Girls Just Want to Have a Fearless Adventure by Terry Segan

FEARLESS FRIDAY

Fun and Fearless both start with F...hmmm...I think my guest, Terry Segan, might have something. Enjoy her Fearless Friday adventure on Discover...

Girls just wanna have…a manatee adventure! When my traveling partner suggested our next girl’s trip be to Crystal River, Florida, to check off an item on her bucket list, I dove right in—literally. In the winter months, Crystal River is home to many of these sweet mammals. So, a few years ago, we traveled to Florida in mid-January to see for ourselves.

 

While the hotel we stayed in was dated (think 70’s—I’m sure the bedspreads and shag carpeting were time-warped in nightly), all the rooms faced the bay. The gorgeous view was worth putting up with the ‘vintage’ furnishings and dim lighting.

 

Since the manatees were more active in the morning, we booked an early tour. We tried not to think that 7 a.m. translated to 4 a.m. for our west coast bodies. At the dive shop we watched a short video on manatee etiquette, a.k.a. how not to get arrested for disturbing or tormenting the docile creatures. We then donned wet suits—no easy task unless you have feline flexibility. The tour guide claimed the water remained a comfortable 72 degrees, and he wasn’t kidding. Wearing a mask and snorkel, we slipped into the river using a pool noodle for buoyancy. The water felt like a warm bath.

 

These creatures were amazing! They’re like giant puppies with sweet faces that drift through the brackish water. And yes, they are roughly the size of a cow! We got to bob around and observe several, some getting playful and bumping into us, despite our trying to stay out of their way. The last ten minutes of our hour-long swim, I had one following me. I finally named her Louise and dubbed her a member of our girls’ trip. 

The second day’s tour consisted of kayaking. I originally suggested renting kayaks and going on our own. My friend pointed out that she would prefer NOT to get eaten by alligators if we got lost. Never thought of that! I booked a tour. Being led by a guide, I was sure he would sacrifice himself if we were set upon by alligators. Luckily, we didn’t have to test this theory. Our guide used a stand-up paddle board to easily spot manatees for us. In one area, a manatee nosed our guide along by pushing his board from behind. 

This trip became the inspiration for my recent release, Manatee Soul, The Marni Legend Series Book 2. The main character, Marni, drags her reserved sister into similar tours and other sketchy situations as they assist a lost soul who’s looking for closure. While most of the setting is fictitious, establishments were inspired by my experiences in Crystal River. 

Book & Bio info: 

MANATEE SOUL by Terry Segan – Release date: October 16, 2023 

Blurb: 

Marni Legend has embarked on the most perilous journey of her life—a vacation with her sister. The women are like two peas in a pod, providing each pod came from a different mother ship. One day into their Florida adventure, Marni questions her choice of travel partner. Gloria strives to understand her carefree younger sibling while kayaking and snorkeling without chipping a nail. 

With nothing but eternity on his hands, Phil insists the sisters resolve the circumstances of his untimely demise. The wise-cracking spirit leads them on a trail filled with bartenders, bikers, and the promise of a hidden treasure. 

Her greatest challenge will either be enduring a week with Gloria or surviving the thugs searching for the stolen booty. Can Marni figure out who to trust, who to avoid, and who she’d most likely want to be trapped alone in an elevator with? 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Manatee-Soul-Marni-Legend-Book-ebook/dp/B0CF6HFHKD

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143894199

Author Website: https://terrysegan.com/ 

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerrySegan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrysegan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeganTerry

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorterrysegan 

Terry Segan, originally from Commack, NY, now resides in the desert where she’ll never require an ice scraper or snow shovel again. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries. Growing up immersed in sarcastic humor and science fiction movies, Terry’s goals are to cause her readers to laugh out loud, cry with joy, or cower under the covers wondering if the noise under the bed was real or imagined.