Happy Mothers' Day!

 

 First of all, wishing every mom a very happy Mothers’ Day and thank you for doing one of the hardest jobs in the world! Being a good mom takes patience, consistency, strength, compassion, and lots of unconditional love. The world needs great mothers!!

I think my mom was one of the truly great mothers. She raised me practically on her own, since my dad was in the Navy and gone nearly nine months of the year. Add to that, I had polio as a baby and we had trips to the hospitals (Shriners Children’s Hospitals), surgeries, and endless exercises and physical therapy all while maintaining a full-time job and the household. She was a wonder! When she died suddenly three years ago, her loss left a hole in my life that will never be filled.

Mom taught me lots of good things—not all of which I paid strict attention to. However, she was the best of people and she showed me how and why by example. She also passed on serious tips that I did take to heart: if you meet a man in a bar, don’t be surprised if he keeps going to the bar after you marry. And: if a man will leave his wife for you, he’ll leave you for someone else. And this one I didn’t adopt: it’s as easy to fall in love with a rich man as it is a poor man. I didn’t fall in love with a man rich in money, but rich in goodness and kindness and laughter. Maybe that’s what Mom meant, after all.

Burning Bridges is a book about a mother and daughter and a second chance at love.

Blurb:
Not your typical “secret baby” book! This Southern romance packs in the emotion.

 Consider the role of strangers in our lives. An unknown postman in Virginia hides a bag of mail one day. His simple action set in motion untold consequences for many others—strangers—all over the country. How many bridges were burned in that forgotten mail pouch?

 Sara Richards’s world is rocked when three love letters from 1970 are delivered decades late. The letters were written by Paul Steinert, a young sailor who took her innocence with whispered words of love and promises of forever before leaving for Vietnam. Sara is left behind, broken hearted and secretly pregnant, yearning for letters she never received.

Then Paul died.

Now, years later, she discovers the betrayal wasn’t Paul’s, when her mother confesses to a sin that changed their lives forever. How can Sara reveal to Paul’s parents that they have a granddaughter they’ve missed the chance to know? Even worse, how will she find the words to tell her daughter that she’s lived her life in the shadow of a lie?

 Picking her way through the minefields of secrets, distrust, and betrayal, Sara finds that putting her life together again while crossing burning bridges will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.

 Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited

 Excerpt:
(Sara calls her mother after receiving a package of letters, decades old)

“I thought it would be you. Have you read the letters?”

“No. What happened, do you know?” Scattered on the table, the three packets drew her gaze and she stared as though trying to read their meaning through the sealed paper.

“Only what the Department of Navy letter said. Some bags of mail were lost. I suppose if I weren’t still receiving part of Dad’s retirement, they wouldn’t have found me.”

Sara closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. “I mean, do you know what happened to the rest of the letters?”

“What?” There was no mistaking the naked fear in her mother’s voice.

“The envelopes are numbered. I have twenty-eight through thirty. What do you think happened to the others?” Tension radiated through her shoulders and neck. Her mother was about to say something she didn’t want to hear, she knew it.

“Sara, you have to understand, Dad and I only wanted what was best for you. You were a child, a high school senior with a wonderful future in front of you. You’d been accepted at William and Mary. The last thing you needed was to get mixed up with a sailor who would love you and leave you. Which, I might add, is exactly what he did.”

Sara could barely suck air into her lungs. Her fingers whitened with the hold she had on the phone cord. “What did you do, Mother?”

“More than anything, we didn’t want you hurt.” Moments passed. “Your father made the decision, but I was in favor of it, I want you to know that. He’s not here, so if you’re going to get mad, I suppose it will have to be at me.” She ended with a sigh. “After—that man—left Virginia Beach, we determined it would be best for you to make a clean break. We never had any doubt that he was wrong for you. So, we intercepted the letters.”

The blood drained from Sara’s face and she pulled over a chair. If she didn’t sit she’d fall. “You did what? How could you do that?” Her voice broke.

“You put your letters in the mailbox and I took them out after you left for school. And his…”

All too well, Sara remembered days of rushing into the house to sort through the stack of mail on the hall table, never finding a letter from Paul. Each day with no news added a stone to her wall of doubt that he loved her and depleted her store of faith that he’d stand by her.

Sara moaned. “Do you know what you did with your meddling?”

“Sara, you were seventeen, a child. Do you know what that means? He could have gone to jail. Your father was in favor of going to his commanding officer—even to the police. It was fortunate for your friend that his ship left.”

Sara envisioned her mother sitting alone in her living room. About this time each afternoon, a gin and tonic sat on the table beside her. She’d wear a skirt and blouse and her hair and make-up would be flawless. Sara also didn’t doubt that her mother’s posture was rigid and that her thumb rubbed the tips of her index and middle fingers. Those were indications her mother’s emotions—anger, frustration, fear, whatever—were threatening to override her normal control. Today she deserved every terrible, panicky feeling she was experiencing.

Mary Ellen sighed. “Try to see it from our point of view. You were a good girl with a good future. He destroyed all of that in a matter of weeks. You were our responsibility and we protected you the best way we knew how.”

“Protected me!”

“Yes, protected you. We loved you more than anything on earth.” She quieted, as though considering the next bit. “He died in service to his country. That was at least an honorable thing.”

A sob broke from Sara.

Her mother softened her tone. “I have no doubt he might have been a good man, but not for you, and not at that time. I don’t regret ending the relationship, whatever else happened.”

“I can’t believe you did this. I don’t even know what to say to you.” A headache inched its way forward to throb behind her eyes. She used her free hand to block the light coming through the kitchen windows. “The horrid things I thought about him, the certainty I had that he’d forgotten me…all wrong. I mailed the first letters from school. I wish I’d kept on doing that and asked him to write me at Cindy’s house. Who knows what might have happened?”

“Sara, it’s been so long. I thought you’d be able to understand after all this time, but maybe I was wrong. Put the whole episode with that man behind you, darling. Just throw those letters out. What difference could they possibly make now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Darling? We shouldn’t talk about this over the phone. I can be there in a few minutes and then—”

Sara’s eyes shot open. “No! I may never forgive you for this, Mother. In fact, I’m hanging up before I say something I probably shouldn’t.”

“Sara, let me—”

Sara pressed the end icon and dropped her phone onto the table. Vaulting from the chair, she paced around the kitchen table. Squared stopped eating and turned to watch, his Siamese-blue eyes following her path. In agitation, she picked up the letter from the Navy, glanced unseeing at the words then tossed it back. Stomping to the sink, she poured a glass of water, then drank it all without taking a breath. Finally, she turned and stared at Paul’s envelopes.

 

Reviews:

"I loved it! And now my daughter's reading it." Sherry, a reader

 "I just finished reading BURNING BRIDGES. Thank you for writing such a powerful story about how real love can overcome all obstacles… How nice that characters of middle age were written as attractive and sexual human beings." A reader, Virginia

 "I give Burning Bridges 6 stars out of 5!! A true love story...I'm ready for more." - A reader, Byron, TaylorMade Bod

 "I loved it, just loved it! I was going to take it with me on vacation but I started reading and didn't want to stop. It was addictive." - Chiara, a reader

 "Loved it. Just loved it." - Beverly, a Beaufort reader

 Winner! Coffee Pot Book Club awarded Burning Bridges the Gold Medal for Best Romance 2020!

 A little about me:
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

 After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. And all three offer some of the best romance you can find! Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

 Author links:

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K

 

Out now! Another Pretty Face by @WendiZwaduk #romance #menage #whychoose @totallybound @meganslayer

 

Another Pretty Face: A Why Choose Billionaire Romance (Club Sixxes Book 1) by Wendi Zwaduk

BDSM, Contemporary, Menage Romance

from Entwined Publishing

Can she bare her heart if the price is the love of two men?

Darinda Mace loves her job at the Reid Law office. She can fly under the radar at her desk so at night she can spend the hours clubbing. It’s good work for the money.

There’s only one catch.

Nathan and Nick Reid, her bosses, know about her clubbing. They’ve had her in their embrace—without her realizing. They’ve decided to make her their permanent third. To use, spank, cuff and pamper her. To love her. Will she accept a life of luxury with the billionaire brothers? Submit to them in their private playroom?

Or will she be just another pretty face passing through the crowd?

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQXMY2VV/

Now for an Excerpt: 
(C)WendiZwaduk, 2025, All Rights Reserved

He produced a leather collar and leash from his pocket and a set of metal cuffs from his belt. “Ready?”

She offered her wrists. “I am, sir. My word is ‘ghost’.”

“Use it at any time.” He snapped the cuffs around her wrists, then the collar around her neck. He didn’t click the cuffs together, giving her time to adjust her position. “You’re beautiful. I can’t wait to show you off. You’re making me look so good. A better Dom.”

“That’s what I do.” She laced her hands together behind her back and allowed him to lead her by the collar and leash. The throbbing music continued, but was dulled but the change of room. The thick carpet absorbed most of the sound. The lighting changed, from bright strobes and flashes to something more mellow and soft. She forced her gaze to the floor, but hazarded glances at the audience. When he led her around the room, she noticed a few of the spectators. Some she knew, but a couple she didn’t. She spotted a man on the armchair, sprawled on the thick furniture. He balled one fist, but left the other flat on the arm of the chair. His diamond ring on his right hand caught her attention. Few people who came to the club flaunted their wealth like that.

