Beach towel? Check. Sunscreen? Check. The perfect book? Absolutely.
Whether you’re reclining on a sun-drenched beach, zipping along a scenic highway, or listening to rain tap the roof of a lakeside cabin, there’s one thing that elevates any travel experience: a good book.
And not just any book. The right book — one that fits the mood of your trip, matches your mental space, and offers the kind of escape that even the most breathtaking destination can’t provide. There’s something almost magical about how reading while traveling enhances both the story and the setting. The two become intertwined — and unforgettable.
Books don’t just fill time. They transform it.
📖 Why We Bring Books Along
Let’s be honest: travel comes with downtime.
Long security lines. Delayed flights. Hours in the car while the kids watch Frozen for the fiftieth time. Sometimes, the getting there part is more endurance test than dream vacation.
That’s where books come in — not just as entertainment, but as emotional companions. They help us be still when the world is moving. They keep our minds busy when our bodies are stuck. They soften the sharp edges of boredom, and sometimes, they even elevate the journey beyond the destination.
Ever lost yourself so deeply in a story that you missed your plane being called? Or barely noticed a six-hour layover because you were on chapter 37 of the thriller you couldn’t put down? That’s the magic I’m talking about.
🚗 My Books Are Coming With Me — Literally
As I write this, I’m also deep into crafting the second Abbi Kincaid novel, Dead Silent. And guess what? Abbi is coming with me on my upcoming road trip from the Florida Panhandle to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. No way I could leave her behind — not with a plot twist waiting to be unraveled at mile marker 112.
That’s the thing about being a writer: the characters we create don’t stay on the page. They live in our heads and hearts. They whisper from the backseat. They keep us up in the hotel room long after the rest of the family has crashed.
Abbi, for those who haven’t met her yet, is bold, curious, and never quite safe from trouble. In Dead Weight, she took readers underwater into a world of secrets and suspense. In Dead Silent, she’s going deeper — emotionally and literally.
So yes, Abbi’s riding shotgun with me this summer, and I can’t wait to see how she surprises me next.
💬 Author Tip: Road trips are perfect for brainstorming plot twists. Something about the open road opens the mind.
🎧 Road Trips & Audiobooks: A Perfect Pairing
Books don’t have to be in print to be your travel buddies. Audiobooks are the ultimate companion for road trips. No matter who’s in the car — toddlers, teens, grandparents — you can build a listening schedule that keeps everyone engaged.
My daughter and I are doing exactly that. We’re lining up childhood favorites, nostalgic replays, and the latest installments of series we’re hooked on. And yes, her three daughters are along for the ride, so we’re weaving in audiobooks that might just become their new obsessions.
There’s something special about listening to a story together. It turns a drive into a shared adventure. Even when the kids doze off or the teens plug into their own music, the story is still there — a quiet thread connecting us across miles and generations.
Travel Tip: Download your audiobooks before you go. Remote areas often lack signal, and you don’t want to lose the narrator just as the killer is revealed.
🌴 Vacation Is the Perfect Time to Try Something New
Ever say, “I’ve been meaning to read that!” about a book, only to get swept up in the chaos of everyday life?
Vacation offers the perfect pocket of time to finally dive into those “someday” reads. Whether you’re lounging by the pool or curled up in a hammock, vacation creates space — mental, physical, and emotional — to fully enter another world.
If you’re new to my books, this might be your moment.
From the underwater suspense of Dead Weight, where Abbi Kincaid faces both literal and emotional depths, to the unraveling lies in A Thousand Lies, where Bailey runs from secrets she can’t bury — each story is designed to transport you. One minute you’re stuck in traffic. The next, you’re helping a character escape a past that’s catching up too fast.
🔍 Curious? You can find my books in print, Kindle, or Audible format — whichever fits your travel style.
✈️ Books Travel Light but Take You Far
One of the best things about books? They don’t take up much room — but they can take you anywhere.
You can slip a paperback into your beach tote or download an entire library to your phone. And the places you’ll go? Limitless.
