The stars shine bright in Hawaii! Celebrity sightings include those related to Disney's next chapter in the Pirates of the Caribbean - Johnny Depp and Jerry Bruckheimer. The summer also brought us Beyonce, Matt Damon, and Hilary Swank. Perhaps we'll have new stars if Hawaii Five - O becomes a hit on CBS, http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/?ttag=mktg;fall2010_hawaiifive0
It premiers on Monday, September 20, 10 pm EST. But it will have some competition - it is in the same time slot at ABC's Castle.
Also seen about town was Project Runway's Tim Gunn. But I am a bit suspicious. The show's eighth season taped in the spring and should have taken a break for the three finalists to return home and create their collections. It is tradition for Tim to visit the finalists at home to check on their progress. Does his appearance in Hawaii indicate:
a. He enjoys Hawaiian cuisine;
b. He is looking for narly waves;
c. He is visiting contestant Andy South from Waianae?
To date, Andy won the "party store" challenge and demonstrated he is a strong contender. But the local news did not pick up on this coincidence so maybe I am wrong. Or maybe I am right!
Maybe you can decide for yourself with the weekly synopsis from Lifetime,
http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway/season-8/designers
This is the second season that Project Runway featured a designer from Hawaii. Last season, Jay Nicolas Sario attended fashion school in Honolulu and returned for a special event. I wrote about Jay back in May,
"Last week, Diane Cosby (Navy Veteran and Zebra author) asked me to recommend tourist spots for her Facebook friend and romance reviewer, Sarah Simas. Instead, I offered Sarah and her husband a military tour of Pearl Harbor, Ford Island, and Hickam Airfield. As we toured these historic sites, I learned more about Sarah’s review site, http://thelovestrucknovice.blogspot.com/
But she blew my socks off when she mentioned that she sat next to Jay Nicholas Sario on the flight from San Fran. You may be wondering, who is Jay Nicholas Sario? He was a contestant on Lifetime TV's Project Runway. According to Sarah, Jay was disappointed with fourth place. As a mother of two preschoolers, Sarah offered him words of wisdom from a classic children's book, 'Chin up, Jay.'"
I wonder if Jay has any advice for Andy.
I also watch Bravo's Top Chef, http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef, which just won the Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Program.
And speaking of the Emmys, congrats to Kyra Sedgwick for winning the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, on TNT's The Closer, http://www.tnt.tv/series/closer/. I can so relate to her candy drawer!
And rounding out my favorite cable TV shows:
-AE's The Glades
- TNT's Leverage and Rizzoli & Isles
- USA's White Collar, Covert Affairs, Burn Notice, and Psych
So the questions of the day are:
- Have you sighted (or met) any celebrities this summer?
- What are your favorite reality (or cable) shows?
- Who were you routing for in the Emmys?
One randomly selected commenter will win a Hawaiian treat in honor of Tim Gunn, Andy South, Jay Nicolas Sario, and Hawaii Five - O!
Join us on Wednesday, September 1, for romance's next star, Susanna Fraser. We'll celebrate her debut book, The Sergeant's Lady, and her innovative website, http://susannafraser.com/, that has readers talking!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Ohana Finale - Kresley Cole and ARC Giveaway
Mary Gramlich, The Reading Reviewer, is part of my romance Ohana. I met her at the Romantic Times' Booklovers' Convention in Daytona/2006 - we chatted as we waited for the book fair to open. This was my first book fair. I was overwhelmed. Even a little shy (I know a few of you are laughing now).
Mary and her convention roommate, Sandy, were kind enough to show me the ropes. They informed me of the free books in the goodie room (I had missed that announcement in the program). The following year, we shared a room at RT in Houston/2007 and found ourselves experiencing "I Love Lucy" moments (see my blog on August 19 - Double Header ARC Giveaway with Jill Shalvis and Annie Solomon).
Back then, I was still "new" to romance. I enjoyed reading historicals but knew little about paranormals. But Mary and Sandy were paranormal fans and "glowed" over historical - turned - paranormal author Kresley Cole and her Immortals After Dark (IAD) series.
Mary and Sandy are not the only romance readers to glow about Kresley and IAD. Last week, Sarah from Smart Bitches posted information about Simon and Schuster's contest for a telephone call with Kresley:
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/reach-my-telephone/
The winner of the contest also receives two autographed books. But we can do one better here at SOS.
Mary has kindly donated the author's ARC of Demon From The Dark that she received from Kresley.
Wow!
Mary posted her review on her website, http://www.marygramlich.com/Paranormal.html
Let's learn a little bit about this award winning, best selling author. From Kresley's website, http://www.kresleycole.com/,
"Before becoming a writer, Kresley Cole was a world-ranked athlete and Master's grad. Since her first novel was published in 2003, she has sold a total of fifteen books and two novellas in two different subgenres, and has seen her releases translated into sixteen foreign languages.
Cole followed her highly acclaimed Sutherland Series historicals with the bestselling MacCarrick Brothers Series, a trilogy of Highlander historical romances, as well as the continuing Immortals After Dark Series, a two-time RITA® award-winning paranormal romance collection, all with Pocket Books.
In January 2009, Cole became a #1 New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller with her sixth IAD installment, Kiss of a Demon King.
She lives in Florida with her husband and far, far too many dogs."
Kresley writes about Ohana in her books. And she has an extended Ohana with furry friends.
I like her already!
So let's giveaway the author's ARC to one lucky commenter:
1. Leave a comment about your extended Ohana, book fairs, Romantic Times, and/or Kresley Cole.
2. Go to Mary's website and look for the contest word under Support Our Soldiers, http://www.marygramlich.com/Support-Our-Soldiers.html
3. Send the contest word and your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com. All commenters who send me their address will receive a special paranormal treat.
The ARC giveaway is only open to US residents (or APO addresses) due to mailing costs. However, I will mail a special paranormal treat to any international readers who sends me their addresses.
Have a great weekend!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Mary and her convention roommate, Sandy, were kind enough to show me the ropes. They informed me of the free books in the goodie room (I had missed that announcement in the program). The following year, we shared a room at RT in Houston/2007 and found ourselves experiencing "I Love Lucy" moments (see my blog on August 19 - Double Header ARC Giveaway with Jill Shalvis and Annie Solomon).
