Reminder: I have a special giveaway to celebrate June at this link.
Lei makers are busy preparing for Saturday's King Kamehameha Day. The statues representing the first King of Hawai'i will be draped in long lei to celebrate his legacy of uniting the eight islands of Hawaii.
Contemporary romance author Jennifer Bernard is a part time kama'aina (resident) of the Big Island of Hawaii. From her bio,
She's a graduate of Harvard and a former news promo producer. The child of academics, she confounded her family by preferring romance novels to any other books. She left big city life for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She’s no stranger to book success, as she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name not to be mentioned at family gatherings.
Besides reading, writing and living romance, another passion is Ashtanga yoga. She practices daily, and has traveled to Thailand, India and Hawaii to learn from the best teachers on the planet. Other than that, she loves hiking, meditating, hazelnut chocolate, and the children she is graced to have in her life.
Learn more about Jennifer and her books at jenniferbernard.net.
Besides reading, writing and living romance, another passion is Ashtanga yoga. She practices daily, and has traveled to Thailand, India and Hawaii to learn from the best teachers on the planet. Other than that, she loves hiking, meditating, hazelnut chocolate, and the children she is graced to have in her life.
Learn more about Jennifer and her books at jenniferbernard.net.
Jennifer joins us for a cozy chat ...
Kim: What's your favorite sight, sound, and smell from your corner of Paradise?
Jennifer: I live on the volcanically active East side of the Big Island. To get almost anywhere, we drive past lava that flowed anytime from 40 years to a year ago. There’s a particular sweet, slightly smoky scent that means lava to me. I just inhale that smell, I love it. As for sounds, I love the coqui frogs. Many people dislike them because in large numbers they can be loud, and they’re an invasive species on the island. But to me their croaking is like a lullaby. Lastly, my favorite sight? The lushness of the green that embraces you as you come off the plane. We’re always arriving from Alaska, where the winter world is made of white snow and dark spruce. The green is such a visual feast for us. I almost don’t want to close my eyes, I love it so much.
Kim: Can you share a Hawaiian word or proverb which inspires you?
Jennifer: As a non-Hawaiian who owns land on the Big Island, I’m inspired by the concept of “malama.” It means “stewardship” of the land, the responsibility of taking care of the land. Not because it “belongs” to you, but because you have taken on the job of protecting the “a’ina” – the land. I really love that concept, and take it very seriously. We consider ourselves temporary stewards of our land, and very very fortunate to be so.
Kim: What would you recommend a visitor to your island take the time to see/do/eat that's off the beaten path?
Jennifer: We live close to a “hot pond” that gets a lot of visitors because it’s in the guidebooks. But there are plenty of other volcanically heated ponds hidden away in the jungle. There’s a particularly sweet one near the boat ramp at Pohoiki Bay. You follow a little trail into the jungle along the beach to find it. It’s part of an interconnected tidally refreshed network of lava tubes, and locals are always telling us stories about how they used to swim underground from one pond to another. Relaxing in that steam-heated water, gazing up at the coconut palms to the sound of waves crashing onto the lava rocks is pretty much my definition of bliss. And it’s very often deserted! Just don’t tell anyone I sent you.
Jennifer: I live on the volcanically active East side of the Big Island. To get almost anywhere, we drive past lava that flowed anytime from 40 years to a year ago. There’s a particular sweet, slightly smoky scent that means lava to me. I just inhale that smell, I love it. As for sounds, I love the coqui frogs. Many people dislike them because in large numbers they can be loud, and they’re an invasive species on the island. But to me their croaking is like a lullaby. Lastly, my favorite sight? The lushness of the green that embraces you as you come off the plane. We’re always arriving from Alaska, where the winter world is made of white snow and dark spruce. The green is such a visual feast for us. I almost don’t want to close my eyes, I love it so much.
Kim: Can you share a Hawaiian word or proverb which inspires you?
Jennifer: As a non-Hawaiian who owns land on the Big Island, I’m inspired by the concept of “malama.” It means “stewardship” of the land, the responsibility of taking care of the land. Not because it “belongs” to you, but because you have taken on the job of protecting the “a’ina” – the land. I really love that concept, and take it very seriously. We consider ourselves temporary stewards of our land, and very very fortunate to be so.
Kim: What would you recommend a visitor to your island take the time to see/do/eat that's off the beaten path?
Jennifer: We live close to a “hot pond” that gets a lot of visitors because it’s in the guidebooks. But there are plenty of other volcanically heated ponds hidden away in the jungle. There’s a particularly sweet one near the boat ramp at Pohoiki Bay. You follow a little trail into the jungle along the beach to find it. It’s part of an interconnected tidally refreshed network of lava tubes, and locals are always telling us stories about how they used to swim underground from one pond to another. Relaxing in that steam-heated water, gazing up at the coconut palms to the sound of waves crashing onto the lava rocks is pretty much my definition of bliss. And it’s very often deserted! Just don’t tell anyone I sent you.
Isaac Hale Beach along Pohoiki Bay
Creative Commons (link)
Mahalo, Jennifer, for sharing your secret with us! I am excited for Jennifer's next release, DRIVE YOU WILD, Book 3 in the Love Between the Bases, available June 28:
Kilby Catfish left-fielder Trevor Stark is a ballpark legend. With his good looks, hitting records, and played-for-the-fans arrogance, Trevor makes women lose their minds and men lose their cool. But every time the major league team comes calling, Trevor purposely keeps himself in the tiny Texas town. Why is heart-tuggingly top secret. Until the team owner’s daughter comes to Kilby . . . trying everything up her sexy sleeve to make Trevor talk.
Divorced and disillusioned at twenty-four, Paige Mattingly Austin Taylor is suddenly starting fresh as an intern at Catfish Stadium. She should want nothing to do with the sinfully hot ballplayer her dad warned her to stay away from. But when she discovers what Trevor is hiding from everyone, she realizes there’s much more to him than his face and multi-million-dollar arm. There’s a heart she seriously hopes to win.
I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash. To enter the giveaway,
1. Tell us about a bay (or body of water) near you ... I live near the Chesapeake Bay!
2. Comments are open through Saturday, June 11, 10 pm in Baltimore.
3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 12.
Mahalo,
Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City
Honu (turtle) on Black Sand Beach