She caught sight of his face, but only for a moment. The hunger in his eyes was hard to mistake. For her? She wished. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve sworn he was Nathan Reid, but why would someone that obscenely rich be at Sixxes?

He wouldn’t.

Still, for a split second, she let her thoughts and fantasies run wild. She swore she’d have heard the gossip if the brothers were in the club. She’d never heard their names mentioned, but maybe they’d paid for extra secrecy? It was possible.

Not probable, but possible.

Gavin stopped at the St. Andrew’s cross and tugged on the leash. “Girl?”

She knew what to do.

Showtime.

Stepping Your Way to Creativity

This month I’ve been writing something new. I know I’m supposed to be revising, but I just felt like I needed a bit of a change. Besides Nanowrimo in 2023 (yes, almost two years ago), I’ve been revising for close to three years straight (though the amount of time I’ve had to dedicate to working on my books has not been a lot, especially the last year). Revising for me is very draining, and as a result of doing it for so long, lately I’ve been feeling a little burnt out. I thought starting something new might help me get those creative juices flowing again.

I have a few stories that have been pestering me for a while to be written, so I decided to jump into one of them and see how it goes. But since I haven’t written in a while, it’s been a little slow. Not bad exactly, but more rusty. Kind of like when you haven’t skated in a while, and it takes you a little bit to figure out where everything should go and how to get all your movements to sync up at once. I’m working on it. Little by little. But it has meant a lot more moments of feeling stuck or unsure than I normally have during a first draft.

And when I feel like I’m stuck, I know I have to do something else for a little while. Other people might be different, but for me, no amount of staring at a screen will fix my head not being in the right place. Since I’m also trying to be more active, when I’m stuck, I’ve been getting up and going for a walk. Figuring if the writing is working for me, I might as well work on my step goal. Even if it’s just a walk around my office.

While I’m walking, my mind can wander. It gives me the same feeling as when you take a long drive down the highway. You can kind of zone out, your body knowing what to do on muscle memory, and your mind can drift. On these walks I usually start making new connections. Come up with some idea I hadn’t thought of before, or some character detail that hadn’t occurred to me before, and soon I’m unstuck. Or at least I will be unstuck in some place in the novel, and I can work on that part instead (I’m an inspiration writer, meaning I write whatever scene is inspiring me at the moment, and don’t often write the story chronologically).

When I noticed how often this has been happened to me lately, I realized this isn’t a new phenomenon. Any time when I was walking routinely was also my most productive. When I was writing the Frostbite Falls series, I would take a walk during my lunch break at the evil day job, before finding a grassy place to sit and do some writing. And that was my most productive writing year ever. Writing, revising and publishing six books, and writing two others that were published later.

I wondered if it was just me, or if other people had the same experience. So out of curiosity I did some research. And it appears I am not alone. A Stanford study showed that walking improved people’s creativity by up to 60% either during or after a walk. It doesn’t matter where you walked, on the treadmill, around the house, or outdoors. As long as you get your body moving and the blood flowing, you can boost your creativity by simply taking a stroll.

And even if a walk doesn’t end up giving me a new creative idea, I’ve moved my body, probably gotten a little healthier, and—besides time—it costs me nothing. Which is exactly the kind of hack I love. One with no downside.

Now that I know this, I’m trying to focus my walks to right before I start writing. To get the creative juices flowing, and get myself into the right headspace before writing. And it has help me come up with some great ideas, and even better questions. But more than anything, it gives me the time and space to focus my thinking on writing before I sit down. That kind of focus is hard to come by in my life right now.

Only time will tell if this trick leads to a year of productivity that can rival my previous personal best, but I’m certainly happy to give it a try. And even if I don’t have a record-breaking year, I’m sure to have a good time either way.

So if you’re ever struggling creatively, and just can’t figure out what to do, or how to get to the next scene. Take a walk, and let those creative juices flow. And you might just find yourself stepping toward an exciting new idea.

Strange Worlds #AmWriting #RomanceNovels #ParanormalRomance #Fiction #ReadRomance

 

As a kid, I loved to read. I wanted to know everything there was to know. I would read everything from magazines left out in a waiting room, my grandmother’s romance novels, my dad’s mystery books, the back of a cereal box— whatever I could find. I wrote poems and stories for fun but I put them all into a folder that got shoved into a bookshelf somewhere. I had never intended to explore the idea of being a writer beyond writing a few stray pieces as a stress-busting hobby. I didn’t go to school for literature or creative writing, except one elective class in college that I really loved. Years later, an idea for a story took root inside my head. The characters felt like they were almost visible, just trapped under water, and that it was my absolute mission to set them free so I could bring their story to life. Thus, my debut novel, a steamy paranormal romance entitled Wolf’s Challenge, was born.

