My name’s Kristi Rhodes. I’m a writer, and just completed my first novel titled The Tropical Transformation of Joanie Weston. If you enjoy romantic, humorous, stories set in the Keys – this book’s for you.
To give you a small bit about the book – Joanie’s, a 50-something part-time librarian, whose life flip-flops when her mid-life-crisis-suffering husband gets his secretary pregnant.
Joanie sits stuck in the tropics after he empties her bank accounts and shuts off her phone – but she’s not stuck for long. A palm reader appears. There’s a coconut throwing incident. Plus there’s that part where Joanie has to take the Greyhound bus from Connecticut to Miami, and has the fortune to sit next a eighty-something wise woman who helps her see the answers to many of her mid-life questions.
The wild journey teaches Joanie that when one tropical cottage door shuts, another cottage door may open to a life she only dreamed possible.
A few other tid bits about me – I’m an avid snorkeler and love everything tropical.
Currently, I live in the Northeast and grew up in Florida. I love our small New England town, but on some chilly days, I still have a craving to escape to the tropics. It doesn’t have to be for a week, just for few minutes away – exploring blue waters, sandy beaches, tropical tastes, vibrant colors, sunny skies, – a mini-adventure. That’s how Tropical Coffee Break was born.
What’s your favorite tropical place?
Ahhh…..Me on vacation, taking in a tropical sunset break.
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I lived in Florida for 10 years after living on Dallas, Texas, Birmingham. Alabama, Waco, Texas, and short stays around the USA. I found Florida too hot, muggy and full of pesky insects and aligators! So I was more than happy when we escaped to the wine country of Caifornia and then on to Vancouver and eventually to France. But I do love an occasioanl trip to the Caribbean! xoxoanne
Hi Anne:
Your travels sound so exotic and fun. I adore your website, http://livingfrenchiseasy.wordpress.com, you make it seem like I’m spending the weekend in France.
Kristi
I do believe that living in various places well prepared me for easy adjustments to other places. I find the complaints of some of my English ex-pat friends are really quite petty. And I often wonder why they are here. ONe neighbor complains constantly during the summer when she’s here about the big black flies. She chose a country retreat. What did she expect?????
Anne
Hi Anne: I know about the big, black flies, I’m chasing them all over the house with my newly purchased fly-shaped swatter. Maybe it gave me bad fly karma?
Kristi:
I love your website. It has the breezy, sunny feel of your book I saw in draft form. I started the coconut song and left it playing as I explored the site – great mood maker! The videos were fun and the website worked great even with the reduced dsl speeds today. I don’t have a website, so I gave you my blog address. Right now it has a 2011 cross country trip on it. We were hoping to add an east coast, CT to FL island hopping trip, but we waited too long and will try that in the Fall instead. Thanks for the inspiration.
David,
You were the original inspiration with your cross-country trip blog. I really enjoyed reading all about your adventures.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Kristi
I am so glad to have found your site on WFWA. Tropical is right up my alley. I live on Marco Island, Florida. From my last name, you might guess I am married to a Hawaiian. That is correct. He grew up in Honnolulu. But Oahu is too far away from the grandkids (in Ohio, VA and CO) and one unmarried child in Miami, so Marco is our tropical paradise of choice (at least for now)
Keep posting and I will gladly follow along. Aloha!!
Hi Joanne:
So nice to hear from a fellow WFWA’er. I grew up in North Florida and that’s where my love for all things tropical began. I haven’t yet been to Marco Island, but hear it is wonderful. I have been to Honolulu and had such an amazing time. First the food, the heavenly fresh fish, the tropical flavors; we ate like kings. Then the beaches, we body surfed, snorkeled and just laid in the sun. It was a family vacation and we all didn’t want to leave.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Kristi
Hi Krista,
I know what you mean. When my husband took me to Hawaii, I actually cried when it was time t leave. But for now, Marco is our little Hawaii. Stay in touch. I also have a blog called Writing Under Fire. Its address is http://joannetailele.wordpress.com
Hi Joanne:
I can’t imagine how magnificent it would be to see Hawaii through a local’s eyes.
I’m headed over to check out your blog now. Thanks again for visiting!
Kristi