Back then, I was still "new" to romance. I enjoyed reading historicals but knew little about paranormals. But Mary and Sandy were paranormal fans and "glowed" over historical - turned - paranormal author Kresley Cole and her Immortals After Dark (IAD) series.
Mary and Sandy are not the only romance readers to glow about Kresley and IAD. Last week, Sarah from Smart Bitches posted information about Simon and Schuster's contest for a telephone call with Kresley:
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/reach-my-telephone/
The winner of the contest also receives two autographed books. But we can do one better here at SOS.
Mary has kindly donated the author's ARC of Demon From The Dark that she received from Kresley.
Wow!
Mary posted her review on her website, http://www.marygramlich.com/Paranormal.html
Let's learn a little bit about this award winning, best selling author. From Kresley's website, http://www.kresleycole.com/,
"Before becoming a writer, Kresley Cole was a world-ranked athlete and Master's grad. Since her first novel was published in 2003, she has sold a total of fifteen books and two novellas in two different subgenres, and has seen her releases translated into sixteen foreign languages.
Cole followed her highly acclaimed Sutherland Series historicals with the bestselling MacCarrick Brothers Series, a trilogy of Highlander historical romances, as well as the continuing Immortals After Dark Series, a two-time RITA® award-winning paranormal romance collection, all with Pocket Books.
In January 2009, Cole became a #1 New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller with her sixth IAD installment, Kiss of a Demon King.
She lives in Florida with her husband and far, far too many dogs."
Kresley writes about Ohana in her books. And she has an extended Ohana with furry friends.
I like her already!
So let's giveaway the author's ARC to one lucky commenter:
1. Leave a comment about your extended Ohana, book fairs, Romantic Times, and/or Kresley Cole.
2. Go to Mary's website and look for the contest word under Support Our Soldiers, http://www.marygramlich.com/Support-Our-Soldiers.html
3. Send the contest word and your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com. All commenters who send me their address will receive a special paranormal treat.
The ARC giveaway is only open to US residents (or APO addresses) due to mailing costs. However, I will mail a special paranormal treat to any international readers who sends me their addresses.
Have a great weekend!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Ohana Continued - Kaylea Cross and the Wild Rose Press
I live close to Pearl Harbor, so I take advantage of the exercise path that runs along the channel. This morning I watched in awe as a tug boat towed one of the mothball ships from the West Loch. The ship's name has long disappeared but I'm sure it has stories to tell. Stories about sailors and their extended Ohana in the Navy.
Ohana. It's what keeps military families together. Ohana includes the friends we make when we move every 1, 2, or 3 years. It's the friends we can call when our spouses deploy and our children resent moving again. It's the friends who support us through thick and thin.
For me, my extended Ohana includes romance authors I know from three RWA chapters - Washington Romance Writers, Beau Monde, and the Aloha Chapter. It's my service sisters in the RomVets and kindred spirits in the Military Spouse Writers. And the authors who generously donate to SOS.
I recently "met" romance suspense author Kaylea Cross, http://www.kayleacross.com/, whose heroes are public servants - the CIA, the Navy, and the ERT.
She wanted to support SOS, so she contacted her publisher, Wild Rose Press, http://www.thewildrosepress.com/.
In turn, Rhonda Penders, chief editor from Wild Rose Press, contacted my SOS partner, Mary Gramlich, The Reading Reviewer, http://www.marygramlich.com/.
Rhonda is donating books to Mary for future SOS giveaways (this is good for SOS readers as Mary will be shipping them from St. Louis - so no more slow boats across the Pacific!)
Meanwhile, individual authors from Wild Rose Press have also contacted Mary to donate books.
This is my Ohana.
So stay tuned to as we schedule authors from Wild Press Rose as guests and offer their books for giveaways.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Ohana. It's what keeps military families together. Ohana includes the friends we make when we move every 1, 2, or 3 years. It's the friends we can call when our spouses deploy and our children resent moving again. It's the friends who support us through thick and thin.
For me, my extended Ohana includes romance authors I know from three RWA chapters - Washington Romance Writers, Beau Monde, and the Aloha Chapter. It's my service sisters in the RomVets and kindred spirits in the Military Spouse Writers. And the authors who generously donate to SOS.
I recently "met" romance suspense author Kaylea Cross, http://www.kayleacross.com/, whose heroes are public servants - the CIA, the Navy, and the ERT.
She wanted to support SOS, so she contacted her publisher, Wild Rose Press, http://www.thewildrosepress.com/.
In turn, Rhonda Penders, chief editor from Wild Rose Press, contacted my SOS partner, Mary Gramlich, The Reading Reviewer, http://www.marygramlich.com/.
Rhonda is donating books to Mary for future SOS giveaways (this is good for SOS readers as Mary will be shipping them from St. Louis - so no more slow boats across the Pacific!)
Meanwhile, individual authors from Wild Rose Press have also contacted Mary to donate books.
This is my Ohana.
So stay tuned to as we schedule authors from Wild Press Rose as guests and offer their books for giveaways.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Ohana: The Plum, The Dog, and The Duke
Ohana is family.
The Plum is Stephanie Plum, lingerie buyer turned bonds enforcer in 16 sizzling books from Janet Evanovich. Stephanie takes us on wild ride around New Jersey as she battles bad guys in between pot roast with her family.
Ohana. It's important to Stephanie and her creator. From Janet's website, http://www.evanovich.com/,
"When we moved to New Hampshire we realized there was more to this writing stuff than just writing, so we formed a family business, Evanovich, Inc. My son, Peter, a Dartmouth College graduate, assumed responsibility for everything financial ... In '96 my daughter Alex, a film and photography school graduate, came on board and created the website .... My husband now manages all aspects of the business and tries to keep me on time (a thankless, impossible job!)."
Speaking of bounty hunters ...
The Dog is Duane Chapman, real life bounty hunter, reality TV star, and family man. I recently discovered his show, Dog the Bounty Hunter, on AE, http://www.aetv.com/dog-the-bounty-hunter/index.jsp:
"The Bounty Hunter comes back with more action-packed adrenaline fueled hunts from Hawaii to Colorado, tracking down fugitives along side his wife Beth Chapman and fearless family, Leland Chapman, Duane Lee Chapman and Baby Lyssa Chapman."
Ohana. It's important to the Dog.
