The sunshine state is so featured in my stories that it seems to be another character. It is such fun setting all my thrillers in my new home state. My current release, The Ex-wives, takes place in a fictional community in the rolling pines found in northern Florida, just shy of the Georgia line. The small city seems safe from the outside. But nowhere is safe and Florida poses some unique challenges for residents and visitors alike. So, to underscore that we have some unique problems, here are Five Things About Florida You Missed in the News.

1. Alligator attacks—We average six a year, according to the Florida conservation commission, and this year alone there are sixteen bite incidents under investigation by FWC, including two fatalities. One death involved a man looking for a lost frisbee in a lake. Here is an insider tip from this resident of the sunshine state: if it is fresh water, there is likely an alligator in there, possibly a really big one. If you check carefully, please be aware, it is still in there.
2. Spring Break—It is possible that Spring Break holds more potential for harm than alligators. According to Yahoo!News, Florida logged a 10,000 case surge of COVID-19 after our 2022 Spring Break. Oh, those wild and crazy kids!
3. We’re Number 1! For pool drownings. According to Channel 8 News in Tampa, over 2000 people in the US drowned in swimming pools between 2018 and 2020. Florida leads the nation for these avoidable fatalities as we have so many residential pools. Take that Texas and California.
4. January Freeze—This January I saw frost on my lawn for the first time. One of the side effects of freezing temperatures is that all the citrus dies. Another is that cold-blooded critters can’t cope (neither can the Floridians). This leads to frozen iguanas falling from the trees and injuring passersby. If you are here for a rare cold day stay, out from under the trees!

The New Swan Boat—The swan boats on the Boston Common have nothing compared to the wild ride two visitors took in their giant inflatable swan. Not understanding the difference between lakes and oceans or what a current might be, the mother and son were stunned at how fast an unanchored inflatable could drift out to sea. Beachgoers alerted authorities and the pair were rescued. According to Floridadaily.com, upon reaching shore, the pair extracted revenge on the innocent inflatable by stabbing the “not intended as a life preserver” toy with a fossilized shark’s tooth.

Publishers Weekly bestselling author, Jenna Kernan, writes gripping thrillers. Her next release, The Ex-Wives, features a woman who marries the perfect man, until she discovers he has been married twice before, both his former stepdaughters are missing, and he’s the FBI’s prime suspect. Is her daughter next? Look for The Ex-Wives in October 2022. Visit Jenna at www.jennakernan.com