Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

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Reading Getaways and a Reading Giveaway

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My kids are still grieving the loss of summer. With school back in session, there is less time to play computer games, watch Netflix, and get together with friends. I’ve warned them that when they enter the real world, summer as they know it completely ceases to exist. They are appropriately devastated by this news and do whatever they can to appreciate their easy life while they have it.

Yet even grownups get breaks now and then. Vacations. Holidays. Saturdays. The trick is not to fill these “off” days with too many chores and commitments that we forget to rest. God created the Sabbath for a reason. Rest is good for us. We need it to regenerate depleted energy, to release stress, and improve our mental outlook.

Reading is a perfect resting activity for me. It’s quiet, relaxing, and always leaves me happy (thanks to romance novels with a guaranteed happy ending). Unfortunately, reading is something that is harder and harder for me to fit into my busy schedule. Writing, marketing, working the day job, church responsibilities, aging parents, teenage children with their activities, the list goes on and on. I’m sure yours does, too. Yet I’m determined to hang onto my escape.

Recently in my Facebook fan group, I created a poll to see where people most wanted to escape with their TBR piles. Here are the four options we chose from:

1. The Beach

2. Private Terrace with a Mountain View

3. Hammock in a Meadow or Park

4. Cozy Bed with Cookies and Coffee

Of course, we decided that cookies and either coffee or tea had to be included in all locations.

So if you could escape for a single day for a reading getaway, which location would you choose?

GIVEAWAY: One person who comments will win an autographed copy of Heart on the Line. I might not be able to whisk you away to a secluded reader’s paradise, but I can send you a good book to get lost in.

Update: We have a winner. Shannon – You are the winner of Heart on the Line. Congratulations! Hope you find a nice little getaway so you can enjoy it. (Watch for an email from me to claim your prize.)

 

 

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Karen Witemeyer

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and gospel hymn singer who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com.
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Comments

  1. i would like to be sitting out on a river bank while fishing and reading a book between catching fish.

  3. If I could escape for one day, I would probably go to Alaska. I have always wanted to go there to see another part of God’s wonderful creation. However, honestly, part of the day would be devoted to seeing amazing sights while the other part of the day would be spent reading a good book in a beautiful setting. (:

  6. Gee. They all sound wonderful to this overworked mom. I think I would have to pick the mountain terrace, though. Sounds heavenly!

  7. I would escape to a private terrace with a mountain view. I would hope the place i was staying was a log cabin away from the city noise, hustle and bustle. Serene views. Solitude. God’s creation surrounding me.

  8. My pastor made a statement when I was struggling with time to even read the Bible. He said “There are some days that you have to carve out the time.” So, that is what I do. I take every moment captive and grab the book that I am immersed in and read….while my live in grandson is bathing, playing outdoors, or ahhh..napping!!. Some days it is quiet moment after my bible reading, and an at my desk lunch at work, etc. So I think my perfect “get away” place would by my favorite end of the couch with endless time…and a cup of coffee and a cookie!!

    • Great advice, Kay. I find myself having to do the same thing. Carve out time. It might not be a lot of time, but even 15-20 minutes at the beginning or end of the day can be a blessing.

  9. Any of the locations would work, but my favorite is the private terrace with a mountain view. Thanks for writing good Christian fiction with strong characters and plot. 🙂

  10. The private terrace with a mountain view would be lovely. I am sure all the locations would be, actually, but I may fall asleep or be distracted at the others!

  11. I’m going to pick the terrace with the mountain view…because for me, mountains mean Vancouver BC, and that sounds like a slice of heaven right now! Thanks for offering this lovely little getaway, even if only imagined!
    Trdivincenzo (at) gmail (dot) com

  12. I am quite content to read wherever I am–to snatch a few moments here and there reading the book I have going. In fact, I usually read before I fall asleep at night; I lie down on my bed in my nightie with my head and knees propped up on firm pillows and hold my book in front of me. However, one summer during a week at Hilton Head beach in South Carolina, I found that sitting on the balcony in a delicious comfortable breeze, I could escape into long periods of heavenly reading. That was the best!

  14. Private terrace with mountain view. As long as I have the cozy bed inside waiting with the cookies 😉

  15. If it was Spring or Summer time, I would pick the beach, as it a place I can truely relax and see God’s power demonstrated in the ocean waves & see His beautiful creation in every detail of the sand, shells, birds, plants, sunrise & sunsets. Best place to read! If it was fall or winter, I would pick the terrace with the mountain view and a room with a fireplace… cozy place to read & see God’s beauty. These moments are truly a gift from God!

