Merry Christmas from Clan Dantonville

Merry Christmas and all the blessings of the season

I wish all my lovely readers a very merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a safe and prosperous new year.

In my last newsletter I said that the next time you all hear from me will be from my brand spanking new Wordpress website. Alas, life too often has other ideas and interferes with the best laid plans.

Anyone who knows me well, laughs when using my name and technology in the same sentence. So sadly, my Wordpress website is taking a little longer to set up then I anticipated. But, it is coming together and my Home page is done. Here's the link if anyone would like to check it out and tell me what you think of it http://www.timamarialacoba.com 

And if anyone knows how to add a slider to my Book page header, please let me know. I'd be most grateful.

Until then, I'm posting from my old blogger site.

NEWS ABOUT BLOODWISH AND TERENS

I'm thrilled to announce that BloodWish will be released in time for Valentine's Day - Feb 14th 2018. I can't wait to share this final book in Laura and Alec's story. But, that's not the end. I've listened to my readers who've asked for books on the other guys in the Dantonville Can. So, the next book in the series will be on Terens, which is scheduled for Christmas 2018.

And does he have a story to tell! Let me just say that there's more to "Sexy Terry" than what you've read so far.

I hope you'll enjoy reading it.

Since Christmas is practically upon us, I've been baking. My family is originally from the Czech Republic, and the traditional seasonal cookies, cakes, buns and breads are to die for. They're also waistline killers!

But what the heck, it's only once a year, right?

Unfortunately, here in Australia, Christmas is in summer and the temperature can soar way past the hundred degree mark. Without the good old air-conditioning blasting away, there's no way anyone could have a hot oven going. And what's Christmas without turkey, pudding and cookies?

And being the sharing girl that I am (*wink*) here's a plate of my Czech Christmas cookies.

Most countries, and even individuals, celebrate Christmas with a range of traditions. One of the most famous is kissing under the mistletoe. That one's fun.

While writing BloodPledge, the second book in my Dantonville Legacy Series, I needed a particularly gruesome tradition for Terens and Sam, the once former Roman soldiers. So, it couldn't be anything soft, and being vampires, of course, there had to be some blood involved. It also had to be unique and based on something practical.

I had a ball writing it.

Here's the scene: 

‘Don’t you think it’s ironic. Nobody speaks Latin anymore, yet Frisian’s everywhere—in modern English? Maybe it’s just as well I didn’t waste my time learning to speak yours.’

Cal guffawed, reached for the decanter and poured himself another glass of wine. ‘How you gonna counter that one, Terens?’

‘Only one way I know.’ Terens rose from his seat and flexed his right arm. ‘Brand new model.’

‘By all means, test it out.’ Sam’s chair scrapped across the floor as he too, rose and began flexing his right arm. ‘Ready to lose some fingers?’ The two stood facing each other, grinning.

Kari rolled her eyes. ‘Oh no, not this stupid game.’

Alec leaned toward me and whispered, ‘Maybe we should go for a stroll around the deck.’

‘Why?’ I asked. ‘What are they going to do?’

‘Their version of an arm wrestle.’ Alec looked uncomfortable. ‘They do it every Christmas.’

‘It’s gross, Laura.’ Kari grimaced. ‘The loser must chop off a finger and hand it over. The one with the biggest collection wins.’

‘You’re kidding! At Christmas?’

‘It’s the only time they can do it—good way to test the strength of the Ingenii blood. Any lost appendage regenerates in an instant,’ Alec said.

‘Sorry boys, you know I can’t stay to watch,’ Judy said. ‘If anyone wants me I’ll be in my room.’ She wished us goodnight and kissed Luc and Marcus on the cheek. The men rose and bowed as she left the room.

‘Think I’ll do the same,’ I said when I saw Terens move one of the candelabras aside and pull a blade from beneath his trouser leg. ‘No way am I going to watch them cut off fingers, even if it is some weird Christmas tradition.’

‘Allez, ma petite, this is not for a lady’s eyes.’
‘I agree,’ Kari said, and skipped to my side of the table. ‘Let’s join Judy.’

I still had Alec’s Christmas present. This was a good time to slip away and give it to him.

