Celebrating the Seventh Anniversary of SOS Aloha

Aloha!  Today is the 7th anniversary of my blog!  I created SOS Aloha six months after moving to Pearl Harbor - it became a means for me to remain connected to Romance Land!  I thank Mary Gramlich, the Reading Reviewer, for encouraging me then - and now - to find my own voice. I also appreciate the endless support offered by romance authors Anne Elizabeth and Cathy Maxwell.  I was honored that Pamela Clare asked me to review BREAKING POINT - my first full length review on SOS Aloha (link).    

I would not be here without the readers, too!  I still correspond with some of my first followers - Dani, Jane, Debby, Gale, and many more.

To celebrate my blog anniversary, I recommend books and films from my beloved Hawaii ...

Kauai, the Garden Isle, is home of romance author Jill Marie Landis, who gives readers a taste of Kauai life in MAI TAI ONE ON, Book 1 (of 4) in the Tiki Goddess Mystery series. Read my review here.  Also check out her novella, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, at this link.

Oahu, the Gathering Place, served as the backdrop for independent film, THE RIDE:

When cocky, young surfing champion David Monroe wipes out on a big wave, he slips back in time to 1911 Hawai`i. Washing up on Waikiki beach, he discovers the true spirit of surfing when he is befriended by a young Hawaiian beachboy not yet known to the world - the future Olympic and surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.
THE RIDE is a nostalgic escape into surfing, a coming of age for a cocky surfer, and a romance across time.  Rent it from Netflix at this link.  I also recommend THE DESCENDANTS with George Clooney and PRINCESS KAIULANI with Q'orianka Kilcher - both are set on Oahu and refer to Hawaiian royalty.

UH Professor Chip Hughes launched the Surfing Detective mystery series with MURDER ON MOLOKA'I - read my review at this link.   I've enjoyed the other books in the series - WIPEOUT (Oahu), KULA (Maui), and MURDER AT VOLCANO HOUSE (Big Island of Hawaii).

Dee DeTarsio takes readers on a wild ride when a weather girl returns home to Maui, the Valley Isle, in HAOLE WOOD.  No sooner does Jaswinder bail out her grandmother for pakalolo (marijuana) than she finds herself becoming a suspect in an island murder.  Aided by oversized guardian angel who loves ketchup, Jaswinder soon learns that home was always in her heart. Check out my review at this link.

On the other side of Maui, Gina Robinson exploits every tourist trap and spy stereotype in THE SPY WHO LEFT ME.  Check out my review at this link.

The Big Island of Hawaii offers a diverse landscape, from snowy mountain top to black sand beaches.  In between are the ranches where paniolo - cowboys - are kings. Enter Shana Gray with COWBOY IN PARADISE, released earlier this week.  It is next in my TBR pile - review to come!

Hawaii's ninth island is ... Las Vegas!  Sin City is the No. 1 vacation destination for Hawaiians ... and home of a mini statue of King Kamehameha along the Strip.  Lori Wilde rolls the dice in LICENSED TO THRILL,

Wilde's fast-paced, steamy, and humorous novel follows beautiful, wisecracking Las Vegas P.I. Charlee Champagne, hired by uptight banker Mason Gentry to find his grandfather, who's on the lam with the family fortune. 

I read LICENSED TO THRILL long before I posted reviews on my blog ... so I will have to reread to share my thoughts on this laugh out loud romantic comedy with you!

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. What were you doing seven years ago?  Can you recommend any books or films from Hawaii or Las Vegas?  

2. Comments are open through Sunday, March 5, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, March 6.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Celebrate Canada Week - Aloha to Shana Gray

The Canadian flag at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic 

Image by Jared Grove (link)

Continuing our celebration of Canada Day on July 1, Shana Gray joins us from Ontario.  From her bio,

Shana's passion is to enjoy life! She loves to travel and see the world, be with family, friends and experience the beauty that surrounds us. Much of her experiences find their way into her books.  Her stories range from scorching quickie length to longer erotic romance novellas.

She splits her time between her house in a small Ontario town with her twentysomething son's, four cats, two budgies and, as the world knows him, Meat Man's house. It's an adventurous challenge that she loves.

Learn more about Shana and her books at shanagray.com.

Kim: What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell of your part of Canada?

Shana: I love our cottage country. I’m a country girl at heart so the forests and lakes of Ontario calls to me. The smell of the country air, heavy with forest greens and mists, is like perfume. Fresh cut hay. My absolute favourite sound in the whole world is the spring peepers – you know those little frogs with the big song? To me that is a single our winter is FINALLY over and summer on the way. They only sing for a little while and it’s usually the middle of April.. But, I also love the call of the loon. It truly signifies Ontario north.

Spring peepers - link.

Common loon - link

Kim: Can you share a unique Canadian saying or slang that resonates with you?

Shana: This is a tough one. There are lots of sayings we use that are different. How about this ...

I'm definitely going to be a Snowbird when I retire and heading to Florida is a whole lot of klicks from up here. I used to drink double-doubles but now just drink double cream. My favourite beer is Alexander Keiths or Moosehead and if it's on sale I'll get a two-four, but if I drink too much I have to go to the washroom all the time. The first time I ever got drunk was on a mickey of Southern Comfort, I was fifteen! I have a cool toque to wear in the winter when its minus 15 Celsius and friggen freezing. But man in the summertime we can get up over 30 Celcius with a humidex that make it feel like 40! Whenever I do book signings I bring chocolate loonie and toonies in my knap sack, people love them, eh!

Kim: (laughing) Thank for for an introduction to Canada! What would you recommend a reader to see, eat, or drink to enhance their travel experience to Canada?

Shana: Another great question. Canada has so much to see, eat and drink it’s hard to pin one thing down. For drinking, I’d have to say you must try our Niagara Ice Wine. It is so delicious- don’t get it confused with dessert wine…it’s SO not the same. Our beer is stronger than American beer too. Of course poutine is a must try! My favourite is crunchy golden fries, with cheese and gravy, sometimes I’ll put bacon crumbles and a bit of sour cream too. Another thing is back bacon, a very Ontario meat. To see? Algonquin Park in Ontario. It’s one of the biggest Provincial parks and will take you into our Ontario Cottage country which is a definite must see. The further north you go, the better chance you’ll have a seeing the Northern Lights. As a Canadian I’m sad to say I haven’t seen as much of my country as I should have by now. I’ve been to Banff, Calgary, Quebec and of course Ontario. There is still so much to see!

Algonquin Cache Lake Lookout

Creative Commons (link)

Shana caught my eye with MORE THAN A FLING from A TASTE OF PARADISE:

Lana Hunter has a few precious days in Hawaii before a big business meeting—time to relax and indulge herself. But indulgence takes on a whole new meaning when she meets dishy South African Grant Rankin. It's the perfect fling—brief and wicked. After days exploring volcanoes and nights exploring each other, how will Lana ever return to real life?

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about what you hear in your backyard - I hear orioles! 

2. Comments are open through Saturday, July 1, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 2.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Toronto, the Capital of Canada

Image by John Vetterli (link)