Top Five Books of All Time by BA Tortuga and Jodi Payne – Guest Blog

BA: Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of all things cowboy, with the most glorious of Yankees, Jodi Payne (what? I’m introducing. I get to call her a Yankee). We’re here today to talk about books, which totally works, given they are my favorite things of all times.

Jodi: I’m not insulted. I love being glorious! I also love being a Yankee, so there. Top 5s are so much fun. But this one was hard. Without further ado, the Redneck and the Yankee bring you their…

BA:

You hate me, right? Five books. FIVE.

*sobs*

Okay. Here goes. In no particular order.

My five favorite books:

1. IT by Stephen King. King is my all-time favorite author and I have been reading him since Carrie. I was in the hospital on my birthday when my moma brought this book to me in hardback. HARDBACK. It was my first hardback book, and the first book where I went… oh. Oh God yes. I want to do THIS.

2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. What? You’re surprised? Y’all, I am the redneck Jo March. I AM.

3. The Women’s Room by Marilyn French. I read this in the 70s and it helped me understand my mother, my aunt, the grown women around me. I got it.

4. The Dark Half by Dean Koontz. Demons in school lockers. Did y’all hear me? DEMONS IN SCHOOL LOCKERS!

5. The Stand by Stephen King. “Country don’t mean dumb.” Preach it, Mr. King. Also, I love it when the Texan wins.

Jodi:

“Of all time” is an impossible request because times change, but here are my current favorite five of all time so far:
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1. The Stand. Oh, look! BA and I overlap. This doesn’t surprise me at all. I love an epic battle between Good and Evil. And I love the way Stephen King uses words.

2. Beloved. I adore Toni Morrison to start with, the way she uses language, the way she gets at base emotions, she broke my heart and put it back together in a way that made more sense.

3. Charlotte’s Web. Okay, it’s not deep, except when it is. It’s a story of friendship and loyalty that has always spoken to me. I adore it.

4. Rebecca. I read this at a young age and it scared the crap out of me. Then I read it again in college and it creeped me right the hell out, but I was intrigued. The last time I read it was a few years ago when I finally understood the power of a good hook. “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Brilliant writing, brilliant story.

5. Good Omens. This book makes me laugh. It’s so clever. Oh, and it’s an epic battle between Good and Evil! Except that the Antichrist has gone missing.

Texas artist Tucker Williams arrives in New York City for a gallery showing of his work and finds the city blanketed in snow. He meets free-spirited underwear model Calvin McIntire on the steps of the Midtown library and is captivated by a wild beauty that manages to compete with the demons that occupy his soul and fuel his work with their lust for blood and erotic imagery.

Unable to deny a new inspiration, Tucker sublets a studio and finds the city’s energy almost as addictive as Calvin.
Tucker is obsessive, barely holding on to sanity as his art consumes him, and Calvin is dealing with demons of his own, trying desperately to protect his soul in a business where only his appearance has value. They each prove to be the perfect remedy for the other’s personal brand of crazy until, in the midst of stress and exhaustion, they discover that a promise Calvin needs is the one thing Tucker can’t give him, and their heaven turns to purgatory.

Can both men find a path toward wholeness in Tucker’s beautiful but chaotic Texas home? In order for them—and their passionate relationship—to thrive, they’ll need to adapt, share their psychoses, and find a true balance between New York City and rural Texas.

About the Authors: Jodi Payne takes herself way too seriously and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her men are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can’t help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after. For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi’s addictions include nonfat lattes, Malbec and tequila any way you pour it.

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

Buy the book at Dreamspinner or other online bookstores.