Summer Reading

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Memorial Day is the traditional kickoff of summer in the U.S. Schools are (mostly) out, pools are open, vacations are planned. And for us bookish people, it's the time of year when we are inundated with ads for SUMMER READS!!! We talked about "beach reads" on the blog the other day, so I'm wondering if we can differentiate a "summer read" from a "beach read?" (I love, by the way, that SUMMER READING is the title of our Jenn McKinlay's wonderful novel from last year–and if you somehow missed it, add it to your list!) I am taking a stance on this and saying that "beach read" is a sub category of "summer read!)

Either way, heres a start on summer reads from Bookbub, with a lovely shout out to our Jenn's LOVE AT FIRST BOOK!

And here's another Bookbub list--this one designated "beach reads--several of which are already in my to-read pile. A glut of riches!

So do those of us not actually going on vacations still get to have "summer reads?" (The closest I ever get to vacation reading is on my trips to England, when I get to read whenever I want, for as long as I want–sometimes even into the wee hours of the morning, a luxury I seldom get at home.) I certainly don't want to feel left out, so here are a few books that I've earmarked for some special summer time.

I've bought all four of Liz Williams' Fallow Sisters novels, starting with COMET WEATHER. This series is described by Paul Cornell as "...a golden slice of British rural fantasy…" which I adore, and I've been saving them for a time when I could clear the decks a little.

Also, Susan Coll's BOOKISH PEOPLE, which is described as a "quirky gem" and sounded just the thing to enjoy while having a cup of tea in the garden.

And Nancy Thayer's THE SUMMER WE STARTED OVER, which I think, as it's set on Nantucket in the summer, crosses over into beach read category, but I'm fine with that.

Oh, adding two more on the British front!! Sara Nisha Adams' (author of THE READING LIST) THE TWILIGHT GARDEN, and David Nicholls' (author of the fabulous ONE DAY) YOU ARE HERE!

What have you saved for summer reading, dear Reds? And how are you all spending Memorial Day?

JENN McKINLAY: Thanks for the nod, Debs. SUMMER READING was so much fun to write! 

As for what i’m reading this summer, I am trying to catch up to all of the recent cozy fantasy books since I’m stepping into that genre, so my beach reads are mostly in that vein with A WIZARD’S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE BAKING by T. Kingfisher, HALF A SOUL by Olivia Atwater, and THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND SAVED A DEMON by Kimberly Lemming. You can tell by the titles, I’m in for a good summer!

LUCY BURDETTE: A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, Jenn??? That sounds irresistible though I don’t think I’ve ever read cozy fantasy. I started LOVE AT FIRST BOOK yesterday and I’m trying so hard to read slowly so it doesn’t go by too quickly. I love being in Ireland with you and your characters. And I love this line: “Don’t talk.” I held up my hand as I took another spoonful of the chowder. “I’m having a moment with my food.”

I think next up will be Ruth Reichl’s The Paris Novel. I certainly won’t go to Paris this summer with the Olympics happening, so I can go on the page. I’m trying to save the paperbacks for a long plane ride…

HALLIE EPHRON: I’m listening to Meryl Streep reading TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett. Harmonious mother and daughters, my favorite subjects. It’s a little confusing the way it moves back and forth in time… something that would NOT be confusing if I were reading the printed page. Just one of the many differences between reading/reading and listening/reading. 

RHYS BOWEN:  I loved the WIZARD’S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE BAKING, Jenn. So different! And I’ve read Nancy’s Nantucket book–having had a lovely lunch with her there last year I feel a special affinity!  I’ve just had a rather busy week (British understatement) with two lots of copy edits and one proposal plus three chapters all due at the same time, but I have been sneaking a few minutes each day for Jenn’s LOVE AT FIRST BOOK and nearly finished it but I don’t want to.  Next up is Harini’s NEST OF VIPERS. 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I am so happy that I get to read Ruth Ware’s new  ONE PERFECT COUPLE –it takes place on an island, so THAT’s summer, right?

And in preparation to interview him, Chris Whittakers’ new ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, a big fat book–and that’s summer too, right? The perfect time for epic drama.

