Nancy's Notes From Florida

Silver Serenade Reissue
January 9, 2018

I’m excited to announce the reissue of Silver Serenade. This science fiction romance was originally published by The Wild Rose Press. My newly revised edition has been updated with added bonus materials.

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A beautiful assassin and a desperate fugitive join forces to catch a terrorist and prevent a war between worlds.

Starship pilot Jace Vernon is forced to flee his home world after being framed for murder. He seeks justice, but a lovely S.I.N. agent gets in his way. Not only does she distract him with her silvery hair and violet eyes, but she counters his every move in the quest to clear his name. As he attempts to sway her to his cause, he doesn’t count on the personal consequences of success.

Rookie assassin Silver Malloy refuses to abort her deadly mission even if it means killing the one man Jace needs alive to prove his innocence. The leader of Tyrone’s Marauders murdered her family and ended her career. She’s dedicated her life to getting revenge, and now she finally has the chance. She won’t let a wanted criminal get in her path. But as Jace’s charms melt the barriers around her heart, she finds her resolve wavering. Can she help him win his case, even if it means failing her assignment and betraying her people?

Best Book 2010 in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews

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Excerpt

The door buzzer sounded, indicating imminent departure. She swallowed, preparing for the gut-wrenching angle of ascent. At the last minute, the man in the black robe jumped from his seat and squeezed out the doors. He’d been so silent, she’d forgotten about him.

She slid over on the bench seat for more space. As the tram tilted into the air and zoomed toward the rooftops, something fell to the floor.

“Oh no, that guy forgot his package.” Silver moved to retrieve it, but she halted at Jace’s sudden intake of breath. She knew at once what he was thinking even before she felt the impact of his fear.

“Stop this thing,” she shouted. The sky tilted outside the windows as they careened to a new heading.

She credited Frok for quick thinking. He leapt up and yanked an overhead pulley. The sudden stop made them crash into each other.

“Quick, open the doors,” Jace urged.

With Frok’s assistance, he forced them wide enough to squeeze through while the tram hovered above a tall building.

“What’s wrong?” Kira asked, glancing at Silver for guidance.

“Bomb.” She couldn’t get another word past her dry throat. Nor could she explain to their newfound friends how she and Jace knew without a doubt they’d been set up. That Elusian had been waiting for them outside the Institute.

Jace stood aside to let the others pass. “We have to jump. Aim for that roof. We should be able to make it. Hurry.”

Silver tapped her utility belt. “I have a tensile line. Let me—” Her words died on her tongue as Jace snatched her and tossed her out the open door.

View the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/QcX_OfHZg-c

“Get ready for an epic adventure, as vast as the universe in which it is set! With a touching love story, a great blend of humor, action and passion, and a great cast of characters, this is a book that won’t let you go until the very last page.” The Romance Reviews

“Silver Serenade is an exciting, action-packed space adventure with more attention-grabbing twists and turns than a West Virginia highway. I loved it.” Two Lips Reviews

Silver Serenade

Silver Serenade by Nancy J. Cohen
Published by Orange Grove Press

Digital ISBN: 9780997003895
ASIN: B078JVBPMS
Cover design by Robin Ludwig Design Inc. www.gobookcoverdesign.com
Layout by www.formatting4U.com

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GIVEAWAYS

Glam Up for the New Year! January 9 – 29
Glam up for the new year with a crystal pendant from Effy. To celebrate the reissue of Silver Serenade, I have FIVE to give away. ENTER NOW. Color of stone may differ from what is shown in this picture. U.S. Residents only due to postal constraints.

Effy Necklace

Booklovers Bench, January 1 – 18
Enter Here to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card from Booklover’s Bench.

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Fumigation Follies
January 5, 2018

Termites are an ever-present threat in warm, humid South Florida. Living in our house since 1980, we’d only twice had termite issues. They were the dry wood variety and could be spot-treated in our attic and on the patio below the counter extending from the kitchen.

