Four Reasons
Why Reading Is My Best Summer Escape
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.
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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.
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