I’m thrilled and honored to have Margaret Daley, multi-published, award-winning author and president of ACFW, as my blog guest today. Show her some love!
Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of seventy-five books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com.
5 Ways to Avoid an Alligator AttackWhat in the world does avoiding an alligator attack have to do with writing? This September I have two books out with swamps in them–From This Day Forward (swampy land around Charleston and the river in 1816) and Hidden in the Everglades (I don’t have to tell you where that swamp is). You can’t have a story with a swamp in it and not have something about alligators. They thrive in swamps. In fact, alligators used to be an endangered species but have made a big comeback–one of our success stories for saving a species from dying out. Although I wouldn’t want to be swimming alongside an alligator, I’m glad they were saved from extinction. The species is 65 million years old. They were roaming this earth when dinosaurs were. That’s cool.
So how do you avoid alligators?
1. Don’t go to Florida or Louisiana. They have a large population of the animals. Other states have some, too. Even Oklahoma where I live does. But those two states have large swamps. Remember alligators love the swamps.
2. Since they are found in the southeastern part of the United States, don’t go swimming at night. The usually feed and hunt at that time. I would prefer not being their next meal so I think I’ll stay out of the water. I will point out here alligators rarely attack human. They go for easier marks–smaller than they are.
3. If by some reason you do get caught by an alligator and he drags you into the water, you have a VERY short time to do something before it drowns you. It can hold his breath up to an hour. I can hold mine about a minute. So what do you do? Pound on the gator’s nose and head and stick your thumbs in its eyes (that is a very sensitive area for it–hey, me too). Don’t give up the fight until it hopefully releases you.
4. If it doesn’t release you when you pound and gouge its eyes, then play dead. The gator will release before eating you. Then you might have a chance to get away.
5. If one gives chase briefly (it won’t chase you around), it’s a myth to run in a zigzag. Alligators don’t like to give chase and a human can outrun them even in a straight line. They can’t maintain their fast burst of speed like a cheetah. They like to wait patiently in the water for their prey.
Bodyguarding is Kyra Morgan’s business–but this was supposed to be a vacation. Still, she can’t refuse the request from childhood friend and neighbor Michael Hunt. Michael’s sister Amy ran away after witnessing a murder. Michael needs Kyra’s help to find her and keep her safe. Yet as Kyra and Michael follow the trail along the Florida coast, their search grows more dangerous by the day. Terrorists are at work, and the stakes are perilously high. It will take everything they have–including trust they’re both reluctant to give–to escape the Everglades alive.
Rachel Gordon is stranded in South Carolina, pregnant, a recent widow when her husband fell overboard on the voyage to America. Nathan Stuart, a physician who came home from serving in the American army during the War of 1812, disenchanted with his life and the Lord, rescues Rachel and saves her life. Feeling responsible for her, Nathan tries to discourage her from living at a rundown farm her husband bought to start a new future in America. He wants her to return to England.
Rachel refuses to go back to England where her father disowned her for marrying against his wishes. The farm is all she has, and she is determined to make it on her own. But Nathan has other ideas and becomes her farmhand to discourage her from staying in America. Instead he ends up protecting her and being challenged by her. Can two wounded people heal each other?
Your Turn: Share a fun fact you know about Margaret or one of her books for an opportunity to win a Margaret Daley novel!
Fun fact about Margaret:
She looks pretty in pink!
I met her in person (yay!) at ACFW and loved her pink jacket.
Thanks for all the alligator facts, Margaret.
;o)
You're welcome, Beth. Loved meeting you.
This book looks so great! I love watching Swamp People, something about the alligators!
Jessica, I'll have to check out Swamp People. Thanks.