Jill’s chitchat: Does Lincoln Falls have any talent?

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It’s time for the annual Lincoln Falls talent show. Does Lincoln Falls have any real talent? We will find out once again when everyone lines up to audition at the Lincoln Falls Theater on Monday at 4 pm.

For the last three years, Scarlett Flynn has won for her yodeling expertise. I’m asking, no I’m begging, please don’t allow this to happen for a fourth year. Mrs. Flynn is a wonderful yodeler, but we must have someone in this town who can sing, dance, tell a joke, or do magic. If you can do any of these things, please show up at the auditions.

The 20 best acts will be chosen from all of those who audition and will perform on Friday, October 20.

Mayor Bennett is the only confirmed judge at this time. Former Broadway star, Jessica James, is said to be in discussions. It is unknown who will fill the third seat, but I’ve heard veterinarian, Will Banks, is on the short list, as is Lincoln Falls High football coach, Eric Mason.

See you next week!

 

If you’d like to learn more about Lincoln Falls, check out Jennifer Britt’s books.

Remember you can find Jennifer Britt here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

A little taste of Memories of You #MFRWHooks #Romance

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If you’re looking for your next great read, then this is the place to be. Today, I’m participating in the Book Hooks Hop with #MFRWauthors.

I hope you enjoy the small excerpt from my latest book, Memories of You, and don’t forget to visit the other authors at http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com.

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Blurb:

Sixteen years ago, Lissa de la Fuente and Zach Brody were high school sweethearts. For Lissa, life was perfect until Zach decided to skip town, leaving her behind.

Zach, now a successful photojournalist, has returned to Lincoln Falls for his best friend’s wedding. He hopes to make amends with Lissa, but when he sees her, Zach realizes making amends might not be enough. He wants what they once had.

Lissa remembers every detail of their relationship, though she wishes she didn’t. For years, she’s lived with the anger and hurt of Zach’s leaving. Everyone tells her to forgive Zach. Only for Lissa, the issues go far beyond forgiveness. She gave her heart to Zach once and was destroyed. If she allows herself to fall for him, can she trust Zach to not break her heart again?

Excerpt:

Will had made plenty of excuses for Zach, but none of them satisfied Lissa. There were no excuses for what Zach had done. As they stood there in a stare down, fury buried itself deep in her stomach. The burn of it flowed through her veins. It wasn’t fair that he got to come back and insert himself into everyone’s lives as if he never left. It wasn’t fair that she would have to put up with him for the next two days.

The urge to scream nearly overwhelmed her. Blinded by rage, she stormed toward him and slapped him across the face.

“I guess I deserve that,” he said.

She didn’t say a word. She only slapped him again and ran off.

Purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Apple

Enjoy!

 

 

Jennifer goes to San Juan

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Me at Cueva Ventana

With Puerto Rico on the verge of a humanitarian crisis, I had debated whether I should still write about my time in San Juan. In the end, I decided that I wanted to show everyone how beautiful it was before it was devastated by Hurricane Maria.

This was my second time in San Juan. Previously, we went to Castillo de San Cristóbal and walked around Old San Juan. This time, my family wanted to do something different and a little more adventurous. Until I was handed a hard hat, I didn’t realize how adventurous we were being. We decided to go to Cueva Ventana (Window Cave).

I expected Cueva Ventana to be like Luray Caverns. It wasn’t. I put on my hard hat and climbed down into dark caves. It was slippery because it had rained the day before. There were no railings or stairs. In the first cave, only our guide had a flashlight. We had to be careful not to disturb the bats and we saw a boa constrictor hanging at the opening of the cave.

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View from Cueva Ventana

I was glad when I got through that cave and thought I was done until we hiked to the next one, which was a bit of a climb down. I was handed a flashlight for this cave, but I had to make sure to keep it pointed at the cave floor. Apparently, this cave is home to vicious bats and if they are disturbed, they will attack.

Once I got to the end of the cave, I understood why it was called Cueva Ventana. It opened up to a beautiful valley below with a river. Though the experience was not what I expected, the view was well worth it.