And for another interview–something completely different—Kristy Woodson Harvey’s A HAPPIER LIFE . It has a beach chair and a floppy hat and the beach on the cover–so that’s summer, too! 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Put me down as another Nancy Thayer fan - summer doesn’t start until I’ve read her most recent Nantucket novel. I’m a reader who likes her books in season, which means from June through August, I want to read mysteries, thrillers, romances and adult fiction set in expensive summer resorts or on east coast beaches, or at a tropical island. 

For the first, Lucy Foley’s latest: THE MIDNIGHT FEAST. If you’re a fan (I am) you know you’re going to get a luxurious, isolated setting, a Clue-like list of victims guests, and rich people behaving Very Badly. The fact the murder occurs on the summer solstice is just the chef’s kiss for this book.

JACKPOT SUMMER (Elyssa Freidman) scratches the second itch, as four siblings gather on the Jersey Shore to pack up their widowed father’s house - oh, and to win millions on a Powerball ticket. Will sudden wealth solve all their problems, or tear the family apart?

Finally, THE DESIGN OF US (Sajni Patel) coming out in July, presses all my rom-com buttons: fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, raincloud meets sunny-side-up-egg PLUS an Indian wedding, all set on the Big Island of Hawai’i.

Oh, and bonus goodie: LIES AND WEDDINGS by Kevin Kwan, author of CRAZY RICH ASIANS. It’s a pastiche of Anthony Trollope’s DOCTOR THORNE, with lots more money, travel, and sexy men!      

DEBS: How will we ever squeeze in a fraction of these??? I have to admit that I started Liz Williams' COMET WEATHER and it is absolutely delicious!! So glad today is a holiday and I can indulge myself a bit because I don't want to put it down!

Readers (at least our American set) how are you spending Memorial Day? And what are you cooking?     

 

Recipe share from Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

 JENN McKINLAY: My latest romcom, Summer Reading came out this week. How any of you may have missed this, I do not know because I have been talking about every single day for months. Seriously, even I'm sick of me! LOL.

As we frequently share recipes on Sundays, and because my heroine Samantha Gale is a chef, I thought I'd share a few pics from the cooking session I spent with my sister-in-law Natalia and her family since she and her family are from the Azores and inspired Sam's culinary inspiration in the book. 

This is the crew, teaching me how to cook Portuguese:

Melissa, Natalia, Vovo (Maria), and Laura

Here are some of the dishes we (they) made: 

Caldo Verde (kale soup) -- very traditional and delicious!

Shrimp Mozambique -- soooo good!

Pastel de Nata (from a Portuguese bakery) and OMG!

Pimenta Moida (from Joe, Natalia's brother) -- 

recipe included in the book!

And lastly, here is Torresmos (Azores Marinated Pork) which is the recipe I am sharing today.

Torresmos (Azores Marinated Pork)

4 pounds pork spare ribs

4 Tablespoons pimenta moida

5 crushed garlic cloves

1 cup red wine

pinch of salt 

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Cut the ribs into large pieces and set aside. In a large plastic bag, mix the pimento moida with the garlic, wine, paprika, and salt. Add the meat, seal the bag, and mix well.  Put the bag in the refrigerator for 3 hours (minimum) or overnight (even better). To begin cooking, place the meat and the marinade in a large thick bottomed pan on the stove, add the oil and cook on high for 10 minutes. 

Cover and reduce the heat to very low and cook for 2 hours and 45 minutes. The meat should become very tender and fall off the bones. Stir occasionally. Adjust the salt to your taste and sprinkle the meat with the white and black pepper. 

Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 10minutes. Drain the fat and serve. 

Needless to say this was one of the most fun days ever. My sister-in-law and her family have been my family from the day and she married my brother. Nat is the greatest gift he ever gave me and I am ever grateful for her kindness, support, generosity, creativity, wisdom, and amazing culinary talent. Seriously, everyone should have a sister-in-law like her!

Several of these recipes and others I didn't mention are included in Summer Reading - so go grab your copy and join the fun!

Not surprisingly, Portuguese food has become my absolute favorite over the years. What is your favorite type of food?

