A Father's Day Memory That Still Makes Me Laugh

Summer Reading, Fathers, and a Giveaway Winner

Hello Friends,

June has arrived, summer is officially underway, and I've spent the past month reading, writing, and reflecting on a few of the people who have shaped my life.

This month I'm sharing our giveaway winner, a couple of recent book reviews, a Father's Day memory that still makes me laugh, and a question I'd love your help answering.

🎉 Giveaway Winner

First, thank you.

Last month I offered a $15 Amazon digital gift card giveaway and asked you to share my newsletter with friends who might enjoy books, travel, and encouragement. The response was wonderful.

The winner is: Michelle B.  Congratulations! (Michelle, I'm sending you an email!)

More importantly, thank you to everyone who shared the newsletter. Many readers don't realize how much word-of-mouth matters in the publishing world. Large publishing houses may have advertising budgets, but for most authors, personal recommendations remain one of the most powerful ways books find new readers.

Every time you recommend a book, leave a review, forward a newsletter, or tell a friend about an author you enjoy, you're helping connect stories with readers who might never have discovered them otherwise. I appreciate each of you who took a moment to share my work. Thank you for helping me grow this wonderful community. 📚 What I’m Reading (and Listening To) Speaking of great books, here's what's been on my nightstand lately.

The Only One Left — Riley Sager

I've heard people rave about Riley Sager for years, so I finally decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about.

The Only One Left delivers exactly what I hoped for: family secrets, a creepy old mansion, unreliable characters, and enough twists to keep me guessing. The atmosphere is excellent, and the story builds steadily toward a satisfying conclusion.

If you enjoy suspense with a gothic feel, this one is worth adding to your list. My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

11/22/63 — Stephen King (Audiobook)

I'm not quite finished with this one yet, but I feel comfortable offering an early review. I'll share a final rating once I've reached the last page.

My biggest complaint? It's long. Very long.

There were moments when I wondered if the story really needed quite so many pages, but then something would happen and I'd find myself completely invested again. The narrator is phenomenal and deserves much of the credit for keeping me engaged. His performance brings the characters and time period vividly to life.

Stephen King has an incredible ability to immerse readers in a world, and that's certainly true here. Despite its length, I'm enjoying the journey.

Current Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

✍🏻 Behind the Keyboard I've spent much of June working on my next suspense thriller, which is scheduled for release this fall — and this one has more than a few hints of mystery woven through it.

My main character is a woman who has spent her life trusting facts, evidence, and logic. Unfortunately for her, life doesn't always provide neat explanations.

As the story unfolds, she's forced to wrestle with questions about luck, coincidence, grief, and whether some events are simply beyond our understanding. It's become a fascinating exploration of the tension between what we can prove and what we choose to believe.

The deeper I get into the manuscript, the more I find myself asking some of those same questions. 📚Help Me Build My TBR List

 My "To Be Read" stack is always growing, but I'm constantly looking for recommendations.

What's one book you've read recently that you can't stop recommending?

Hit reply and let me know. Some of my favorite reads have come from reader suggestions — and if you've got thoughts on your favorite fictional fathers (see below), feel free to share both in the same email. 👔 A Father's Day Memory With Father's Day approaching, I've been thinking about my dad.

One of the things I admired most about him is that he continually worked to improve himself while staying true to who he was. He was a wonderful husband and father, and he never lost his sense of humor.

One of his favorite jokes involved a book he'd occasionally hand to unsuspecting friends and family members. The title was Everything Men Know About Women by Dr. Alan Francis.

Sounds promising, right?

The joke, of course, came when you opened the book and discovered every single page was blank.

Without fail, he'd grin while everyone else howled. He especially loved to take it to church on Sunday morning and pass it down the pew. When an unsuspecting person opened it, the whole pew was hard-pressed to keep a straight face.

To this day, it still makes me laugh.

As I've reflected on Father's Day, I've also found myself thinking about fathers in fiction. We have plenty of action heroes, detectives, spies, and larger-than-life characters. But where are the strong fathers? Not perfect fathers. Not superheroes. Just good men trying to love their families well, make difficult decisions, and do the right thing.

Some of the most memorable characters I've encountered weren't memorable because they could win a fight. They were memorable because they showed up, sacrificed, and cared deeply about the people around them.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Who is your favorite father or father figure in a novel?

Reply and let me know.

✨ A Thought for the Month

Whether you're celebrating your father, remembering him, or honoring someone who stepped into that role, I hope you have an opportunity this month to reflect on the people who helped shape your story.

Thank you for reading and being part of this community. I always enjoy hearing from you, so don't hesitate to hit reply and tell me what you're reading, what you're writing, or simply what's been happening in your corner of the world.

Thank you for reading and being part of this community. Blessings, Sandy