Caribbean Cruise: Day 6: Day at sea
On our final day at sea, we took advantage of the last-day on board sales, watched the crew talent show, played the slot machines (first time for Elizabeth), and packed our bags. The weather was too windy for mom to walk on deck, so we spent most of the time in our cabin or in the…
Caribbean Cruise: Day 5: Cozumel, Mexico
Cozumel is an island in the Caribbean Sea off the neater coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. This popular cruise ship destination became famous in 1961 when Jacques Cousteau declared Cozumel one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas of the world. Since then, Cozumel has become an underwater marine park to protect the delicate balance…
Caribbean Cruise: Day 4: Roatan, Honduras
Roatan, Honduras is the largest of the Honduras Bay Islands. It is about 77 k long and less that 8 k across at its widest point. Roatan’s history traces back to the Maya civilization. It has seen the arrival of the Conquistadors, the Garifuna, and the fishing industry. In 1990, about 19,000 English-speaking people inhabited…
Caribbean Cruise: Day 3: Costa Maya, Mexico
Costa Maya is in the only state of Mexico bounded by the Caribbean on its east. Although the official language is Spanish, many speak Mayan. As a linguist, I would love to hear Mayan. The Mayans were predominate in the area from 200 B.C to 900 A.D. There are many ancient ruins such as Chacchoben,…
Caribbean Cruise: Day 2: Day at sea
To make up for the lost time, the captain sped over the large swells and whitecaps and altered the itinerary. Instead of stopping first at Roatan, Honduras, we will first visit Costa Maya, Mexico. On our first day at sea, mom and I walked about two miles on the promenade deck. She spent 20 minutes on…
Caribbean Cruise: Day 1: Welcome to the Norwegian Star
This trip is a 6-day Western Caribbean cruise out of Tampa, FL, exploring Roatan, Bay Islands (Honduras), Costa Maya (Mexico), and Cozumel (Mexico). I am traveling with my mother, sister Doris, and friend Elizabeth. I hope you will enjoy our adventure. We left Sarasota around 10 AM. Dennis made lattes for Elizabeth and me to sip on as we drove to the Tampa pier.…
Exercise to be more creative
While I wrote my last book, I gained ten pounds. It’s easy to do when you sit eight to ten hours a day. Even though I had incorporated walking and weight training into my daily routine, I was out-eating my fat-burning endeavors. This summer, I hiked the Long Trail in Vermont. Within three weeks, the strenuous mountaineering and…
It’s important to be consistent to your brand
Branding is much more than your logo or your book cover designs—it is the entire experience you create for your readers. It includes your genre, tone, and writing style, both in your books and on your Webpage and social media. It’s how you present yourself at book signings and presentations, at conferences, and on radio or television. Think…