C J Carmichael: Six Degrees of Separation

I’ll bet you’ve heard of Six Degrees of Separation (otherwise known as six degrees of Kevin Bacon) – the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away by introduction.

I believe that through books we’re separated by even less than 6 steps. People who love books tend to spread the word when they’ve read something they’ve enjoyed. That’s one of the pleasures of reading—it may be a solitary act, but it becomes a shared experience when we discuss that book with others.

Think about meeting someone new, say at a friend’s house party. As you chat away, you find out you’ve both recently read and loved the same book—a bond is formed. How many of your closest friends love reading? I bet many do. Because people who love books tend to enjoy other people who love books.

When Lee invited me to write something for this blog, I thought about all the readers who follow her blog. And I wondered what all of you were reading. And then I had a hunch…if I shared the last six books I’d read, how many of you might have read one of the same books?

I’d love it if you humored me and let me know if you’ve read any of the following. I’ll be choosing a random respondent to receive a $20 Amazon gift certificate. (Which you  can use to buy one of the following, if you wish!)

The Last Six Books I’ve Read Are:

The Good Daughter by Jane Porter:

I powered through this book in just a few days. I really enjoy family sagas and this is part of a series that really hooks you in with the complicated emotional dynamics of the Brennan sisters.

Sex, Spies & Photographs by Daire St.Denis: 

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book as hot and sexy as this one! What drew me to this story was the fact that it’s interactive—you, the reader get to decide what the main character should do at the final turning point of the story.

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult:

This is the book that I’m currently reading, so I can’t provide any overall comments. I can say, however, that it a painful book for a person on a gluten-free diet to read (the main character is a baker and the description of the various specialty breads are mouth-watering).

Finding Emma by Steena Holmes:

I am cautious about reading stories involving missing children—they can be too painful at times. But this page turner handles the subject well.

Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel:

I read the first book in this series about Thomas Cromwell because it won the Booker Prize and it seemed all the book critics were talking about it. I found it a lot of work to read, but this second book was much more assessable and I devoured it in less than a week. Mantel is an amazing writer.

Her Cowboy Dilemma by C.J. Carmichael

Okay, I’m blushing now as I blatantly  include my  own book in this list. Her Cowboy Dilemma is the second installment in my Coffee Creek Montana series—and it’s in book stores this April. If you enjoy small town romances, especially involving cowboys and ranchers—I’m betting you’ll enjoy this one!