Christmas Shoppe Magic (Juliette Hill’s Christmas Shorts)
Also available on NOOK! And in the UK!
Recently, I’ve been working on my second book in my series, Pink Lemonade Memories, which follows the adventures of teenager Vicki Gray. The first novella, Pink Lemonade Diary chronicles the beginning of her summer vacation — an unexpected trip to visit her Great Aunt Mary in coastal Georgia — where she experiences a simpler life without her cell phone. She and Auntie M find their days filled with cooking, gardening, and entertaining.
The second novella in the series, Vicki’s Cruise Chronicles, will follow Vicki, her family and her best friend on the high seas for an end of summer cruise to the Caribbean. This installment promises even more adventures, budding romances, and surprises. I really enjoy writing this story because it brings back memories of my two Caribbean Cruises.
Vicki’s cruise ship will be modeled after the modern mega cruise ships of today, in stark contrast to the ships on which I traveled not so many years ago, but also in contrast to the ship on which my father cruised to Europe in 1954.
My father’s voyage on the French Line’s SS Liberte was reminiscent of the grand cruise ships of yesteryear, featuring plush accommodations and lavish dining. Originally the SS Europa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Europa_(1928)), the ship was German built and taken by the U.S. as a war prize in World War II, subsequently decommissioned and eventually given to France as a war reparation.
The 1954 cruise departed from New York’s Pier 88, North River and sailed the Atlantic to Plymouth, England and then on to La Harve, France. My father disembarked in Plymouth and toured Amesbury, London, Oxford and Stratford, England, then traveled to Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, and finally, France where he boarded the Liberte once again for the return trip to New York.
Vicki’s cruise will depart from Miami and follow an itinerary to the Caribbean similar to the ports of call that my husband and I visited on our two cruises, as well as other exciting destinations in that region including: Tortola, BVI; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI (with a side trip to St. John); and finally, Nassau, Bahamas and Paradise Island.
As always, my cast of characters will transcend generational boundaries as the dynamics of the Grays and their extended family and friends blend the old and the new and explore Caribbean cruising and all that it has to offer. It promises to be a fun, adventure-filled and life-changing voyage of fun — no ticket required!
Happy Sailing!
Juliette
Pink Lemonade Diary (Pink Lemonade Memories)
