Aloha to Cooper Lawrence, THE YOGA CLUB, and pop culture

The new year brings new resolutions.   All those who committed to increase their exercise (and decrease their weight), please raise your hands.   Yes, my hand is raised, too!   Today's book - THE YOGA CLUB - is an excellent candidate to read on the exercise bike.  THE YOGA CLUB is an engaging and entertaining story that will make you forget about the exercise.  Except you might laugh too hard and fall off!   I posted my review at Goodreads at this link.  

The book's bonus - it is written by someone who understands pop culture.  From Cooper Lawrence's bio,


Cooper Lawrence is an accomplished radio veteran who has been in radio for almost twenty years. Currently she can be heard as part of The Big Show with Scott & Todd on WPLJ in New York. Life has changed a bit for the morning team at WPLJ (95.5 FM) now that they are a part of the daily national Fox TV show "Dish Nation" airing 6PM on MY9 in New York Monday through Friday.

Everything is blessed in Hawaii, including aircraft!

I feel somewhat distant from American pop culture since Hawaii aligns itself more with Pacific heritage.  So let me share some of Hawaii's pop culture using Cooper Lawrence's book titles:

THE YOGA CLUB (fiction):   Sure, Hawaiians exercise.   They may even practice yoga at sunrise on the beach (as seen at resorts).   But they don't go out for lattes and low carb muffins .... instead, they order up POG and Loco Moco.  POG is passion, orange, and guava juice.   Loco Moco is a hamburger patty, fried egg, scoop of rice, and brown gravy on top (or a similar variation).  Yep, nothing better than local cuisine!

The Cult Of Celebrity - What Our Fascination With The Stars Reveals About Us (Non fiction):   Hawaiians turn out to see the H50 premiere on Waikiki Beach and pro surfers on the North Shore.  But we head over to Mauna Kea (White Mountain) on the Big Island to see the stars from the international observatories.  Then again, we have our own observatories in our backyards, giving us one advantage over the mainland - Hawaii can see the Southern Cross!

Southern Cross over Mauna Loa

The Cult Of Perfection - Make Peace With Your Inner Overachiever (Non fiction):  Perfection in Hawaii is a sunny day, rolling surf, and little traffic along the H1.  The best way to make peace with your inner overachiever is to take a walk through Punchbowl, the National Cemetery of the Pacific, to appreciate those who sacrificed for our freedom.

Scouts place flags and leis at Punchbowl.

The Fixer Upper Man - Convert Your Dud into Stud (Non fiction):  We have a resident "fixer upper man", Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman.   His family prays before the hunt; they offer guidance to the cosigners; and they encourage the bail jumpers to turn around their lives.  Dog speaks from the heart and experience at this link.

Been There, Done That, Kept The Jewelry (Non fiction):  Oahu offers many gold buying outlets to turn that unwanted jewelry into cash for a new surf board or an airline ticket to the ninth island, Las Vegas!

CosmoGIRL! Quiz Book All About Guys (Non fiction):  It is best to invest in a English/Pidgin translation dictionary to understand local guys. Despite their funny way of saying things, Hawaiian braddahs are "da kine" - the real thing!

I am giving away a print copy of THE YOGA CLUB to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about pop culture that you love or loath.  I have just become addicted to STORAGE WARS - it is entertaining and frightening at the same time!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 7, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 8.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

To learn more about Cooper Lawrence and her books, check out her website at www.cooperlawrence.com.