A recent episode featured Dog and family flying to Hilo on the Big Island to capture a "skipper." Once they captured the skipper at his home, Dog asked him to say goodbye to his keiki (children). On the way to the police station, Dog encouraged the skipper to look forward to the future so he could take care of his ohana.
Speaking of Hawaii ...
The Duke is Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890-January 22, 1968). He was an Aloha Ambassador, Olympic swimmer, and surfing legend.
From http://www.surfline.com/surfing-a-to-z/duke-kahanamoku-biography-and-photos_839/
"Born at Haleakala, Duke was one of nine children of a Honolulu policeman. Named for the Duke of Edinburgh, a visitor to Hawaii earlier in the century, young Duke was a private person who dropped out of McKinley High School. He earned his living as a beachboy and stevedore at the Honolulu Harbor docks. Growing up on the beach in Waikiki, Duke surfed with his brothers and entertained tourists with tandem rides. More important than his prowess in local waters was Duke's global appeal. Despite encountering racism throughout his extensive travels, his undying aloha spirit brought unprecedented attention to the Hawaiian Islands."
Honolulu hosts the Duke's OceanFest, http://www.dukefoundation.org/, this weekend to celebrate the 120th anniversary of his birthday.
The OceanFest includes a free screening of The Ride, a locally produced movie from Third Reef Pictures., http://www.thirdreefpictures.com/. It is a story of a modern California surfer who travels back in time to meet the Duke. The surfer becomes a member of Duke's ohana during his temporary stay in 1911 Hawaii.
Order this family film from Amazon or fly on Hawaiian Airlines, which is now featuring The Ride on its trans Pacific flights.
Ohana. It is the focal point of island living. It was the inspiration behind Duke's creed,
"Try meeting or leaving people with aloha, you’ll be surprised by their reaction. I believe it and it is my creed. Aloha to you.”
To celebrate the Plum, the Dog, and the Duke, I am giving away ohana treats to all commenters:
1. Leave a comment to this blog about family, the Plum, the Dog, and/or the Duke.
2. Send me your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com. US and international residents are welcome!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
The Plum is Stephanie Plum, lingerie buyer turned bonds enforcer in 16 sizzling books from Janet Evanovich. Stephanie takes us on wild ride around New Jersey as she battles bad guys in between pot roast with her family.
Ohana. It's important to Stephanie and her creator. From Janet's website, http://www.evanovich.com/,
"When we moved to New Hampshire we realized there was more to this writing stuff than just writing, so we formed a family business, Evanovich, Inc. My son, Peter, a Dartmouth College graduate, assumed responsibility for everything financial ... In '96 my daughter Alex, a film and photography school graduate, came on board and created the website .... My husband now manages all aspects of the business and tries to keep me on time (a thankless, impossible job!)."
Speaking of bounty hunters ...
The Dog is Duane Chapman, real life bounty hunter, reality TV star, and family man. I recently discovered his show, Dog the Bounty Hunter, on AE, http://www.aetv.com/dog-the-bounty-hunter/index.jsp:
"The Bounty Hunter comes back with more action-packed adrenaline fueled hunts from Hawaii to Colorado, tracking down fugitives along side his wife Beth Chapman and fearless family, Leland Chapman, Duane Lee Chapman and Baby Lyssa Chapman."
Ohana. It's important to the Dog.
A recent episode featured Dog and family flying to Hilo on the Big Island to capture a "skipper." Once they captured the skipper at his home, Dog asked him to say goodbye to his keiki (children). On the way to the police station, Dog encouraged the skipper to look forward to the future so he could take care of his ohana.
Speaking of Hawaii ...
The Duke is Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890-January 22, 1968). He was an Aloha Ambassador, Olympic swimmer, and surfing legend.
From http://www.surfline.com/surfing-a-to-z/duke-kahanamoku-biography-and-photos_839/
"Born at Haleakala, Duke was one of nine children of a Honolulu policeman. Named for the Duke of Edinburgh, a visitor to Hawaii earlier in the century, young Duke was a private person who dropped out of McKinley High School. He earned his living as a beachboy and stevedore at the Honolulu Harbor docks. Growing up on the beach in Waikiki, Duke surfed with his brothers and entertained tourists with tandem rides. More important than his prowess in local waters was Duke's global appeal. Despite encountering racism throughout his extensive travels, his undying aloha spirit brought unprecedented attention to the Hawaiian Islands."
Honolulu hosts the Duke's OceanFest, http://www.dukefoundation.org/, this weekend to celebrate the 120th anniversary of his birthday.
The OceanFest includes a free screening of The Ride, a locally produced movie from Third Reef Pictures., http://www.thirdreefpictures.com/. It is a story of a modern California surfer who travels back in time to meet the Duke. The surfer becomes a member of Duke's ohana during his temporary stay in 1911 Hawaii.
Order this family film from Amazon or fly on Hawaiian Airlines, which is now featuring The Ride on its trans Pacific flights.
Ohana. It is the focal point of island living. It was the inspiration behind Duke's creed,
"Try meeting or leaving people with aloha, you’ll be surprised by their reaction. I believe it and it is my creed. Aloha to you.”
To celebrate the Plum, the Dog, and the Duke, I am giving away ohana treats to all commenters:
1. Leave a comment to this blog about family, the Plum, the Dog, and/or the Duke.
2. Send me your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com. US and international residents are welcome!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Celebrating William Wallace's Legacy with Romance Author Diana Cosby
I share my birthday, August 23, with the William Wallace's death. The 700 year difference does not lessen the sobering fact that William gave his life in the pursuit of freedom.
For my birthday, my husband gave me two CDs from Albannach, http://www.albannachmusic.com/. Albannach is a Scottish tribal band that we discovered during the Maryland Renaissance Festival when we lived in Baltimore, http://www.rennfest.com/ (sadly, Hawaii does not host Renn Fests).
Albannach's music would have inspired the Scottish farmers to follow William Wallace into battle. It inspired me to write today's post with Diana Cosby, a Navy vet - turned - romance author. So join us for a journey back into time.
On August 3, 1305, Scottish outlaw William Wallace was captured by English troops with information provided by Scottish noble John de Menteith.
