What’s a “Beach Read” Anyway?

Although I generally love the weather in North Carolina where my husband and I live, this spring has been ridiculously summer-like with its hot days and heavy humidity (today, it's 84 degrees). While this has most locals speculating about whether this summer will be an inferno so hot we’ll be frying eggs on the sidewalk, but what it got me thinking about is the term “beach read”. I guess all this steamy heat has me yearning for cool sea breezes and the roar of incoming waves against the shore.

So, what does this term mean, anyway? Isn’t every book a book you can read on the beach or by the pool? Honestly, I read all kinds of books on the beach (and everywhere else). I’ve read scary horror novels on the beach and touching memoirs on the beach and nonfiction how-to’s on the beach. I don’t have a particular kind of book I search for before I go to the beach – do you? So, what’s up with this silly seemingly-meaningless term?

You might be asking: “Why do you care, Tara? What’s the big kerfuffle?” (Damn, I’ve always wanted to use that word in a blog post, and I finally got my chance! Kerfuffle! Kerfuffle! Okay, calm down.) The answer: it’s one of the search terms on online book stores for Barefoot Girls.

So, I decided to do a little research, and this is what I found out

Interview on Freda's Voice

My very first author interview was recently conducted on Freda's Voice, a wonderful book blog I admire greatly.

It was a lot of fun doing this with Freda, who in addition to being well-read and very smart, is also very kind - offering her help to get the word out regarding my novel Barefoot Girls. If you're interested in seeing the interview in all its glory, check it out here: http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/get-to-know-author-tara-mctiernan

Even better, sign up for the giveaway! A free copy of the ebook is being given to the lucky winner - why can't that be you?

Barefoot Girls Song List – Bonus Tracks!

A lot of novels have additional matter in the back including maps of the fictional place/setting, character listings, and Reader’s Guides for book clubs. One of my beta readers, Elise, said that Barefoot Girls was well-suited for a readers group, so, voila! The ebook has a list of questions for discussion designed for a book club in the back (the print version will have the same bonus content).

Another thing that came to mind while I was writing the book and again while I was editing and re-reading it, was that it was a natural for a soundtrack or playlist. There are just so many songs that the Barefoot Girls love, so many songs that are referenced in the book at pivotal moments and even quoted lyrics (printed with permission, of course) used for effect in one scene. So, that was another destined “back-matter” item located in the final pages of the book: a list of sing-along songs from Captain’s Island, where people still sing socially and without American Idol-inspired anxiety. No, on Captain’s, you don’t have to limit your warblings to the shower or a karaoke night.

For readers who visit this site, I thought I’d throw in some bonus tracks – the other great songs that call to mind moments from my novel Barefoot Girls. In fact, if this book is ever made into a movie, I’m going to insist on most of the songs on the original list plus a few from this one.