Author Archives: Traci Hall

Traci Hall

About Traci Hall

With an impressive bibliography in an array of genres, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall has garnered a notable fan base. She pens stories guaranteed to touch the heart while transporting the reader to another time and place. Her belief in happily ever after shines through, whether it's a romantic glimpse into history or a love affair for today.

Dental Tourism-Costa Rica

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So, this is trip three to this beautiful country, and my second implant. I am such a fan of Goodness Dental that I figured I’d do my blog to share the word.

When we first came to Costa Rica a year ago to begin the process we’d gotten a very high estimate of what a dental implant could cost in the United States, and there was no guarantee that the price wouldn’t go up if there were complications.

The first thing people ask me is whether or not it was safe—and the answer for us has been, yes. They send an English-speaking driver to the airport to pick you up and deliver you to your hotel or Airbnb. They arrange Uber for transit to and from any dental appointments.

The second question asked is about the quality. The staff is friendly, punctual, and they really care. The quality of both the doctors and the equipment is top-notch and the work they do is guaranteed…

We discovered Goodness Dental when we’d expressed an interest in dental tourism and an acquaintance raved about this place. So, I want to rave too just in case one of you is need of dental work that is astronomical in the states. Our savings has been about 50 percent or more, and that includes airfare (very inexpensive from Fort Lauderdale to San Jose) and costs of an Airbnb. What can be expensive is food, but we have managed that cost by getting an Airbnb with a kitchen J

So, today I have just completed my titanium post. I will get a re-check on Friday, and we leave on Monday, in the event that there are complications over the weekend. Our driver will take us to the airport, at no extra cost, but we like to tip for the service.

Have a great day everyone, and shoot me an email at traciella@aol.com if you have any questions. And if you are looking for caring, quality dental, check out Goodness Dental!!

On an Authors’ Billboard note, we have so many amazing boxed sets out right now, at unbeatable prices–and, we run a monthly contest. Please enter for a chance to win, and make sure to stock up your kindle with a boxed set or two

xoxo

Traci

Hurricane Season in the Sunshine State

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Hurricane Dorian

An answer to friends and family as to why I live on the coast <3

I live in Fort Lauderdale and I love the sun, the beach, the tropical weather—but there is a price to pay for living in the subtropics. Tropical storms.

Hurricane season for the Atlantic Basin is June 1st through November 30th.

Some years are quiet with storms staying off shore but other years are monstrous. Hurricane Dorian has made records of high winds and destruction as a Category 5 over the Bahamas. This ties with a storm in 1935, also over Labor Day, at winds of 185 mph. As I write this, Dorian is still churning up the east coast as a Category 1.

I’m from Washington state and moved to South Florida in 2001.We don’t have hurricanes there—ice storms, snow storms, hail and fickle temperatures, yes. Cold rain (brr) and sleet. I don’t miss the weather at all. I prefer warm rain, and while it can rain a lot in the summer, I just learned to wear flip flops.

Our first hurricane we didn’t know what to do—there was a lot of hype around the impending storm—so we went to a shelter to wait it out. It was at a school and there were hundreds of us on air mattresses or sleeping bags. There is an eerie quiet when the eye passes over, and you can hear transformers pop in the dark. The winds and rain remind you that you are one little human in the storm. That said, we felt better prepared for the next hurricane, a Category 3, that went over our house. We lost some roof and the back fence—but we had shutters and a safe room in the interior of our house where we all hunkered down with blankets, water, snacks, batteries, flashlights, books and games.

There is nothing that can really prepare you for being without power for days or weeks or longer. It’s good to have friends with electricity and showers!

Now we have a place to go that is inland, safe with shutters. I am, after almost twenty years, familiar with the hurricane drill. We have warning of when the storm is going to come and if we need to evacuate. Being prepared is the main thing.

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php

Sunshine and palm trees, sandy beaches. Dolphins and pelicans! I even like the rain and storms but I don’t take them lightly—my heart goes out to the people in the Bahamas right now. I’ve included a link of possible donation sites if you are interested—I don’t recommend one over the other.

https://www.approveddoriandonations.com/agencies.html

There is a spirit of togetherness after a major storm—we all want to help those affected to get back on their feet.