‘Meet you there, Kari. There’s something I need to do.’ I mouthed the words, 'Present for Alec'.

She nodded, and gave me a knowing smile as she left.
I turned to Alec. ‘I accept your offer of a stroll around the deck.’
With his arm around my waist, Alec led me from the dining room just as Sam and Terens took up their position, elbows on the table, hands clasped, steely gazes locked. Two long, menacing-looking knives lay in the centre of the table.

I shuddered and turned away. 

Did I succeed in making your squirm? If you'd like to read the rest, assuming you haven't read BloodPledge yet, read it here: 

Amazon US   Amazon CA   Amazon AU   Amazon UK 

All books are also available on Kindle Unlimited.

Until next time, have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Meet Children's / Young Adult Romantic Fantasy Author, Erika Szabo

Erika became an avid reader at a very early age, thanks to her dad who introduced her to many great books. 
Erika writes alternate history, romantic fantasy, magical realism novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 4-12 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them.

 Look, I Can Talk With My Fingers is available in English and Spanish. This book is about respecting and accepting people with disability.
Pico, The Pesky Parrot, is an illustrated bilingual book that delivers an important message to children, not to judge anyone before we get to know them.
A Basketful of Kittens is a beautifully illustrated children’s book about a heartwarming adventure and how to deal with bullies.
Asthma Relief introduces traditional and alternative treatments as well as Grandma’s remedies to ease asthma symptoms.

Buy links: Bilingual Childrens Books

 Protected By The Falcon

Love, ancient tribal legends, secrets, time travel and magical powers collide in a compelling fantasy series, hailed “Original, Mystical and Unique.” Morana waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland and gain the power to rule the ancient clan that still exist hidden among us with its strict hierarchy, deadly rules and traditions. Ilona doesn’t know that she was chosen to stop Morana’s evil plan. She doesn't know about her heritage besides legends and rituals when begins to remember her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes and is unaware that her pleasant life as a doctor is about to change and she will be thrown into a dangerous world filled with secrets. The discovery of her healing power and ability to freeze time is exciting and frightening. A sinister man appears, and Ilona connects his presence with the series of mysterious deaths around her. She has been in love with her unsuspecting best friend, but she’s drawn to the stranger that appears in her dream and confused by the sudden magnetic feeling. 

“Original, mystical and unique; in fact it's so original I have nothing to compare it with.” -Miss Devora 

 “I could feel and visualize what was happening as if I was right there.” -Lauren Sloan

Buy link: Fantasy Novels 

Meet Paranormal Romance Writing Duo, Jane Ederlyn

Jane Ederlyn is the alter ego of a writing duo from South Florida. Jane, a registered nurse by day, by night lives to create havoc and conflict in their stories, relentlessly strategizing ways to kill off one more character. 
Ederlyn, a cruise-line professional by day, by night loves to plot meticulous happily-ever-afters for the hero and heroine, often battling Jane to save her favorites. They can usually be found at their favorite Barnes & Noble sipping lattes and pondering “what ifs?” or at the mall shoe shopping.

Reborn is book #1 and we're working on Return book #2 which is slotted for fall of 2017.

 
Marie Josette d’Orgemont, cousin to Louis XVI, watched in horror as a rogue creature took her husband’s life before turning on her. A powerful vampire swept in and spared her life, but she never suspected surviving meant immortality or the price she’d have to pay to protect her surviving son.

Centuries later, in Miami, with her family on the verge of extinction, Marie is preoccupied with the continuation of her human bloodline. When she meets sexy and persistent Odin Ulfsson, his icy-blue gaze and burning touch are hard to resist. Will a forbidden romance with the Nordic werewolf be the key to her happiness, or will it set in motion a wrath that endangers not only her last human heir but her entire existence?

 Buy it here: Amazon (US)
                    Amazon (UK)
                    Amazon (CA)
                    Amazon (AU)
                    Universal link
                    Goodreads

Meet Indie Author, Kristy Nicolle

Kristy Nicolle is a 23 year old writer living in the historically beautiful English city of Norwich. She is a full time writer and a graduate of The University of Lincoln in English literature & language, as well as an avid collector of first editions.