On August 23, 1305, William Wallace stood trial and was found guilty of treason. He responded,
"I can not be a traitor, for I owe him (King Edward) no allegiance. He is not my Sovereign; he never received my homage; and whilst life is in this persecuted body, he never shall receive it."
William Wallace was then hung, drawn, and quartered. His death gave birth to the Scottish Freedom Movement.
In 1320, Robert the Bruce and fifty other Scottish Lords, including Menteith, signed the Declaration of Arbroath, declaring their independence from the English crown. Menteith's family would march behind Robert the Bruce during the Wars for Scottish Independence. Several lost their lives.
William Wallace is remembered as a Scottish Patriot for following his uncle's advice:
'This is the truth I tell you:
of all things freedom’s most fine.
Never submit to live, my son,
in the bonds of slavery entwined.’
from Bower’s Scotichronicon c.1440’s.
William Wallace's quest for freedom has inspired romance authors and readers to seek the same inspiration from his beloved homeland. I have visited Scotland twice in the past five years. I would like to retire to Scotland after my children leave home for college. The land and the people are connected the by the spirit of family and freedom.
I asked Diana Cosby to join me to today in celebrating William Wallace's legacy. Diana is the author of Scottish Medievals featuring the MacGruder Brothers,
- His Captive (Book 1) and His Captive (Book 2)
- His Conquest (Book 3) will be available November 2.
- His Destiny (Book 4) will be available next year.
Kim: How has William Wallace inspired your writing?
Diana: Here is a paragraph of historical fact that I incorporated into His Conquest concerning Wallace:
On August 28th, 1296, King Edward I held Parliament at Berwick. He ordered prominent Scottish landowners, burgesses and churchmen to swear fealty to him, then sign and affix their seals as proof, hence The Ragman Roll. Numerous nobles signed the Ragman Roll without intending to support the English crown, including the Bishop Wishart of Glasgow and Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick. Then, there were those like William Wallace, who refused to sign, consequence be damned.
*Source: Robert Bruce & The Community of The Realm of Scotland by Geoffrey W.S. Barrow
Kim: Your website, http://www.dianacosby.com/, refers to the National Trust for Scotland, http://www.nts.org.uk/Home/. Tell us about this organization.
Diana: The National Trust for Scotland acts as guardian of Scotland's magnificent heritage of architectural, scenic and historic treasures. Without the National Trust for Scotland, many of Scotland's historical wonders would be lost. I'm proud to be a lifetime member.
Kim: My favorite NTS property is Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. David Kennedy, the 10th Earl of Cassilis, gave General Eisenhower an apartment for his personal use to honor his leadership during WWII. The NTS offers the Eisenhower Apartment as part of the castle tour.
And tell us about your newest book.
Diana: His Conquest is set in the spring of 1297 after Wallace has slain the English Sheriff of Lanark, a time when King Edward's focus was on the turmoil in Flanders as he believed all left within Scotland were minor pockets of resistance. Within this dynamic setting, a handful of months before the Battle of Stirling Bridge, I wove the story of love as deception between the powerful rebel lord, Seathan MacGruder, Earl of Grey, and his enemy's sister, Lady Linet Dancort.
Mahalo, Diana, for joining us today. Come back in November when we celebrate the release of His Conquest just in time for St. Andrew's Day!
In honor of William Wallace's Legacy, I am giving away the Scottish-themed books listed below on a first come, first serve basis. I met many of the authors at RT, RomCon, and RWA. To request a book,
1. Leave a comment on this blog about Scotland.
2. Send me your top three book requests plus your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com
3. When you receive the book via media mail (slow boat across the Pacific), please email the author to thank him/her for supporting SOS Aloha.
The book giveaway is only open to US residents due to mailing costs. However, I will send bookmarks from Scottish historicals authors to any international reader who sends their address to me at sos.america@yahoo.com
Slàinte mhor a h-uile là a chi 's nach fhaic.
(Great health to you every day that I see you and every day that I don't)
Kim in Hawaii
Books available for SOS readers:
Diana Cosby, http://www.dianacosby.com/
- His Captive
- His Woman
Karen Hawkins, http://www.karenhawkins.com/
- The Laird Who Loved Me
Hannah Howell, http://www.hannahhowell.com/
- Highland Captive
- Highland Fire
- Highland Savage
- Nature of the Beast (anthology with Adrienne Basso and Eve Silver)
Margo Maguire, http://www.margomaguire.com/
- Taken By the Laird
- Temptation of the Warrior
Melissa Mayhue, http://www.melissamayhue.com/
- A Highlanders' Homecoming
Monica McCarty, http://www.monicamccarty.com/
- Highland Scoundrel
Teresa Medeiros, http://www.teresamedeiros.com/
- Some Like It Wicked
Paula Quinn, http://www.paulaquinn.com/
- Ravished by a Highlander
Veronica Wolff, http://www.veronicawolff.com/
- Lord of the Highlands
plus the Scottish epic, Outlander by Diane Gabaldon, http://66.147.244.179/~dianagab/
and three books from Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith, http://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/
- Heavenly Dates and Other Flirtations,
- The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday,
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
For my birthday, my husband gave me two CDs from Albannach, http://www.albannachmusic.com/. Albannach is a Scottish tribal band that we discovered during the Maryland Renaissance Festival when we lived in Baltimore, http://www.rennfest.com/ (sadly, Hawaii does not host Renn Fests).
Albannach's music would have inspired the Scottish farmers to follow William Wallace into battle. It inspired me to write today's post with Diana Cosby, a Navy vet - turned - romance author. So join us for a journey back into time.
On August 3, 1305, Scottish outlaw William Wallace was captured by English troops with information provided by Scottish noble John de Menteith.
On August 23, 1305, William Wallace stood trial and was found guilty of treason. He responded,
"I can not be a traitor, for I owe him (King Edward) no allegiance. He is not my Sovereign; he never received my homage; and whilst life is in this persecuted body, he never shall receive it."
William Wallace was then hung, drawn, and quartered. His death gave birth to the Scottish Freedom Movement.
In 1320, Robert the Bruce and fifty other Scottish Lords, including Menteith, signed the Declaration of Arbroath, declaring their independence from the English crown. Menteith's family would march behind Robert the Bruce during the Wars for Scottish Independence. Several lost their lives.
William Wallace is remembered as a Scottish Patriot for following his uncle's advice:
'This is the truth I tell you:
of all things freedom’s most fine.