As to why I live in South Florida—most days the sunshine is worth the rain.

Traci

Mrs. Morris and the Ghost–first book signing!

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Writing a story together is an intimate thing to do—it requires trust, lack of ego, and shared vulnerability. A similar writing style helps, and saved images of the world you’ve created along with actual pictures of the characters so that you each have them come to life in the same way in your head is important.

Differences also make the story richer. You might see things one way, but your co-author could see them another, and coming together in a compromise will be a middle ground that the reader may find more familiar as well. Each author is as unique as the reader. For example, I am not a big seafood person, but Patrice loves mussels. To my surprise, Charlene, our heroine, loved mussels too! Thank heaven that Patrice and I both love wine haha. I can’t imagine Charlene swilling gin.

Over fifteen years ago, Patrice and I started off unpublished but goal-oriented, meeting weekly at critique group, dedicated to being published, which in our minds, meant success. Six New York publishers dwindled to five. Self-publishing came on the scene. Patrice and I were published in various ways but until this joint effort, hadn’t made it to traditional publishing. Writing for Kensington has opened another door for us on our writing path and we couldn’t be more thrilled.

us at Murder on the Beach bookstore

Patrice and I were friends and critique partners long before writing this cozy series together. It is our differences, as well as our similarities, that make us a great team! (whatever you do, don’t get her started on track lighting…)

Success is not a straight road but you have to take steps, even small ones, toward your goal. It’s been said before but is worth saying again that life is all about the journey. Choose your fellow travelers well 🙂

Thank you to everyone who has helped promote/support Mrs. Morris and the Ghost—Mrs. Morris and the Witch will be available in April.

www.traciwilton.com

Don’t forget to enter the Authors’ Billboard August contest–good luck!

Rip tide

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Wikipedia: A rip tide is a strong, offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal flow of water within estuaries and other enclosed tidal areas.

I was recently in Costa Rica, and the moment we disembarked from our plane and entered customs, we were handed a pamphlet on rip tides. San Jose is almost two hours from the water.

How odd, I thought, especially since we are from Fort Lauderdale, where we recently witnessed a section of the beach lifeguards didn’t allow swimmers, due to rip tides.

Then, when we reached our AirBnB, the host had set out an array of books on the coffee table. Christopher started reading aloud, and I couldn’t believe it. He’d opened to a section on….rip tides!

What could this mean? I constantly am on the lookout for signals and meanings to ensure that I am on the right track in my life. I have chosen an unconventional lifestyle in that I work from home writing and editing. Money ebbs in, and flows out, lol, without a steady stream from a paycheck. The reason we were in Costa Rica was for dental work, which is much more affordable for implants than what I would have to pay, even with dental insurance, in the states.

Christopher, who thrives on metaphors and relating life to what is around us, continued reading—and we both burst out laughing at the sentence that read, “Experienced swimmers even find rip tides to be great fun.”


https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Rip-Tide

I remember being caught in a rip tide on the Pacific Ocean as a kid and it was terrifying, but exhilarating. My cousin ended up panicking and I swam back to him, and pulled him to where he could touch, using my flip flop. Not what you are supposed to do, but we were kids in the seventies–without the warning or pamphlets.

What did all of this mean—what is the advice when you are caught in an out of control rip tide?  (me, still trying to figure out this message from the Universe) I ran through things that were stressful to me…accomplishing enough is always a worry. Deadlines and writing projects, balancing down time, it can be overwhelming.

The advice in this scary situation is to, wait for it, swim sideways.

Huh?

Yeah, instead of trying to fight the current and reach shore directly, earning a scary dunking and possible drowning, relax to the end of the current, which will stop on its own before you reach the big wide ocean, and then make your way back to shore by swimming parallel to the current.

I will share my take-away message with you all—relax, enjoy the ride, and go with the flow 🙂

Thank you for reading! On that note, I have a book releasing at the end of this month, co-written with my friend Patrice, and written as Traci Wilton. It is the first in a cozy mystery series titled Mrs. Morris and the Ghost. You can pre-order today, and check out our new website http://www.traciwilton.com/

Follow us on Facebook for games and giveaways closer to the release date. Don’t forget to play the July game on Author Billboard–good luck, and have a fun, safe, summer!

xoxo Traci