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Wednesday, June 04, 2014

CJ Carmichael: On This Side of the Summer Solstice



I love being on this side of the longest day of the year. Knowing that while the days are warmer and longer, there are longer, warmer, better days to come. I’ve long admired those who manage to be organized enough to celebrate the actual solstice. For me it seemed something was always getting in the way—whether it was one of the kid’s soccer games (in earlier years), a deadline at work or simply being too exhausted from daily life to get out and celebrate.

In the book I’m working on right now my main character and her two closest friends are celebrating the solstice on a rooftop patio in Seattle. I’m making every detail perfect, from the beautiful teak furniture, to the long gas fireplace, to the plate of samosas with spicy mango chutney that’s being served with delicious cocktails.

See, what I can’t organize in real life, I get to have in my fiction!

And speaking of my fiction, one of my books, the first in the Frost Family & Friends series, What Child Is This is currently available FREE for Kobo and Nook readers. If this is you, please download now and tell all your friends.


If you’re a Kindle reader, please report the lower price to Amazon—and hopefully they’ll match the price soon. (You can report the lower price right on the Kindle book page, under Product Description.) 

Hopefully they’ll match the free price soon.


Finally, tell me how you plan to celebrate the Solstice. Or, how you’d like to celebrate if you had the time and energy. We’ll choose one name at random to receive the next 3 books in the Frost Family & Friends collection: Home For Christmas, by Roxy Boroughs, The Holly & The Ivy, by Brenda M. Collins and More Than A Feeling, by yours truly.


- Happy Solstice! 
CJ Carmichael

***CJ's winner is Abhand2! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing details!***

9 comments:

Janine said...

No plans to celebrate solstice here. It's a already too hot to do anything outside and the mosquitoes are bad. I do enjoy the longer days (just from inside the house).

abhand2 said...

Time and energy is exactly what is missing. I am likely to "celebrate" by taking my kiddo to karate or doing laundry. If I had my druthers, there would be cocktails and backyard fun with tiki torch lighting. I would so love to have a day of being a kid in the sprinklers again.

vmhaskell said...

My husband and I tend to like to do a really long day hike sometime around the solstice because of the longer daylight hours. Since the solstice is on a Saturday this year, it is likely that we will be hiking that day. Other than that, I have never done anything to celebrate.

I am hoping that it will actually feel like summer on the solstice. I want it be hot and sunny! We have only had a few days above 70 so far this spring and still used the wood stove a few mornings this past week.

Laurie G said...

We're going to be celebrating my mom's 90th birthday! She's active, plays golf, plays bridge and loves to shop My two siblings and I are having a friends and family over for an outdoor get-together in the afternoon. In the evening, dinner out with family only and then relaxing under the stars with my son playing the guitar. Glad it'll be a day filled with sunlight and laughter. It's supposed to be 80* and sunny! We'll be right next to Lake Michigan in my hometown. A perfect way to celebrate the first day of summer and a new year for her!

Unknown said...

Hi Janine--I often complain about the cold here in the winter (and sometimes spring, summer and fall!). But I don't think I could really be out for long in extreme heat either. Stay cool!

Unknown said...

mmm...yes I love the tiki torch lighting idea. One year I must try that!

Unknown said...

My guy & I love to hike too. I love that in the summer we can start a hike around 3 in the afternoon and still get off the mountain before dark. Have a great hike this June 21!

Unknown said...

That sounds like the most perfect day ever! How wonderful that your mom still leads such an active and fun life! And how cool that your son plays guitar. Thanks for sharing your fun solstice plans!

Laney4 said...

I'm usually out walking a waterfront trail with my girlfriend, so it will be nice to be able to be out later at night (so I can get more done during the daylight hours). This year, my husband will be working midnights, so I won't be doing laundry (too loud, especially if the agitator gets humming) nor running the dishwasher or doing dishes by hand. (He! It works for me!) Methinks that reading a book (or two) would be a MUCH quieter way to spend my day, LOL! (This too works for me!)