Let's Talk with Terry Ambrose

Sometimes, you just gotta escape the daily grind! In our case, my wife’s latest birthday was the perfect excuse. Instead of creating a crazy weekend full of honking cars and hair-pulling plans, we went for the easy route. Carlsbad, our chill beach town neighbor just a quick hop from home, was the perfect spot for our staycation. No endless driving, no complicated schedules—just a chance to chill out and enjoy each other without doing laundry or arguing about whose turn it is to take out the trash. We’d check out our own backyard, maybe discover a local hotspot we’d never heard of, and make a birthday memory that was more about hanging out than freaking out.

Easy Drive and A Great Start

We opted for a hotel directly across the street from the ocean. Our room had a balcony, so except for the noise from what felt like auto-karaoke—you know how that goes, motorcycles with daredevil riders, cars with loud exhausts and their windows down so they can share their tunes with the world. That seems to be the thing along the Old Coast Highway at sunset.

Despite all the noise, we were loving the trip. Great sunsets. Terrific food at a local Italian restaurant with a killer second-floor patio. For our first night, we decided to go with their gluten-free pizza (yes, I know, I’m THAT guy). But the pizza and the salad were excellent, and we were in heaven. Our staycation was off to an excellent start!

Trouble in Paradise

Wilson McKenna’s newest tenant is hot, gives great hugs, and just saw a dead body being thrown from a plane. Before McKenna can say, “Not my problem,” he’s uncovered an island drug ring and trying to stay alive. If he can’t find a killer soon, he’ll be trading his board shorts for a body bag.

The Awesome Rooftop Restaurant

Even better than our balcony, however, was the hotel’s rooftop patio, which came complete with a jaw-dropping view of the ocean. On Saturday morning, I went down the street a few blocks to get us a couple of mochas to help celebrate The Big Day. Once back at the hotel, we headed upstairs to grab ‘our table’ at our new favorite morning hangout. We didn’t get our usual table (okay, we’d only been there once, but it felt like it should be ours). Still, the day was looking good.

We had our breakfasts, our coffees, and a view that reminded us of mornings in Hawaii. And then, Mother Nature did a very Hawaiian thing—we felt a few raindrops. The guy who’d ‘stolen our table’ abandoned ship almost immediately. I thought about grabbing the table for about 30 seconds, then, more drops hit. Suddenly, even I had to admit we were getting the unthinkable for Southern California—summertime rain.

Surprises and Rainbows

All was not lost, however. We retreated to the safety of our balcony to watch the show. Swaying palms. Thunder. And a sky that would have made Van Gogh proud. But, the biggest surprise was yet to come. When the sun poked though the clouds, Kathy was on the phone texting. I told her to look up. And there it was, a double rainbow. Yup, this staycation turned out to be one heck of a good one. We felt like we could almost reach out to grab that pot of gold!

That double rainbow reminded me of how much fun I used to have writing the McKenna Trouble in Paradise Mysteries. At least once in each book, I had the opportunity to write in a gorgeous sunrise or sunset or even—dare I say it?—a rainbow.

Our birthday plans might have changed, but the staycation probably turned out better than the original. So, tell me, are you a fan of staycations? If you’ve taken one, what’s the best one ever? And, if you haven’t, where would you like to go?

Want to learn more about our author Terry Ambrose? Visit his WEBSITE.

While you’re here, check out our September giveaway of two cozy mysteries. Entries close on September 22, so be sure to enter for a chance to win! Click HERE to visit contest page.