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SUMMER READING release day celebration!!!

 

JENN McKINLAY: 

It's here! It's here! SUMMER READING is here!!!

I started writing this book in 2021 so I feel as if I've been working on it FOREVER (said ever so dramatically). No offense to my darling book baby but I am seriously more than ready to yeet you out of the nest. Fly, little bookie, fly!!!

Am I nervous? Of course. But so far the response to book baby has been just wonderful. With starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal and heady praise from Publisher's Weekly, I feel as if I accomplished what I set out to do with this novel. 

What did I set out to do, you ask? Okay, you probably didn't, but I'm me, so I'll tell you anyway :)  First and foremost, I wanted to craft a romcom around witty banter (I live for witty banter between a hero and heroine and heroine and friends and hero and friends and heroine and family and hero and...you get the idea). I also felt the need to examine how our families shape us, both good and bad on purpose and by accident. It was important to me to have characters with audacious dreams that they decide to go after one hundred percent. And I wanted my characters to grow enough to see themselves through each other's eyes and understand that what makes them different is also what makes them amazing. I feel as if I achieved that and I am so very grateful for the support and encouragement I received along the way, which includes you, Reds and Readers! 

Below is an excerpt if you're keen and I'm including a buy link HERE because of course I am!

 *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

     I hurried into the house and quickly fashioned him a cocktail just like mine. I might have been a bit more careful with his, not that I was trying to impress him or anything. Okay, yes, I totally was, which was ridiculous because for all I knew he was married or had a girlfriend. Never mind that he was obviously a book person and I wasn’t. I pushed all of that aside and went back to the porch. 

     “Here you go.” I handed him the drink. 

      I watched as he lifted the glass to his lips, which were puckered ever so slightly. I glanced away. Staring is rude, you know, and I imagined that ogling a librarian was even worse than that. Sort of like checking out a nun. I picked up my own glass and took another sip. The hint of vanilla was subtle but it mellowed the tartness of the lemon perfectly. I really thought I had a winner here. 

     “This is good,” Ben said. He glanced at me and nodded. “Really good.” 

     “Not too girly?” I asked. “I don’t want to be re-inventing the appletini.” 

     He laughed. “It’s not as macho as a scotch, neat, but the lemon provides a nice punch. So, I’d say it’s no more girly than a mojito. It’s the name that’ll clinch it. You need a very gender neutral name.” 

    “I was thinking of calling it Liquid Sunshine,” I said. I frowned. “That will never fly with the XY chromosomal set.” 

     “Probably not,” he agreed. ‘You need something more manly like Scorched Earth.” 

     “Sounds delicious,” I said. “I’m imagining subtle notes of ash.”     

     “And dirt,” he added with a laugh. It was a good laugh.

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What I'm Writing by Jenn McKinlay

First, the winner of Ellen Byron's HERE COMES THE BODY is Judy! Please email Ellen at: ellenbyronla at outlook dot com

Jenn McKinlay: I think it might be easier to ask me what I'm not writing. It feels like my deadlines seem to stack up no matter how hard I try to stay ahead of them. So here's what's happening...

We are 45 days from the release of SUMMER READING on MAY 16th! I am in a world of promo writing, which includes articles for Barnes & Noble, Writer's Digest, and Debbie Macomber's Magazine. I also have ten different Q&A's to answer and a seemingly endless number of blog posts to craft. I appreciate the opportunities--I do!--but sometimes it's A LOT. 

On the upside, SUMMER READING got a STARRED REVIEW in Booklist, so I'm very giddy (and relieved) about that!

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I finished the page proofs for SUGAR PLUM POISONED and just turned them in a few minutes ago. YAY!

OCT 2023

Lastly, I'm writing the first draft of my next women's fiction romcom LOVE AT FIRST BOOK that was due a few weeks ago but whose resolution is eluding me. I feel like I am writing the book without an ending. Ugh. Truly, for me the plotter this is maddening.

I have no snippet to share at the moment because I am gassed. But I do have a question for you, Reds and Readers! What online promotional items draw you to an author's work? Blog posts? Q&A's? Podcasts? Memes? Time is such a finite commodity, I'm trying to figure out the best place to expend my energy. Any input welcome!