  16. The terrace with a view of the mountains sounds wonderful to me, with tea and a magically replenishing plate of cookies!And tissues, for the parts of the book before the happily-ever-after ending.

    • I’m a sucker for the mountains. Love the snug cabin idea. My ideal place would be a cabin in the forested mountains with a path that winds along a creek or river and ends at a small waterfall with a comfy bench waiting for me.

  18. i would love to be reading at the beach, though I never get to go😢 So my second choice would be a cost bed with coffee and cookies. Though my coffee would get cold because I am usually so engulfed in the book I don’t think about anything else!
    Thanks Karen Witemeyer for the giveaway and for writing such awesome books!
    Blessings

  21. Although I do not have a mountain view, I have a private porch with a view of my backyard, hosting birds at the feeder, and a fountain echoing refreshing water. I sit there most mornings drinking in the serenity of Gods creation. That’s my spot for reading.

  23. I would love to go to the beach again and be able to relax and read. I haven’t been since my kids were little. I read in a mountain science everyday. Thank you for the chance. Have a blessed and happy day.

  25. I would definitely escape to the terrace with the mountain view! Better yet, I would find a cozy spot under a tree in those mountains and enjoy my books!

  26. I would so go for the private terrace looking out onto the mountains with the birds flying by and the sounds of nature. YES!! I have this book on my to buy list. thanks for this chance

  28. I’ve always had this image of the best place to read, and it has become my dream library. I want one of those multiple story libraries with swinging ladders (think Beauty and the Beast on a smaller scale) The room is circular and each level has a walkway going all the way around, the top dome is all glass letting in a lot of natural light and the top floor is window seats going all the way around the dome. That is where I want to read, nestled in among the pillows and blankets on those window seats.

    • Yes! Me, too. 🙂 My dream house has a private library with built-in shelves, a rolling ladder, and comfy wingback reclining chairs. Oh, and a window seat with lots of cushions. Your description sounds perfect! Can I come over and visit?

  29. I would go with the terrace with the mountain view. We stayed for a week in a large log home on 40 acres in Colorado last year that faced PIkes Peak. Although early in the morning, inside, not out on the large deck was cozier. When I got up in the morning, my brothers & sister & spouses that we were vacationing with would be in the large living room, books in hand, watching the sunrise. It was an awesome view!

  30. A spring meadow ( wildflowers) with a comfortable chair or lounge and a gentle breeze and no bugs! Oh and a glass or cup of tea. Thanks for the chance to win!

  31. My fav place of escape is the beach, and I would love to have a copy of Heart on the Line to read while there! 😊 I love your books. Thanks for a chance to win this one. Blessings on you as you write.

  32. I have always loved reading on the beach, but because of my arthritis it is an increasing struggle to get there. Walking up and over dunes and through sand is difficult, so any place outdoors in the sun with a cold drink and a snack would be my choice!

  33. It’s a toss up for me between the mountains and the beach. I always get so much reading done at the beach, but I also love going to the mountains.

  34. Sitting on a deck, surrounded by mountains with a gurgling stream near by sounds like a great relaxing getaway. Oh yes, gotta have a book!

  35. My friend has a riverside cabin in the North Georgia mountains. This is the perfect place for a reading getaway. 🙂

  36. Laying in a hammock in the yard of a mountain cabin would be the best place to getaway and read!

  37. I would be on a lanai in Maui, overlooking the beach. There is a comfey chair and ottoman for my feet and an iced coffee. There is a slight breeze and the sun is shining brightly off the ocean. I am ready to read my new book:)

  39. I would go with the balcony with a mountain view. My summer vacation was to the Rockies, and for those 5 uninterrupted seconds my preschooler let me read my book, it was perfect. 🙂

  40. I picked the mountain scene in the poll because it was the closest to our favorite vacation spot in Maine. The Maine coast gives a combination of mountains and beach. Our favorite hotel in Bar Harbor has a wonderful sitting room with glass sliding doors and a balcony looking out over the harbor. We love to grab our books and relax in the peaceful surroundings after a day of boat excursions, exploring Acadia National Park, or taking a short journey into the quaint town. Then after dinner, we spend the evening in The Great Room listening to our favorite piano player who has been performing there for 20 years. Of course we end the evening again with time for reading before bed, enjoying tea and the chocolates on our pillows.

    Would love an autographed copy of Heart on the Line!

  41. For sure I would choose a cozy bed with cookies and milk (instead of coffee)! I love snuggling up with a good book AND I love cookies! 🙂

  42. Fun! I immediately said no to the bed. The other three are outside, so I think my favorite getaway location must be outdoors in nature. My favorite choice would be a private terrace overlooking beautiful mountains. Ahhh. With coffee and cookies, right? And a great book. Yours looks wonderful!

