Did you know that July is not only National Ice Cream Month in the USA but it’s also National Picnic Month? I don’t know why there are so many food-related events when I’m trying to lose weight. Haha. But who can say no to a scrumptious picnic?
Have you read books with picnics in them?
Picnics in the park, in the backyard, anywhere. Have you read books with picnic in them? Do share in the comments. What was most memorable about them?
I thought it’d be fun to see what my novel characters eat when they go on picnics. I’ve selected two of my novels set in the warmer months, in which the characters went on beach picnics.
When artist Leon goes on a breakfast picnic on Tybee Island…
I love writing about down-and-out characters in my books and how they learn to walk with God through the valleys of the shadow of death. However, it doesn’t mean that my characters don’t eat. Having meals are always in my book somewhere.
In Ask You Later (Savannah Sweethearts Book 1), artist Leon Watts invites fill-in gallery director Sophie Kowalski to have breakfast with him on the beach while they watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. He buys chicken biscuit from a local sandwich shop. Then he sits on the beach with his coffee and waits a long time for Sophie to show up.
When Chef Skye goes on a lunch picnic on St. Simon’s Island…
In His Morning Kiss (Seaside Chapel Book 3), Chef Skye Langston reluctantly agrees to go on a picnic with widowed billionaire Diehl Brooks and his two kids. Skye brings a friend from church, Avery Chung, who will be the main character in the next novel in the Seaside Chapel series.
Incidentally, Skye doesn’t pack the picnic basket. Her associate, Chef Joseph, prepares “reuben, roast beef, chicken” in “sandwiches and wraps.” He keeps the deserts simple: “fruits and cookies.” The cookies are Skye’s own family recipe.
What do you pack in your picnic basket?
My rule of thumb is to keep things as simple as possible on a picnic. No mess, no fuss, easy clean-up, done. What about you? When you go on a picnic, do you go all out and bring things like elaborate meals with silverware and such? Or do you go for finger food and sandwiches on paper plates or something like that?
Do you bring books to picnics? I don’t usually bring just-in-case paperbacks or hardcovers in my car when I go out, but I always have my phone with me. My Amazon and Apple Books reader apps are filled with tons of books I haven’t read. So I won’t run out of books to read in the near future. Unless there is a lot of down time, I probably wouldn’t be reading books at a picnic. But if I meet other readers, we’d be busy eating and talking about…books!
What’s your most memorable…
To recap my two questions… What’s your most memorable:
- Picnic in a recent novel that you’ve read?
- Picnic in real life?
Both are equally fun to me. To be sure, picnics in a book are better for me because I won’t gain weight reading about them LOL. I mentioned two of the picnic scenes that I’ve written in my novels. I’m sure there will be more picnics to come in future books. Why not!
As for picnics in real life, my most memorable ones were in the park when my son was in elementary school. We’d meet up with a bunch of other kids and their moms on many Fridays throughout the years. While the moms chatted, the kids would play. We all brought our own snacks and lunches and we ate together at the picnic tables or in the pavilions. Fun times. Now that all the kids have grown up, and some are even married, I cherish those long-ago memories of simpler times.
What about you?
USA Today bestselling novelist Jan Thompson writes clean and wholesome multiethnic contemporary Christian romance with elements of women’s fiction, Christian romantic suspense with an air of mystery, and inspirational international thrillers with threads of sweet Christian romance. Join Jan's mailing list for her latest book news: JanThompson.com/newsletter
I love a picnic! For a wedding present my husband and I were gifted an amazing picnic basket with china plates and silverware, but now I have young kids I keep things a lot simpler lol. My youngest never sits still even tobeat so atctge moment I’m lucky if I even have time to open the bag and grab a sandwich before I chase after her.
Hi Jan! While this Oma reads a variety of genre – historical and mysteries: 3 recent books had picnics in them. Seaside Cowboy’s Second Chance by Alexa Verde, Labor Day Tails and Troubles by Marlene Bierworth (pet mystery), and Eleanor: The Switchboard Sisterhood by Zina Abbott (historical romance).
