Blog Tour: My Last Continent by Midge Raymond
My Last Continent by Midge Raymond
Hi All!
I’m here today on my stop of the My Last Continent blog tour with a great guest post from Midge Raymond to share with you all!
But first, here’s some information about the book!
It is only at the end of the world – among the glacier mountains and frigid waters of Antarctica –where Deb Gardner and Keller Sullivan feel at home. For the few blissful weeks they spend each year studying the habits of penguins, Deb and Keller can escape the frustrations and sorrows of their separate lives and find solace in each other. But Antarctica, like their fleeting romance, is tenuous, imperiled by the world to the north.
A new travel and research season has just begun, and Deb and Keller are ready to play tour guide to the passengers on the small expedition ship that ferries them to their research destination. Except that this year, Keller fails to appear on board. Shortly into the trip, Deb’s ship receives an emergency signal from the Australis, a cruise liner that has hit desperate trouble in the ice-choked waters. And among the crew of the sinking ship is Keller…
An unforgettable debut love story, set against the dramatic landscape of Antarctica. Lyrical, page-turning and emotionally intelligent, My Last Continent is a stunning novel of love and loss in one of the most remote places on earth.
Antarctica: A few of my favourite things
By Midge Raymond
1. Penguins
I love these feathered, tuxedoed creatures, not only because they are adorable but because they are true survivors. Their very existence depends on near-perfect timing — as co-parents, the foraging parent must return to the incubating parent in time to feed their newly hatched chicks — and they are also dealing with climate change, the fishing industry, and pollution. They look almost comically serious as they waddle around on shore, going about their business, yet they are incredibly graceful underwater. Among my favourite things to witness is the joy of two mates reuniting with each other.
2. Ice
The ice formations in Antarctica are otherworldly. Icebergs come in so many shapes and sizes and look so inviting, as the winds and waves have carved out windows, doorways, and arches. And the icebergs reflect more shades of blue than I ever knew existed.
3. Whales
Like the penguins, whales are inspiring to watch — the older ones in the pods teach the younger ones to hunt, and despite their size, they are almost stealthy; they can be hard to spot until they come up for a breath of air. In addition to their exquisite beauty, they are curious and peaceful animals.
4. Seabirds
In addition to penguins, the birds of the Antarctic include petrels, albatrosses, skuas, gulls, and terns — forty-six species in all. They are as fascinating to watch as the penguins: among the Antarctic birds I’ve witnessed are the predatory skuas who harass the breeding penguins, the blue-eyed shags nesting on cliffs, the albatrosses with their nearly ten-foot wingspans, and the snow petrels with their elegant, pure-white bodies and black eyes, beaks, and feet.
5. Isolation
There are few places on earth where you can sit down and be completely still, and Antarctica is one of them. With no inhabitants other than seasonal researchers, there is no human noise here — only the sounds of birds and wind and waves, the splashing of seals and whales in the ocean, and the occasional cracking of ice. It’s so soothing to be in such a remote, unspoiled environment, and I hope we can all make sure this continues to exist for generations to come.
About the Author
Midge Raymond is an award-winning short-story writer who worked in publishing in New York before moving to Boston, where she taught creative writing. She has published two books for writers, Everyday Writing and Everyday Book Marketing. Midge lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she is co-founder of the boutique publisher Ashland Creek Press. My Last Continent is her first novel.Follow the Tour
Are you a fan of Antartica?
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