Having penned her first novel length piece at age thirteen, Kristy has been writing daily ever since and is particularly drawn to Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance and Science fiction. Kristy Nicolle's Queens of Fantasy Saga is a collection of 3 trilogies, following the lives of three extraordinary women and their journeys, both personal and fantastical, into three unique but interconnected fantasy worlds. The first trilogy in the saga, 'The Tidal Kiss Trilogy', captures the fantastical underwater world of the Occulta Mirum and its scaly tailed residents as their world, which seemed stable for so long, begins to shift. The following two trilogies in the series are so named- The Ashen Touch Trilogy, which will be debuting in 2017 with book one The Opal Blade, and the final trilogy in the saga is called The Aetherial Embrace Trilogy and will be debuting once the Ashen Touch Trilogy concludes.

Kristy is also an animal lover and has a cat, Mitsy, who she has lovingly dubbed Doctor Moo after harboring the belief that all cats are secretly Time Lords. Kristy’s reading preferences are wide, spreading from William Gibson to William Golding and encapsulating multiple genres, though her favorites include Science fiction, Adventure stories and Postmodern narratives such as Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children’, and numerous Angela Carter titles.

 When Callie Pierce turns 18 she has three very simple goals: avoid her stepfather, escape to an Ivy League university of her dreams, and party with her friends. But on a night like any other, when the moon is full over the ocean, her life changes in a way that no one could have ever seen coming. On the sandy beaches of San Diego she meets Orion, a man from whom she cannot stay away and to whom her return becomes as inevitable as the tide kissing the shore. If that isn't enough, a kiss which changes everything plunges Callie head first into a world of mythic responsibility, epic danger, and heart stopping romance. The mer, an ancient race of warriors brought forth to defend the seas, show her wonders beyond what is humanly possible, forcing her into an archaic chain of events that bring together power, seduction, violence, and beauty in a terrifying, yet exhilarating mix. Then there’s the Banished to contend with, a group of Psirens corrupted by the ocean's abyss that stand to destroy the eternity Callie has been promised. Will she sacrifice herself for the greater good, or is the gravity that pulls her to Orion just too great to bear?

Check out Kristy's books here

Website

Facebook Author Page

Meet Indie Author Sonnett O'Dell

Hi, I would like to introduce myself, my name is Sonnet O’Dell. I’m from Worcester in England and I’ve been writing since I was a kid. My first book was published in 2009 and now I have eighteen titles, with another three/four planned to be released this year. I write mostly for adults, though I have written a couple of Young Adult titles. I tend to stick to Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romances but recently tried my hand at writing something set in the far off future on a different planet.

I have a long running series, The Cassandra Farbank Series, that is set in and around my home town because when I first started I followed very strictly the rule of write what you know. Since then I’ve branched out to start several small trilogies/series and have many stand alone novella’s.

When I’m not writing I’m reading. I try to do a review a week throughout the year, as I love nothing more than a good book. I also write the odd blog post and host interviews with different authors on my blog and if anyone here is interested I still have plenty of open spots on this year’s schedule. I recently reworked my website to showcase all my books more fairly, as I have now moved away from the small press I was a part of and more into self-publishing my work.
You can find me on my facebook page.

Check out Sonnet O'Dell's books here on Amazon

Kris (The Clockwatcher Series Book 1)

Get it here 

My Books Are Not Free

A new movement is developing. One that's rebelling against the entitlement generation in the literary world who believe authors should not be paid for their books.

It's a sick attitude.

No author can earn a decent living giving away their books.

And readers should not expect that they should.

I've already written an extensive blog post on this topic earlier, so there's no need for me to repeat it all here - Keep Calm and Fart Rainbows

Therefore, over 600 of us authors have come together in a Facebook event we've titled, Our Books Are Not Free to protest against this freebie culture.

We're featuring the work of hundreds of indie and traditionally published authors who have priced their books reasonably so everyone can afford to buy them.

NO 99c and definitely NO FREE books.

If anyone can afford to but themselves a cup of coffee, they can certainly pay for a book that took longer to create and gives greater satisfaction.

Writers provide a service.

