Aloha to Dee DeTarsio and ALL MY RESTLESS LIFE TO LIVE

Time to play Seven Degrees of Separation ... 

1.   On this day in 1778, Captain Cook anchored in Waimea Bay and came ashore to the island of Kaua'i, giving him the distinction as the first European to arrive in the Hawaiian Isalnds.  

2.  Cook named the archipelago as the "Sandwich Islands" in honor of John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty who funded Cook's expedition.

Captain Cook Monument 

3.  Montague was an accomplished statement ... yet he is "famous" for creating the sandwich.   Whether is it fact or legend, Montague requested a meal while playing cards.  Since he was unable to use a knife and fork (as a gentleman never lays down his cards), he stuffed the meat into his bread.   Viola, the sandwich!

4.   The Earl of Sandwich, a chain of sandwich shops, operates in 26 locations, including Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas (link).

5.  Las Vegas is considered the 9th island of the Hawaiian Islands - Steve McGarrett once explained the nickname on Hawaii Five O.

6.  Last night's H50 episode featured a scene near the Byodo In Temple in the Valley of Temples - a spiritual retreat nestled among the Ko'olau Moana (mountains).

7.  Contemporary author Dee DeTarsio intertwines endearing "spirits" in her humor filled books.  I was first introduced to her through HAOLE WOOD (link).

The name becomes clear as you read this story of a San Diego weather reporter who reconnects with her Hawaiian heritage in Maui. I posted my review on Amazon at this link and Goodreads and this link. This is a must read for all Hawaii lovers!

I just started (and already loving) Dee's recent release, ALL MY RESTLESS LIFE TO LIVE:

Life is a soap opera, especially for Elle Miller, who is a TV producer. (Ellen dropped the "n" in her name in hopes of finding a better ending for herself.) When her laptop crashes, she borrows her dead dad's computer and gets way more than she bargained for.

As Elle tries to save her career with a storyline featuring a trip through Atlantis, she takes a trip to the Emmys, and finds herself in the middle of a romance between a real doctor and a hunk who just plays one on TV. Friends, family, and clues from "the other side" all help Elle figure out the difference between living the good life . . . and living a good life.

Praise for The Kitchen Shrink: "Dee DeTarsio is easily the next Sophie Kinsella. Her writing is fast-paced, hilarious, and engaging. I loved The Scent of Jade and am hopelessly heels-over-head for The Kitchen Shrink." --Chick Lit & Wine

In honor of Dee's homage to "the other side", I am giving away a special gift from the Byodo In Temple (link):

The Byodo-In Temple is located in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. It was established on June 7, 1968, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. The Byodo-In Temple in O'ahu is a smaller-scale replica of the over 950-year-old Byodo-in Temple, a United Nations World Heritage Site in Uji, Japan.

The good luck cat at the Byodo In gift ship.

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about soap operas - love them or loathe them?  I grew up as a fan of Young and the Restless ... although I haven't watched in over a decade.   I'm now a fan of "evening" soap operas such as H50!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 25, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 26.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Dee and her books, check out her website at deedetarsio.wordpress.com.

Special Sourcebooks Giveaway - D.E. Stevenson's THE TWO MRS. ABBOTTS (Miss Buncle Series)

Let's get the weekend party started with Seven Degrees of Separation:

1.  On this day in 1912, the Scout Association received a Royal Charter to incorporate throughout the British Commonwealth.

2.  My son, an Eagle Scout, is hiking Sugarloaf Mountain today to train for a high adventure camp this summer at Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico (link).

Sugarloaf Mountain
Release to Public Domain (link)

3.  Sugarloaf Mountain, in Frederick County, is listed on the National Natural Landmarks (link).  The summit of Sugarloaf Mountain served as an observation point for the Union Army during the Civil War.

4.  The National Natural Landmarks encompasses all fifty states, including seven sites in Hawaii.   Yes, all things come back to Hawaii.

Stevenson at a Royal Luau
Public Domain (link)

5.  In 1889, Hawaii welcomed Scotland's own Robert Lewis Stevenson.   He hobnobbed with the Royal Family, including Princess Victoria Kaʻiulani Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kawekiu i Lunalilo Cleghorn (her father was Scottish).  Yes, all things come back to Scotland.

6.  Robert Lewis Stevenson's cousin, David Alan Stevenson, was a lighthouse engineer.  Hawaii boasts a handful of historic lighthouses.

Diamond Head Lighthouse 

7.  David Alan Stevenson was the father of Dorothy Emily Peploe.  Under her penname D.E. Stevenson, she wrote more than 40 lighthearted romantic novels.    

On January 7, Sourcebooks Landmark will release a reprint edition of THE TWO MRS. ABBOTTS, Book 3 in the Miss Buncle Series (link):

Nothing Goes Unnoticed in the Small Town of Wandlebury!

Much as changed in Wandlebury since Barbara Buncle (now Barbara Abbott) first moved to the charming English village. But as the mistress of her own home with two small children to look after, Barbara finds that she has distressingly little time to keep up with the goings-on of her friends and neighbors.

Luckily, Barbara's niece, Jerry Abbott, is more than willing to keep tabs on the news in Wandlebury. And with juicy tidbits of gossip about everything from inconvenient romantic entanglements to German spies hiding in the woods, there is plenty to keep the two Mrs. Abbotts busy in this humorous account of life in World War II England.

D.E. Stevenson delivers another well-crafted gem with The Two Mrs. Abbotts, the third and final book of the beloved Miss Buncle series.

WWII pillbox on Oahu's North Shore

Sourcebooks Landmark is giving away a print copy of THE TWO MRS. ABBOTTS to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Check out the list of National Natural Landmarks in each US state (at this link).   Have you visited any in your state?  Do you have a favorite?   For Canadian readers, feel free to share your favorite national landmark from the Great White North.

2.  Sourcebooks' giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Thursday, January 9, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll contact the winner directly and post the winner's name on Sunday, January 12.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City