In a world where not everything is what it seems. Most people are unaware of the strange beings who seem to blend in with everyone else and Sydney, the heroine of Wolf’s Challenge, is no exception. She is completely unaware that shapeshifters, or anything else out of the ordinary, exist. When she moves to Great Oaks, Virginia, she meets Derrick, who challenges her to see beyond what she thought she knew, and to take a chance on love, even when fear and doubt threaten to overwhelm them both.

I enjoy writing in the paranormal romance genre because I love blending fantasy/science fiction elements into a love story. I add in a fair amount of suspense because I have a lot of fun putting my characters through epic amounts of danger.

Being a mom while being a writer has been all about trying to work my schedule and creativity around my children at their various stages of life. Just when I thought that I was set to have a fair amount of writing time because the kids were becoming older and more independent, I got sick with the dreaded plague. For months, I could barely do anything. For even longer, I couldn’t make my brain cooperate with me. Headaches resulted whenever I tried to plot and plan my novels.

I felt so defeated and angry at the fact that I was powerless to heal faster, but I was determined to keep writing in some way, so I switched my focus to poetry, which I had usually just done sporadically, for fun. I ended up writing whole chapbooks of poems and then got interested in learning how to do flash fiction and short stories. I liked the challenge of trying to tell a whole story in a few pages. It took a while to get the hang of things. Many notebooks full of beginnings with no end were thrown in the thrash, but eventually, I found my way.

Things didn’t happen as quickly as I would have liked, and there were many times where I thought I felt much better, only to be feverish and tired within hours. Finally, I’m back to almost as good as new. I’ve been working on the last book in my Stranger Creatures series, Hawk’s Heart, which will be Jordan and Luke’s story. Each book in the series features a different couple in their fight for a happily-ever-after. I’ve also been working on a couple of romantasy novellas featuring women in their forties navigating unexpected new paths in life, as well as writing more poetry as well as sci fi and dystopian flash fiction.

 

 

If you’d like to follow me on social media for my latest book information and excerpts, poems, contest info, book recommendations, and other fun stuff, you can find me at:

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christina-lynn-lambert

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinalynnlambert

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15900423.Christina_Lynn_Lambert

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinalynnlambert

Wordpress: https://christinalynnlambertwordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cllambauthor.bsky.social

Cowboys are Always Worth the Ride #newromance

 

Cowboys are Always Worth the Ride

I write western romance. There's something about the downhome guys who make their living with animals and the land. I thought I'd share an excerpt from an interview I did a couple of years ago about why Cowboys appeal to me...

Cowboy romances. We all know why those are hot, but how did you get into writing them?

As luck would have it, a wonderful author friend asked me to be a part of a cowboy box set. D’Ann Lindun writes some amazing Contemporary Western Romances and I was excited (and a little nervous) about being in a set with her and writing a story she would enjoy. While writing my first cowboy story, I shared my story with her and received feedback.

 

Luckily for me, I have some amazing old friends who actually worked as cowboys during their summer vacations. They were an inspiration for my cowboys! And another ear to bounce ideas off of.

 

Once I finished my first cowboy story, more hunky guys came out of the woodwork demanding their stories. Since then, I’ve written five books in my Cowboys of Whisper, Colorado series and have more planned.

 

As you’re an expert in cowboys, what’s the single most important trait a prospective cowboy needs to develop?

Manners. The nice-fitting Wranglers, the strong work ethic, and sexy body are all important but a real cowboy knows how to treat a lady and his mama. They go out of their way to help others and care for all animals. They hold doors open, say please and thank you, and tip their hats at everyone. After all, who wouldn’t love a man who treats them like a queen?

 

What if a cowboy can’t last 8 seconds...can he still be in one of your ebooks?

I can take this question two ways! *wink* Eight seconds clearly isn’t enough time for any of my heroes. They love to take their time with their women.

 

But seriously, I love writing books about characters who are flawed. I have recovering alcoholics, disabled bull riders and men hiding the truth…No one is without a flaw. Sharing those type of heroes who find a happily ever after shows readers how I believe in a happily ever after for everyone.

 

If you had a twin sister, what character from your ebooks would you want her to marry and why?

You do know that if I pick a favorite, the rest of the heroes are going to be jealous! I am the oldest of five girls and while none of us are twins, I’d be happy if my sisters married any of the guys in my books. They are wonderful men who love their women and who go above and beyond to make them happy.