The best picnics I remember were in the 1980s when we lived in Chicago and Sunday nights attended concerts by the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia Park. Ravinia Festival is still famous for enjoying concerts and lawn picnics. It was fun seeing how fancy people’s picnics were – with tables, tablecloths, stem ware, candles. Very festive. Since Sunday concerts start earlier, not sure what folks do today.
Living on the shores of Lake Michigan with many beaches two gals have a luxury picnic business: Sincerely, K & J Luxury Picnics & Events. I enjoy seeing their FaceBook posts. I also enjoy picnics at the park with my granddaughters. Had breakfast at the park (donuts) with my granddaughter. Thanks. Enjoy your weekend.
I’ve been on a few picnics, but not where I supplied food for anyone but me! I met friends at a park before, and we all either brought something from home or hit a fast food place, or brought a sub from Publix. I’ve read about tons of picnics in books, and my favorites are always the ones in the Hope Harbor books by Irene Hannon, and they get their food from Charley’s taco truck.
Wow – what a terrific wedding present. So fancy and nice!
I hear you about young kids. When my son was little I made sure we didn’t have glass or anything breakable within his reach anywhere in the house. Safety first!
Thank you for your comment. Have a wonderful weekend in the Lord!
So much benefits to be by the lake! Lots of picnic opportunities. So nice that you get to take your granddaughters there and create memories with them.
I haven’t read the books you mentioned but it’s always fun to find out that books have picnics in them!
Thank you for your comment and have a wonderful weekend in the Lord!
Food trucks are fun! Every now and then they show up in my area.
Yes to Publix! So convenient for picnics for sure.
Thank you for your comment and have a wonderful weekend in the Lord!
From the time my kids were in 4th grade, through the college years, we would drive into St. Louis, once a week to attend the summer musical theater performances at the Muny of Forest Park. We would pack a picnic supper and eat it as we sat on the sidewalks, waiting for the free seats of the theater. My children still talk about this! Not only did we see great theater, but we made memories and built bonds, every Tuesday night.
I can’t think of any books that I have read recently with a picnic in them. As for a memorable picnic, when we were in Spain we stopped in a little town for lunch and discovered that no restaurants were open. We grabbed some fruit, cheese and bread from a little store and ate our lunch in the parking garage where we had parked. Not a fan of picnics at the beach. Sand in my food.
Nice! What fond memories your family has. Glad you organized it and made it happen.
When we lived in GA, when my father-in-law was still alive, we’d pack picnic sandwiches and drinks and folding camp chairs, and we’d go to the town center where there’s an outdoor amphitheater. Sometimes on special events, the Golden Knights would parachute onto the lawn. It was quite a spectacle. Most of the time though, there were live concerts and singalongs etc. We stopped doing that after my FIL passed away and our son went to college. But it was fun while it lasted.
Thank you for your comment and have a wonderful weekend in the Lord!
Nice impromptu picnic in Spain! That sounds memorable!
Yes LOL re: sand. Sometimes there is. I grew up on an island so we’re used to it — that is, we do our best to avoid it. The bad news is when the wind picks up and sand goes flying. That picnic could end badly LOL.
Thank you for your comment and have a wonderful weekend in the Lord!
I remember picnics with family in the backyard for holidays. I am not thinking of any in books that I have read lately. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Hi Debra! Backyard picnics are so much fun! I like the convenience of being able to step into the house for supplies instead of having to drive somewhere and hope we remembered to bring everything.
Thank you for your comment and have a wonderful week in the Lord!
In books, I do not remember now. I guess it was something historical, because then picnic was an art.
In true life, a couple of years ago my best friend celebrated her birthday with a picnic near a castle. It was nice.
I usually do not like picnics because I do not like sitting on the grass, blanket or not. I need a stone, a bench, a chair…
I havent read too many books with a picnic in them. When our kids were young, we would pack a picnic lunch and all four of us would ride our bikes somewhere. Usually one of our kiddos would invite a friend along. Some times we would forgo the picnic and head out to a breakfast place to have fun. Lots of fun memories for all