And readers, if you want that service, you pay for it like you do for everything else!

Over the next weeks, I'll be featuring individual authors and their books.

Check them out. You never know, you might just find your next favourite author.

Flash Necklace Giveaway - For Paranormal Romance Lovers.

Over the next few months, I'll be running a series of flash giveaways in anticipation of the release of BloodWish, Bk 4 in my paranormal/gothic romance series. So, if that's your type of book then keep reading as this giveaway is for you.
Each giveaway - whether it be a piece of jewellery, such as a charm bracelet, earrings, necklace, pendant or anklet; a jewelled hooked bookmark or fridge-magnet keyring - will feature a Dantonville Legacy gothic romance theme.
And each one will be a one-off, meaning the winner will receive a unique piece.

Giveaway #1 - a Bloodvial necklace (those who've read my books will know its significance in the story) - starts today and will be open for the next 48 hours.

To be eligible, all you need to do is:

a) Subscribe to my Newsletter and be the first to know of any subscriber-only giveaways, sneak peeks of up-coming releases and sales.

b) Follow me on my Amazon author page.

c) Then go to my Facebook page, tag three friends and share the giveaway.

That's it.

48 hours from now, I'll choose a random winner.

Good luck 🙂🙂

Springtime Author Giveaway

It's that lovely time of the year when, once again, I join a host of other amazing authors in our annual Springtime Giveaway. For those in the northern hemisphere, that is. If, like me, you're in the southern hemisphere, see it as an Autumn Giveaway, a time to start unpacking the winter woollies, switching off the TV and settling down to a good book - or two or three - as the days grow shorter.

So what's the prize I hear you ask?

Check out the promo and all will be answered.

Go on, sign up. What have you got to lose?

Now sign up to the rafflecopter. You have to be in it to win it.

Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tornado Bloggers - Playing With Fire

Go to Book No. 86

Check all the Books Here 

Name of the Book: PLAYING WITH FIRE
Author: Deborah Fletcher Mello

Read some reviews:

1. Arlena 
2. Jennifer Schultheis
3. Isha Coleman 

The Story:

"Romeo Marshall is over six feet of cool, smooth, hot, southern seductiveness--just like the music at his popular Raleigh club, The Playground Jazz and Blues Bar. With his beloved mother gone and no father he's ever known, the business is Romeo's everything. It's a place where anything can happen--and the evening one gorgeous young woman and one intriguing old musician walk into the bar--and into Romeo's life--it does.

There's something about high-powered, down-to-the earth Taryn Williams that captures Romeo's attention like no other woman has. Yet unanswered questions from his past seem to hold him back from real commitment. For Romeo to move forward in love, he'll have to learn some devastating truths--and James "Piano Man" Burdett is there to teach him. And with Taryn's help, Romeo just may accept that like music, life sometimes needs to be improvised. . ."

You can also buy @

About The Author 

Deborah Fletcher Mello 

"For Deborah Fletcher Mello, writing is as necessary as breathing and she firmly believes that if she could not write she would cease to exist. Her first novel, TAKE ME TO HEART, earned her a 2004 Romance Slam Jam nomination for Best New Author. In 2005 she received Book of the Year and Favorite Heroine nominations for her novel THE RIGHT SIDE OF LOVE. In 2008, Deborah won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Best Series Romance for her ninth novel, TAME A WILD STALLION.

A true renaissance woman, Deborah's many career paths have included working as a retail buyer and size model for a national women's clothing chain, a finance manager for a well-known beverage organization, a sales manager for an infamous candy company, a telecommunications administrator and corporate trainer for a hotel-owning company, an art gallery director for a world-renowned artist, and an administrative consultant for multiple organizations throughout the United States. Deborah is also a licensed real estate broker and general building contractor.

Born and raised in Connecticut, Deborah maintains base camp in North Carolina but considers home to be wherever the moment moves her."