 

Not to mention, since they are fiction, they are all very good looking and even when they make a mistake, they set about to fix it. Some of them are even great cooks and all of them last longer than 8 seconds!

 

What’s your favorite country song to two-step to?

It’s like asking me which child is my favorite! While it’s not a great song to two-step to, my new favorite song to blast is My Church. It is a perfect song to roll the windows down and sing at the top of my lungs.

 

Besides the heart wrenching cowboy romances, what other types of ebooks do you write?

I write small town romances. My series, The Wilder Sisters, takes place in Amherst, Ohio, a small town along the Lake Erie coast and my hometown. My other series, The Pigg Brothers (Pigg Detective Agency) also features a small town outside of Columbus, Ohio and has a nod to the fairy tale- The Three Little Pigs.

 

In addition to my many romances, I have a few cookbooks which I’m a part of. These feature some of my wonderful family recipes. As you can see, family is important to me and I love being able to share some of my own family history with readers.

 

Finally, I have a non-fiction book, Musings of a Madcap Mind. It contains poetry, essays on life and again some family recipes. One of my favorite pieces in this book is my letter to my father about how I’m not only like my mother but also like him. I read it to him on his 65^th birthday with tears in my eyes.

 

Now that you have heard a little about my love of Cowboys, you can check them out on my website and on all Major retailers. I've included my Amazon page link!

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Melissa-Keir/author/B0078TCJX2

Until next month- Keep Reading,

Melissa Keir

www.melissakeir.com

Break out the popcorn

 

It’s getting close to summertime, when the living is easy, according to the old song. Among the warm weather activities many of us will indulge in, movies make the list. If your town still has a drive-in theater, that’s even better. There have been a lot of films that use summer as a backdrop, and many of them rely on standby tropes like summer camp or vacations. Romance usually plays a big part, too. Here are a few good ones, in no special order. How many of these have you seen?

 

“The Parent Trap” (1961) – This Disney production has Hayley Mills playing a dual role as teenage twins who were separated early in life when their parents divorced. They meet at a summer camp for girls, and plot to get their parents back together by switching places when camp is over. Yeah, I know—too cute, right? Just accept the premise and roll with it. Along the way, enjoy watching Brian Keith and Maureen O’Hara as the clueless parents. This was remade in 1998 with Lindsay Lohan, in her film debut.

 

“Gidget” (1959) – “Hey, gang—surf’s up!” This is the original beach party flick, starring Sandra Dee, Cliff Robertson, and James Darren. It’s about a teenager's introduction to the California surf scene and her romance with a young surfer who teaches her how to hang ten, among other things. In addition to inspiring a television series, the film is credited as being a big factor in the mainstreaming of surfing culture. It also popularized the nickname Big Kahuna, for Chief (Robertson’s character, a professional surfer and beach bum the kids look up to).  

 

“A Summer Place” (1959) -- This romantic drama is a prime example of the steamy soap operas that were popular in the ‘50s. Infidelity, pre-marital sex, bigotry, class snobbery, alcoholism, teen pregnancy out of wedlock—there are enough vices here for two movies. The plot, for those who care, concerns a man and woman who are reunited 20 years after a summer romance at an island resort. Both of their marriages are in serious trouble, and the flame is re-ignited. They must then deal with the passionate love affair that’s developing between their own teenage children. It stars Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire as the middle-aged lovers, and Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue as their respective children. Percy Faith’s recording of “Theme from A Summer Place” spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard singles chart. You might not have seen the movie, but you’ve probably heard the song.  

 

“Summer School” (1987) -- This Carl Reiner-directed comedy stars a pre-“NCIS” Mark Harmon as a high school gym teacher who is forced to teach a remedial English class during the summer break. He’s a former pro athlete who lucked into a Phys-Ed job, but doesn’t have a clue about how to teach or motivate a class of underachievers. The film co-stars Kirstie Alley and Courtney Thorne-Smith. If you’ve seen “The Breakfast Club” or “Welcome Back, Kotter,” the group of misfits Harmon is assigned to teach won’t provide too many surprises, but they seem like a fun bunch.

 

“Summer Rental” (1985) – Here we have another Carl Reiner creation, this time starring John Candy, Richard Crenna and Rip Torn. Candy is an overworked air traffic controller who takes his family to the resort town of Citrus Cove, Florida, where he clashes with local big shot Crenna. There are a lot of good sight gags and enough quirky characters to make up for the one-joke plot. Candy is great to watch as the put-upon family man who finally gets pushed to the limit. And speaking of which…

 

“The Great Outdoors” (1988)– This vacation romp pairs John Candy with Dan Aykroyd. Candy once again plays a harried family guy who is looking forward to their annual summer getaway at a Wisconsin lake. A dark cloud appears in the form of Aykroyd as the brother-in-law from hell, who seems to exist only to make Candy’s life miserable. There are some very funny bits, and the comic timing between Candy and Aykroyd is just right.  

