UFI welcomes Nancy Holzner Author of The Deadtown Series. Thanks for Joining us!!
What Makes a Great
Summer Beach Read?
When Deadtown was
released just after Christmas in 2009, Publishers
Weekly said that the novel "would be a great beach read if it weren’t
coming out in the middle of the winter." (I think maybe the reviewer was
longing for a midwinter Caribbean getaway.) It took four books to get here, but
finally a Deadtown novel is coming out in the summer—just in time for readers
to take it to the beach. Darklands hit
shelves on July 31, so don't forget to toss it in your beach bag!
This got me thinking about what constitutes a great beach
read. I don't often get a chance to lie around and read all day, perhaps
pausing to sip a tropical drink or splash in the surf. If I'm going to spend a
day on the beach, what kind of book do I want to take with me?
These are the qualities I find essential in a good beach
read:
Escapism. Hey,
I'm on vacation. I've left my stresses and problems and worries behind me, at
least for a few days. I don't want depressing literary fiction about dysfunctional
families. I don't want shocking true crime stories. I don't want deep analysis
of economic, social, or political problems. I'm interested in these things, but
I'm not taking them with me to the beach.
A likeable
protagonist. Anti-heroes definitely have their place. But when I'm reading
for fun, I want to cheer for a main character I like and admire. Someone I'd
enjoy meeting for margaritas after the sun goes down.
Adventure. A
great beach read throws its characters into a high-stakes situation. Something
important is at risk—life, a loved one, the fate of the world itself—and the
protagonist must struggle to save it. I heart-pounding action. I want the
afternoon to zip by as quickly as I can turn pages.
Humor. In my
day-to-day life, I sometimes feel like I don't laugh enough. Vacations are the
perfect time to throw your head back and laugh. Humor doesn't have to be the
focus of the book, but a chuckle here and there is definitely a bonus.
Romance.
Vacations are made for romance, so a little happily-ever-after is always
welcome in my beach reading. Romance doesn't have to be the focus of the book,
but it's one of the things that makes life worth living, and it rounds out
characters for me. And what better time to fall in love than when you're saving
the world?
An overall positive
outlook. I love dark fantasy. I adore horror and shivers-up-your-spine
ghost stories. I might bring a few dark, creepy books along with me on
vacation, but lying in the bright sunshine isn't the best time for terror and
spooky chills. I'll save those for autumn and its lengthening shadows.
Exotic locations. A
book is such a wonderful way to travel. Whether I'm lazing on a distant
tropical beach or reading on a bench in a local park, my favorite summer
reading takes me to faraway places.
So there are my ingredients for the perfect summer beach
read. I like to think Darklands
contains most of them. It's got fantasy, action and adventure, suspense, dashes
of humor, and a touch of romance. As for exotic locations, the story ventures deep
into the realm of the dead (which isn't what you might expect).
How about you? What do you look for in a summer beach read?
What are some of your favorite books that you've read on vacation?
__________________________________
Nancy Holzner grew up in
western Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended
to walk into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and
forced her parents to institute a “no reading at the dinner table” rule. It was
probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because
there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long
enough to earn a master’s degree and a PhD.
She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try
some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she’s worked as a
technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college
admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. As Nancy Conner, she writes how-to
and reference books on topics ranging from classical mythology to using Office
2010.
Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both
work from home without getting on each other’s nerves. She enjoys visiting
local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of
books she wants to read.
__________________________________
Find Nancy and her books
__________________________________
Darklands
Deadtown #4
July 31, 2012
They call it Deadtown:
the city’s quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents.
Most humans stay far from its border—but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only
professional demon slayer, isn’t exactly human…
Boston’s demons
have been disappearing, and Vicky’s clients are canceling left and
right. While fewer demons might seem like a good thing, Vicky suspects
foul play. A missing Celtic cauldron from Harvard’s Peabody museum leads
her to an unwelcome conclusion: Pryce, her demi-demon cousin and bitter
enemy, is trying to regain his full powers.
But Pryce isn’t
alone. He’s conjured another, darker villain from Vicky’s past. To stop
them from destroying everything she loves, she’ll have to face her own
worst fear—in the realm of the dead itself.
__________________________________
__________________________________
* US ONLY*
Nancy is offering a Great Beach Read gift pack, including a woven straw beach bag, beach towel, and a signed copy of Darklands
a Rafflecopter giveaway