Stalk her @
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Go to Book No. 88 

Now for the Rafflecopter: Gather as many points as you want to. The more points you get, the more you have a chance to win it all. Show your love for books.. Tweet, Like and Spread the Word... Thank you for being a Reader... You keep the Authors motivated... This is our way of saying a Thank you :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#TornadoGiveaway is an initiative of The Book Club. Click on the icon to go to the event page of the Tornado .. Lots of fun awaits you :)

Dark Dreams Halloween Horror Authors Giveaway

I'm in this fun Halloween giveaway with a bunch of amazing international authors. Not only are there a range of great reads to win, but check out the grand prize. As they say, you have to be in it to win!

Here's my contribution—signed paperback copies of Bloodgifted and Bloodpledge.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tornado Bloggers - Skylines by Neelam Chandra Saxena

Go to Book No. 50

Check all the Books Here 

Name of the Book: SKYLINES
Author: Neelam Chandra Saxena

Read some reviews:

1. Varsha 
2. Himani Gupta 

The Anthology:

"A woman is like a palette of colours. Just like the colours, she too displays a different tint and shade at different points of time. The colours you perceive are the ones you make her show. If you love her, she will adore you; if you give her wings she will soar but if you hurt her, she may take time but will one day bounce back in retaliation.

'Skylines' is a collection of fourteen different stories which revolve around women - the buoyant teens, the chirpy youth or the matured ladies. Different encounters and circumstances in life make them either very tender, fragile or reactionaries and bigots. Do read on to understand these colours of life..."

You can also buy @

About The Author 

Neelam Chandra Saxena 

"Neelam Saxena Chandra completed her Engineering in Electronics & Power Engineering from V.N.I.T., Nagpur and went on to finish PG Dip in I.M & HRD and PG Dip in Finance Mgmt. She is a bureaucrat working with Indian Railways. She shares from an incurable passion of writing poetry and fiction. Around seven hundred of her stories/poems have been published in various leading Indian as well as international magazines, anthologies and journals. Many of her stories/poems have been transmitted by Akashwani (Radio) also. Neelam was recently nominated in the list of 78 most well-known authors in India by Forbes for the year 2014."

Stalk her @
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Go to Book No. 52 

Now for the Rafflecopter: Gather as many points as you want. The more points you get, the more you have a chance to win. Show your love for books.. Tweet, Like and Spread the Word... Thank you for being a Reader. You keep the Authors motivated. This is our way of saying a Thank you :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#TornadoGiveaway is an initiative of The Book Club. Click on the icon to go to the event page of the Tornado .. Lots of fun awaits you :)

I'm in an Anthology! It's called Musings.

This year I'm thrilled to be included in an amazing anthology with thirteen other paranormal romance, urban fantasy, suspense and mystery authors. Among them are some well known, best selling authors with whom it's a privilege to be associated.
Check out the beautiful cover, created by the talented Patti Roberts.

Released earlier this week, Musings is already climbing the charts, reaching as high as Top 50 for Anthologies and Collections on Amazon in the USA and Australia. That's brilliant! Let's try and keep it at the top. Personally I'd love to see it reach #1.
Anthologies of this type - with a selection of short stories, novellas and novels - are a great introduction to authors you may have never read. That's how I discovered Gena Showalter, Maggie Shayne, Kresley Cole, Nalini Singh and MaryJanice Davidson. Their books now line my shelves.

And, if you're looking for a perfect Valentine Day's gift - apart from the obligatory flowers and chocolates - you can't get better than this.

Happy reading.

Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (AU)
Amazon (CA)
Barnes and Noble
Scribd
Kobo
Inktera

"Bloodgifted" is on a Blog Tour.

I'm excited to announce the first ever, official Bloodgifted Blog Tour. It's run by Chic Lit Plus, and today Samantha posted a fabulous review of my book on Amazon. You can check it out on the link above. I was thrilled, for naturally every writer wants their readers to fall in love with their book, and to be as crazy about it as they themselves are.

The Blog Tour runs from March 3rd-24th, and each day a different blogger is featuring me on their website.

