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April 2022 Newsletter

On Hunky Immortals & Fine Chocolate

Dear Reader:

Happy Spring!

As I celebrate the April 11 release of my latest novel, The Immortal, about a hunky fireman who travels back in time, my thoughts turn toward how we choose the books we read.

Finding a good book is a bit like choosing chocolate from one of those heart-shaped boxes on Valentine’s Day. Some people (like me) only eat dark chocolate. Others don’t like coconut or cream fillings. Some boxes include a list of contents, but until you take a bite from a piece, you don’t know what’s inside that little gem. Similarly, when you read the back cover blurb of a book, you have an idea of the nature of the story, but until you start reading it, you really don’t know what kind of a treat the author has provided.

I’ve become an expert at deciphering the chocolate code—after all, I have years of experience at this delicious task. But even though I’ve been reading almost as long as I’ve been eating chocolate, finding the book code that works for me took longer. Here’s what I discovered:

Before you select your next read, it’s a good idea to ask yourself these questions:

  • What is my mood? Is everything right in my world, or am I stressed or possibly overworked?
  • How is my day going? Am I tired or wide awake?
  • Am I in the mood for a gentle read or one that challenges me, that makes me think?
  • Do I want a story with a happy ending, or am I receptive to a surprise as I finish the book?
  • Do I want to revisit a world I already love or become acquainted with a new one?
  • Do I want to escape into a fantasy world or learn about history or current events within the framework of a story set in the real world?

By answering these questions, you will have a better idea of the type of book you want to read. For example, a short time ago I was asked to help take care of our young grandson as our daughter-in-law was expecting their second child. I knew it was going to be a busy time, with my reading restricted to nights, after everyone was tucked into bed. Accordingly, I decided I wanted books that were well written, light on suspense, full of humor, romance and with guaranteed happy endings. So I treated myself to Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton books. I purchased the entire series and read them in order. They were the perfect ending to a long day.

Now, taking into consideration my tips for selecting your next read, here’s a little about my new book coming out next week.

The Immortal

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In this time travel tale, my goal was to show that, even in the 16th century, women found ways to follow their dreams while navigating the confines of the times. Many, like my heroine, needed a father, brother, or husband to sponsor them in fields such as painting, sculpting and writing.

My hero, William MacAlpin, is a smoke jumper in present day Montana but also a member of a dwindling, secret breed of Immortals. He is asked to travel back in time to stop an escaped killer from changing history.

My heroine, Isabel de Pinze, is a gifted painter and servant in Queen Mary’s court and knows nothing of the existence of Immortals. But when she sees a man being ambushed along the Thames River, she throws caution to the wind and rushes to help him. William is stunned by Isabel’s bravery and kindness and falls in love with her. When he discovers that his quest is linked to her destiny and that she could destroy them all, he has a tough choice to make.

Again, The Immortal is available on April 11. I hope you’ll treat yourself to Isabel and William’s story and share what you think about it on your favorite social media site.

Speaking of purchasing books, as many of you know, I love to travel, and I enjoy taking photos of bookstores wherever my husband and I go. One of the pictures here is from a bookstore in Santorini, Greece. The other photo is of the Write On store in Kinsale, Ireland. I’d love to see photos of stores you encounter during your travels—feel free to post them on my Facebook page with a little information about the store.

[photo] [photo]

Have a wonderful day,

- Pam Binder