Hopefully, you are all enjoying the summer sun and warmer temps, and are not, like me, a wilting flower who will shrivel and scorch when touched by the faintest UV ray. I may be vampire pale, but I sure don’t sparkle.
The Summer Read Blogshop is in full swing (courtesy of Clare London!) and I’m ignoring all the website updates I need to work on and instead, having fun with a little behind-the-scenes for my stories with a summer bent. You can visit me here on the blog every Thursday to follow along.
Starting off with The One That Counts.
Before I go any further, let’s stop and admire that cover. Sigh. One of my favorites. All praise to Catt Ford!
This short story follows Rob Genter and his partner, David as they return to Rob’s hometown after the death of Rob’s father. They stop by the old, family-owned laundromat where Rob shares with David the story of the summer after his first year in college, and the events that led to the beginning of his self-acceptance and his life as a gay man.
Growing up, our water at home was so hard and rusty that going to the laundromat was a weekly standard. Some of my earliest memories are sitting in those tiny plastic chairs and the constant background hum of the machines. Summer was a double whammy. Hot and humid outside, hotter and even more humid inside–overlaid with the scent of detergent and fabric softener. Every time I walked through that door with our family load of baskets time slowed down.
But all of that meant home to me. It still does. In this story, I hope to share how it did for Rob as well. A cheeky few have emailed to ask if I ever made out with a handsome stranger one hot summer night. But this is Rob’s story. Not mine. And while first times are memorable, Rob is right. The last one is the one that counts.
Did your childhood include trips to the local laundry? What are some of your favorite memories of that time? If you’ve already read The One That Counts did I get it right? If you haven’t, pick up a copy and come back to let me know.
Be sure to stop by The Summer Read Blogshop and scroll through wave after wave of authors and titles featuring sun, fun, and plenty of hot men. Dive in and find your new favorite.