 

“National Lampoon’s Vacation” (1983)—The first and still the best of the series, this features the Griswold clan on a cross-country summer road trip to enjoy some quality family time. At least, that’s what Chevy Chase has in mind until they’re actually on the road to Wally World amusement park. Along the way, they take a side trip to visit his mentally-vacant cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid). The whole thing is one mishap after another, with some hilarious gags. Chase’s meltdown toward the end is classic. Like all of the “Vacation” films, you’ll see things that will make you think “Been there, done that.”    

 

“Meatballs” (1979) – This Canadian comedy, about a ragtag group of teenagers at a second-rate summer camp, is noted for being Bill Murray's first starring role, and for launching the directing career of Ivan Reitman. The two would team up again for “Stripes” (1981) and “Ghostbusters” (1984). Murray is a camp counselor, whose personality will remind you of his lounge lizard character on Saturday Night Live. There really isn’t much to the plot, elements of which were reprised the following year in “Caddyshack” (“The slobs versus the snobs”), but it’s all very funny.   

 

“Jaws” (1975) -- “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Summer had traditionally been the dumping ground for low-budget drive-in flicks until this one broke box office records and became the must-see movie of the year. A quaint New England island is terrorized over the busy July 4^th holiday by a huge shark with an equally large appetite. Director Steven Spielberg supplied plenty of suspense, thrills and adventure, and the cast plays it beautifully. Legend has it that the line about needing a bigger boat was ad-libbed by star Roy Scheider, and it became a popular catchphrase.           

 

“American Graffiti” (1973) – The marketing campaign for this coming-of-age movie posed the question “Where were you in ’62?” That’s considered to be the end of the ‘50s American rock-and-roll era, before the British Invasion. The story takes place on the last night in town for a couple of recent high school grads who are leaving for college the next day. Or will they? Cruising, drag races, sock hops, make-out sessions by the lake, carhops on roller skates, and oldies from car radios announced by Wolfman Jack make this a nostalgic reminder of innocent times. Director/writer George Lucas (“Star Wars”) based the story on his own experiences. The cast includes Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, and a little-known actor named Harrison Ford. Look for the film debut of Suzanne Somers as the blonde in the T-Bird who catches Dreyfuss’s attention.   

Tim Smith is an award-winning bestselling author of romantic mystery/thrillers and contemporary romantic comedies. His author site is Tim Smith, AllAuthor.com 

Books I Want Youth To Discover

 

Image by LensPulse from Pixabay

I thought about passing on this week's Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge question. I'm sixty years old, and while I have no problem with reading young adult and even middle-grade books if they appeal to me, most people would probably consider my tastes a bit dated. My only child turns 35 this year, and I don't have any grandchildren. Therefore, my exposure to the young adult and middle-grade genres is somewhat limited at this point.

However, I still want to answer the question, although my answer will be rather niche. I read a fair number of both stories and memoirs written by gay men, and if there were any gay teenage boys in my life, I would recommend they read the following books. 

Number one on my list is Jaap Cove's memoir, Boy One. This book does contain explicit material. It also contains a wealth of both cautionary tales that any young gay man or teenage boy should be aware of, and Jaap's journey to self-acceptance is encouraging. This book keeps things real. 

From the blurb:

In BOY ONE, Jaap Cové tells the honest and gripping story of a remarkable part of his life. Revealing and outspoken, it is a unique, colorful, and compelling coming-of-age story. It captures the excitement of international gay life in the early 80s, but it is also a troubling saga about morality and intergenerational relationships.

You can read my review of Boy One here.

https://ornerybookemporium.blogspot.com/2024/05/boy-one-review-gaybookpromotions.html

For a less explicit, more light-hearted memoir about being gay back in the day, I suggest Late Bloomer Baby Boomer by Steve Milliken. While Steve's memories sometimes get a little steamy, the book is less explicit than Boy One.

Read my review of Late Bloomer Baby Boomer here.

https://ornerybookemporium.blogspot.com/2025/04/late-bloomer-baby-boomer-review-and.html

Luke Stoffel's hilarious, semi-fictionalized memoir, How to Win a Million Dollars and *BEEP* Glitter, is a must-read for anyone who needs a laugh, especially for young gay men who just can't believe how crazy it was being gay back in the day. Even though I'm neither gay nor a guy, I found myself relating to so much of what Luke says. 