- From a castle in Scotland to a spaceship orbiting Mars.
- From the mind of a misunderstood teenager to the heart of a soldier in love.
- From your quiet porch to a courtroom drama that leaves your palms sweating.
Books expand your trip beyond the physical. They let you experience not just different places, but different lives, emotions, and possibilities.
💬 Books Create Shared Memories
Books aren’t just solo escapes — they’re social connectors.
How many times have you bonded instantly with someone over a mutual love of a book series? Or handed a friend a paperback and said, “You have to read this. It changed me.”
On vacation, those shared moments are even more powerful. Reading aloud with your kids at bedtime. Laughing at the same quirky narrator. Debating the ending of a thriller over dinner.
Books become part of the story you’re living — not just the one you’re reading.
And later, when you remember that trip, you’ll remember the book, too.
- “That was the summer I discovered Abbi Kincaid.”
- “That’s the week we finished the whole series on audio — and my kids actually put down their screens.”
- “That was the trip I finally understood what people meant by ‘I couldn’t put it down.’”
🌧️ Rainy Days? Even Better.
Let’s be honest — not every vacation day goes as planned. Storms roll in. Plans fall through. Someone gets carsick, sunburned, or just grumpy.
Books are the perfect rescue.
When the beach is closed or the hike is rained out, a good story can salvage the mood. Turn a dreary day into a cozy one. Let everyone pick a corner of the cabin, curl up with a snack, and go somewhere else.
No Wi-Fi required. No reservations needed. Just words and imagination.
🌧️ Author confession: Some of my best story ideas come during rainy vacation days when everything slows down and I have nothing but time and tea.
💡 Choosing the Right Book for the Trip
Need help picking what to read?
Here are a few quick vacation match-ups:
| Vacation Vibe | Book Type | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Beachside & breezy | Light mystery, romance, YA fiction | Easy to dip in/out while soaking up sun |
| Long road trip | Audiobooks with full-cast narration | Keeps everyone entertained |
| Cabin in the woods | Suspense or thrillers | Adds mood and edge to a quiet retreat |
| International travel | Literary fiction or cultural memoirs | Deepen the experience of a new location |
| Staycation | Series binge (YA, fantasy, romance) | Feel immersed without packing a bag |
If you want a suspenseful, female-driven story full of heart, grit, and a little danger, check out Dead Weight or A Thousand Lies. And if you love a brave heroine who doesn’t always have it together (but keeps going anyway), Dead Silent is on its way.
❤️ Books Are Cheaper Than Therapy
Let’s be real. Travel can be stressful. So can life.
Books offer a form of therapy — one that doesn’t come with a copay. They give us permission to feel, process, and escape. To cry safely. To cheer for someone who reminds us of ourselves. To rehearse courage. To grieve without explanation.
And sometimes, reading a story where someone else makes it through something hard is the encouragement we didn’t know we needed.
📝 Reader Reflection Prompt:
What book helped you through a tough time? Take it with you again. Revisit the comfort.
✍️ Final Thought: Pack the Story, Not Just the Swimsuit
Whether you’re flying across the globe or sitting on your back porch with a popsicle and a lawn chair, the right book can make your summer unforgettable.
Books are time machines, therapy sessions, road trip buddies, sleepover friends, and late-night confessions — all in one.
So don’t forget to pack one.
And if you’re looking for a new author to travel with, I’d be honored if you brought Abbi Kincaid and her fierce, flawed heart along for the ride.
Happy travels — and happy reading. 💙
📚 Book Recap for Your Vacation Reading List:
🔎 Suspense & Survival:
- Dead Weight – Dive deep with Abbi as she faces hidden dangers beneath the surface.
- Dead Silent (Coming 2025) – The second Abbi Kincaid novel takes suspense to new depths.
🎭 Secrets & Self-Discovery:
- A Thousand Lies – Bailey thought she was running from a lie. But the truth is even more dangerous.