Don't forget to pack some terrific reading material in your suitcase this summer!

It's definitely cost effective - it is truly the cheapest and most convenient way to travel to far reaching places and even different realms and times - and think of all the new friends you can make.

The following are some interesting reads I've come across recently (& yes, including some of my own)

Painted Soul
By Mary Quast

A contemporary romance with a twist, Painted Soul is a story that takes the reader on a wonderful ride in an artist s life, through the streets of London, and into the shadows of the underground. Elizabeth McAlister was only eighteen when she met the art student, Puzzola in a London nightclub and gave him her heart. Ten years later, they meet again when a summer of intense passion and dark secrets begins. As Elizabeth falls deeper in love with Puzzola, she tries to rescue him from tortured memories he refuses to discuss. Eventually, his double life and erotic past are exposed in a local newspaper just as he is involved in a life-threatening accident.  ***Part of the "Soul Series"

For the May Queen
By Kate Evans

It's 1981 and 17-year-old Norma Rogers' parents drop her off at the college dorms. Soon, Norma finds herself drunk and nearly naked with three strangers. The strip poker event is the first of many experiences that prompt Norma to question who she is and who she wants to be. Norma's relationships with an array of characters induce her to grapple with society's messages about women, sex, and freedom. Ultimately Norma comes to see that there are many ways to live and love.

Forgotten
By Chelle Cordero

One of the last things a woman wants to hear from the man she is making love with is “Who are you?” When Brandon asks that of Caitlyn less than a day after their Las Vegas wedding, her life begins a wild and out-of-control spin. Even though Brandon can’t remember Caitlyn, Brandon can’t understand why he is so attracted to a woman that his fiancé tells him he has no right to be in love with. Forgotten is an unforgettable romance about two people who meet by chance, love by choice and are torn apart by intrigue. Their romance survives a foreign threat to national security, kidnapping, personal tragedy and a murder attempt.

Loving Her
By L.E. Harvey

Loving Her is a collection of short stories celebrating love and life between women; each story tells a story, and together, they create a depth and understanding of women's love for each other and for life.

Once Again, Now
By Charmaine Gordon
Suddenly widowed at age 59, Kate Harris emerges from a dark year of mourning and tried to find her place in the world. Can she learn to be an independent woman and find happiness, or will forces beyond her control derail her attempts to put her life back together.

Within the Law
By Chelle Cordero

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiance. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him. Alli and Tom share a mutual and passionate attraction but Alli refuses to make any commitments. She is hiding a huge secret. Tom falls in love with her and pursues her despite a false arrest, kidnapping and attempt on his life.  ***Readers first met Tom Hughes in Forgotten by Chelle Cordero.

Listen...: Death
By Sir Pierre

Detective Sean Hogan has everything: a beautiful wife. A loving, athletic daughter. A charismatic, artistic son. And a secret family. Things change in April 2003 when he finds his mistress home with her lover. His actions create an uncomfortable situation between Daniel and Faridah as they sit trapped in a Nor'Easter in February 2006. Young Gabriel undergoes an identity crisis after meeting his son Abraham that same year. Maybe things would have been different if Minnie never talked to Sincere in September 2001.

Obsessions
By Janet Lane Walters

Romantic Suspense: When Susan Randall finds the body of the hospital's "gossip queen" in the orthopedic storage room, she is unaware she was the intended victim and the obsession of a stalker. Susan has her own obsession. The death of her over-protective husband has made her want to be independent.

The Amoveo Legacy
By Sara Taney-Humphreys

What if everything you knew turned out to be a lie? You find out that you aren't even human--at least not entirely. What if, one day, you realize your world will never be the same again? These are the questions that Samantha Logan must face in "The Amoveo Legacy". A dream on her thirtieth birthday compels her to leave her artists loft in New York City and move back to the beach with her Grandmother, Nonie. However, the instant Samantha steps foot on the salty shores of her childhood home, she realizes the landscape has changed.

Beyond the Quiet
By Brenda Hill

"To all of our years together," Lisa Montgomery s husband said one evening, raising his glass in a toast, "some of them good." They laughed and clicked wine glasses. But after his death, Lisa discovers he hadn't been teasing. When the contents of a secret post office box shatters her illusions about her marriage, she struggles to come to terms with his betrayal. It's the story of how a quiet, passionless widow becomes spirited enough to climb onto her lover's shoulders for a piggyback ride... in the nude.