What We're Writing by Jenn McKinlay

Jenn McKinlay: Shocking no one, I'm sure, I'm working on a couple of things at the moment. The first project is a dear reader letter for my May romcom SUMMER READING. 

Why? Because when I decided to write a heroine who has dyslexia, I knew I wanted the book to be as accessible as possible. Straight up, it looks different. The font is a sans serif called Verdana, words that would be italicized are in bold instead, and there are no hyphens at the end of sentences, because the book designers agreed that if you're writing a book about a character with dyslexia, it should be as dyslexic friendly as possible. Still, for readers without dyslexia, I had to explain. 

Of course, the readers who are determined to hate the book do not care and dole out their one stars because "how dare I change a book's format" -- yes, there are already a few of those popping up on Goodreads. *eye roll* This is the part of being an author where you have to, in the immortal words of Taylor Swift, "Shake it off." LOL.

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Second, I'm working on a Kindle Vella project because I had a half done novel that I thought if I held myself accountable by putting up "episodes" in a timely fashion then I might actually finish it. It's called I Can't Even, so let's hope that's not a predictor of me completing it. Ha! 

It's a romance mystery mash-up and so far it's been great fun to revisit. Kindle Vella, a serialized fiction platform, is fairly new and I'm hoping these episodes give me greater access to Kindle readers, especially since the first three episodes are FREE. Who doesn't love FREE? I've heard authors say there's a vast ocean of Kindle-only readers out there, so I'm hoping to bridge those waters a bit. We'll see. 

And lastly, I'm working on the first draft of Fatal First Edition, the next Library Lover's mystery that for some inexplicable reason I thought would be cool to set on a train. *face palm*

Yeah, picture me tied to the tracks looking up at this...

Ellen Creager/Detroit Free Press

That's about how well it's going. *sigh* Who knew train travel could be so complicated? Cool! But complicated! And that's it from Chez Jenn. 

As I write and rewrite my dear reader letter, I have to ask, does anyone read those? Should I put a brain teaser in the middle just to see? LOL.  

 

When Writing Changes Your Perspective by Jenn McKinlay

Jenn McKinlay: As you probably know by now, because I’ve mentioned it a bajillion times, my next women’s fiction romcom SUMMER READING (June 2023) features a neurodivergent (dyslexic) heroine. This was quite an undertaking because getting it right matters and dyslexia is a tricky bugger manifesting differently in everyone who has it. Suffice to say, I did my homework and I learned a lot along the way. My biggest takeaway was a statistic that stopped me in my tracks – one in ten people have dyslexia. Huh. A little more research and I learned that there are dyslexic friendly fonts. Double huh. 

Naturally, when I turned in my manuscript, I made my pitch to have the book published in a dyslexic friendly font. I used all the buzzwords in my argument, you know, accessibility, inclusion, representation, etc. I waited and then I received my publisher’s response. Not only were they on board, the book designers WERE EXCITED to rise up and meet the challenge. Not gonna lie, it felt like a win. I mean, writing a novel about a dyslexic and not printing it in a dyslexic friendly font would have made me look like an a-hole. Seriously. 

You can see from the image below how the bottom of the letters are thicker, this is one of the ways to make the letters easier to interpret for dyslexic readers.

Here is a list of the most dyslexic friendly fonts: https://exceptionalindividuals.com/about-us/blog/our-top-10-dyslexia-friendly-fonts/

Of course, now I always notice when things aren’t printed in a dyslexic friendly font. It seems shocking to me, given the high number of people who struggle to decipher words. Now that I know this, I can never unknow it, which I think is terrific. 

Here's a short video from YouTube on what words look like to a dyslexic.

How about you, Reds? Have you learned something while writing a novel that changed your perspective?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Wait, I’ll offer my ignorance right up front. I had no idea about a dyslexic-friendly font. So I looked it right up, and now I am gasping. Jenn, you should explain it! But this is a life-changing post, thank you. And I am happy to join you in never unknowing it. 

