Try A Stay-Cation Instead

I'm in a mood today. I really just want to unhook the phone, shut off the computer, and stay in with a good book. I think I need some time out of reality. The house-hunting mess has been stressing me out for too long (much longer than any NORMAL person would suffer thanks to my being such a worry-wort weirdo), and I'm having my mid-week diet meltdown -- halfway between weigh-ins and not sure if I'm making progress even though I'm following it to the T.

I'm a mess. Don't feel sorry for me, though. One of these days I'll get the zen meditation thing down and save myself some ulcers. Until then just be glad you don't live with me.

All the more reason for some escapism in the form of a book. Carol Goodman is one of my favorites for this. First, you get to visit a locale you may not ever have the opportunity to in reality, and it's all in this gothic, romantic atmosphere that whisks you away from real life. Perfect.

The Ghost Orchid was my first by this author, and it totally hit the spot. Since then, I've also read The Sonnet Lover and The Night Villa, both equally lush and exciting reads. I think Ghost Orchid is somewhat darker than the other two, though, and I'm in a mood for dark. Here's my Book Bitch review (one of my early ones) for Ghost Orchid to pique your interest:

What happens when the past and present collide at this haven for artists? Ellis Brooks, a first time novelist, is about to find out as she unravels the mysteries of Bosco in this picturesque tale. The dual story line of this novel provides a thrilling and captivating read. Present day, Ellis and fellow artists are experiencing strange occurrences that seem to be an almost exact repeat of what happened in the home a century earlier. In 1893, Milo Latham, the original owner of the Bosco estate, hosted a séance to contact her dead children. The rest is a mystery that still haunts the house today. What really happened on that fateful night nearly 100 years ago? Are there really ghosts at Bosco? What Ellis discovers while researching her novel is ultimately one family's eerie and well-kept secret - a secret that will connect Ellis to Bosco in ways she could never imagine.

All of Goodman's titles, including Seduction of Water, Drowning Tree, and Lake of Dead Languages are currently available in trade paperback. Goodman's upcoming title, Arcadia Falls, is set in the states (she ventured overseas for both Sonnet Lover and The Night Villa), and of course it's already on my "To Buy" list. Release date for this title is set for March of next year.

Readers who enjoy gothic literature and literary mysteries will love Goodman's titles.