Never submit to live, my son,
in the bonds of slavery entwined.’
from Bower’s Scotichronicon c.1440’s.
William Wallace's quest for freedom has inspired romance authors and readers to seek the same inspiration from his beloved homeland. I have visited Scotland twice in the past five years. I would like to retire to Scotland after my children leave home for college. The land and the people are connected the by the spirit of family and freedom.
I asked Diana Cosby to join me to today in celebrating William Wallace's legacy. Diana is the author of Scottish Medievals featuring the MacGruder Brothers,
- His Captive (Book 1) and His Captive (Book 2)
- His Conquest (Book 3) will be available November 2.
- His Destiny (Book 4) will be available next year.
Kim: How has William Wallace inspired your writing?
Diana: Here is a paragraph of historical fact that I incorporated into His Conquest concerning Wallace:
On August 28th, 1296, King Edward I held Parliament at Berwick. He ordered prominent Scottish landowners, burgesses and churchmen to swear fealty to him, then sign and affix their seals as proof, hence The Ragman Roll. Numerous nobles signed the Ragman Roll without intending to support the English crown, including the Bishop Wishart of Glasgow and Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick. Then, there were those like William Wallace, who refused to sign, consequence be damned.
*Source: Robert Bruce & The Community of The Realm of Scotland by Geoffrey W.S. Barrow
Kim: Your website, http://www.dianacosby.com/, refers to the National Trust for Scotland, http://www.nts.org.uk/Home/. Tell us about this organization.
Diana: The National Trust for Scotland acts as guardian of Scotland's magnificent heritage of architectural, scenic and historic treasures. Without the National Trust for Scotland, many of Scotland's historical wonders would be lost. I'm proud to be a lifetime member.
Kim: My favorite NTS property is Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. David Kennedy, the 10th Earl of Cassilis, gave General Eisenhower an apartment for his personal use to honor his leadership during WWII. The NTS offers the Eisenhower Apartment as part of the castle tour.
And tell us about your newest book.
Diana: His Conquest is set in the spring of 1297 after Wallace has slain the English Sheriff of Lanark, a time when King Edward's focus was on the turmoil in Flanders as he believed all left within Scotland were minor pockets of resistance. Within this dynamic setting, a handful of months before the Battle of Stirling Bridge, I wove the story of love as deception between the powerful rebel lord, Seathan MacGruder, Earl of Grey, and his enemy's sister, Lady Linet Dancort.
Mahalo, Diana, for joining us today. Come back in November when we celebrate the release of His Conquest just in time for St. Andrew's Day!
In honor of William Wallace's Legacy, I am giving away the Scottish-themed books listed below on a first come, first serve basis. I met many of the authors at RT, RomCon, and RWA. To request a book,
1. Leave a comment on this blog about Scotland.
2. Send me your top three book requests plus your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com
3. When you receive the book via media mail (slow boat across the Pacific), please email the author to thank him/her for supporting SOS Aloha.
The book giveaway is only open to US residents due to mailing costs. However, I will send bookmarks from Scottish historicals authors to any international reader who sends their address to me at sos.america@yahoo.com
Slàinte mhor a h-uile là a chi 's nach fhaic.
(Great health to you every day that I see you and every day that I don't)
Kim in Hawaii
Books available for SOS readers:
Diana Cosby, http://www.dianacosby.com/
- His Captive
- His Woman
Karen Hawkins, http://www.karenhawkins.com/
- The Laird Who Loved Me
Hannah Howell, http://www.hannahhowell.com/
- Highland Captive
- Highland Fire
- Highland Savage
- Nature of the Beast (anthology with Adrienne Basso and Eve Silver)
Margo Maguire, http://www.margomaguire.com/
- Taken By the Laird
- Temptation of the Warrior
Melissa Mayhue, http://www.melissamayhue.com/
- A Highlanders' Homecoming
Monica McCarty, http://www.monicamccarty.com/
- Highland Scoundrel
Teresa Medeiros, http://www.teresamedeiros.com/
- Some Like It Wicked
Paula Quinn, http://www.paulaquinn.com/
- Ravished by a Highlander
Veronica Wolff, http://www.veronicawolff.com/
- Lord of the Highlands
plus the Scottish epic, Outlander by Diane Gabaldon, http://66.147.244.179/~dianagab/
and three books from Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith, http://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/
- Heavenly Dates and Other Flirtations,
- The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday,
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Monday, August 23, 2010
Birthday Celebration with More Blogging, Tim Tams, and the Laundry Hag
Today is my 21st birthday (x 2 plus a few extra years). So I am treating myself to three special things:
1. More blogging! Anne Elizabeth (Navy spouse and RT Columnist) and Lynde Lakes (Air Force spouse and Aloha Chapter president) have encouraged me to write more ... so I will be posting a blog three times a week - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Readers - is there a subject you would like me to blog about? .
Authors - would you like to be a guest on my expanded blog?
2. Tim Tams! Tim Tams are chocolate-covered biscuits (wafer-like cookies) that are an Aussie treat. Anna Campbell spoiled her fans at RomCon with them.
Last week, I bought a package of Tim Tams from the Hickam commissary. The teenage bagger shared his method for the correct way to eat them. I shared his method with the "experts" - Aussie authors Anna Campbell, Anne Gracie, and Christine Wells. I will share their feedback in a blog sometime in the near future.
But the discussion of "biscuits" reminds me of my Dutch friend, Wilhelmina, whom I met at NATO. She spoke Flemish, French, German, and English with an English accent. Sometime she confused British and American words for the same item. For example:
British chips are American fries.
British crisps are American chips.
British biscuits are American cookies.
British squash is American juice.
She once asked me to bring back Popeye's Chicken and cookies from Ramstein - she meant American biscuits! This is a fond memory I have kept in my heart for over 15 years. Wilhelmina also celebrated her 21st birthday last week, so I wish her Hartelijk Gefeliciteerd.
Do you have a favorite sweet?
Have you mixed up words from different languages?
3. The Laundry Hag: I am reading a contemporary romance recommended by my friend, Mary Gramlich, the Reading Reviewer. She recommended Jennifer Hart's second book from her Misadventures of a Laundry Hag, Swept Under A Rug.
