Friday, December 23, 2016

Christmas in the Caribbean for 99 cents




Fly Off to a Caribbean Island for Christmas?

Christmas on Wherever Island by Amber Polo

A Magic Santa brings Caribbean Christmas Joy!

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 a winter paradise except the only place to stay is the beachside cottage of romantic 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. 


  “Not only is the setting sensational, the hero will sweep you off your feet…this is one story I can read every Christmas season. …a great happily ever after story.”  Gotta Read Reviews

99 cents - Novella in ebook only

Monday, December 12, 2016

Magic Christmas Trees in Sedona... and one in Albuqueque


The Magic Trees of Sedona

     Something magical happens in Sedona every December.  Well since it’s Sedona, let’s say something more magical happens in December.  Along Highway 179, between Bell Rock and the Town of Sedona, Christmas trees appear along the road.  They just appear.  One day they’re not there and the next morning they are.  Not ordinary Christmas trees, these are heavy with thick tinsel garlands and bright round balls.  Each tree is different but they all seem to be decorated in the same style, as if there were a plan.  This year among the reds and greens, silvers and golds, and purples and blues, there are many covered with red, white, and blue garlands and ornaments. 

          Since the trees appear on Coconino National Forest land where federal regulations require visitors to stay on the trails, decorating trees isn’t allowed.  It is rumored that families sneak along the road late at night with boxes of decorations, but that rumor is harder to believe than magic.

          Wherever these magic trees come from, they disappear as mysteriously as they appear.  On New Year’s Day there are no trees.  If you look carefully you might find a few shards of a red or silver ornament or a bit of glittery purple tinsel, but the trees are gone.  The red rocks and the green trees are still there and still magnificent, but they seem a little drab for a few days.                               

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I wrote this in 2001. The trees no longer appear. The nature-loving people of Sedona have stopped decorating forest trees for fear birds will be attracted to the glittering decorations, eat, and die. So let's keep our trees indoors or with animal friendly decorations.
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Christmas trees are the best part of Christmas. Here's a repeat post of my trip to Albuquerque in 2014 and the great Christmas tree in Old Town Albuquerque.

 

What Do 135 Christmas Trees Look Like?

The weekend before Thanksgiving in 2014 I went to Albuquerque for the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards banquet. As an aside my book Heads in the Clouds did win the Romance category. But even without that thrill spending a weekend in Old Town Albuquerque at the elegant Hotel Albuquerque was a delight.

Shops, museums, art, lots of jewelry. And chilies – hanging from rafters and mixed into luscious New Mexico dishes.
While visiting the historic old San Felipe de Neri church on the Old Plaza, I noticed a tall pole with skeleton-like protrusions in the Plaza Don Luis. Left over from the Day of the Dead celebration? I didn't think so.


When a bucket truck arrived and placed a pine tree on the top, I asked the clerk at the gift shop, located in the Sister Blandina Company that once housed the Sisters of Charity, what was happening. Then I saw a flatbed truck pull up with a lot more, really a lot more, trees. And workers began inserting trees into the skeleton from the top down.
As the day progressed, so did the tree, until one hundred and thirty-five (135) trees merged into one gigantic tree.

Workers continued to decorate the the tree with lights, white snowflakes, and red bows until the glorious tree was complete!

Friday, December 2, 2016

New Canine Cover Models


The Shapeshifters’ Library Series

Light fantasy  for the dog lover who lusts for books adores libraries.
Comic villains, smart sweet heroines, and brave intelligent heroes
share a world where dogs talk and librarians battle werewolves to protect knowledge.

I've been busy training dogs for my NEW covers!

 

They're all gentle sweeties, but sometimes get bored posing for covers.

Meet my cover models - three boys and one lovely lady:

 

  • Chronus, the Old English Sheepdog hero of Released (he's the image of Jonathan, my forever dog)

  • Cynerik, the Mastiff hero of Retrieved

  • Bliss, the brave beautiful heroine of Recovered

  • Pacifico, the smallest but smartest, hero of Reprinted heads for the Caribbean


Each has a story to tell and in human form are as enchanting as when they change into four legged beings.

Now scroll down to see this season's gifts. A free Christmas romance novella, perfect with a pumpkin latte (or a rum punch). And a Goodreads Giveaway.

Thanks for letting me share my news and please tell your friends,

Amber
Read for FREE through the season
Christmas on Wherever Island
is the "warmest" story I've written.
Maybe it was the season, but a lonely northern girl
needed to find herself on a sunny island with a hot hero.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Reprinted by Amber Polo

Reprinted

by Amber Polo

Giveaway ends December 09, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway