 I guess the answer
to that question is: it’s so happy. It reminded me of “Babar the
Elephant” books I adored as a child and besides, I was visiting a zoo. Not
just any zoo, but Zoo Atlanta.
About fifteen years ago, my husband attended a seminar in Atlanta. We stayed
an extra couple of days to see the sights. I read about the Gorilla exhibit
in Atlanta and watched a show about it on
TV. Zoo Atlanta is home to
the largest population of Gorillas in North America. Their homeland is Western
Africa and they are known as the Western Lowland Gorillas. Being an animal
groupie, I had to see it.
Trust me, this exhibit did not disappoint. The gorillas live in troops
consisting of 5-30 with an average of eleven residents. Their zoo habitat is
spread out over one and one half acres and they receive outstanding care.
They are beautiful to watch with their brownish gray hair and auburn crests.
Of course it’s always better to observe animals in the wild like the
grizzlies, elk, and moose at Yellowstone, the wild horses on Chincoteague
Island, Virginia, even the gators in the Everglades, but some animals like
the gorillas have habitats that are a bit more difficult to visit, at least
for me.
After a wonderful day, we exited the park through the gift store. I thought a
T-shirt might be a nice souvenir, but low and behold, hanging above the
shirts, was this colorful and happy handbag. Babar aside, someone could write
their own children’s story about this popular elephant with friends like a
smiling yellow cheetah, a green giraffe, two blue zebras, and a lioness.
Could it be a birthday party? Maybe a jungle holiday? Or just some good
friends reuniting. Whatever the reason, they all looked so happy; they made
me smile … so I bought it. Every time I see it, I’m still thinking about that
perfect story.
At the time, I owned a retail store on a Florida Gulf Coast Island. My
customers all loved seeing the handbag whenever I wore it to work. I kept it
behind the counter so they’d ask, “Did you bring the gang in today? “ Of
course I did. I no longer own the bag but donated it to a charity
thrift store this past year. I took a photo of it before it left for a new
home. That’s how much I loved it. I hope you got a chuckle out of it as well.
Thanks for reading about it.
–Mariah Lynne
This month I'm celebrating my new
Audiobook!! It's available through Amazon.com and Audible.com Hope you will check it out!
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 THE LOVE GYPSY has just been released as an audio book on
Audible.com and Amazon by The Wild Rose Press. The narrator Sally Ritchie
gives Florida homicide Detective Brianna Breeze just the perfect touch of
Southern charm.
Setting up for an audio book is more involved than meets the eye. Of
course, it’s exciting, but the author must select a narrator that fits her
character. Sally had the perfect voice.
Brianna Breeze can't seem to catch a man unless she handcuffs him! So
when her best friend Tessa decides to take matters into her own hands, she
tricks Brianna into seeing THE LOVE GYPSY, a Time Traveler’s friend noted
for her extraordinary matchmaking skills.
A tall, muscular man wearing jeans, a black leather jacket, and slicked
back 50’s hair bursts in on her first visit with the gypsy. Needless to
say, Brianna is bewitched. Despite the gypsy’s warning not to get involved
with him, Brianna can’t get him out of her mind – even though she more than
anyone knows the pitfalls of romancing a stranger.
A present day murder, a mysterious vintage car registered in the past, and
a smoking gun complicate the puzzle. Brianna doesn’t know if her lover from
the past is a murderer or a savior, but she’s willing to risk Time Travel
to find out.
Long and Short
Reviews wrote of the e-book ..."this is a splendid, delightful
romance that hits many of the good spots. It's the perfect book to curl up
with over a weekend or one night in front of a warm fire with a sparkling
glass of wine."
Romance
Reviewer Mac of Two Lips Reviews writes..."The Love Gypsy is a well thought-out
time travel, and that's saying something because Time Travel books are
difficult to write.........I found The Love Gypsy to be a very entertaining
story with a lovely satisfying
end......delightful."
Night Owl
Reviews wrote: “When I first picked up The Love Gypsy, I knew I was in for
a treat. How could the novel not be thrilling with a gypsy fortune teller,
time travel, cops and criminals? To me, that is a perfect mix for a
delightfully fun story… The characters are charming and their dilemmas are
heartwarming and heartbreaking both. I would recommend this novel to
readers seeking a heartwarming romance with just the right dose of adventure
to create a grand storyline.”
Audible Reviewer: Cute and
easy listen
“This story pulled you in right from the start with an easy
narration and storyline. There were a few turns I was not expecting which
was a pleasant surprise. Definitely worth a few hours of your
time…” Nicole- 07/08/18
LINK TO THE LOVE GYPSY ON AUDIBLE:
**********************************************************************************************************
EXCERPT
Whooooooooosh!
Before I could finish my statement, I heard a loud whooshing noise like a
wind in the middle of a hurricane fill the room. The lights from the
crystal ball swirled around the room at a furious pace. Thud! I then heard
a sudden loud noise as intense as the space shuttle’s sonic boom.
I
listened intently hoping that it was just thunder until I realized that the
wall to the right of where Raya sat had an open door. I tried my best to
remember if I had seen a door there when I entered but couldn’t. The
swirling lights, the whirring noise all affected my memory. I heard another
short thud, turned and looked around. A very handsome man in a black
motorcycle jacket seemed to come out of nowhere. I blinked. Was I
drugged? The man interrupted our conversation. He was frantic walking
right by me and over to where Raya was sitting. He yelled at her.
“Raya you said you would
help me. Help me now…I can’t stay here much longer. You said that it was
going to happen soon. You know that. We can’t break the rules.”
Raya put her fingers
to her lips as if to quiet his rambling.
“Dom, I have a guest or hadn’t you noticed?”
The man
turned quickly and glanced over at me. His eyes stared into mine. They were
the darkest brown I had ever seen. We stared at each other forgetting where
we were for more than a few minutes.
My Special Thank You! for Reading My Blog
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