From Mary's website, http://www.marygramlich.com/,
"Laundry, laughter, love and crime make for a great read.
Maggie Phillips is a stay-at-home mom, runs her own house cleaning business and on the side is a Confidential Informant to the police. Well back that up a little please she is a what? Yes Maggie is a CI in their home town of Hudson, MA a bedroom community outside of Boston. She takes care of her sons, does some house cleaning and makes sure the criminals get caught sometimes even before a crime happens."
I can relate to the author - Jennifer is a Navy spouse. While her heroine stops crime before it happens, I know from experience that Jennifer has her house packed before the PCS (moving) orders arrive! Military spouses are Wonder Woman, Martha Stewart, and Laura Croft rolled into into one.
To learn more about Jennifer Hart and the Laundry Hag series, log onto http://www.jenniferlhart.com/
Jennifer donated an autographed copy of Swept Under A Rug for one lucky commenter.
1. Leave a comment about blogging, Tim Tams, or what you do best as a domestic engineer.
2. Log onto Mary's website, http://www.marygramlich.com/, for the contest word.
3. E-mail the contest word and your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com. I will randomly select one commenter to receive the book. All other commenters who send me their mailing address will receive a Navy treat. The book is available only to US residents due to mailing costs. But I will send the Navy treat to international readers. This contest is open through August 29.
Mahalo to Jennifer and Mary for today's contest. Join me on Wednesday, August 25, as we celebrate William Wallace's Legacy with Scottish historical author Diana Cosby. Plus more books to giveaway!
Happy reading,
Kim in Hawaii
1. More blogging! Anne Elizabeth (Navy spouse and RT Columnist) and Lynde Lakes (Air Force spouse and Aloha Chapter president) have encouraged me to write more ... so I will be posting a blog three times a week - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Readers - is there a subject you would like me to blog about? .
Authors - would you like to be a guest on my expanded blog?
2. Tim Tams! Tim Tams are chocolate-covered biscuits (wafer-like cookies) that are an Aussie treat. Anna Campbell spoiled her fans at RomCon with them.
Last week, I bought a package of Tim Tams from the Hickam commissary. The teenage bagger shared his method for the correct way to eat them. I shared his method with the "experts" - Aussie authors Anna Campbell, Anne Gracie, and Christine Wells. I will share their feedback in a blog sometime in the near future.
But the discussion of "biscuits" reminds me of my Dutch friend, Wilhelmina, whom I met at NATO. She spoke Flemish, French, German, and English with an English accent. Sometime she confused British and American words for the same item. For example:
British chips are American fries.
British crisps are American chips.
British biscuits are American cookies.
British squash is American juice.
She once asked me to bring back Popeye's Chicken and cookies from Ramstein - she meant American biscuits! This is a fond memory I have kept in my heart for over 15 years. Wilhelmina also celebrated her 21st birthday last week, so I wish her Hartelijk Gefeliciteerd.
Do you have a favorite sweet?
Have you mixed up words from different languages?
3. The Laundry Hag: I am reading a contemporary romance recommended by my friend, Mary Gramlich, the Reading Reviewer. She recommended Jennifer Hart's second book from her Misadventures of a Laundry Hag, Swept Under A Rug.
From Mary's website, http://www.marygramlich.com/,
"Laundry, laughter, love and crime make for a great read.
Maggie Phillips is a stay-at-home mom, runs her own house cleaning business and on the side is a Confidential Informant to the police. Well back that up a little please she is a what? Yes Maggie is a CI in their home town of Hudson, MA a bedroom community outside of Boston. She takes care of her sons, does some house cleaning and makes sure the criminals get caught sometimes even before a crime happens."
I can relate to the author - Jennifer is a Navy spouse. While her heroine stops crime before it happens, I know from experience that Jennifer has her house packed before the PCS (moving) orders arrive! Military spouses are Wonder Woman, Martha Stewart, and Laura Croft rolled into into one.
To learn more about Jennifer Hart and the Laundry Hag series, log onto http://www.jenniferlhart.com/
Jennifer donated an autographed copy of Swept Under A Rug for one lucky commenter.
1. Leave a comment about blogging, Tim Tams, or what you do best as a domestic engineer.
2. Log onto Mary's website, http://www.marygramlich.com/, for the contest word.
3. E-mail the contest word and your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com. I will randomly select one commenter to receive the book. All other commenters who send me their mailing address will receive a Navy treat. The book is available only to US residents due to mailing costs. But I will send the Navy treat to international readers. This contest is open through August 29.
Mahalo to Jennifer and Mary for today's contest. Join me on Wednesday, August 25, as we celebrate William Wallace's Legacy with Scottish historical author Diana Cosby. Plus more books to giveaway!
Happy reading,
Kim in Hawaii
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Luau Time - Hawaii Statehood Day
Join us today as we celebrate Hawaii Statehood Day with a e-luau! Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. To understand Hawaiian history, please reference my blog from March,
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/hawaii-101-welcome-to-paradise.html
I also recommend two locally produced films:
Princess Kaiulani, http://www.princesskaiulanimovie.com/
documents the struggle between the Hawaiian monarchy and the American businessmen to reign Hawaii. The film features a romance between Princess Kaiulani and a Haole (white man). I have not seen the film yet but have read great reviews for it. Plus the clips feature beautiful shots of Hawaii.
The Ride, http://www.thirdreefpictures.com/
a heart warming story about a modern California surfer who travels back in time to 1911 Hawaii and learns to surf (again) on handmade long boards with surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.
Spoiler Alert - the film features a romance that ends a la Jude Deveraux's A Knight in Shining Armor.
I have previously written about the Big Island of Hawaii in March:
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-in-big-island-day-1.html
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-on-big-island-day-2.html
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-on-big-island-day-3.html
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-on-big-island-day-4.html
And we'll travel to Maui in October. Since I live on Oahu, let me share it with you!
* Oahu is nicknamed the "Gathering place". It is the 3rd largest of the 8 islands, but the most populated.
* Oahu hosts the state's capital, Honolulu, "safe harbor."
* Oahu hosts all five military services.
- the US Air Force is located at Hickam Air Force Base, adjacent to the Honolulu International Airport.