Here's the list:

March 3rd - Chick Lit Plus—Review
March 4th - Sweetsbooks—Review, Q&A and an Excerpt from Bloodgifted
March 5th - Christy's Written Word Love - Excerpt
March 7th - Chick Lit Club Connect - Guest Post
March 10th - Wonderland Avenue - Review
March 11th - Storm Goddess Book Reviews - Review
March 13th - Bookworm Bridgette's World - Excerpt
March 14th - Step into Fiction - Review
March 17th - A Novel Thought Review and Q&A
March 19th - Book Reviews By Dee - Review and Excerpt
March 21st - PJ Byer Writer Blog
March 24th - Samantha March—Q&A and Excerpt

Each one of those Q&As asked something completely different, and a few really made me think. One asked me for a playlist, which is something I would never have thought of. Yet most of BLOODGIFTED was written while listening to my favourite pieces of music that set my mind in the right mood for a particular scene. To find which one asked for that, you'll have to check them all out!
So, if you're planning on following the Tour—and I would LOVE everyone to—you'll discover something different about me each day.

I'll be updating this page daily, so you can simply click on the links and it'll take you straight to the site.

Happy Blog Tour!

Eighteen-Year-Old Girl Meets Handsome Stranger in Italy - LAURA'S LOCKET: Short Story

What's a girl to do when she's swept off her feet by a handsome stranger she's met on holiday? He's charming and utterly seductive; even gives her a locket as a token of his affection. Yet, not all is as it seems. There's something—different—about this man.

That's the premise of my short story—LAURA'S LOCKET—and based on an incident in my book BLOODGIFTED, the first in the Dantonville Legacy series. My character, Laura Dantonville, reminisces about a young man she met while on a European holiday with her two best friends. She was only eighteen.
Many years later, the silver locket he gave her still hangs on her dresser-mirror.

Those who've read BLOODGIFTED, will recognise the incident and the young man involved—Jean-Philippe Reynard. He's a talented portrait artist and—something more. I won't spoil it for those who haven't read the book yet.

As a teaser, I'm including the first four pages. The rest of the story will be available FREE on Amazon, Smashwords, iTunes/iBooks, Sony, Kobo and Barnes & Noble in the next two weeks.

My wonderful Dantonville Street Team have already read the story. The verdict? Thumbs up!
In my next post, I'll reveal the cover.

So, without much ado, here it is:

LAURA’S LOCKET © Tima Maria Lacoba 2014

I opened the train window and the cool air rushed in. Although it was January, I wanted to breathe in the wintery air. The wind bit my face and made my cheeks tingle. It was refreshing after sitting for an hour in an overheated train compartment. I’d already taken off my coat, scarf and woollen cap, and my angora jumper was scrunched up on the seat.

In the distance, the Mediterranean Sea sparkled in the late afternoon sunshine as our train snaked around the narrow precipice of the southern Italian coastline. Jagged cliffs dropped away inches from the iron tracks that barely clung to the rocky earth.

‘Sorrento, next stop!’ I said with a smile, then left the window and pulled my bag down from the overhead shelves.

My two best friends, Beth and Angie, also hopped up from their seats to lift their bags down. We’d known each other since seventh grade, and there was rarely a weekend the three of us didn’t have a sleepover at one of our homes. At school we’d been nicknamed “The Three Amigos.”

And this was our very first trip overseas. I couldn’t wait to start our Amalfi holiday.

We linked arms, jumped up and down on the spot and squealed. All through our senior year we’d planned this trip to celebrate the end of high school, worked at part time jobs and saved as much as we could. Our parents made up the shortfall, as did my aunt Judy, Dad’s sister. She chose our hotels and even paid for mine.

I glanced out the window just as we passed a secluded cove and the gentle undulations of an inflated palm tree close to the shoreline caught my eye.

‘Look at this. An artificial tropical island!’ I said and pointed. ‘Must be anchored to a rock below the waves or something.’

Beth and Angie squeezed in next to me and stuck their heads out the window.

‘A fake palm tree. That’s classic!’ Beth said while clawing away tendrils of her long, black hair the wind had whipped around her face.

Beth’s family had migrated from Mumbai when she was three, and their house was only a street away from mine in Earlwood. Her dark exotic looks were in stark contrast to my coppery locks and lavender-coloured eyes. I envied her being able to stay out in the strong Australian sun, whereas my pale skin turned pink within five minutes.

