Four Reasons Why
Reading Is My Best Summer Escape
By
Dora Machado
1) Reading
is stress free: There are no traffic hassles, rigid schedules, cars
packed to the brim, siblings breathing each other’s air in the back seat, kids
asking "Are we there yet?", long lines, crowded attractions, heat
waves, summer storms, lost tourists, packed hotels, stagnant pools and stale
all-you-can eat buffets. You also get to avoid the long check-in lines at the
congested airports, the intrusive security screens, the late planes, the sullen
flight attendants and the psycho pilots. It’s just you and your book.
2) Reading
is safe: You don’t need helmets, kneepads, safety glasses, spare
paddles, lifejackets, lifelines, first-aid kits, mole skin, tetanus shots,
oxygen tanks, water purification tablets, safety harnesses, emergency beacons,
medivac insurance, shark repellent or bear spray. Seriously, I’ve owned, worn
or used all of these at some point in my vacations. In hindsight, I don't know
what the heck I was thinking. Your risks of contracting the Norovirus, the
Hantavirus or the SARS Coronavirus are dramatically reduced when you stay home.
Same goes for Malaria, Yellow Fever and Dengue. The way I see it, I don't need
a GPS to locate my favorite reading corner. My cats double as wildlife without
the need for a high-end Swarovski scope. And I’m a lot less likely to activate
my SPOT (personal satellite emergency tracker) while parked on the couch.
3) Reading
is exciting: Experience adrenaline’s thrill without suffering the
consequences for your actions. It’s like distance trekking in Spain without the
blisters or Colorado mountain biking minus the Rockies’ steep hills.
Expeditions, explorations, adventure, intrigue, mystery, hardship, elation,
failure, redemption, lust, love, high-stake gambles: You get to live through it
all without losing your camera, sunglasses, wallet or ATM card. Yep, I’ve lost
of all those. To top it all, you get to dangle at the cliffhanger without
breaking any bones or dramatically increasing your chances for developing some
serious osteoarthritis down the line.
4) Best
of all, reading is the greatest bargain around: A bunch of great books
are free on Kindle and Nook. Libraries also offer great variety at no cost. You
can get a great read for $0.99. The Curse
Giver, my latest novel, is out on e-book, and all of the Stonewiser novels
are on sale this summer. Digital or print, a book is the season’s most
fashionable accessory. Compared with overpriced airline fares, luggage fees,
unpredictable gas prices, seedy hotel rooms and unexpected hospitality taxes,
reading is the best deal out there and by far my favorite summer escape.
***
Click on the image to buy the book at Amazon.com!
Dora Machado is the award winning author of the epic
fantasy Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, available from Twilight Times Books July 2013. She
grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a fascination for
writing and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of straddling such
compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She
lives in Florida with her husband and three very opinionated cats. To learn more about Dora Machado and her novels,
visit her website at www.doramachado.com or contact her at Dora@doramachado.com.
Subscribe to her blog at http://www.doramachado.com/blog/ sign up for her at newsletter at http://doramachado.com/newsletter.php, Facebook
and Twitter.
For a free excerpt of The Curse Giver, visit http://twilighttimesbooks.com/TheCurseGiver_ch1.html.
Dora, thanks for being with us on Mb4 -- your insight into reading was refreshing :)
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