Shattering (ISLAND) Time Blog Tour Stop 2 -- Puerto Rico

Shattering (Island) Time Blog Tour Stop 2 -- Puerto Rico 

Welcome to my book promotion tour where we are on island time and everything is breezy and bright. 

https://islandsofpuertorico.com/best-beaches-in-puerto-rico/

Today on stop two of my Shattering (Island) Time book tour we are in beautiful historic Puerto Rico on Playa Flemenco, a beach that tops the most lists for best beach in the world. If you missed stop one on the British Virgin Islands, click here and check it out.

The beach I’ve chosen had a close call with Hurricane Francis that is an important driver of the story line in my new release, Shattering Time. Click on the link to pre-order this soon to be best seller. 

Click here to pre-order! 

On August 31, 2004 Hurricane Frances’ outer bands brushed the coast of Puerto Rico. In the eye wall of the storm brewed 135 mph winds. This time Puerto Rico was lucky. During Hurricane Jeanne just a few weeks later (and the subject of my third book in this series) the storm devastated the island and the resulting damage and poor management destroyed their power grid. 

Thankfully, today it is sunny with a light breeze and there is no hurricane in sight. I’ve got a picnic basket with some local fare ready for you. Please enjoy the mini empanadillas I’ve prepared. 

Here is the recipe if you'd like to give it a try yourself. 

Also, a fantastic and refreshing local fruit salad is in the cooler. Grab a bowl and sip on the ice cold Pina Colada over on Suzanne Kelman’s blog here. She is releasing her second book and it is hilarious, heart-warming and bound to be another international best-seller. 

Here is a sweet little video on Puerto Rico if you’re in need of the full experience. 

So next we need to decide what kind of fun we shall sink our teeth into next. Let’s vote on what we do first. Here are your choices. 

1. Beach Day – Puerto Rico has 270 miles of coastline and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We could spend the day on Playa Flemenco enjoying the surf and sand.

2. The third largest underground cave system in the world is the Rio Camuy Cave Park in Camuy. A day of exploring 200 feet underground would be extraordinary! 

3. Another natural wonder worth exploring is El Yunque National Forest. It is the only rain forest in the US forest system with stunning mountain views and vast forests full of wildlife.

4. Puerto Rico has 3 of the world’s 6 bio luminescent bays in the world. Mosquito Bay in Viegues would be a spectacular show.

5. For the history buffs, we wouldn't want to miss historic San Juan with its 500 years of Spanish Colonial history and architecture. 

Puerto Rico Itinerary

Beach Day on Playa Flamenco Beach El Yunque National Forest in Rio Grand San Juan Historic Forts and Night LIfe

Rio Camuy Cave Park in Camuy Mosquito Bay for Bio Luminescence Other Please Specify:

survey maker

Whatever you decide let's enjoy a moment in the sun with some great snacks and relaxation. Let's soak up the sunny sun while you read this little blurb from Shattering Time just to put you in the right frame of mind for the impending storm. At the end of the blog I have an excerpt from the book for your reading pleasure if you have a few extra minutes.

Be sure to vote on your favorite Shattering Time cover version here and pre-order your copy on Amazon! Order now for a special price of only $2.99. This will increase when I release it on June 27, so order now!

Shattering Time Blurb:

The number one best-selling thriller Stealing Time continues its “breathtakingly original” journey.

Ronnie Andrews returns from eighteenth-century London shell-shocked from her first terrifying time travel encounter. Her boyfriend, Jeffrey Brennan, casts doubt on her sanity leaving Ronnie wondering if she went back in time or is having a mental breakdown.

Adding to the tension, Hurricane Francis, a storm the size of Texas, is barreling towards Florida and her fears of a repeat time travel experience mount. Ronnie’s best friend Steph, along with her friend Nick and Steph’s younger brother Ian, shield Ronnie from the dangers of Francis but they cannot save her from traveling back in time. Unfortunately, their meddling brings Ronnie to the brink of destruction as they are caught in the throes of the hurricane’s wrath.

Once again, Ronnie is transported to dangerous places and plagued with desperate situations, while experiencing perilous cultures including one of America’s first mysteries -- the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island.

A stunning conclusion brings Ronnie face to face with a dangerous ally who may hold the key to her past while offering salvation for her future. 

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Please sign up for my newsletter for the first five chapters of Shattering Time plus special offers and opportunities: HTTPS://WWW.KJWATERS.COM/.

If you’ve missed book one in the series, Stealing Time,which has been described as “breathtakingly original” time travel suspense, please check it out here so you’ll be ready when Shattering Time launches early summer. It has a 4.6 rating out of 5.0 stars on Amazon and it’s only $2.99 for the eBook. You can find it here.

