Book Spotlight: Lethal Connections
Do you ever think about how people eat in other areas of the United States? Or world? Guest Author Jennifer Chastain is chatting with us today about some food that has inspired her latest story. It sounds yummy to me. See what you think. And keep reading all the way to the bottom for a free short story from Jennifer too! 
Lethal Connections is the third book in my Targeted for Elimination series. The adventure begins on the Big Island of Hawaii and finishes in my fictional town of Providence, NC, just outside of Charlotte.
Even as a young girl I’ve always been fascinated by the Hawaiian Islands. The flowers, the food, the culture, it was so different that my small dairy farming community that I grew up in. Visiting Hawaii or even one of the smaller islands, such as Maui or Kauai, is on my bucket list.
When plotting this story, as well as the others in the series, I thought, “what better setting than to start a romantic suspense book?” From the mountains, to the beaches and everything in between, there were a lot of options to use as a backdrop, as well as create danger around every corner for my hero and heroine. Hawaii has some unique dishes that many of us here on the mainland have never heard of, let alone tasted. I included several dishes in each of my books. Malsadas are a pastry that kind of remind you of a donut, only much sweeter. They are filled tropical fruit custards such as pineapple or mango, or a coconut cream, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. A friend of mine told me about this dessert and I had to do some internet research since malsadas are only found in Hawaii.
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, there is a dish called “lau lau” – made with pork and wrapped in taro leaves and then baked for several hours. But the main dish that many blue-collar Hawaiians love is called a lunch plate. The three main items are a mayonnaise-based macaroni salad, steamed rice, and Spam. Sometimes there is also some pulled pork or shrimp on the plate, but the main protein is Spam.
For my launch team, I wanted something exotic to share with them, so I found a Hawaiian inspired grilled chicken recipe made with coconut milk, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I found the recipe on Pinterest and believe me, it is quite tasty.
I love exploring recipes outside of my region of the United States.
One day, my husband and I will hopefully be able to visit our 50th state and experience God’s handiwork in nature, along with some traditional Hawaiian cuisine!
What about you? What recipes have you tried that are outside your region?
Lethal Connections
Being a Marine prepared him to fight, but not for his heart.
Travis Beckett has perfected the surfer guy persona with a devil-may-care attitude. He lives simply, but he longs for more. Forced into the Witness Protection program five years ago, he had no choice but to walk away from the only woman he’s ever loved, and he was positive he’d never see her again—but then she shows up in Hawaii, and now, they’re both in danger.
Five years is a long time to mourn for a man who left her at the altar.
When Kaitlyn Daniels flies to Hawaii to attend a medical convention, she expects a relaxing week spent furthering her career. Instead, she escapes a fire at the hotel, gets shot at, and discovers her supposed-deceased fiancé is alive and living in Hawaii. Together, they barely escape all the danger, and she’s more than ready to go home.
Trouble comes knocking on her front door.
As a new Christian, Kaitlyn’s faith is tested to its limits when the trouble from Hawaii follows her home to Providence, NC—so does Travis. Now, a more sinister danger lurks behind every shadow, and if she and Travis can’t work together to find out who is behind the violent attacks, and why, they can both say goodbye to their second chance.
Ever since she was a little girl, living in her small town in New York State, Jennifer has been a voracious reader. As a teen, she dreamed of embarking on epic adventures and exploring the world, just like all the characters in her favorite books. Instead, she writes suspense-filled romantic adventures. A northern transplant, she has grown to love the grace and charm of the South. In fact, she even married a native Charlottean. Jennifer is a member of ACFW, ACFW-Charlotte, Blue Ridge Reader Connections and Novel Academy. During the day, she works for a research center at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. But on nights and weekends, she is a writing ninja, cramming in as many words as possible. A hopeful romantic, Jennifer loves dark chocolate, Diet Coke, and a good rom-com. She and her husband have been married for over thirty years and are permitted to reside with their rescue cat.
Also, if you sign up for her newsletter, you will receive a free short story. Here's the link: https://bookhip.com/JHJFRPV
Lethal Connections is the third book in my Targeted for Elimination series. The adventure begins on the Big Island of Hawaii and finishes in my fictional town of Providence, NC, just outside of Charlotte.Even as a young girl I’ve always been fascinated by the Hawaiian Islands. The flowers, the food, the culture, it was so different that my small dairy farming community that I grew up in. Visiting Hawaii or even one of the smaller islands, such as Maui or Kauai, is on my bucket list.
When plotting this story, as well as the others in the series, I thought, “what better setting than to start a romantic suspense book?” From the mountains, to the beaches and everything in between, there were a lot of options to use as a backdrop, as well as create danger around every corner for my hero and heroine. Hawaii has some unique dishes that many of us here on the mainland have never heard of, let alone tasted. I included several dishes in each of my books. Malsadas are a pastry that kind of remind you of a donut, only much sweeter. They are filled tropical fruit custards such as pineapple or mango, or a coconut cream, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. A friend of mine told me about this dessert and I had to do some internet research since malsadas are only found in Hawaii.
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, there is a dish called “lau lau” – made with pork and wrapped in taro leaves and then baked for several hours. But the main dish that many blue-collar Hawaiians love is called a lunch plate. The three main items are a mayonnaise-based macaroni salad, steamed rice, and Spam. Sometimes there is also some pulled pork or shrimp on the plate, but the main protein is Spam.
For my launch team, I wanted something exotic to share with them, so I found a Hawaiian inspired grilled chicken recipe made with coconut milk, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I found the recipe on Pinterest and believe me, it is quite tasty.
I love exploring recipes outside of my region of the United States.
One day, my husband and I will hopefully be able to visit our 50th state and experience God’s handiwork in nature, along with some traditional Hawaiian cuisine!
What about you? What recipes have you tried that are outside your region?
Lethal ConnectionsBeing a Marine prepared him to fight, but not for his heart.
Travis Beckett has perfected the surfer guy persona with a devil-may-care attitude. He lives simply, but he longs for more. Forced into the Witness Protection program five years ago, he had no choice but to walk away from the only woman he’s ever loved, and he was positive he’d never see her again—but then she shows up in Hawaii, and now, they’re both in danger.
Five years is a long time to mourn for a man who left her at the altar.
When Kaitlyn Daniels flies to Hawaii to attend a medical convention, she expects a relaxing week spent furthering her career. Instead, she escapes a fire at the hotel, gets shot at, and discovers her supposed-deceased fiancé is alive and living in Hawaii. Together, they barely escape all the danger, and she’s more than ready to go home.
Trouble comes knocking on her front door.
As a new Christian, Kaitlyn’s faith is tested to its limits when the trouble from Hawaii follows her home to Providence, NC—so does Travis. Now, a more sinister danger lurks behind every shadow, and if she and Travis can’t work together to find out who is behind the violent attacks, and why, they can both say goodbye to their second chance.
Ever since she was a little girl, living in her small town in New York State, Jennifer has been a voracious reader. As a teen, she dreamed of embarking on epic adventures and exploring the world, just like all the characters in her favorite books. Instead, she writes suspense-filled romantic adventures. A northern transplant, she has grown to love the grace and charm of the South. In fact, she even married a native Charlottean. Jennifer is a member of ACFW, ACFW-Charlotte, Blue Ridge Reader Connections and Novel Academy. During the day, she works for a research center at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. But on nights and weekends, she is a writing ninja, cramming in as many words as possible. A hopeful romantic, Jennifer loves dark chocolate, Diet Coke, and a good rom-com. She and her husband have been married for over thirty years and are permitted to reside with their rescue cat.Also, if you sign up for her newsletter, you will receive a free short story. Here's the link: https://bookhip.com/JHJFRPV
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