Years passed while our annual inspections turned out negative. That is, until two summers ago. “I see dead wings, and that concerns me,” said our exterminator. He showed me the evidence outside on our patio. I could barely make out the wings on the screened soffits below the roof. He suggested fumigation at that time, but we procrastinated since we didn’t see any other sign of them elsewhere. The following year, he said the same thing. Our warranty had expired, and his company wouldn’t renew it until we had our house tented. I took a look. The wings seemed a lot more than the previous year. And I’d spotted a suspicious collection of sawdust below one kitchen cabinet. It was time.

We got two estimates, and chose the company known in our neighborhood that was $100 less. They also claimed to use their own labor force rather than outsourcing the workers. This was important considering we’d be opening our house to strangers. We signed the agreement and set the date. The only time available in the coming months was between Christmas and New Year’s.

After we came back from our cruise on Dec. 10, we began the extensive preparations. Our first concern was food. You could only leave behind canned goods or sealed items in bottles or jars. Ditto for liquor. Any open bottles had to go. We could either remove these items from the premises or double bag them in special plastic bags following very specific instructions. Medications also had to be treated this way, and anything else that might be ingested. I added our toothbrushes, toothpaste, and mouthwash as well. Supposedly the poison gas would dissipate on its own, so dishes and flatware and paper plates were okay. So was bottled water.

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Meanwhile, we began eating down everything consumable in the house until we were forced to dine out. We felt deprived by not being able to go food shopping, one of our daily excursions.

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I booked a hotel room with a full-size refrigerator so we could move our food over starting the night before. We also had to open all the wooden drawers and cabinets in the house. Then we had to open all the windows and finally turn over our house key.

It was strange to be displaced. I can’t imagine how disaster survivors must feel when their house is destroyed. It’s disorienting to say the least. Our hotel room wasn’t the most pleasant environment to spend time so we sought places to go and things to do to occupy our time. We counted the minutes until we could return. Drives past our house revealed the sad sight below.

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At last it was over and we went home at the prescribed time. We left the windows open for the rest of the day when we came back. Thank goodness for the cooler weather.

My eyes burned intensely at some times. The poison gas is odorless and colorless, so they add a warning agent. I suppose it was this chemical that affected me. Now it’s gone and things are back to normal. It was harder putting items away than packing them. On the bright side, our refrigerator and pantry got a good cleaning out. And we’d never appreciated visiting our favorite grocery stores more. Publix, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Fresh Market, and Lucky’s—Here we come! It didn’t take us long to restock. First night’s dinner? Baked chicken thighs with mushrooms and green onions, fresh asparagus, and couscous. Next day, I made my vegetable bean soup. Hurray for home cooking.

 


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Thank You for Following
December 31, 2017

I want to offer a big Thank You to my blog followers for sticking with me through the years. You have my special gratitude if you’ve left comments, liked a post, tweeted one or shared it on Facebook. I’m especially touched when you come up to me at a conference and mention that you appreciate my blog. I send these messages out into cyberspace without knowing if anyone reads them. So it’s most gratifying to get any kind of feedback.

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As a gift to you in return, I’d like to offer you the chance to win a $15 Fandango gift card, so you can see one of the latest movies. All you have to do is comment below and your name will be entered. The drawing will take place in two days.

In your comment, let me know, if you wish, what you like about this blog, what you dislike, or what kinds of articles you’d like to see more of in the future.

Meanwhile, have a safe, happy, and healthy New Year!

All the best always,

Nancy


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Curacao
December 29, 2017

We took Shore Excursion CUR – 100 from the Royal Princess in Curaçao. Beautiful aqua water greeted us at the pier. On land, we met dry terrain with cactus, a civilized city with houses that looked like places in Florida, columned municipal buildings, a cathedral, and a swing bridge into town.

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From the pier, you could walk to the right toward the Renaissance Hotel and follow the signs to cross the bridge into town. It’s a twenty minute walk, but it will seem much longer if you are carrying heavy packages. If I heard our tour guide correctly, the main industries are oil refining, salt, tourism, and producing Curaçao liqueur.

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Our drive took us first to the Curaçao Museum in a colonial-style building dating back to the 1800s. The rooms held paintings and antique furniture with windows wide open and no air-conditioning. An airplane cockpit rests in a secured outbuilding. The shady grounds are pleasant to stroll while waiting to get back on the tour bus.