Read my review of How To Win a Million Dollars and *BEEP* Glitter here.

https://ornerybookemporium.blogspot.com/2025/02/how-to-win-million-dollars-and-beep.html

Granted, these books might not be what you'd expect to find on your standard list of Books I Want Youth To Discover, but they are the books that this old lady thinks a certain demographic of youth would both enjoy and benefit from. Give 'em a look!

Sneak Peak at Chapter One: When Darkness Comes by January Bain

 

WHEN DARKNESS COMES

by

January Bain

Chapter One

Mckenna

 

We can have any world we imagine.

 

Day 1: Friday, May 23, 2055

Mexico City, Sinaloa

7:00 a.m.

 

Her heartbeat quickened to the point Mckenna Stuart feared her security detail would begin to notice. This is it. Hold it together…almost there. She kept her head facing forward staring out the front window of the unmanned uFree sky link, her nails digging into her palms, avoiding looking at the menacing security guard she’d never trusted. The compact pod was illegal in the town proper, but Diego paid the air marshals to look the other way. Lily, her four-year-old daughter, crowded in next to her. Lily had been quiet for the thirty-minute air ride from the compound, clutching her teddy bear to her chest. She reached out a trembling hand and smoothed the young girl’s bright curls, praying she had made the right decision. The pod landed in the parking lot behind the hair salon. When the door slid open automatically, the guard spoke up.

“I’ll be by to pick you up in one hour. Don’t be late.”

Mckenna cleared her throat. “Better make it two, I’m getting highlights done.”

Without even turning her head, she knew the burly man was now staring right at her, calculating, judging.

“It takes time to do well. Not my fault. And you know how important tonight is. Diego’s expecting me to look my best.” She detested this man almost as much as her husband, but she feared her husband more.

He narrowed his eyes. “I’m thinking I need a trim. Let’s go.”

Mckenna froze. “The owner won’t like it. They only do women’s hair here. Otherwise, how can we get to talk female things and not be overheard?”

The only response was a grunt followed by a garlicky belch. The man was an animal, a brute only kept in Diego’s employ to frighten those who would dare think of rising up against him. Diego considered himself king of Sinaloa, a man who had completely pulled the wool over her eyes when she had met the charming, devilishly handsome playboy. He had swept her off her feet in Miami where her family had landed after leaving Alaska, promising to make her his queen. Now she was nothing but his prisoner as he grew ever more paranoid by the day about someone taking anything from him. She’d blame the drugs for his behavior, but it went far deeper. Sometimes, when she glanced into his eyes of late, she had no idea who she was looking at.

It was a hard life for her, but it was even worse for Lily with no friends to play with. And after he’d recently threatened to cut her throat if she even looked at another guy, she knew it was time. She had one chance at this and now the security guard was standing in their way.

“What’s the hold up?” a gruff voice interrupted her thoughts.

Mckenna quickly helped her tiny, precious daughter out of the seat. Then she picked her up in her arms to carry her the short distance into the salon.

The guard followed so close behind her down the hallway she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. Lily held on tighter to her, a small whimper escaping her lips as she pressed her small head against her mother’s chest, her small body trembling. No child should have to live like this. Resentment tightened her resolve, straightened her spine.

“No men allowed,” a voice spoke up sternly from inside the larger room. The salon’s owner, Teresa Mendez, stood there, one hand on her hip and gesturing with cutting shears in the other for him to leave. She then pointed out a customer in the front area, her face covered by a white cloth. “I have a special client this morning and her patron would not appreciate a man anywhere near her. Any man. I assume you know Carlos Trejo.”

The guard behind her hesitated and Mckenna used the distraction to quickly walk into the salon. She sat down on one of the styling chairs and cradled Lily on her lap with her teddy bear.

“Come back in two hours. No sooner,” Teresa added.

A few seconds of pure terror for Mckenna. She closed her eyes and prayed the guard would go away as she bent her head down and kissed the top of her daughter’s head. She breathed in the fresh scent of strawberry shampoo and felt the love for her daughter fill her with strength. Then as if God had heard her prayers, the bodyguard turned and left, his heavy footfalls echoing in her mind until they faded away. When the back door slammed behind him, she looked up and met Teresa’s eyes in the mirror. She nodded her teary-eyed thanks.

The woman with the towel over her face pulled it off to reveal it was Teresa’s assistant Sienna hidden under it.

“I figured that bastarda would try something. Come, there’s no time to waste. I have wigs and clothes picked out for you both.” Teresa led them through the salon and up the steep staircase that led to the apartment above. On the kitchen table were two head forms, a child’s size and one considerably larger. Teresa had measured them both weeks ago, deciding on a medium brown, collar-length bob with thick bangs for Mckenna and a longer, wavy light brown one for her daughter.

