My Summer Reading List by Lucinda Race #RomanceGems

Hello again.

It’s Summer and it’s HOT!

So, for the months of June, July and August I’ve embarked on a personal reading challenge. To read at least one book from every author in the #RomanceGems group. Prior to deciding to make this a short-term goal I did have a reading goal on Good Reads. But I’ve gone from twenty-four books as my goal to adding twenty more. But where to begin.

As an author of ten books I have a favorite and I was sure the other amazing authors in our group did too, so I asked. Where do I begin? 

So far, I’ve read Joan Reeves, Bonnie Edwards, Kathy Lawless, Elsa Kurt, Karen Kelly, Connie Vines, Jan Scarbrough and Kathryn Hills. Each novel or series of books I’ve read has been a wonderful diversion in the long wonderful days of summer.

I’ve been diligent to post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookbub to support this amazing and talented group of authors is very important to do. Writers supporting writers is critical as writing and editing is such a solitary pursuit.

My kindle is full of books to be read and up next is anyone’s guess. But I see some amazing books in my future. If you’re interested in my reviews check out my Goodreads page. Every word is honest and comes from the love of reading. 

When I was telling a friend what I was doing she said it reminded her of the reading list she got from her teachers each summer. I had to laugh at the comparison but this is much better than the assignments of old. I know that as a romance novel junkie I’m going to spend the summer falling in love again and again.

Don’t forget to sign up for this month’s contest. 

BEACHES and BOOK BOYFRIENDS is the Romance Gems Julytheme. Enter our drawing for a chance to win 1 of 3 Amazon Gift Cards and fun beach books too! Read the post, leave a comment, and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway.

Until next time, 

I wish you happiness. 

Lucinda

The Key to Your Heroine—Is Hidden Your Closet? by Connie Vines @connievines #RomanceGems

Research is my middle name.

I plan family vacations to include possible ‘future book settings’, ‘historical events’, ‘regional foods’—well, you know where I’m going with this.

Research often required hours spent at the public library using the card catalog.  Oh, how the Internet has simplified my life.

However, breathing life into your heroine, and bringing your story to life, are all elements that writers spend hours and hours perfecting.

Sensory details, setting, motivation, and that ‘something’ which is the spark of each and every story is often elusive.  Sometimes, just sometimes, the pieces of your fictional universe fall neatly, and unexpectedly, into place.

Today this is what happened to me.

While sorting through my closet, I discovered a treasure of carefully-packed-away-items.  Being the eldest daughter, I’ve acquired the family photos, was blessed with the oral histories of grandparents and great-grandmother, and other relatives.  I carefully placed the items on my bed.  I was fingering a silk scarf of my maternal grandmother’s, noticing blending of colors, threads of silver catching the light when I realized I was holding a moment of her life.  A snap-shot of who she was, who she wanted to be—a time before she was my grandmother.

Had she gone shopping with her sister or her mother to purchase this scarf?  Or had she ridden the EL, after work to a department store in Chicago?  Was she going to a dance? To the theater?
Her parents immigrated from the region of Bohemia in Czechoslovakia (before it became the Czech Republic) and she was the youngest of six children. 

I located pieces of her jewelry, the scarf still smelled faintly of her perfume (or was it simply my memory of her fragrance?).  I found her beaded evening bag.  I recalled a photo taken when she and her sister worked as extras in the motion pictures of the 1920 and 1930s.  They stayed with their older brother (musician, Tony Lada of the Louisiana Five) in San Monica, California.  I was certain I had it in a box, perhaps already scanned to my computer.

  YouTube Louisiana Five

This is how I discover my heroine and my hero.  My characters become living, breathing people—step by step; their stories are revealed to me piece by piece.

I may have the start of a synopsis for my next novel in the works.  What do you think?

Rudolph Valentino? (Catch his silent movies on YouTube—he was a hottie!)

I also have my great-great-grandmother’s butter churn from the 1800s—but that’s another story.

So, what treasure do you have hiding in your closet?

I'd love to hear your family history story :-).  What treasure did you find?

Happy Reading,

Connie Vines

Reminder:  Romance Gems July Contest in in full swing!  Raffelcopter
                  Breaches and Boy Friends Giveaway.


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