- the US Army is located at Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks
- the US Coast Guard is located on Sand Island and Barbers' Point (but really everywhere when needed)
- the US Marine Corps in located on the Mokapu Peninsula in Kaneohe Bay
- the US Navy is located in Pearl Harbor
* Oahu hosts famous beaches, including Waikiki, "Sprouting Fresh Water".
*Most residents use basic Hawaiian words, such as
- Mahalo: Thank you
- Ohana: Family
- Keike: child
- Aina: land
- Kai: ocean
plus Pidgen - a language developed by the natives and immigrants who worked together on the plantations. It blends English, Hawaiian, Portuguese, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, and other immigrant languages. Many residents continue to use pidgin today as urban slang. To learn more about pidgen, log onto
http://www.to-hawaii.com/hawaiian-pidgin.php
* Oahu's top tourist attractions are the
- USS Arizona Memorial, http://www.nps.gov/valr/
The SOS Aloha blog will visit it in December as we remember Pearl Harbor
- Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), http://www.polynesia.com/
It is considered a five star attraction, but it is a long drive from my home on Hickam AFB.
So I am taking you to a place a little closer - the Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm near Kaneohe Bay,
http://www.macnutfarm.com/.
Yesterday, my children and I enjoyed the Ali'i Tour, "discovering ancient Hawaii's natural beauty and history". Our tour guides are proud of their Samoan heritage, knowledgeable of Hawaiian history, and willing to share with the Haole tourists.
Our "jungle bus" took us on a tour of native plants that produce the local foods. Then we stopped at a water side village for our guides to demonstrate how to open coconuts and fire dance.
Guide: Why do we dance with fire?
My children: Because you can?
Guide: No, because we don't have wolves and wild pigs are not as much fun.
(Since my children haven't seen Dances With Wolves, they didn't get the joke.)
We took a boat ride across the ancient fish pond that was built 800 years. Our guides pointed out where Hollywood used local backdrops for Gilligan's Island, Fantasy Island, Jurassic Park, Pearl Harbor, Along Came Polly, 50 First Kisses, Lost, and even ER (when Dr. Carter went to Africa). It was a breathtaking site to see the guide standing in our boat, holding his "loin cloth" in place as the wind blew, and pointing to the "dragon" in the Kooloa Mountains behind him.
Let's giveaway some Hawaiian treasures - I've listed the books at the end of the blog.
1. Please leave a comment below about Hawaii.
2. Send me an email, sos.america@yahoo.com, with your book selection and mailing address.
I'll randomly select commenters to win the books. Books are only available to US residents due to mailing costs. But I will send a special Hawaiian treat to any international reader who provides their mailing address.
3. Once you receive your book via media mail (slow boat across the Pacific), please email the authors to say "Mahalo" for donating to the SOS Aloha E-Luau!
A hui hou,
(until next time),
Kim in Hawaii
SOS Military Liaison
Books available for the E-Luau Giveaway
- Jayne Ann Krentz, http://www.jayneannkrentz.com/, Running Hot
This contemporary story in the Arcane series takes place in Maui and Oahu.
- HelenKay Dimon, http://www.helenkaydimon.com/, Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy
This contemporary story takes place in Kauai and features a Hawaiian hero. HelenKay is a frequent visitor to Oahu since her in laws are retired Army and live on Oahu.
- Lynn Raye Harris, http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/, The Prince's Royal Concubine
Lynn is an Air Force Spouse and member of the RWA Aloha Chapter.
- Jane Porter, http://www.janeporter.com/, Easy on the Eyes
Jane is also a member of the RWA Aloha Chapter.
- Lynde Lakes, http://www.lyndelakes.com/, Billboard Cop
Lynde is an Air Force Spouse and the President of the RWA Aloha Chapter.
- Michael Little, http://www.hawaiireaders.com/, Chasing Cowboys
Michael is the Vice President of the RWA Aloha Chapter. He will be leading writing and blogging workshops for the Joint Spouses Conference (JSC) hosted by the USMC spouses in Kaneohe Bay.
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/hawaii-101-welcome-to-paradise.html
I also recommend two locally produced films:
Princess Kaiulani, http://www.princesskaiulanimovie.com/
documents the struggle between the Hawaiian monarchy and the American businessmen to reign Hawaii. The film features a romance between Princess Kaiulani and a Haole (white man). I have not seen the film yet but have read great reviews for it. Plus the clips feature beautiful shots of Hawaii.
The Ride, http://www.thirdreefpictures.com/
a heart warming story about a modern California surfer who travels back in time to 1911 Hawaii and learns to surf (again) on handmade long boards with surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.
Spoiler Alert - the film features a romance that ends a la Jude Deveraux's A Knight in Shining Armor.
I have previously written about the Big Island of Hawaii in March:
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-in-big-island-day-1.html
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-on-big-island-day-2.html
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-on-big-island-day-3.html
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-break-on-big-island-day-4.html
And we'll travel to Maui in October. Since I live on Oahu, let me share it with you!
* Oahu is nicknamed the "Gathering place". It is the 3rd largest of the 8 islands, but the most populated.
* Oahu hosts the state's capital, Honolulu, "safe harbor."
* Oahu hosts all five military services.
- the US Air Force is located at Hickam Air Force Base, adjacent to the Honolulu International Airport.
- the US Army is located at Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks
- the US Coast Guard is located on Sand Island and Barbers' Point (but really everywhere when needed)
- the US Marine Corps in located on the Mokapu Peninsula in Kaneohe Bay
- the US Navy is located in Pearl Harbor
* Oahu hosts famous beaches, including Waikiki, "Sprouting Fresh Water".
*Most residents use basic Hawaiian words, such as
- Mahalo: Thank you
- Ohana: Family
- Keike: child
- Aina: land
- Kai: ocean
plus Pidgen - a language developed by the natives and immigrants who worked together on the plantations. It blends English, Hawaiian, Portuguese, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, and other immigrant languages. Many residents continue to use pidgin today as urban slang. To learn more about pidgen, log onto
http://www.to-hawaii.com/hawaiian-pidgin.php
* Oahu's top tourist attractions are the
- USS Arizona Memorial, http://www.nps.gov/valr/
The SOS Aloha blog will visit it in December as we remember Pearl Harbor
- Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), http://www.polynesia.com/
It is considered a five star attraction, but it is a long drive from my home on Hickam AFB.
So I am taking you to a place a little closer - the Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm near Kaneohe Bay,
http://www.macnutfarm.com/.
