Kenda Robertson

The magnificence of the Tree of Life® found inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park is something you notice immediately upon first glance. But it takes more than a glance to get to the real heart and soul of this intricate sculpture.

While carvings of a tusked elephant, giant tortoise and even a dinosaur seem to stand out from the tree’s immense landscape, it may take a second, third or even fourth look to spot the armadillo, lemur or iguana. With nearly 400 animal figures that appear to be formed out of bark and wood portrayed in the tree’s gnarled roots, trunk and branches, each look offers a new discovery.

You might say Joe Rohde, Walt Disney Imagineering Vice President and executive designer, planted the seed that grew into the Tree of Life. Joe’s dream was to create an eye-catching centerpiece that symbolized what Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is all about—beauty and diversity of the animal world.

Like most masterpieces, the iconic tree, which stands 145 feet tall and 50 feet wide, required meticulous planning, preparation and construction. In fact, it took an international team of 20 artists and a crew of thousands more than two years to design and build the technological marvel.

“We were on a quest to create an appropriate representation of animal life,” Joe says. “So along with animals everyone is familiar with, we also included insects, snails, fish and herds of animals in the tree’s design.”

Once a final design was approved, it was time to grow the tree. A large steel cage was constructed around an oil rig to create the massive trunk. Because of its enormous size, the artists were faced with a double challenge: create their magic while standing on scaffolding, pouring concrete plaster onto the tree’s frame and quickly carving out the images before the plaster hardened.

And if all that weren’t amazing enough, take into account the tree’s foliage—more than 100,000 man-made leaves, each more than a foot long, all attached by hand, adorn the tree’s 8,000 branches. And thanks to more innovative Walt Disney Imagineering, the tree’s 160-foot canopy can sway in the wind just like nature intended.

And like the natural world it represents, Joe says the Tree of Life offers some nice surprises to those willing to look deeper. “If you take the time to slow down and really examine the tree, you’ll see more than what you first thought was there. That’s how nature works, too.”

Inside an old, colorful tin box that once housed lebkuchen, a sweet, baked treat similar to gingerbread that many Germans enjoy at Christmas time, Stephanie Schulz may have found her destiny. 

The beloved box holds the maps, postcards and treasures from her maternal grandparent’s many travels. Johannes and Edith Moritz worked on cargo ships from behind East Germany’s Iron Curtain, and sailed through exotic places like Morocco and Madagascar, collecting mementos in every port. The items in the box, along with the stories that accompanied them, were fascinating to a curious young Stephanie, who grew up in a world where travel and communications from outside the communist country in which she lived were mostly forbidden.

Today Stephanie is free to go wherever her heart takes her, and usually does. As a Disney Adventure Guide for Central Europe, she has lead tours through Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. (For the coming travel season she will also add Hungary and Slovakia to her passport.)

Adventures by Disney™ provides group travel to some of the most fascinating destinations on the planet. Two guides, who help make the trip easy and extraordinary, lead each vacation adventure. Adventure Guides are as adept at making sure your luggage gets to where you’re going as they are at entertaining kids with silly jokes. Guides help you feel a connection to the people, culture and traditions of every place you go.

FINDING HER TRAVEL LEGS

Meeting the witty, outgoing Stephanie, who loves exploring the world on ships and by train, and got the travel bug from her grandparents, you’d never know she grew up with a mother who was not keen on the idea. “Being away from home was seen as very negative experience for my mother, I think because of her parents being gone a lot,” Stephanie says. “She also just feels more comfortable at home.”

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, when Stephanie was just seven years old, life initially didn’t change much for the Schulz family. “We were still all about sharing and being together as a community,” she says. “I do remember my father showing us the new German money and watching the celebrations on TV.” Eventually, Stephanie’s parents moved the family out of their hometown of Schwerin to find better opportunities.

Despite all the new freedoms she enjoyed, Stephanie still hadn’t found her travel legs; only venturing outside Germany to Denmark a couple of times. But that was soon to change. About 12 years ago, while studying to be a language teacher, Stephanie felt the urge to explore and moved from her home country to work at Disneyland Paris. Several years later she was on her way to a new adventure at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. While working as a doll maker in the Epcot Germany pavilion, Stephanie met people from all over the world who shared with her their globetrotting experiences. That’s when she decided to follow her passion for travel and apply to be an Adventure Guide.
BECOMING PART OF THE STORY

With her knowledge of European culture and history, ability to speak German, English and several other languages, together with her warm, friendly personality, Stephanie was an ideal candidate to lead Disney tours. Seven seasons later, she’s still a favorite.

“I feel like I am an ambassador for my homeland. I have a chance to teach my guests to love the area where I grew up, as much as I do,” she says. “I also want to help them create lasting memories.”

Stephanie uses her “silliness” and “terrible jokes” to make her guests smile, and aims to create memorable moments that will stay with them throughout their lives. “In the years ahead, I want the people who I guided to look at their vacation pictures and say: ‘Remember that girl from Germany and everything we did with her?’” she says. “I have a feeling they will.” 

Though she never officially became a teacher in a classroom, Stephanie’s knowledge of the areas she tours allows her to educate her guests and answer their questions about the regions. “The moment I started being an Adventure Guide, I knew it was what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “It combines my love of travel and history, and I get to use my teaching skills, but in a completely different setting.”

When Stephanie is assigned to a new location, she likes to learn all she can about the country where she’s going to be working. Watching videos, reading and researching the region’s history, allows her to be better informed. She then visits all the places on the tour, talks to locals and experiences what the guests will be experiencing to understand what the country is all about. 

THE PEOPLE CONNECTION

Whether the people in her group are absorbing the culture of the region, eating local foods, interacting with a local storyteller or just relaxing at the hotel, Stephanie aims to exceed their expectations, even if it’s just satisfying a specific food craving. “If you really like cucumbers I’ll make sure you get them,” she says with a laugh. “If something’s not working, we will make it better.”

Stephanie knows many of those in her tour group are busy people with stressful jobs, who find it hard to let go and relax. “They are used to planning out their day and having to think about everything. When they are on vacation with me, they know whatever I have planned for them will be fun, and we’ll take care of it,” Stephanie says. “They don’t have to think about how to get from place to place ... or worry about driving on the autobahn ... or deciding where to go next. So they can just sit back, relax and enjoy the connection with their family members and other guests—and me.”

All those who travel with Stephanie are special to her. In fact, she keeps in touch with many of them through social media and emails. But there are always those who stand out a bit more than others. Stephanie recalls a couple such occasions. One traveler’s lifetime dream was to retire and work at Epcot. Stephanie wanted him to experience what it was like to serve people and show them a good time—Disney style. “During movie night in Germany, we gave him an apron and made him sell the popcorn.”

When Stephanie met two teachers, who were on the tour to study the area, she offered to do interviews with their students back in the United States. She still stays in touch with the classes today. 

Of all the places she takes her tour groups, Stephanie’s favorite has to be the Vienna, Austria Zoo. “In Vienna we go to the zoo, get a private tour with a knowledgeable guide and have dinner in the zoo’s pavilion restaurant that’s only open for us,” she says. “It’s very unique and special.”

WHAT MAKES HER SMILE

As Stephanie prepares for her eighth season as a Disney Adventure Guide, she spends time off at her home in Spain. While practicing her hobbies of cooking, baking, sewing knitting and painting, she reflects on what representing Disney means to her.

“We deliver the magic,” she says. “We make every trip the best one of your life.”

Stephanie’s strong connection to her grandparents’ decorative lebkuchen tin not only influenced her life choices; it also led her to find the exact same tin to keep in her own home. Ask if she plans to fill it with the travel mementos she’s collected, she explains there are too many to fit inside.

“I just put my yarn in there.”

Old wooden houses with steep cobblestoned step ways line the ancient streets and alleyways of the medieval town of Bergen, Norway. It’s early summer. Most of the snow on the surrounding mountains has been replaced with a wall of lush, green foliage, but a few cold white patches remain in the higher altitudes. Blossoming flowers spill color onto the homes and streets in celebration of the new season. Kayakers glide across the clear, blue waters of the long, narrow waterways, known as fjords, which flow gently through the city.

A mysterious-looking wooden structure with a dragon-style arch and an old stone cross is a reconstructed 12th century designed Stave Church, just one of a few remaining in Norway—and in the world. Nearby, a local goat herder stops to share mythical tales of trolls; stories important to the Norwegian culture. In the market, fisherman and farmers offer fresh fish and local foods. The warming weather entices craftsmen outside to sell their hand-painted textiles, native folk art and silver jewelry.

A living fairy tale

It was this storybook-like setting that brought Michael Giaimo, Disney animator and art director, to Norway in search of the ideal location in which to place the characters of the Disney animated-adventure film Frozen. Having been mesmerized by photos of Norway’s pristine landscape and culture, Giaimo journeyed to the mountainous country to see it for himself.

“There’s only so much you can get from looking at photographs and books,” said Giaimo, who is responsible for the entire visual look of Frozen—from the steep cliffs and cobbled streets, to the vertical architecture and the characters’ clothing. “You have to go there to absorb the atmosphere, people and places, and see how the lighting occurs and how the fog sets in. It’s the only way.”

Located in Northern Europe on the western and northern part of he Scandinavian Peninsula, Norway has one of the longest and most rugged coastlines in the world, offering Giaimo the terrain and “expansiveness” he was seeking. The crystal clear waters of the western fjords running through icy mountains seemed like an idyllic place to “nestle” a kingdom.

“We imagined placing a kingdom with an ice castle at the base of a fjord; tucked into nature on the waterfront,” he said. “As the story expanded, the adventure part of the movie spoke of something wide and grand. That’s when we knew Norway would be our place.”

Since Norway inspired the movie, in turn, the popularity of the movie may have sparked an interest in travelers wanting to explore the rugged country. According to Visit Norway, travel to Norway from the United States has increased nearly 40 percent since the movie premiered.

Though there may not be a real site in Norway that exists in the movie, the influences are all around. You’ll find the kingdom of Arendelle, where Anna and her sister Elsa lived, in the storybook streets of Bergen and the fairytale-like town of Balestrand. Arendelle’s ice castle is based on the ancient architecture of the Borgund Stave Church, as are many of the buildings and structures in the film. The Boe Memorial Chapel on the St. Olaf College campus will remind you of the chapel where Elsa was coronated. Norwegian folk art shows up in many places throughout the film, including on the costumes.

Exploring an expansive country

Wanting to capture the excitement around Frozen, the Adventures by Disney Trip Development team decided to build a trip through Norway. While the movie was still in production, they met with filmmakers to create a travel itinerary that would be ready by the time the movie was released.

“They gave us a foundation for a true Frozen destination,” said Heather Killingbeck, director of Trip and Program Development. “We started weaving together an itinerary that would offer a sense of adventure and provide authentic ways to explore this expansive country.” That included visits with locals to hear stories of mythical trolls and learn about Norwegian history and culture, as well as tours of the places that influenced the movie.

The trip was launched in November 2013 for travel in the summer of 2014.

“We marketed the trip as a tie-in to the movie,” Destinations Manager Lisa Lesperance said. “Our guests love the movie and talk about it often. It’s something that’s definitely of interest to them,”

On the Adventures by Disney Norway trip, you can follow in the filmmaker's footsteps as you hike, raft and traverse the Frozen landscape. You’ll venture through the last of the early-summer snow that sits on the mountainside. And if you look closely, you can imagine Olaf, the enchanted snowman, dancing around in his natural habitat. And if you listen carefully, you may even hear him giggle ... like only Olaf can.

Raw foodism has found its way to Orlando with the arrival of Café 118°, the new raw food restaurant on Winter Park’s Park Avenue.

Woman was not born with a sauté pan in her hands. And most indications of early man reveal a society of hunters and gatherers who ate food primarily in its natural state. In other words, raw.

In this age of high-tech cooking appliances, we are addicted to our gas grills, convection ovens, fryers, broilers, toasters and roasters, and far removed from our ancient ancestors’ way of eating. And most of us don’t give it much thought.

Sure, we enjoy the occasional green salad, piece of fresh fruit or raw nuts, but most everything else we eat – bread, rice, meat, beans, dairy – is cooked. (Perhaps we feel cooking food is a step above those who foraged for it in the woods all those millenniums ago.)

Scientific studies have proven that raw foods contain the living enzymes our bodies need to heal and renew themselves. Some research has shown that many of the enzymes that are beneficial to life die when heated above 118 degrees F, and that certain vitamins, especially heat-sensitive vitamins B and C, are mostly destroyed during high-heat cooking.

Nutritionists have also discovered adding more raw fruits and vegetables to the diet reduces inflammation in the body, which has been identified as a contributor to illness, disease and premature aging.

It is this evidence and belief that has led some people to choose to eat much like our ancestors, and consume mostly raw or lightly warmed food. In fact, raw foodists, as they are called, typically eat at least 75 percent of their food uncooked.

Since the 1980s, the popularity of raw foods has grown immensely, especially in the last few years as people search for ways to avoid disease, feel better and look younger.

Even celebrities such as supermodel Carol Alt, actress Demi Moore, professional hockey player Alexei Yashin, and musician Sting have adopted a raw foods lifestyle. Like many raw foodists, they claim the diet has improved their digestion, eliminated allergies and illnesses, and increased energy levels, as well as helped them maintain healthy body weights.

In Alt’s book, “Eating in the Raw,” published in 2004, the once food-deprived model writes of her raw diet: “I never worry about whether I should eat or not. I never skip a meal, I never crave food and I never feel guilty for eating.”

A growing taste for raw food preparations and dishes has spurred restaurants throughout the country such as Raw Soul in New York City and Café Gratitude in San Francisco. And now raw foodism has found its way to Orlando with the arrival of Café 118o, a living cuisine café and juice bar, which opened October 2008, on Winter Park’s Park Avenue. In fact, it is only one of a handful of totally raw restaurants in Florida.

Joe Diaz owns the new restaurant – located at 153 Morse Blvd. -- and took its name from the belief that 118° F is the highest temperature at which living foods can be warmed without killing vital nutrients.

The menu contains a variety of salads, entrees, juices, nut milk shakes and desserts (including non-dairy raw ice cream), developed by Matthew Kenney, a renowned raw food chef who has written two books on eating raw, including “Raw Food Real World.”

All the food at Café 118° is vegan, which means it only comes from non-animal sources. The items are prepared with natural, organically grown ingredients and nothing is ever heated above the proverbial 118 degrees.

Nuts, nut milks and cheeses, coconut, beets, mushrooms, and agave are just some of the raw ingredients guests will find in the restaurant’s “living” menu, which features entrees like Shitake Mushroom Lasagna and Spinach Beet Ravioli, and juices like Beet/Green Apple and Raspberry Agave Lemonade.

Sweet treats, such as Mango Cheesecake and Pumpkin Tart, highlight the diversity of raw foods. Chocolate lovers can experience the taste of raw cacao in creations like the Smores and Chocolate Hazelnut Tart.

“Everything is made from scratch – the sauces, purees and smoothies,” Diaz says. “We also make our own nut milks and cheeses, and pastries.”

Dias says he chose to open a raw food restaurant because he wanted to explore the different ways of preparing fruits, nuts and vegetables, and share it with the people in Orlando.

“We’re not here to make people into vegans and vegetarians,” he says. “Our food is prepared in a way that everyone can enjoy it. With our full flavors and great presentations, anyone who wants to eat a nourishing and satisfying meal can find something they like here.”

Prices at Café 118 Degrees range from $13 to $18 for entrees, $12 to $13 for salads, $4 to $8 for drinks or shakes, and $6 to $8 for desserts.

Using color in your home can be less scary and more fun, if you know the rules.

There’s nothing like using color in your home to create a mood and a sense of flow. Without a color plan, your home can wind up feeling haphazard. If the idea of using color intimidates you, have no fear. By choosing colors you feel comfortable with and using them correctly, you can create a space that reflects your tastes and style without losing yourself in the design.

Interior Designer Cathy Sands is not afraid of color. In fact, the owner of Blue Daze Designs in Orlando’s Audubon Park Garden District, uses the tag line: “Don’t be beige, be bold.” While the thought of being bold with color can scare some people, Cathy says it shouldn’t. “People are mostly afraid of getting it wrong and not liking it,” she says. “It’s outside their comfort zone and they’re not sure how to use it.”

 But Cathy says “being bold” doesn’t mean going crazy with bright colors. “If using neutrals makes you happy, do it. Don’t choose specific colors because everyone else thinks you should,” she says. “Finding your ‘inner bold’ is more about the contrast of colors and textures that work in your space, not how bright the colors are.’”

There are ways to find your personal color palette for a particular room (or an entire home), but you’ll first need some inspiration. Consider any of these as a jumping-off point:

WHAT YOU WEAR.

Look at the kind of clothes you wear. Are they classic, casual, bright, funky? The styles and colors you’re most comfortable wearing might also work in your home surroundings.

Feelings. 

Is there a color that you gravitate toward—such as orange? What colors make you happy or relaxed? Do earth tones appeal to you more than jewel tones?

Look at photos.

View images of home interiors you like in magazines. Choose names to describe your style: rustic, casual, retro, funky, or contemporary. Add a second word that helps give some direction: eclectic, modern, cozy, or whimsical. You could be retro modern or casual contemporary.

Favorite items.

Use a favorite piece of art, tile, or textile to help settle on a color scheme. Find a pattern containing multiple hues that you love: it can be an upholstered chair you've had for ages, a favorite rug or special wallpaper. Chances are if the color combination thrills you in a single piece, it will thrill you even more once it’s included in your home design.

Think basics.

Neutrals, such as grays, taupes and even beiges, are perfectly appropriate as long as a space doesn’t become too monochromatic (or devoid of contrast). Using neutrals with white or color accents, such as navy, give depth to a space and are a great transition to bolder colors. “If you have lot of neutrals, you’ll want to add interest in some way, through texture, different tones of metal or wood,” Cathy says.

Start small.

If you’re new to color, ease into it with a rug, pillow or artwork. One of the best places to experiment is the powder room. It’s the room you use the least, so why not try colored tile or an unusual light fixture?

Go for it.

While being bold doesn’t have to mean bold colors, Cathy says if you want that red couch, go for it. But if you prefer a beige couch, then add some bold accents, like a red pillow. Even minor changes, such as fresh paint or accents, can make a huge difference in giving a positive feeling to a negative space.

“In the long run, be true to yourself and choose what appeals to you,” Cathy says. “Whatever gives you warm fuzzies when you walk into your home—that’s your inner bold.”

Imagination is the only limit when it comes to creating outdoor spaces for family and entertaining.

When in Florida, do as the Floridians do. That includes spending a lot of quality time in the great outdoors.

Central Florida residents have always enjoyed year-round outdoor activities, usually involving cooking and lounging in the backyard. Decks, patios and porches have been preferred gathering spots across the Sun Belt for decades.

While “outdoor living” used to mean a few folding chairs, a table with an umbrella and a hibachi, a popular trend called the “outdoor room” is giving the backyard barbecue a whole new meaning.

With the wide selection of all-weather product and fashionable furnishings designed to make being outdoor more enjoyable today’s homeowners don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort and durability. They are limited only by their budget, space and creativity.

Fully loaded kitchens, top-of-the-line grills, built-in fireplaces, plush furniture and even waterproof televisions and sound system are high on many outdoor-room lists.

Interior designers, such as Ron Nowfel of Robb & Stucky, are showing homeowners how to bring the comforts of indoor living to the backyard.

“With outdoor fabrics now looking and feeling like indoor fabrics, you can mirror your exterior furnishings to those inside,” Nowfel says. “The outdoor room becomes an extension of the home and crates the ideal space for entertaining.”

Marc Thee, interior designer and co-owner of Marc-Michaels Interior Design in Winter Park, says most homeowners enjoy entertaining, but many find it intimidating. By bringing the activities outside, he says, entertaining becomes more casual and intimate, yet easier for the hosts.

“By creating casual spaces outdoors that allow for gathering at the grill or bar, it no only makes it easier for the host to enjoy their own party, but also helps guests feel more comfortable,” Thee says.

And when it comes to having a good time, Thee says there’s nothing like being outdoors in the natural elements. “Being outside makes people happy,” he says. “The fresh air and sunshine stimulate your body and make you feel more awake, alive and connected to nature.”

Pamela Wasmundt of Pamela W. Interior in Sanford designs by the philosophy that when you live in Florida, the outside space is just as important as the inside.

“There should be a flow from the indoors to the outdoor space,” Wasmundt says. “The look should be connected in some way.”

She also takes into consideration how the homeowners plan to use the space and whether or not they have children.

“When children are involved, you have to design he space with them in mind,” she says. “Families want aesthetics, but they also want safety and function.”

As a designer for Furniture Classics in Altamonte Springs, Karleen Bensinger has seen a 60 percent increase in outdoor-design requests in the past two ears. She says outdoor spaces are beneficial for families with children.

“It’s a great way to create a family gathering area … and it’s good for kids too,” Bensinger says. “Being outside keeps children away from their computers and games, and gets them more involved in family activities.”

A ‘Florida’ feel

When builders Jack and Marion McGrath decide to convert their 1070s lakefron home in Altamonte Springs into a Key West oasis, they wanted to include an outdoor living space that reflected who they are and how they live.

“Since we are in Florida, we wanted our home to have a Florida feel,” says Marion McGrath of Jonathan McGrath Construction. “We also wanted to be able to enjoy the outdoors and the great weather here.”

Their house originally featured a large fireplace and a tiny screen porch that blocked a lake view. By removing both elements, they opened up a 12-by-23-foot covered area that now overlooks the lake and a boat dock.

The area is self-sufficient, with a summer kitchen that includes grill, sink, refrigerator, built-m pantry closet and seating. The open space, which has a retractable screen surrounding it, comfortable accommodates a sit-down dinner of six and a party of 20.

“We like being outside, and this is the best way to take advantage of Florida living,” Marion McGrath says of the outdoor space that —with its bright yellow paint and blue, gold and red tiles—friends have dubbed a “Mexican retreat.”

As for Jack McGrath, cooking outdoors is something he enjoys doing year-round. “Cooking outside brings friends and family closer together,” he says. “It’s much easier to gather around the grill and mingle in the outdoor kitchen than in a confined indoor space.”

The thrill of the grill

The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association reports a record 17 million grills were shipped in 2006, representing a 15.24 percent increase compared to 2005. And today’s grills do a lot more than barbecue chicken or roast marshmallows.

Many of the modern grills feature rotisseries, woks, broilers and smokers. Some units come as a whole package for easy installation, such as those in the Viking Professional Series.

John DiGioia, owner of Elite Outdoor Kitchens in Longwood, says when it comes to relaxing or entertaining, there is almost noting you can do inside your home that you can do outside with the right space. In fact, he believes there are some things that are better done outside, such as cooking, which can leave lingering odors in confined spaces.

“Many cooking appliances, such as infrared sear burners, fryers, smokers and rotisseries are really better for cooking outside,” DiGioia says. “And you don’t have to worry about smelling up the house for days.”

Medieval rogues… Daredevil lover… Modern women finding love after tragedy and heartbreak… All can be found in the pages of novels penned by award-winning local romance novelists.

Hot, steamy romance novels are one of the best-selling book categories on the market today. Women just can’t seem to get enough of these tasty little treats. Women also dominate the romance writers market, and Florida writers are no exception.

On Saturday, November 7, 22 of Florida’s best-known romance authors greeted readers and autographed copies of their latest novels during the Romance Writers of America’s “Romancing the Holidays” book signing to benefit the Adult Literacy League.

For many of these authors, writing is their second job or favorite past-time until they hit the big time. But for all of them it is a love and a passion.

Local writer Terry Odell, a former teacher and technical writer, found that it is never too late to do what you love. She started writing fiction after the age of 50, and has since published four romance novels with another on the way.

As an avid mystery reader who was drawn to character relationships, Odell describes her novels as “romance with a twist of mystery.” “Along with the romance, my books contain puzzles and clues that have to be solved,” she said.

Odell’s first book, “Finding Sarah,” came out in 2006. Her latest novel, “Nowhere to Hide,” will be out next year.

Though she is now retired from her day job, Odell finds writing to be something she can do at any age. “Writing is a great way to keep learning,” she said. “There’s always something new around the corner.”

Odell also has been a volunteer with the Adult Literacy League for almost 20 years.

When her first book, “The Kitten Club,” hit the book market in 2007, Orlando romance writer Dara Edmondson knew she had found her calling. After dabbling in writing for years, the former public relations major, showed her writing journal to a friend. Her friend, also a writer, suggested she try romance writing. 

Four books later, Edmondson is now writing full time with hopes of one day being on the New York Times Best Seller list. 

So why romance novels? “The relationship between a man and a woman is such a basic human story,” she said. “Most people want a happy-ever-after ending and they find that in romance.” 

And romance sells. According to Romance Writers of America, as much as 14 percent of the book market is found in the romance genre. And in spite of the economy, sales are booming. Romance fiction sales are estimated at $1.36 billion for 2009.

Edmondson said she likes to create characters in her stories that are likable and believable. “I want my readers to curl up with one of my books and feel like they are spending time with good friends,” she said.

Look for Edmondson’s latest, “Out of the Darkness,” in 2010.

As a teenager, Roxanne St. Claire enjoyed reading romance novels. She loved the adventure, suspense and the guarantee of a happy ending. 

As an adult, the national bestselling, award-winning author now likes to write her own happy endings.

Since St. Claire launched her first book, “Kill Me Twice,” in 2003, she has published 24 books and sold millions of copies. Her latest work, “Hunt Her Down,” is another installment of her popular action-packed Bullet Catcher series. 

“I like to take my readers on a roller coaster ride,” said the former public relations executive, who now lives in Melbourne, Florida. “I want them to have an emotional reaction, fall in love and have a blast.”

Working 50 to 60 hours a week, St. Claire finds that being a romance writer is not as glamorous as most think, but it is a great way to make a living while “practicing the art and craft of creating a story.”

“You have to love it, work hard and build a loyal fan base to be a success,” she said. “After my readers close a book, I want them to have the best feeling in the world. That’s why I write.”

Anoles, Florida's ancient reptiles, need protection.

If you ever have spent any amount of time in Florida, you undoubtedly have noticed those little prehistoric-looking reptiles running across sidewalks, leaping to and from plants and trees, and hiding in cracks and crevices. As a matter of fact, being part of the Florida population means adjusting to life with yard lizards.

You probably are aware that Florida lizards range in color from bright green to black, that they munch on bugs, and that they can turn up in the most unusual of places—such as in your shoe or mailbox.

But how much do you really know about those long-tailed, beady-eyed creatures with scaly skin called "anoles" (pronounced uh-nol-ayes)? And could you imagine life in Central Florida without them?

Orlando author and lizard enthusiast Steven B. Isham can't—and he doesn't think we should either. In his book, Anoles: Those Florida Yard Lizards (Commahawk Publishing, $19.95, paperback), Isham uses humor and banter to explore the lives of Florida's anoles and tells us why he thinks the little reptiles deserve our respect and protection.

With the help of two talking lizards: Ann and Noel, Isham constructs a fantasy tale that is suitable for adults and children. The book, which he says is "based almost entirely on fact," offers a great deal of interesting insight—and clears up some common myths— about anoles.

From their colorful "dewlaps," to their breakaway tails and precise vision, Isham thinks these acrobatic, proficient hunters that eat thousands of spiders, ants, mosquitoes and roaches every day make important contributions to our lives. "They're not only fun to watch, but they also eat lots of bugs in our yards, which helps regulate the insect population," Isham says.”

LIZARDS THAT DATE BACK MILLIONS OF YEARS

Anoles have been around a long time, according to Isham's book. They have been found in fossils dating back at least 6 million years. And don't call them chameleons . . . or geckos, salamanders or skinks. Though they might share some characteristics with those critters, they are a species all their own.

In fact, Isham writes, more than 400 species of anoles exist in the world, and there are eight kinds in Florida. Only two reside in Central Florida: the green, which is native, and the Cuban brown, which was introduced here in the 1940s.

Through his comical, educational approach to storytelling, Isham hopes to send a serious message: “We can all help native Florida green anoles survive.” He says that Florida is slowly losing its native green lizards as they head north in search of friendlier territory.

"Older Floridians will remember the vast number of Florida's native green anoles that were around here many years ago," Isham says. "With the destruction of their habitat and pressure from the more-aggressive invader species, they have been moving away."

Although Isham says there's nothing wrong with the brown lizards taking up permanent residence here, as the two species co-exist peacefully in many parts of the world, the green natives have been getting the short end of the stick in South and Central Florida for the past 50 years.

"Green anoles are becoming increasingly rare, particularly in the southern and central portions of Florida," Isham says. "They need protection and elevation above the aggressive, ground-loving brown invaders."

Brown anoles survive in very warm climates and do well on the ground because they move fast and require less space to exist in, Isham says. But, out of necessity and the need for more space, the slower-moving green natives are adapting to the colder climates farther up the continent. Some even have been spotted as far away as Tennessee and Oklahoma.

GREEN ANOLES DECLINING AND MIGRATING

As developers and homeowners replace tall, dense native plants, trees and shrubs in Central Florida with turf grass and lower-lying, sparser bushes, Isham says it is becoming even harder for the more docile green anoles to stay here. They need the cover and camouflage of the taller, thick-leaved plants to survive.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PROTECT THEM FOR POSTERITY?

Isham hopes that by educating more people about green anoles and why they're important to the landscape, more Florida residents will step up and help the little reptiles literally to gain some ground.

By adding more drought-tolerant, preferably native plants and trees such as yaupon hollies, Simpson's stopper, wax myrtle and gall berry to yards and landscapes, Isham thinks gardeners would reap several benefits. Not only would they save water, spend less time maintaining the garden and use fewer lawn chemicals, they also could help re-establish the green anole community.

"Unless you have lots of tall, thick shrubbery, trees and vines in your yard, you're not likely to have any native green anoles," Isham says. "If you see one of our scaly friends with that slender, elegant, lime-green body, consider it a special moment.

"Better yet, plant some tall, dense bushes to develop a green anole habitat in your own yard."