I’m glad I didn’t know what this excursion entailed before we went because I might not have done it. It is out of my comfort zone and I’m proud of myself for going through with it.

After Cueva Ventana, we had time to walk around Old San Juan before returning to the ship.  Old San Juan was beautiful before the hurricane with its bright colors and cobblestone streets. I hope it makes a fast recovery because it has so much to offer, including restaurants and museums that are all within walking distance.

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Park in Old San Juan

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Cobblestone street in Old San Juan

 

 

You can also find me here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Jill’s chitchat: Who’s the mayor’s mystery woman?

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Mayor Cord Bennett was recently seen in Richmond with a tall, blond-haired woman. Since I reported this news, everyone in town has been asking who this mystery woman is.

There was some speculation that the mystery woman is a model, but I’ve discovered that she is not a model. She’s actually someone we all know well. The mystery woman is the mayor’s sister, Michelle. My source should have known who the woman was when he gave me the information. Apparently, he (Huck Lucas) left out some key information as did my other sources who helped me verify Huck Lucas’s story.

The good news is Michelle Bennett is back. She’s been working in Boston for the last few years, but she is returning to her hometown of Lincoln Falls. Rumor has it that she is in the market for a townhouse.

Why is she coming back to Lincoln Falls? It is unclear, but I will let everyone know as soon as I have more information. Stay tuned!

 

 

If you’d like to learn more about Lincoln Falls, check out Jennifer Britt’s books.

Remember you can find Jennifer Britt here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Jennifer goes to La Romana

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Squirrel monkey at Monkeyland

Before the Dominican Republic fell victim to Hurricane Irma, and soon Hurricane Maria, I had the opportunity to stop at La Romana on my cruise. La Romana is primarily known for Casa de Campo, which is a large resort. Visitors can go to the beach, ride horses, play golf, and shop. There is also Altos de Chavón, which is a replica of a European medieval village.

My family decided to skip Casa de Campo and do something out of the ordinary. Our tour took us to someone’s home where we got a taste of the Dominican Republic. We ate fresh fruit, like pineapples and mangoes, and drank cocoa tea. All of it was delicious.

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Where they roast cocoa beans

We then drove a short distance to Monkeyland, which is in the mountains and is home to squirrel monkeys. Monkeyland is an interactive experience. I knew that I would be feeding the monkeys, but I didn’t expect them to be as friendly as they were. I had them crawling all over me and had one even on my head.

The monkeys are adorable and extremely gentle. I found that even when I didn’t have food, they still wanted to interact. 

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Me feeding a squirrel monkey

I’m hoping Monkeyland didn’t have much damage after Hurricane Irma and will make it through Hurricane Maria because it is definitely a once in a lifetime experience. It is something I and my family will never forget.

 

You can also find me here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Jill’s chitchat: Are the mayor and Misty Saunders over?

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Misty Saunders is off to Europe with her sister. She claims she had planned the trip before she started dating Mayor Bennett, but rumor has it that she decided to go on the trip after the mayor broke her heart.

As she climbed into the taxi, tears were falling. The mayor was not there to say goodbye. It is unclear what happened, although there is speculation that the mayor is dating a model. He was recently seen in Richmond with a tall, blond-haired woman.

The once happy couple was recently seen at the Coffee Carafe. They were laughing while drinking cafe lattes. That happiness was short-lived as it appears that Misty has become another addition to the mayor’s long list of exes.

 

If you’d like to learn more about Lincoln Falls, check out Jennifer Britt’s books.

Remember you can find Jennifer Britt here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Jennifer goes to Grand Turk

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DSC05436My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered as a result of Hurricane Irma. It is hard for me to believe that I just visited Grand Turk and St. Maarten, and their welcoming people and those same islands have now been destroyed. It took years for Grand Turk to recover from Hurricane Ike, which struck in 2008, and it looks like that might be the case with Hurricane Irma.