And I do think I have learned things in novels that have changed my perspective. Once I typed that someone had gone off the reservation–and I sat there for a moment, the cursor blinking. Delete delete delete. It made me realized how blithely we type things without thinking about the origin or derivation. Or who we might hurt. I am much more careful now.  

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I also went to look up dyslexic-friendly fonts, and I’m down with using sans serif type but I draw the line at Comic Sans. No civilized person should be subjected to that.

I should mention here my younger brother was diagnosed with dyslexia in kindergarten, one of the first generations being taught by teachers exposed to concepts of neuro-atypical learning. The benefit of a whole school career working with and on his dyslexia? A Bachelors and an MBA.

Hank makes an excellent point about being aware of how the language changes in ways that make it more inclusive and user-friendly. As for what I’ve learned writing, I think I did it backwards… after getting to know a lovely young trans girl, I included a transgender woman in my last novel. I like being able to introduce readers to people they might not have met before, if that makes sense.

JENN: LOL. Sorry, Julia, despite the universal loathing for it, Comic Sans is actually the third most dyslexic friendly font. That may explain why it remains popular -- not with graphic designers, however.

HALLIE EPHRON: Dyslexic-friendly font! Who knew!? Thank you, Jenn. And Kudos to your publisher. (So forget my old standby, Times New Roman.)

One thing I’ve become more aware of is text size, trying to err on the larger side. But Blogger can be ridiculously obstinate when I try to change or enlarge the font. Fortunately online readers can usually enlarge, if they know how.

I am struggling with the boundaries between being “inclusive” vs. “appropriating.” Anyone have any light to shed there? Maybe it’s all about doing your homework when you write about someone who isn’t you.

JENN: Such a good question, Hallie. I think it comes down to context. Is the representation of an ethnicity, disability, or lifestyle meaningful or mercenary? Is the content creator out to make a buck or are they trying to raise awareness or show appreciation? I'm sure there are better ways to determine where the line is, but that's my metric.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Jenn, I was diagnosed as dyslexic when I was fourteen. 

The specialists who tested me said they didn't know how I'd learned to read. I still struggled, dropping out of high school at sixteen. I could not (and probably still can't!) take bubble-fill standardized tests. I did a couple of years of special ed training and was eventually able to not only get my GED but to graduate from a good college with honors, if a couple of years older than my classmates. It got easier, at least for me, as an adult. You learn coping strategies, and you also aren't constantly challenged to do things that are especially difficult for you (in my case, standardized tests and algebra!)

As to Hallie's question, I am wholly on the side of inclusive! I think it's terrific that Jenn's educated herself, and will educate her readers, about dyslexia.

LUCY BURDETTE: Count me in as one of the clueless. Debs, how in the world are you writing all these amazing novels with a learning disability? And also wondering, Julia, how did the dyslexia manifest itself in kindergarten?

JENN: Thank you so much for sharing that, Debs. I had no idea and now I am in awe of you. Of course, now I have to ask you to be a beta reader for Summer Reading :)

How about you, Readers? Has your perspective been changed by a story that you've read or written?

Bolos Levedos - A recipe from Summer Reading

 JENN McKINLAY: My next women's fiction romcom SUMMER READING will be out next June but in preparation for it, I needed to do some cooking because my protagonist is a chef whose specialties are the family dishes she learned from her Azorean Vovo (grandmother).

Because I'm a baker, I went right for the bread--because of course I did--so I'm sharing a recipe for Bolos Levedos (Portuguese sweet muffins - like an English muffin but better). Before we get into that, here are a few things I learned about Portuguese food along the way.

1. The Portuguese are actually credited with inventing tempura. Yes, Portuguese explorers brought batter dipping and frying to Asia. The Portuguese specialty? Peixinhos de Horta - batter fried green beans! Yes, they're mentioned in the book.

2. The Azorean secret ingredient for their savory meat and fish dishes, as well as potatoes is pimenta moida. Also known as pepper sauce, which is ground red peppers (fresno chili peppers), seasoned to taste. Yes, there is a recipe for this in the book, too. 

3. Codfish -- bacalhau -- is a national obsession dating back to the days when Portuguese fisherman would catch cod in the cold water off New Foundland and salt it for the journey home. They have 365 ways to prepare codfish. Yes, also mentioned in the book!

