A Thank You !

Last year I wrote about Fighting Those Ol' Wintertime Blues.  Remember?  We went to see Willie Nelson.  It was a great way to forget about winter.  And shoot - compared to this year, last year's winter didn't even register on the scale.

Willie put on his usual terrific show.  I adore Willie Nelson.  But, this blog is not about Willie Nelson.

 

This year all I've done is whine about the weather, and I have bored myself silly with it all.  Willie would be ashamed, I'm sure.

So.

This blog is my little thank you to the guy who has helped me move on with things and survive this year's ol' winter time blues.

 Bob Morris.

This about Bob from his Amazon.com page: "Bob Morris is a fourth-generation Floridian who forsook the family farm 'a fernery in Lake County, to be exact 'to pursue a career in journalism. It was an indirect route, actually. After flunking two consecutive terms of organic chemistry, Morris decided he was not cut out to be a marine biologist and set out to travel around the world instead. He eventually landed at a farming commune in Israel where his responsibilities included shoveling out the daily deposits of 12,000 chickens and 12,000 turkeys. It was an experience that later served him well as a newspaper columnist when he shoveled out such stuff on a daily basis.

After eventually graduating from the University of Florida, Morris went on to work at a number of newspapers, including the Florida Keys Free Press, the Fort Myers News-Press, the Orlando Sentinel, and the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group. Among his most dubious achievements'founding the annual Queen Kumquat Sashay, a parade in downtown Orlando for people who would not be permitted in any other parade. Morris and his family spemt two years in Santa Barbara, California, where he created and launched AQUA, an international travel magazine for watersports enthusiasts. Upon returning to Florida in 1999, he was editor in chief of Caribbean Travel & Life magazine and Gulfshore Life magazine.

Now a freelance writer and editor, Morris continues to travel widely and contributes to a number of publications, including National Geographic Traveler, Bon Appetit, Islands, Robb Report, Latitudes and Men's Fitness. These travels have inspired his recent series of mystery novels from St. Martin's Press, each of which takes place on a different Caribbean island. The first one, BAHAMARAMA, was released to wide acclaim in November 2004 and was a finalist for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Mystery Novel and chosen by the Library Journal as one the year's Top Five Mysteries. Morris's second novel, JAMAICA ME DEAD, was released in October 2005 and was a BookSense Pick by the American Booksellers Association. His third book, BERMUDA SCHWARTZ, was released in February 2007."  A DEADLY SILVER SEA was released in 2008, and the latest, BAJA FLORIDA just recently hit the stands.

If you're sick and tired of winter.  If you're wishing that white stuff under your feet could be warm sand instead of icy nasty cold snow - then these are the books for you.

 

 

 

Zack Chasteen's adventures begin in BAHAMARAMA as the former Miami Dolphins linebacker is released from a Florida prison after serving two years for crimes he didn't commit.  Through the series we continue the ride with Zack, his ladylove, Barbara, and a host of unforgettable characters.  I LOVE this series.

In JAMAICA RESORT we spend time at the Libido Resorts - yes, it's a resort that lives up to its name.

 In BERMUDA SCHWARTZ we meet Barbara's wealthy eccentric Aunt Trula.  Mr. Morris has written a scene in this novel that captured my heart with its poignancy.  It takes place in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens and gives us a bit of an insight into what may have helped make Barbara and Zack who they are.  And also includes a little snippet about another hero of mine - John Lennon.  It's a lovely scene filled with childhood memory and imagination.  

I have not read A DEADLY SILVER SEA yet; but it's on its way to me (wish it would HURRY!).  

The latest in the series was actually the first one I read - BAJA FLORIDA.  I'm not going to tell you about this one 'cause if you're a person who likes to read a series in order, this would include some major spoilers.  Suffice to say, as soon as I read it, I was hooked and immediately started reading the series beginning with BAHAMARAMA.

And so, to Mr. Morris - a great big Thank You!  Here's to many more adventures with Zack Chasteen, Barbara and Boggy and the rest of the renegades they meet along the way.  God love 'em.  




For full FTC disclosure.
Baja Florida was a gift from the author,
the others - I bought.
No payment of any kind has been made for the above stated opinion.