Here are a few facts about Grand Turk:

  • It is said that Columbus discovered the Turks and Caicos Islands in 1492.
  • In the 17th century, Grand Turk became a major player in the salt industry.
  • John Glenn and Scott Carpenter trained at the U.S. Air Force base and John Glenn was brought to Grand Turk after he landed in the Atlantic Ocean after his space mission.

While in Grand Turk, I had a wonderful time. I went on a tour of the island. Grand Turk is only 7 miles long. It was beautiful.

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Donkeys are everywhere.

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St. Mary’s Anglican Church

On the tour, I visited the Turks and Caicos Museum, which houses exhibits on Grand Turk’s history and environment. There also are exhibits on the Molasses Reef shipwreck. Additionally, I visited St. Mary’s Anglican Church and the Grand Turk Lighthouse.

I hope Grand Turk is able to rebuild again and that I’ll be able to go back for another visit.

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Me at the Grand Turk Lighthouse

 

You can also find me here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Jill’s chitchat: Doughnut shortage in Lincoln Falls

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I’m sad to report that we will have a doughnut shortage for the next couple of days in Lincoln Falls. The owner of Half-Baked, Mr. Sloane, said an unnamed worker, who has now been dismissed, added too much baking powder to the doughnut batter, causing the doughnuts to rise and then spread all over the ovens.

Mr. Sloane claims he’s never seen anything like it. Dough even seeped through the doors of the ovens.

Half-Baked is known for its baked doughnuts, a healthy alternative to fried doughnuts. I personally love the blueberry glazed doughnut and I’m not sure how I’ll get through Sunday morning without one.

The ovens will be professionally cleaned and Mr. Sloane says he should have doughnuts ready on Monday morning. I’ll be the first one in line to get my doughnut.

In the meantime, if you are in serious need of a doughnut, you’ll have to go over the town line to get a standard fried one.

See you on Monday at Half-Baked!

 

 

If you’d like to learn more about Lincoln Falls, check out Jennifer Britt’s books.

Remember you can find Jennifer Britt here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Jennifer goes on a cruise

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This summer, I was lucky enough to go on a cruise out of Miami. I visited Grand Turk, La Romana, San Juan, and St. Maarten. Over the coming weeks, I will share details of my trip.

I love cruising and it has been a long time since I’ve gone on one. The food is great. I can easily eat gluten free. The entertainment is fabulous and it is completely relaxing. I love that my biggest worry is what time I want to go to the dining room for dinner.

Going to sleep and waking up in a new place is exciting. I love going on excursions and did something on this trip that I probably would have never done if I’d known more about it. That is your teaser. The details will come another week.

Before leaving from port, I explored Miami and it is a lovely city. South Beach is just plain fun. The beach is beautiful, but if you’re not a beachgoer, there is still plenty to do. Shops and restaurants line the street. At night, make sure you have your dancing shoes because the nightlife is spectacular with the many clubs.

While in Miami, I also visited Coconut Grove and went through many of the shops at CocoWalk. It is a pretty area of Miami and it’s not as crowded as South Beach (or at least it wasn’t when I visited).

 

You can also find me here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Jill’s chitchat: Labor Day event for all expecting women

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Labor Day is Monday and it’s a day when we celebrate American workers and everything they have achieved.

Our mayor, Cord Bennett, and the Lilies of Lincoln Falls have decided to give new meaning to Labor Day. On Monday, all of the pregnant women in Lincoln Falls are invited to the town center for an afternoon of games.

The Lilies have an entire schedule of events that includes wheelbarrow races and a baby hand off relay race. The women also may participate in a car seat challenge in which the women must install a car seat correctly. The first one to complete the challenge wins two boxes of diapers.

Of course, we can’t have an event without food. Brothers Diner will be providing burgers and fries, and the Shake and Scoop will have a variety of shakes available. The food is free for all of the pregnant women. All others will have to pay $5 for a burger and fries and $2 for a shake.

The event begins at 2 pm and will end at 5 pm. I look forward to seeing all of you there.

 

If you’d like to learn more about Lincoln Falls, check out Jennifer Britt’s books.

Remember you can find Jennifer Britt here: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest.