Imagine yourself on a Caribbean cruise with a friend, maybe a girlfriend. You're the more adventurous type, so on the last Island the ship visits, you go off by yourself, in a taxi, to a beautiful secluded beach you have seen in a travel brochure. You're reading a great book, looking at a pristine beach with azure water just beyond. Life is good, really good....until, your cab driver is late picking you up. Why are you late? Today is our Independence day and there are crowds of revelers blocking the roads! Please hurry. I have to make it back to the ship. The taxi departs from the isolated beach area, but soon encounters the huge traffic tie up. Can't these people realize I have to get through to the ship? Your angst is peaking, you're leaning forward in the taxi. The taxi is inching ahead slowly, ever so slowly, through the horde of humanity. The sailing time is getting closer. Finally, the cab breaks through the gridlock. The driver speeds ahead. Is there still time? You're almost to the dock, but as you arrive....... you can see the ship sailing away. You are left in your bikini, a cover-up, your credit cards, and your passport. Even worse, you left your cell phone in your cabin. You don't know a soul on this Island and, it's beginning to get dark. You're a smart young lady. What now? That pretty much sums up Maren Lofton's predicament and the start to Junkanoo, my first Romance/Mystery. Maren is one of the most likeable, intelligent and at times crafty young ladies you may encounter. Her dark eyes and butterscotch skin come from her Philippine mother. Her athletic ability from her English dad. She is a risk taker, but after meeting her, you might not see that edgy side. It is likely that you will get through 90 percent of this book and still not anticipate the final turn of events. Neither did her new lover. Maren Lofton was a beautiful, athletic, young lady. She had just graduated with her Master's Degree in Economics. As a graduation present, she received a one week Caribbean Cruise. She invited her best friend Hanna Graham, her classmate since grammar school, to join her. This was going to be an exciting adventure! Neither young lady had been out of the country until now. They each had to get a passport. They would be visiting three islands. There was a lot of planning into what to wear and what to see on each island. Maren was most looking forward to seeing the island of San Roussel, which was the last island on the itinerary. She had read a great deal about San Roussel. With its beautiful flora, many species of exotic palm trees, turquoise water and powdery, white sand, the pictures in the guide book had made it seem as if it were the island of a dream. One thing that barely crossed her mind as she read it, was that the island had an Independence day celebration each year called a "Junkanoo." She would soon find out that she should have paid more attention and noticed that it would occur while they were in port. Her error caused her to miss the ship, and it sailed out of port without her. Having grown up in a metropolitan area had helped to make Maren savvy, with more than just book smarts. Those attributes would be helpful, but being left on a Caribbean Island alone would be the challenge of a lifetime.
About the Author: Phil Oleson lives in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida. When not biking, working out or golfing, he and his wife Mary like to travel This is the first book in the Maren Lofton series. Book two (DreamTyme) three (A Little Rain Might Fall), and (Gold Passion), are also available.