Final Sin
By Chelle Cordero

Deputy Sheriff Commander Jake Carson has his hands full with the investigation of a brutal multiple homicide, a troubled son and a vindictive ex-wife when he meets young, free-spirited paramedic Julie Jennings. He is immediately drawn to her and finds himself unexpectedly falling in love. Julie finds herself just as drawn to him. When Julie becomes the subject of an obsession, it puts both of their lives in extreme danger...

The House on the Shore
By Victoria Howard

When Anna MacDonald leaves Edinburgh to find peace in the Scottish Highlands, she gets a twofold surprise: a lost sailor teaches her to love again...while a mysterious stranger has plans to kill her.

Werewolf Sanctuary
By Eva Gordon

Wyatt Weylin, alpha male of the Montana pack, and leader of a team of mercenary lycans, flies to a World Wolf Conference in San Francisco, where he hopes to convince leading authority on wolf diseases, veterinarian Dr. Madeline Styles to come to his wolf sanctuary and find a cure. The minute he sees her he feels drawn to her striking good looks. The sensory chemistry is instant. He tries to suppress the feeling, knowing that he is forbidden to fall for a human. Wyatt discovers that the vegetarian animal doctor has the mark of the wolf and he claims her as his life mate.  ***First in the series The Wolf Maiden Chronicles

The Inner Workings of Magazine Publishing

What is the working protocol of journalism especially for magazines? Also what is the role of editor-in-chief in a magazine and the working hierarchy in a magazine... who reports to whom? Also how much should the editor-in-chief allow the owners/publishers/directors of the media company to interfere in the editorial content? These are just some of the questions that is normally asked about the inner workings of a magazine.

First, I'm not sure what you mean by "working protocol of journalism." Are you talking about relationships with sources, between editors and reporters, or something else? In the context of your other questions, I wonder if you mean something to do with editorial authority, too.

Second,Various journalism roles can vary quite a bit, actually, from publication to publication. Some companies have more "hands-on" management styles, while others give their executives more autonomy. But, in general, the editor-in-chief has control over the publication's editorial contents and direction, just as the advertising director has control over the ad contents, placement, and policies.

That doesn't mean the editor is God, because he/she shares power with other high-ranking executives. The editor's greatest management skill is in working effectively with people -- knowing how to negotiate with other power brokers who have a say in how the magazine is put together, distributed, etc.

I'll give you an example of hierarchy: In the trade magazine publishing company where I worked, there was an individual editor over each magazine. We shared a pool of in-house writers, and we each contracted separately with freelancers as needed. There also was an advertising director who managed the ad sales and placement for each of the three magazines. If I didn't like the ad placement in my magazine, I could go to her and negotiate; she was usually agreeable within reason.

(Of course, we usually prevented negotiations by talking in advance about special features that would need special space, and she was conversant with our standard placement of recurring features, etc.) We also worked with execs at various support companies -- R.R. Donnelley printing in Senatobia, Miss., which required us to meet certain format standards with what we submitted and to adhere to agreed-upon timetables; and the company that wrapped, labeled, and mailed our magazines, which required clear directives, correct mailing label files, and adherence to agreed-upon timetables. We also worked with the business office in our publishing company to communicate clearly about incoming bills from freelancers (then signing off on them) and other issues.

In other words, the hierarchy is broader, and less linear, than I thought it would be from my studies in journalism. The real world is much, much, much more "cooperative" than it is territory based. And, sadly for editors, the power tends to reside where the money is (hint: Not in the editorial offices). Often, the ad director swings a bigger stick than you will as an editor. Make close friends with the ad director -- do favors when you can. You'll need to call those favors in at some point. Make sure you develop a relationship as allies rather than as adversaries.

Last, The editor-in-chief has limited options in how much he lets the magazine's owners, publishers, and other higher-ups interfere with the editorial content. He should establish the extent of his authority when he is hired and, if possible, have it spelled out in writing. Clear upfront communications are the best preventative step. He can help prevent problems by communicating clearly with his bosses about editorial directions and getting buy-in as he goes along rather than waiting for issues to arise.

If issues are raised later on, the editor's best tool is to be persuasive to his bosses and help them understand why his editorial judgment should prevail. However, when push comes to shove, the editor's choices are limited: Stay and bow to his boss's wishes, violate his boss's wishes and take the consequences, or quit. If he has an employment contract that has been violated, he may consider suing, but that would be rare. Often, compromise (within the limits of your personal ethics) is the best option.

About the Author

Victor Epand is an expert consultant at http://www.4Magazines.info/. 4Magazines.info offers the greatest magazine subscriptions from a variety of top publishers. Browse through our selection of Lifestyle Magazines here: http://www.4Magazines.info/category/lifestyle.html.