Check out my other books here. They are all available on Amazon and are free with Kindle Unlimited.

                       

Shattering Time, Chapter 13

Ronnie woke calm and satiated. She stretched her legs and rolled onto her back. She usually slept in a T-shirt so the caress of the sheets felt particularly sensual against her naked flesh. The sun peeked in around the window shade and she wondered what the day would bring. Then it hit her. The day would bring Hurricane Francis to her doorstep! There was no way she could be here for that. She should have left yesterday.

“Crap!” She sprang out of bed looking around for Jeffrey. He was already up—nice of him to let her sleep when he knew she was trying to leave. The clock showed 8:31 a.m. You should have left by now. It blinked to 8:32, too late.

Her skin crawled with goose-flesh, longing for the warmth between the sheets, but there was no time for luxuriating under the covers. In the throes of passion last night, she had forgotten to finish packing and did not even set the alarm. She clicked the TV on, gathered her clothes and headed toward the shower, pausing to lean on the door jamb when the weatherman came on.

The weatherman, Terry James was tamping down his all-out roaring excitement for the good of the community. “In sheer size, Francis is nearly twice as big as Charley with wind speeds peaking at 140 miles an hour.”

Ronnie held her temples. “No!” This was not happening again. And for God’s sake she wasn’t going to be here for it. She shut the door and turned on the shower. Flashes of last night assaulted her as the hot water hit her body. A dizzying passion washed down the drain as she fought the urge take her time under the steamy spray. Panic won out and she finished soaping up and rinsed, longing for more but this was not the time or the place.

Ronnie quickly dressed and finished packing. She combed her long hair and put it in a high ponytail, not wanting to take the time to mess with it. Once all her things were ready to go and she clicked the TV off, picked up her duffel bag and made her way to the kitchen, wondering if Jeffery had gone out for an errand or was lounging with coffee nearby.

The door to the garage was ajar. She pushed it opened and found the attic ladder down. “Babe?” She called.

“Oh, hey you’re awake.” His voice muffled up in the attic. “I’ll be right down.”

 “I thought you finished last night with that?” She craned her neck to look up the stairs.

The ladder creaked and she saw his sneakered foot on the paint-stained wood of the step. His tanned muscular leg was within reach as he climbed down the ladder.

“I thought so too, but after I saw the weather report I wanted to double check it. The storm is going to last for days, Ronnie. It will be so much worse than Charley, I’m afraid.”

Her guts did a back flip. “I’m ready to leave. You want to come with me?”

“Leave? Ronnie, the traffic is totally backed up on I-95. I don’t think you’re going anywhere.”

All the blood left her face and her hands tingled. “What do you mean?”

“Seriously, they’ve evacuated millions of people along the coast and low lying areas inland. They’re all on 95 right now.”

“But I’m not going to be here, Jeffrey. Damn it, I should have left last night like I wanted to.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You don’t regret last night, do you?” He reached out for her arm, but she stepped backwards.

“Look, I am NOT going to be here when Francis hits.” She pointed towards the garage door. “I’m taking my chances out there.”

 “Ron, it’s the largest evacuation in history. How do you think you’re going to get on I-95 and make it to Virginia before the storm hits?” His frustration was evident in his voice. “It’s just not feasible.”

“Jeffrey if I leave now I’ll get ahead of the crowd and it won’t be too bad.” Her mind raced with every reason she should not be here.

“Really? It is already too late Ronnie.” He turned her around and shoved her toward the kitchen door back into the house.

 “Just wait, they show I-4 and 95 all the way to North Carolina is clogged with evacuees. You’d never make it home in time and hotels will be booked. What will you do in your car on the road when the hurricane hits?” His voice took an angry tone now.

They went to the TV and she clicked it on. Sure enough Terry James was showing Skycam views of the road. Traffic was crawling.

“Now what do I do?” Her cheeks flushed. She should have left last night, but with Jeffrey so thoroughly distracting her she never made it out of the door. There was supposed to be time today..

“Babe, I’ll stay with you.” He said wrapping his arms around her.

Ronnie broke free feeling claustrophobic. “No, no, no. I have to get out of here!”

 “A hurricane the size of Texas?” Ronnie shook her head. Would she end up back in eighteenth-century London again, or somewhere worse? It had been so horrific last time.

The phone rang and Ronnie glared at it as if it was an alien invading. Who the hell could that be? “Hello.”

“Hey, love, I just wanted to see if you were on the road yet. You didn’t answer your cell.” Steph’s cheerful Scots greeted her.