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Next we toured Hato Caves, an above-ground cave. We had to climb a steep set of 49 steps to get there. Once inside, you had to duck and hold onto a hand rail to reach the various caverns. The usual views of stalactites, stalagmites, and calcite columns are present. Total blackness yawns from areas that are unlit, while bats hover overhead.

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Outside, we caught an iguana on the grounds. A snack bar and restrooms are available. The natives like iguana stew, the “poor-man’s chicken.”

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We visited the Chobolobo factory where they make the famous branded Curaçao Liqueur. It’s said the soil of the island changed the sweet Valencia orange brought by the Spaniards into a bitter fruit. But the peel contained an oil with a pleasing fragrance. The famous Blue liqueur comes from the peel of this fruit.

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Inside a building, the distilling process is explained in a museum-like setting. Their famous liqueur comes in an orange-shaped bottle. If it’s in another container, the product isn’t theirs. It comes in classic original orange flavor plus chocolate, coffee, rum raisin, and tamarind. An enticing gift shop offers a wide selection of liqueurs and other souvenirs.

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We crossed the Queen Juliana Bridge with vistas of the port city on our way back to the ship. At the port were a decent number of native huts selling souvenirs, hats, Curaçao liqueur, magnets, spoon rests, dresses and shirts, and Delft figurines. Waves crash onto the rocky breakfront by the pier where you can also enjoy tropical drinks at a bar.

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Our tour was well worthwhile, although we did not make a photo stop at the salt flats as listed in the tour description. Nonetheless, we need to make a return visit to go into Willemstad and roam the city streets. A brief glimpse wasn’t enough.

View All Photos Here

This concludes my review of our Royal Princess cruise and the ports of call. I hope you’ve enjoyed my descriptions. Happy Sailing to you in the New Year!


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Bonaire
December 28, 2017

Our Shore Excursion from Royal Princess was BON-105. It took us on a drive along the coast with gorgeous sparkling ocean to the left in aqua to navy hues. We passed a group of divers as one beautiful sea vista after another exposed itself to us.

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Cactus in many varieties dotted the dry soil on this island. Tall trees were sparse, but plenty of bushy vegetation grew along the roadside. To the right rose a rocky cliff with caves. Eventually, we curved around and ended up on the other side of this cliff. Donkeys roamed free on an open plain.

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At Goto Lake, we spotted native flamingos wading for food in the water. Having seen many of this species at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida, I was impressed to view them in the wild.

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In Rincon, the oldest settlement, it looked like any other Caribbean village with colorfully painted houses. We’d been driving nearly an hour and hastened to the single restroom at our stop. There wasn’t any toilet paper but there were paper towels. We were given a taste of cactus liquor that tasted minty. Snacks were available for purchase here at the Rose Inn courtyard. The stop seemed to benefit the tour guide more than us. We stood around waiting for her to finish her cold drink so we could head back to the bus.

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We were supposed to stop at a cultural park next, but this visit never materialized. Instead, we drove past the port and beyond to reach the salt flats on the other side of the island. A brown pond stretched into the distance. At the roadside, salt crystals bubbled and burped by the highway. A mountain of salt rose ahead as the guide explained the salt-making process.

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If I’ve gotten this explanation right, salt water is brought into the pond on the far side. This water is allowed to evaporate under the sun until it reaches a certain level of salinity. Then more water is added and the process repeated until it’s so concentrated that the salt begins to crystalize. We passed a freighter that might have been taking on salt, this island’s main export. It was fascinating to see the huge mound of salt and the crystals bubbling from the pond.

Then we stopped at a beach made from coral to view a cluster of slave huts. Slaves had to walk from there all the way to Rincon to go to church and receive provisions. It took them the entire day. With the low ceilings and cramped space in the huts, I don’t know how anyone could live there.

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This tour was too long. The drive to Rincon, while scenic, needs more stops. Rincon itself was unimpressive. We didn’t see the cultural center mentioned on the excursion listing unless the itinerary had changed. If you don’t mind a long drive to see most of the island, this tour will work for you. Otherwise, I’d suggest a shorter trip to see the scenic ocean vistas while heading to the salt flats. Then go shopping in town, a short walk away from the port. This tour took 3 hours.

See All Photos Here

Coming Next: Curacao


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