Mckenna twisted her long hair into a quick knot and pinned it tight to the back of her head. Then Teresa slipped on a net to hold it in place before pulling the wig down over Mckenna’s head and arranging it to cover all her bright red-gold hair that hung to her waist. “I would have cut and done your hair, but there’s no time. Roberto is waiting to escort you through the tunnel. The bigger head start you get from him, the better, hermosa.” The stylist then picked up a tube of lipstick. “This red will transform you as well. You don’t wear much makeup and never anything bright. It will be unexpected.”

Mckenna gave a small smile at the term of endearment Teresa always called her as she quickly took the tube and added a film to her lips. It was nice to be called beautiful after years of being told she was too fat and needed to lose weight or that her hair wasn’t perfect or her breasts weren’t large enough. Diego could never be pleased; she saw that now. His paranoia kept him from enjoying his life and his terrible need to appear perfect to the world. While all Mckenna wanted for her and Lily was a life lived without fear of never knowing what the day would bring.

The two women then transformed Lily, reassuring her she was going to be playing a part in a game, pretending to be a princess looking to help the Chaneques by going on a journey to find the land of snow and ice.

“I can help them, Mommy. What do they want me to do?” Lily asked with wide eyes, her former fear of the bodyguard fading away. Her slight lisp from the loss of a front baby tooth made her smile. Her cornflower blue eyes reminded Mckenna of her own. They also shared the titian hair of her Scots heritage. Something that made them stand out in Mexico.

“You must tell know no one about the Chaneques. Not even your daddy. Once we discover this new land, their handsome prince promises to keep us safe from harm.” Please let Connor still be there and willing to take them in, if not for her sake, for her daughter’s. Last word she’d had of him was years ago before she’d left Florida for Mexico, but she knew him to be attached to his family and couldn’t imagine him ever leaving Alaska.

“Is Daddy going to be there?”

“For now, sweetheart, he must stay behind in Mexico.” She didn’t add she prayed with all her might he would never find them. “But he has many guards to protect him, and he can’t help the Chaneques like we can.”

Lily nodded her head, the new brown hair making her almost unrecognizable except for her bright blue eyes. They would both wear sunglasses as much as possible to hide the fact. “Because we’re girls. That’s why, right? Only girls can help them.”

“Yes, Lilybelle, only girls can help them. Daddies aren’t even capable of seeing them.” She used Lily’s favorite nickname, knowing she’d smile or giggle.

“Let’s get you both into the new clothes. I’ve packed a bag for both of you as well.” Teresa slid the two newly minted passports across the table. “Keep these safe.”

“I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me and my daughter, Teresa.” Mckenna’s eyes filled with tears again she blinked away. She couldn’t risk upsetting Lily.

“I bought you a new IC.” Teresa handed over the biometric device. The IC or Intelligent Communications device was nestled in its two-inch-sized lens carrying case that made everything else before it obsolete as soon as it hit the market. Placed in the eye, the flexible film allowed easy access to all personal data and made thought calls or think-speak as it was more commonly called, easily connecting to internet and computer services with the same thought process.

“Thanks. I’ll let you know as soon as I’m in the States. We have a short layover in Washington.” Mckenna slid the compact device into the pocket of the new jeans. Normally she wore dresses, but she was going to downplay everything today, hoping to slip through the bars of the prison she’d unintentionally created for herself and her daughter without being spotted.

***

Diego held Teresa by the throat while his bodyguards watched dispassionately from the doorway. His fingers squeezed tight until he saw her eyes start to drift. Then he slapped her hard. Once. Twice. “Tell me where they went. If you want to live another day, Teresa Sanchez, you will tell me. Or so help me God, I will send you straight to hell. But not before I make you suffer until you will wish you’d never been born.”

He’d thought to surprise his beautiful wife at the salon by bringing in gifts to delight her and the clientele who would think him a good husband. He’d bought a bouquet of scarlet roses and a high-end diamond tennis bracelet to show proper remorse for his over the top reaction the night before. Though she drove him to the edge, still, she was the mother of his child. Only to find this puta packing up to leave with no Mckenna or Lily in sight. She’d tried to say they’d left early, taken a uFree sky link home, but he knew better.

The traitorous bitch had decided to leave him. And this could not be allowed, not even if he had to track her to the ends of the earth. He was Diego Lopez. If he let this pass, he would forever be the goat. Unthinkable. It could not be condoned. Not if he had to tear out every last fingernail and hair on Teresa’s body.