There are many other facts to share but much of it is -- you guessed it -- in the book. In the meantime, here is one of my favorite new things to bake!

(This recipe makes 32)

Bolos Levedos (sweet muffin cakes)

 

1 package dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

pinch of sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups warm milk

7 1/2 cups flour

1/4 butter, melted

 

Using a small bowl, add the yeast to the warm water with a pinch of sugar. Set aside. In a standing mixer, blend eggs, sugar, salt, and warm milk. 

Add in flour, rehydrated yeast, and butter until fully incorporated. It is a wet dough and will be sticky. 

Knead the dough for five minutes. Let it proof (rise) until it has doubled in size. This will take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Dust the countertop with flour and knead the dough for another three minutes. After kneading, shape the dough into discs about three inches in diameter. 

Place them on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Cover them with a cloth and let them rise for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Using a large frying pan, brown the bolos over medium-low heat for a few minutes on both sides. 

Transfer back to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

Perfection!

Do tell, Reds and Readers, what have you ever cooked because you read it in a novel (not a cookbook)?

Summer Reading: What We're Writing by Jenn McKinlay

 

WINNER WINNER  "Karen in Ohio" is the winner of a copy of Dessert is the Bomb!!!

Please email catherinebruns@outlook.com with your snail mail address and she'll pop it in the mail to you!

Jenn McKinlay: I thought the book was finished. I'd done days of research on dyslexia, visited Martha's Vineyard, scouted the Oak Bluffs public library, wrote the manuscript, and thought I was ready to hit send. I was not. Something felt off like an outfit that is too tight, too itchy, or too baggy in the butt. So, I asked for more time and I read and reread the manuscript and finally, it hit me. The main characters' names simply didn't work. 

So, I made lists of names, looked up what was popular during the years the characters were born, checked the old baby books where the Hooligans' names had been spawned, and jumped down a few Internet rabbit holes looking for something that clicked. Finally, FINALLY, I found the perfect names. One more read through and SUMMER READING will be headed to my editor. Can I get an "Amen!"?  

So here is a sneak peek at the first meeting of my dyslexic heroine, Samantha Gale, and the hot guy librarian hero, Ben Reynolds: 

Chapter One

     The ferry from Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard was standing room only. Shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, the passengers were packed as tight as two coats of paint. I had a rowdy group of college kids at my back, which was fine as I’d carved out a spot at the rail near the bow of the ship and was taking in big gulps of salty sea air while counting down the seconds of the forty-five-minute ride.

     It was the first time in ten years I’d returned to the Gale family cottage in Oak Bluffs for an extended stay, and I was feeling mostly anxious with a flicker of anticipation. Pre-occupied with the idea of spending the entire summer with my dad, his second wife, and my half brother, I did not hear the commotion at my back until it was almost too late.

     “Bruh!” a deep voice yelled. 

     I turned around to see a gaggle of man boys in matching T-shirts – it took my dyslexic brain a moment to decipher the Greek letters on them to identify them as frat boys – roughhousing behind me. 

     One of them was noticeably turning a sickly shade of green and his cheeks started to swell. When he began to convulse as if a demon was punching its way up from his stomach, his friends scrambled to get away from him.

     I realized with horror that he was going to vomit and the only thing between him and the open sea was me, trapped against the railing. In a panic, I looked for a viable exit. Unfortunately, I was penned in by a stalwart woman with headphones on and a hot guy reading a book. I had a split second to decide who would be easier to move. I went with reader guy, simply because I figured he could at least hear me when I yelled, “Move!”

     I was wrong. He didn’t hear me and he didn’t move. In fact, he was so non-responsive, it was like he was on another planet. I gave the man a nudge. He didn’t respond. Desperate, I slapped my hand over the words in his book. He snapped his head in my direction with a peeved expression. Then he looked past me and his eyes went wide. In one motion, he grabbed me and pulled me down and to the side out of the line of fire.