  46. I don;t know if I’d pick any of those…they all sound nice but not quite right for me. I think I’d like a secret garden with a little waterfall in it–so it’s walled for privacy, and outdoors for fresh air and sunshine, and has a waterfall because I just love waterfalls. Lots of flowers to look at and to smell. And I’d actually skip the cookies, coffee, and tea; I think I’d go for a fresh fruit smoothie instead. 🙂

  47. I like them all but I would choose the private terrace with the mountain view. It sounds lovely. A good book, a croissant, and tea while surrounded by nature in a warm sweater…doesn’t get much better than that.

  49. It’s a tough call between the beach and the hammock! I think I would take the beach. I SO want to read your latest book! Thank you for the chance.

  52. Normally, I love to read in one of my two places. On the back deck or in my bed. But right now, the pictures looked like the hammock would be very enjoyable. If no bugs are around that is. Thanks for the giveaway.

  53. A cozy bed with cookies and a cup of tea sounds great and reading one of your books would make it perfect!

  54. I’d go to the beach, but only if there was an air-conditioned condo nearby with lots of cold drinks and yummy food! But if I had a whole day in my house just to read it would be like an escape! Thanks for the giveaway!

  58. I would TOTALLY choose a private terrace with a mountain view and a warm cup of red raspberry leaf and nettle tea! I’d also probably need a blanket and something to prop my feet on. 😊

  59. A quiet place to read for me would be sitting under a shade tree in a meadow surrounded by lovely mountains all around.

  61. I would for sure be at the beach. With the warm sun and the waves it would be very relaxing, I would also pick a beach book to read and really be able to get into it!

  65. #3 Meadow or Park
    It was a tough decision. I would love all 3, but I generally don’t get to the beach often enough to make me want to use my time with a book while there. I also love hiking in the mountain/valley place. I do read in bed every night, and so I picked the meadow or park.

    I love to be surrounded by nature in a park just 2 miles from my home. It’s my favorite place to bring a good book and some water and just relax and read!

  68. Private terrace with a mountain view — that would be so wonderful! I have never been to the mountains!

  69. Sitting on the second floor porch at Old Faithful Lodge, with a cup of coffee or tea and a great book….and the amazing view……in early September, when the crowds have thinned and the weather is beautiful. Oh, to be there right now!

    Always love your books and look forward to new releases, particularly since most of the settings are somewhat local to me.

  70. I always love and appreciate reading books. My favorite spot in warm weather is a nice chair, sitting outside with a glass of ice water.
    When the weather is cool and rainy, I like to be comfortable on my couch or love seat.

  71. #2 but since you can’t give me a mountain view, I’ll settle for reading your book from the swing on my enclosed porch!

  72. I would like the private terrace with a mountain view. That would be so relaxing, but I’d probably spend most of the time gazing at the beauty of the mountains. You are a new author to me, looking forward to reading your book.

  74. My favorite get-away is in my own backyard….sitting in my swing all comfy with a pillow, blanket and my toy poodle. Sheer bliss! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

  75. A cozy bed with coffee and cookies (as long as my husband doesn’t detect any crumbs later on) would be my preference. No flies or mosquitoes to distract me, just a peaceful time in story land, sprawled out any way I want. Perfect!

  76. I would like to get away to a private terrace w/ a mountain view and probably for more than a day 🙂 I have a lot of books to catch up on! Cookies and hot tea for me, please.
    Thank you. Here’s hoping…

  77. I have to places I love to read & relax. I used to live in Miami & Homestead, FL and I loved going to the beach & reading. We also have lived near mountains & love to camp. I love sitting under a shade tree with a view of a lake, mountains or lots of trees. My favorite are water & mountains.

  78. For a reading getaway I would want the terrace with a mountain view. I love mountains and it would the perfect and peaceful place to enjoy a great book.

  80. I would escape to a hammock on the beach drinking a nice island fresh juice alcoholic drink while the breeze is blowing.

  83. Thank you for the giveaway. Mine would be the private terrace and the mountain view. It would be so relaxing.

  84. I’d go for the private terrace with the mountain view. The mountains are my home. I live in a beautiful valley surrounded by them.

  87. The mountain view. I would just like to get away with a book and a cup of tea or coffee by myself and my Bible and journal to start and end my day with a good book to fill my time the rest of the day.

  88. I like the terrace with a view, but my favorite place is my chair in my living room. Plush, overstuffed, and restful. Soon to become eggplant microsuede. With a matching foot rest. Yep. 🙂

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