Summer Reads, Reviews and Romance

….Submitted by Karna Small Bodman

Ah, the month of June -- when we hope to discover new releases for that beach read, new movies for a relaxing summer evening, and new romances either in print, on the screen or perhaps in a ceremony. After all, this IS the month of weddings. So in keeping with these themes, I'm excited to share word of a new thriller, Gambit,  coming out this week.  My pups are already checking it out since they were named for the title and heroine of the story. (My husband's idea) You too can check it out  here

"Gambit" and "Cammy" -- Well-read Labradoodles

This novel is the second in my White House National Security Series that has been revised and updated for release. 

 Several of my Rogue colleagues also have new releases for summer reads, including Robin Burcell's  GREY GHOST -- which just hit #3 on The New York Times Bestseller List. And don't forget K.J. Howe's  SKYJACK.  Once you've read those great stories, later in the season, look for Lisa Black's  

SUFFER THE CHILDREN.  

In some of our previous Rogue articles about the month of June, we have written about love and the single spy (or single hero) and have wondered how an author can "keep the tension" going in a series if the hero and heroine "end up together" in the first book.
  

I remember leaving a comment on one of those posts about a conversation I had with the great (late) writer, Vince Flynn whose Mitch Rapp series continues with the author Kyle Mills now writing about those characters.  Vince said that he faced this dilemma when Mitch Rapp married

the love of his life.  He said "I didn't know what to do to keep it interesting, so in the next novel I had to kill her off."

I didn't want to go that far in the book I mentioned at the top, Gambit, which features the same characters in my first novel, Checkmate.  So I created a love triangle between the beautiful scientist, the Lt. Col. on The White House National Security Council staff and the dynamic, widowed Vice President.  In the midst of trying to solve a major threat to our commercial airliners with lives and the economy in the balance, Dr. Cameron Talbot ("Cammy") has to figure out not only how to stop the culprits but sort out her personal life at the same time.

When it comes to  movies for your summer . . . you might enjoy some of the light-hearted films on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel where they often employ a similar tactic: the triangle where the hero or heroine in one of their romantic comedies already has a fiancé or very significant other who simply isn't the "right" one.  But when they do find THE ONE -- it always has a (sigh) happy ending (usually a wedding).  This was the exact format of a movie we happened to watch the other night -- it was the re-release of the 2014 one starring the current Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Merkle, WHEN SPARKS FLY. She had also starred in DATER'S HANDBOOK a while back.

I dare say the weddings at the end were a shade bit simpler than her real one that many of us watched as it took place at Windsor Castle where she was surrounded by a royal cast of characters.

In contrast to those romantic comedies, the Hallmark Mystery Series feature heroines who never seem to "nail" the good guy....he's just strung along while she works on nailing the bad guy.  For example, a wonderful author, Charlaine Harris wrote a series of eleven books about a librarian who organizes of group of friends called The Real Murders Club.  They get together to study and solve local crimes.


Hallmark was smart to turn these tales into "Aurora Teagarden Mysteries" starring Candace Cameron Bure, who does indeed manage to ferret out the perpetrator by analyzing unique clues and personalities.  But she never seems to make up her mind about the hunk who obviously adores her - played by Hannick Bisen.

Stars of the Aurora Teagarden Mystery Series

Other films we like to watch are the HAILEY DEAN MYSTERIES based on the books by another great author, Nancy Grace.  These movies star Kellie Martin who had been featured some years ago as a woman who owned a mystery book shop (and we all love book shops - right?) Now she plays a former prosecutor turned psychologist who is great at analyzing the motives of the killers.

I now see that there will be a number of new movies and mysteries on that channel in the coming weeks.  So whatever you like to do in your free time (if you have it)  in June and the coming months of summer -- whether it's settling down with a new book, catching a comedy or mystery, or just relaxing with friends - and pets, of course - I hope you will be able to  enjoy all of the above.  Now do leave a comment and let us know what some of your favorite pass times are and what you will be doing over the summer months. And thanks for visiting us here on Rogue Women Writers.

…..Karna Small Bodman