Yep, you heard me right, but that's not all. All authors participating in this month's event have also generously donated a Kindle copy of one of their books so you'll already have some great stories to read when you curl up with your new Kindle!! To enter, just complete all the easy entries on the Rafflecopter on the bottom of this page. A winner will be drawn randomly tonight at 11:59 PM EST. Today let's hear from author Charmaine Pauls and what she's thankful for :
Living in a Foreign Country
I am
thankful for my husband, my children, my family, my friends, my cats, my
health, and my job, but seeing that we’re facing another international move, I’d
like to single out my home. I am thankful for my adoptive country, Chile, that gave
me a warm welcome, a beautiful home, and precious memories.
 |
| Atacama Desert |
It has
been six years since the day we first set foot in Santiago. We moved here for my
husband’s job. Besides for South Africa, where I’ve been born, I’ve also lived
in France with my husband and children before moving to Chile. The logistics
and physical effort involved in moving house and pets across oceans are hard
enough as it is. On top of that there are the daunting tasks (all done in a new
language you don’t yet speak or understand) of finding a new house, school, doctors,
dentists, hairdresser, internet, cable and cell phone service providers, opening
new bank accounts, changing addresses, applying for residency, getting to know
new products (and figuring out the labels!), find out where to do grocery shopping,
making new friends, and most of all, taking action so you don’t become isolated.
Hardships
aside, pulling up your roots and settling on a different part of the globe, far
removed from everything that’s known and familiar, far away from family, brings
with it invaluable gifts, for which I am thankful.
v
It
brought our family really close, since we only have each other to rely upon in
the beginning, each time we make a new start.
v
It
taught us to be adaptable.
v
It
exposed us to different mindsets, cultures and religions, broadening our life perspectives.
v
The
experience brought plenty of new adventures.
v
We
got to explore a new continent, traveling across this amazingly beautiful
country of over 3000 km long, and to all its bordering countries.
v
We
learned to dance the salsa, and to drink Pisco Sour.
v
We
adapted to the Latin American concept of time and do like the Chilenos do – eating long, jovial
dinners that start late.
v
We
fell in love with the local cuisine and enjoyed Chile’s affordable, world-class
wine.
v
We
made new friends who became our family abroad.
v
We
mastered a new language.
 |
| Patagonia |
The
biggest gifts Chile gave me, are the nature, new friends, and Spanish. My
family and I will take a piece of this Latin American country with us to our
new home, wherever that may be. I give thanks to Chile and its people, and to the
unknown. May we never stop expanding our boundaries.
Bailo el Cueca para
siempre.
The Cueca
is the national Chilean dance. It depicts the beauty of courtship. The man will
take his time to lead the lady onto the dance floor, during which he compliments
her and convinces her that he is worthy of winning a dance with her. In the
dance they circle each other, much like the rooster and the hen. After a
boastful display by the rooster, the hen always ends up as the conqueror, with
the rooster on his knees (or in the Cueca dance, on one knee).
****
Charmaine
Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a masters degree in
Communication at the University of Potchestroom, and followed a diverse career
path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communications, photography,
graphic design, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral
part of her professions.
After
relocating to France with her French husband, she fulfilled her passion to
write creatively full-time. Charmaine has published 5 novels since 2011, as
well as several short stories and articles.
When she
is not writing, she likes to travel, read, and work with animal rescue organizations.
Charmaine currently lives in Chile with her husband and children. Their
household is a linguistic mélange of Afrikaans, English, French and Spanish.
The Astronomer
Loving someone madly, obsessively,
to the point of addiction can be heaven … or hell.
The year
is 2165. A new blood group has evolved, and biological pairing, called mating,
has replaced the old-world marriage ritual. When a stranger saves astronomer
Dr. Fraya Riber from drowning, her body goes into a strange state of arousal.
Bound to be paired with another, Fraya frantically searches for the answers to
the phenomenon that soon becomes an unwelcome addiction. Nothing has prepared
her for this painful dependence, and nothing will prepare her for the cure, or
the identity of her enigmatic savior.
Can physical
passion craft a bond that will last a lifetime?
Buy Links
To be
provided shortly (when the pre-sales link goes live).
Find Charmaine here
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