“Oh God, Steph, I wish. I’m staying here.” Ronnie eyed Jeffrey, who took her waist and pulled her towards him. Ronnie stiff armed him and walked into the kitchen. “Have you seen the news? Traffic is a nightmare, I’ll never get to Virginia.”
“What will you do now?” She could her her brother Ian in the background trying to grab the phone from her. “Ian, stop.”

“Jeffrey’s here.” Ronnie said.

“No, seriously? Ronnie, you have to be smarter than that. You can’t be with him during this storm. You just cannae.” Steph’s Scottish brogue was thicker. Was it Ian’s influence?

Ronnie heard more shuffling and then Ian’s voice. “Hi Ronnie. How are you? What color knickers you wearing?”

More shuffling and Steph got the phone back. “Ya wee eegit, stop playing around this is serious. Sorry love, he’s acting as if he’s twelve. What if we came to stay with you? I swear he won’t go through your underwear drawers.”

She could hear Ian in the background begging, “Please, please, oh please.”

Ronnie couldn’t help but smile, he was a hound dog for sure but he did make her laugh. “Are you sure?”

Ian was back on the line, “If you’re short on beds I’ll be happy to share yours, Ronnie.”

She laughed. “That won’t be necessary Jeffrey will be in my bed.”

Steph was back on the line, “Not if I have anything to say about it. Ronnie, you have to tell him to shove off.”

Ronnie’s cheeks felt hot. It was the usual battle between Jeffrey and Steph. Either way she would make someone mad. “I don’t think I have enough food thought, they’re saying the storm should last over the entire weekend.”

“Hey, run to the store and just grab what you can. I’ll bring what I have and call Nick. Your tank is full, right?” Steph said.

“Yeah, it is.” Ronnie opened the cupboards, making note of what she had. Not much.

Steph continued. “Good, better go now, the shelves are emptying as we speak.”

“Okay, come over soon okay?” Ronnie hung up the phone, grabbed her car keys. “Jeff. I’ll be back. I’m going to the store. Anything you need?”

“Yeah, buy some of those Starbucks ready-made drinks, we’re gonna need some coffee.”

“Okay.” She knew she should tell him Steph was coming over but he would be pissed. Would Steph and Jeffrey kill each other? It would be uncomfortable, but maybe, just maybe, they’d learn to get along.

Ronnie dashed through the store grabbing what was left of the essentials and fought the frantic masses to get to the register. The storm was supposed to last several days and it was daunting to think about so many meals they’d have to prepare with five people there over the duration and no power. Would it be enough? There would be no turning back, the roads would be impassable after the storm and stores would be closed. After Hurricane Isabel, it had been weeks before the power returned in some of the Virginia Beach neighborhoods.

Ronnie jumped back in her car and fought traffic back to the house. As she pulled into the driveway she eyed the huge trees in her new yard, the potential for horrible damage was looming directly over her roof. In the side yard a giant lob lolly pine tree five times the height of her house waved a branch in the breeze as if to say, hello, I’m here to make your day. In the front yard, a few hickories and smaller live oaks shimmied in the light breeze.

Behind the house was the Camphor, a grapefruit and orange tree, but the neighbor’s all had large trees that could easily flatten her single-story ranch. Jeffrey was right the trees had made it through Charlie with no issues, but it was possible that one had been damaged during that storm. Francis was going to be a lot worse. She grabbed the groceries and made her way through the open garage door through to the kitchen, setting them down on the counter. 

Other Shattering (Island) Time Fun!

Don't miss the exciting tidbits on my other posts in the Shattering (Island) Time Book Tour:

1. Stop 1 -- Cover Reveal and Vote -- You can vote on two book cover choices on the first blog in the tour! 

Join the fun at out my other stops!

2. Stop 2 -- British Virgin Islands -- For a sneak peek of another chapter of Shattering Time click here in the second blog in the tour!

3. Stop 3 -- SAN SALVADOR ISLAND – Enjoy the amazing sites on San Salvador Island where we learn about the history and geology

4. Stop 4 -- CAT ISLAND-- Get a sneak peek into Shattering Time’ first time travel event to Cat Island Bahamas in the middle of the hurricane.

5. Stop 5 -- The Bahamas -- Swim with the pigs on this cool island with wild pigs. Join the #mugshot contest for a book and a coffee (Closed).

6. Stop 6 -- Southlea Bay -- Celebrate the launch of another island full of fun friends with Suzanne Kelman's Rejected Writer's Take the Stage.

7. Stop 7 – Turks and Caicos– Enjoy a romp in the waves on horseback and meet a trained conch. Vote on your favorite island outing. 

8. Stop 8 – Florida and the Book a Day Giveaway – I’m giving away a book a day until launch. Enjoy and exclusive excerpt of Ronnie's most dangerous time travel adventure to 1588 American colonies.