‘Does it belong to a resort or something?’ she added. ‘Wonder if there’re more?’ Her ebony eyes scanned the coastline ahead.

It seemed so out of place. The beach was empty: no deck chairs, umbrellas or the usual summer paraphernalia. But then, it was January, and all the resorts were closed. Perhaps this was one thing they’d forgotten to pack away for the winter.

‘You know, Laura, I’m still surprised your parents let you go. They’ve got to be the most over-protective people I’ve ever met,’ Angie said, a thick, faux fur hat tucked so low over her curly brown hair I could barely see her eyes.

Even before we had purchased our airline tickets, Angie had splashed out on the latest winter fashions. That the hat was too big for her didn’t matter—it was “in!” Masking her eyes as it did, I worried she could trip and hurt herself.

‘Well, it’s only-child syndrome! So I can kind of understand,’ I added quietly. It had taken a lot of persuading on my part. I’d asked my aunt Judy to talk to them too. She and Dad were close, although I knew she wasn’t keen on my trip either. ‘But Angie and Beth’ll be with me. I’m not going alone,’ I’d told her. ‘You know them. Pleeease?’ It worked.

‘That’s cos you look so young. No one’d guess you’re an adult. I reckon you’ll have to pull out your passport every time you order a drink,’ Angie said as she pushed the hat back off her brow for the umpteenth time.

I stuck my tongue out at her and she laughed. So did I.

‘They’re probably worried you’ll meet some foreign guy and won’t want to come home,’ Beth said.

I shook my head. ‘No way!’ I had no intention of doing anything of the sort, but the prospect of meeting a hot Italian guy was exciting. I was on holidays, so why not have a little romance? The problem is my handicap. It’s not a physical one, more like a weird genetic anomaly—I age slowly, very slowly. At eighteen, in the prime of life, I haven’t got my period yet. And, I was still a virgin! How embarrassing!

‘We’re here!’ Angie squealed. The train rounded another bend and began to slow. She leant her head further out, gripping her oversized, fur hat. ‘It’s so pretty.’

Clusters of red-roofed houses and three-to-four-storey buildings honeycombed the cliff side all the way to the sea. In the marina, only a few boats bobbed on the waves, large luxury yachts among them.

Beth and I tried to see past Angie, but the wind stung my eyes. I flopped back into my seat and threw on my jumper. ‘C’mon you guys, we’ll be there any minute. Better get your stuff together.’

‘Should we get a taxi or walk to the hotel?’ Angie’s voice sounded muffled as she struggled into her shocking-pink anorak.

‘No way we’re going to lose you in a crowd wearing that thing,’ I teased.

Angie laughed and dipped her knee in a mock curtsy. ‘No way, matey. Besides, it’s so this season.’

I rolled my eyes, but I admired Angie’s love of bright colours and her ability to wear them with such unabashed confidence.

‘Laura, you’ve got the map.’ Beth took charge. ‘How far’s the hotel from the station?’ She checked her reflection in the aisle window and adjusted her beret.

I retrieved the Lonely Planet Guidebook from my coat pocket. ‘Um… on here it looks really close; down the hill from the station. Fifteen to twenty minutes to the Piazza Tasso maybe?’

‘Okay, walk then?’ She turned to face us, eyebrows raised. We’d elected Beth as our unofficial leader, being the oldest. At nineteen she was already engaged to her long-time boyfriend, Ashley. She was even on the Pill.

Angie looked at me and shrugged. ‘Sure. We’ve been sitting for ages.’

She had a point. After the first twelve hours of the twenty-two hour flight from Sydney, the novelty had worn off and I couldn’t wait to land. At the Bangkok stopover, I practically ran from one end of the terminal to the other; not so much to catch our connecting flight, but for some exercise.

The train stopped, and we followed the other passengers along the platform. Heads down, faces concealed in scarves and bundled up against the cold, they dispersed leaving us staring at a sparsely populated square—the Piazza Angelina Lauro.

In less than fifteen minutes we stood before a set of tall, scrolled wrought-iron gates, behind which we glimpsed an imposing, terracotta-coloured building. The sign read: Grand Excelsior Vittoria Hotel.

It would be our home for the next three days.

*    *    *