
20. Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen

I've read most of these books, and have loved nearly all of them, but I have to admit, I scratched my head at the idea of calling THE KITE RUNNER a beach read. Sorry, but the material's way too dark for that. BRIDGET JONES, yes! THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE, amen! But LIFE OF PI? Seriously?

To me, a perfect beach read has to be, first and foremost, fun. Romantic fun (An oldie but goodie, Julie Garwood's FOR THE ROSES), scary fun (Stephen King's DUMA KEY would be a great choice), or fantastic fun (going with the Harry Potter series here, or THE HOBBIT would do, nicely). Nothing dense or heavy, nothing requiring too much concentration. Just an entertaining, engaging story that keeps me sizzling far beyond my SPF.

And sexy fun's never a bad choice either. :)

What are your qualifications for a beach or vacation read? Care to name any all-time favorites?