Nantucket Christmas Stroll
The Nantucket Christmas Stroll is now in its 40th year and takes place the first weekend in December. Most of the organized activities are on Saturday, but the organizers hope that people will stay for the weekend and enjoy the beauty of Nantucket in an off-season time. This event is the setting of my new novella, Love Charm for Dakota, which is available in the Unholy Nights anthology. My story takes place on Nantucket (and a bit on St. Thomas). The island of Nantucket started life as a whaling seaport. (Of course, it was used by Native Americans who lived there before that.) Today it is a very high-priced vacation destination. Although it is part of Massachusetts, and used to draw mostly from the Boston area, its appeal has expanded. I personally know a California family with a summer home on the island. The island is now a National Historic Landmark District and there are many people working to save the island's history.
Nantucket is a wealthy enclave, and quite tradition bound, with many shops, galleries, and restaurants to serve its clientele. The Christmas Stroll was designed to boost commerce in what would otherwise be a slow season.
In my story, I wanted to show the contrast between a man born and bred to that Yankee tradition, and a free-spirited woman in town only for the stroll.
Of course, when a love charm is involved, it's hard for anyone to escape the magic!
Love Charm for Carlotta blurb: Into Cabot Saltonstall's sedate Nantucket world blows Dakota Bishop, possessor of a wild spirit and a magical love charm. Cabot is all too willing to be bewitched. But Dakota fears ties and tradition. Does she know enough of witchcraft to overcome the spell of the accidentally cast love charm?
Excerpt:
"Oh, come, all ye faithful—" The man in the bowler hat had his eyes fixed on her. Dakota shivered. She'd better not make a wish because it might fix on him, and she'd be in real trouble. Despite his formal, old-fashioned clothes, and his friendly, open expression – the opposite of what she normally was attracted to – the man was strangely appealing to her. Someone who, in different circumstances, she might want to get to know. In fact, before she could stop herself, she acknowledged the fact that she'd like to spend one night with him.
"You changed your mind?" Brenna spoke beside her.
"Grandma always told me to follow my instincts." Dakota sighed. "Of course, that advice has gotten me into trouble more than once."
"Always listen to grandma."
"Yeah, well, she's gone, so it's your job now to make sure I don't speak to any man unless he's a) single and b) hotter than the devil."
Brenna laughed. "Oh, that's not a small job. Especially when a Mr. Right kind of guy has been watching you for the past five minutes."
This novella is available in Unholy Nights - A Twisted Christmas Anthology for the sale price of only 99 cents!
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