Christmas on Wherever Island Blog Tour: excerpt, recipe & giveaway
Just in time for the holidays comes Christmas On Wherever Island Blog Tour. There's an excerpt of this holiday romance novella below, a giveaway, and a special recipe. This tour is presented by ABG Reads Book Tours.
Christmas on Wherever Island by Amber Polo
Holiday romance*ebook, 67 pages*
Published by The Wild Rose Press (November 12, 2008)
Marti Bell is facing the prospect of a very unmerry Christmas. Reluctantly leaving her married lover, she travels toward ice, snow, and judgmental family until a magic Santa sends her to a surprise destination in the warm waters of the Caribbean.
Wherever Island would be paradise, except the only place to stay is the beachside cottage of gorgeous globetrotting photographer Cliff Holmes. Cliff wants to unwind and treat Marti to a little romantic Caribbean Christmas fun but she’s determined to stay in the warm ocean and out of hot water.
Excerpt:
The plane landed. What had she done? A shiver of apprehension shook Marti’s body. She’d never acted irresponsibly. She collected her luggage and followed her seatmate to the doorway. A blast of warm, heady sea air settled over her. Where was she? Wherever she was, she felt her body relax. Her face softened. Nobody knew her. Or where she was. She felt lighter.
She walked down the steps of the only plane on an airfield ringed by palm trees and crossed the tarmac to the lone building. Under the heat of a tropical sun, carrying belongings intended for a trip to a very cold place, she entered the open door marked WI BVI Customs.
“Welcome to Wherever Island!” A black man in a blue and white uniform handed her a form and asked for her passport. Grateful to be the obsessively organized person who always traveled with a passport, she held it out. After a quick inspection, he handed it back, smiled, and pointed to a woman at a table. “Please take your things there, Ma’am.”
The customs clerk quickly checked Marti’s purse and carry-on and frowned at the wrapped gifts. “Visiting family here?”
“No, Ma’am. Last-minute trip.”
The clerk raised her eyebrows. “Hotel?”
“Any recommendations?” Marti smiled with what she hoped looked like a dumb tourist grin.
The woman frowned again. “Ma’am, you must have a hotel reservation. Can’t have Americans sleeping all over our beaches, now can we.”
“May I call a hotel?”
“All hotels and the resort are filled. It’s Christmas.” The woman’s eyebrows arched.
“What am I supposed to do? Get back on the plane?” The noise of her plane taking off drowned out her words. Welcome to paradise, now go home? She felt a movement behind her and the customs officer’s eyes looked up. A male voice said, “Perhaps I could help?”
Marti turned and looked into Cliff Holmes’ broad chest. Cliff smiled his world traveler soldier of fortune smile. He’d changed from those attention-grabbing tight jeans into khaki shorts and a perfectly wrinkled white shirt. His camera cases sat on a cart next to a huge canvas duffle.
“Ms. Bell and I work for the same company.” He removed folded papers from his passport case. “I’m here to film your beautiful island. This letter from the Ministry of Tourism will explain. I have reserved a two bedroom cottage at the resort. I was expecting Sonja Holmes on this flight. Perhaps she missed the connection. In any case, I would be happy to share my lodgings with Ms. Bell.”
Wherever Island Christmas Fruitcake
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
Reserve 1 cup, re-sift the remainder with:
1 t cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. allspice
1 t. nutmeg
¼ t. mace
½ t. salt
¾ t. baking soda
Use some of the mixture to coat:
1 cup raisons
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup citrus peel/citron
1 cup candied cherries
1 cup figs
1 cup nuts of your choice
Cook:
1 10 oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
Until thickened about 30 minutes. Stir frequently. Do not burn. Cool.
When cool stir in:
½ cup apricot jam or marmalade
1 cup rum or pineapple juice or combo
Cream ½ lb butter until soft
1 cup sugar
Beat in 6 eggs, one at a time.
Stir in dry ingredients slowly, alternating with pineapple mixture. Pour over flour coated fruits and nuts and mix well.
Preheat to 275 degrees. Fills 1 4x8 loaf pan and 1 9” tube pan. Grease cake pans (line with greased brown paper or foil if you do that). Fill pans 1” from top and bake until a skewer comes out clean - 3 ½ to 5 hours depending on size of pans. Cool on rack. If you make the cake ahead of time, go ahead and soak a cheesecloth in rum and wrap in foil, Freezing also helps blend the flavors. When ready to serve decorate with almond paste or icing.
Recipe can be doubled to fill 3 graduated wedding cake pans.
Serve with a dusting of magic!
About The Author:
Amber Polo has had a lifelong love affair with libraries and dogs. A fascination with lost ancient libraries and curiosity about why werewolves outnumbered dog-shifters in literature inspired her new urban fantasy series filled with librarian dog-shifters.
“Released” Book One of The Shapeshifters' Library celebrates St. Nicholas Eve as a magic night for the dog-shifters. They celebrate in the old style with wassail, gingerkucken, and old fashioned traditions. Share their fun. Read The Shapeshifters’ Library Book One.
TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:
Enter to win a copy of The Shapeshifters’ Library, a Starbarks Coffee Hound mug, plus some treats for your favorite dog.
Thanks for letting me visit!
ReplyDeleteHope the Christmas spirit lasts and lasts…
And if you need a lift listen to "Jingle Bells" played by steel drums on my book video.
Amber