     The puker almost made it to the rail. Almost. I heard the hot splat of vomit on the deck behind me and hoped it didn’t land on the backs of my shoes. Mercifully, reader man’s quick thinking shielded me from the worst of it. Frat boy was hanging over the railing and as the vomiting started in earnest, the crowd finally pressed back, way back, and we scuttled out of the blast zone.

     My rescuer let go of me and asked, “Are you all right?”

     I opened my mouth to answer when the smell hit me. That distinctive stomach curling, nose wrinkling, gag inducing smell that accompanies undigested food and bile. My mouth pooled with saliva and I felt my throat convulse. This was an emergency of epic proportions as I am a sympathy puker. You puke, I puke, we all puke. Truly, if someone hurls near me, it becomes a gastro geyser of Old Faithful proportions. I spun away from the man in a flurry of arms that slapped his book out of his hands and sent it careening toward the ocean. 

     He let out a yell and made a grab for it. He missed and leaned over the railing, looking as if he was actually contemplating making a dive for it. 

     I felt terrible and would have apologized but I was too busy holding my fist to my mouth while trying not to lose my breakfast. The egg sandwich I’d had with bacon suddenly seemed like the worst decision ever and it took all of my powers of concentration not to hurl. I tried to breathe through my mouth but the retching sounds frat boy was making were not helping. 

     “Come on.” Reader guy took my arm and helped me move farther away. I turned my head away in case I was sick. I could feel my stomach heaving and then—

     “Ouch! You pinched me!” I cried. 

     My hero, although that seemed like an overstatement given that he had just inflicted pain upon my person, had nipped the skin on the inside of my elbow with enough force to startle me and make me rub my arm. 

     “Still feel like throwing up?” he asked. 

     I paused to assess. The episode had passed. I blinked at him. He was taller than me. Lean with broad shoulders, wavy dark brown hair that reached his collar. He had nice features, arching eyebrows, sculpted cheekbones, and a defined jaw covered in a thin layer of scruff. His eyes were a blue-gray much like the ocean surrounding us. Dressed in a navy sweatshirt, Khaki shorts, and black lace up work boots, he was cute in a buy local sort of way.

     He stared at me expectantly, and I realized he’d asked a question and was waiting for an answer. Feeling like an idiot for blatantly checking him out, I attempted to play it off as if I was still wrestling with the urge to upchuck. I raised my hand in a wait gesture and then slowly nodded. 

     “No, I think I’m okay,” I said. “Thank you.”

     “You’re welcome,” he said. Then he smiled at me -- it was a dazzler -- making me forget the horror of the last few minutes. “You tossed my book into the ocean.”

     “I’m so sorry,” I said. Nervousness and the faint hope that I did not yet lose my breakfast caused me to try and make light of the situation. This was a bad play. “At least it was just a book and not something actually important, but I’ll absolutely buy you a replacement.”

     “Not necessary.” He frowned at me and then looked at the sea where the paperback was now polluting the ocean – one more thing for me to feel bad about – and then back at me and said, “I take it you’re not a reader.”

     And there it was, the judgmental tone I’d heard my whole life when it became known that I was not a natural born reader. Why were book people always so perplexed by non book people? I mean, it’s not like I wanted to be dyslexic. Naturally, when feeling defensive about my disability, I said the most offensive thing I could think of.

     “Books are boring,” I said. Yes, I, Samantha Gale, went there. I knew full well this was likely heresy for this guy, and I was right. His reaction did not disappoint. 

     His mouth dropped open. His eyes went wide. He blinked. “Don’t hold back. Say what you feel.”

     “It’s like this, why would I read a book when I can just stream the movie version, which allows me to use both hands to cram popcorn into my face at the same time?” I asked.

     “Because the book is always better than the movie.”

     I shook my head. “I disagree. There’s no way the book version of Jaws was better than the movie.” 

     “Ah!” he yelped. If he’d been wearing pearls, I was sure he’d be clutching them. 

     When he was about to argue, I cut him off with the duuun-dun duuun-dun duuun-dun dun dun dun from the iconic Jaws theme music, thus, winning the debate.

Words of wisdom from the master: 

So, how about it Reds and Readers, do you think the book is always better than the movie? Or are there exceptions?