Yesterday, my children and I enjoyed the Ali'i Tour, "discovering ancient Hawaii's natural beauty and history". Our tour guides are proud of their Samoan heritage, knowledgeable of Hawaiian history, and willing to share with the Haole tourists.
Our "jungle bus" took us on a tour of native plants that produce the local foods. Then we stopped at a water side village for our guides to demonstrate how to open coconuts and fire dance.
Guide: Why do we dance with fire?
My children: Because you can?
Guide: No, because we don't have wolves and wild pigs are not as much fun.
(Since my children haven't seen Dances With Wolves, they didn't get the joke.)
We took a boat ride across the ancient fish pond that was built 800 years. Our guides pointed out where Hollywood used local backdrops for Gilligan's Island, Fantasy Island, Jurassic Park, Pearl Harbor, Along Came Polly, 50 First Kisses, Lost, and even ER (when Dr. Carter went to Africa). It was a breathtaking site to see the guide standing in our boat, holding his "loin cloth" in place as the wind blew, and pointing to the "dragon" in the Kooloa Mountains behind him.
Let's giveaway some Hawaiian treasures - I've listed the books at the end of the blog.
1. Please leave a comment below about Hawaii.
2. Send me an email, sos.america@yahoo.com, with your book selection and mailing address.
I'll randomly select commenters to win the books. Books are only available to US residents due to mailing costs. But I will send a special Hawaiian treat to any international reader who provides their mailing address.
3. Once you receive your book via media mail (slow boat across the Pacific), please email the authors to say "Mahalo" for donating to the SOS Aloha E-Luau!
A hui hou,
(until next time),
Kim in Hawaii
SOS Military Liaison
Books available for the E-Luau Giveaway
- Jayne Ann Krentz, http://www.jayneannkrentz.com/, Running Hot
This contemporary story in the Arcane series takes place in Maui and Oahu.
- HelenKay Dimon, http://www.helenkaydimon.com/, Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy
This contemporary story takes place in Kauai and features a Hawaiian hero. HelenKay is a frequent visitor to Oahu since her in laws are retired Army and live on Oahu.
- Lynn Raye Harris, http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/, The Prince's Royal Concubine
Lynn is an Air Force Spouse and member of the RWA Aloha Chapter.
- Jane Porter, http://www.janeporter.com/, Easy on the Eyes
Jane is also a member of the RWA Aloha Chapter.
- Lynde Lakes, http://www.lyndelakes.com/, Billboard Cop
Lynde is an Air Force Spouse and the President of the RWA Aloha Chapter.
- Michael Little, http://www.hawaiireaders.com/, Chasing Cowboys
Michael is the Vice President of the RWA Aloha Chapter. He will be leading writing and blogging workshops for the Joint Spouses Conference (JSC) hosted by the USMC spouses in Kaneohe Bay.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Double Header - ARC Giveaways for Jill Shalvis and Annie Solomon
Last week, I wrote about my experience at the RWA National Convention. But I did not write about my RWA roommate, Mary Gramlich aka The Reading Reviewer. We met in line at the RT Book Fair in Daytona/2006. We roomed together at RT in Houston/2007 and RWA in DC/2009. She claims that I "steal" the promo pens from her favorite authors but I don't ... it's the bookmarks I take.
Mary regularly receives Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) from publishers and posts reviews on her website, http://www.marygramlich.com/. She also supports military families through SOS America and SOS Aloha (my blog). We have a new partnership in which she will donate recently reviewed ARCs for an SOS giveaway!
This week we have a double-header with two authors from Grand Central Publishing, Jill Shalvis and Annie Solomon.
I recently met Jill Shalvis at the RWA National Convention in Orlando - not once, but three times. I now read her blog every night, http://www.jillshalvis.com/. She posts beautiful pictures of Northern California and shares her "I Love Lucy" moments in her daily life. Jill's next book is Simply Irresistible, available September 26, 2010:
In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother–a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.
Starting over won’t be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career–if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.
The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes–and mouth–are making it hard for her to remember that she’s sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie’s struggles to overcome the past, though she’s about to discover that there’s no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.
Mary posted her review, "First book in this new series is a home run", on:
http://www.marygramlich.com/Contemporary-Romance--Series-.html
I have not met Annie Solomon, but I enjoyed her bio on her website, http://www.anniesolomon.com/
"I’m a Noo Yawka, born and bred. Which is why if I sometimes seem loud and pushy, it’s just my biological imperative acting up." Hmmm ...wasn't Lucy Ricardo a Noo Yawka, too?
Annie's next book is Two Lethal Lies, coming in October 1, 2010:
A love to die for...
On the run since his daughter was born, Mitch Turner has concealed a truth so dangerous, its discovery could jeopardize both their lives. But when a series of shocking murders hits their new found home, the trail leads straight to Mitch. With the police out for blood and his daughter ripped from his arms, he has nowhere to turn—until a beautiful stranger offers her help.
Neesy Brown has made mistakes in her life, yet she refuses to believe this mysterious man is a killer. There’s a strength in his broad shoulders that draws her to him and a weariness in his eyes that she longs to ease. As the murders tear her small town apart, she vows to help Mitch find his missing child. But a cunning predator is pulling them deeper and deeper into his fatal game. And the price of losing is the child—and the future—they could both share...
Mary posted her review, "Two lies add up to one great book from start to finish," at:
http://www.marygramlich.com/Contemporary-Romance.html
So let's give away the ARCs!
1. Leave a comment - have you had a Lucy moment? Or a Noo Yawk minute?
2. Go to Mary's website, http://www.marygramlich.com/, click on Support Our Soldiers, and look for the contest word of the week.
3. Email me, sos.america@yahoo.com, with
- the contest word of the week
- which ARC you would prefer
- your mailing address.
Two commenters will win the ARCs (Mary will mail from St. Louis, so the lucky winners will receive it sooner than the slow boat across the Pacific). All others who send me their mailing address* will receive a Hawaiian treat in celebration of Hawaii Statehood Day on August 21.
* If I already have your mailing address, just let me know if you want the Hawaiian treat!
Speaking of Hawaii Statehood Day, join us on Saturday, August 21, for the celebration and more books to giveaway.
Thanks, Mary, Jill, Annie, and Grand Central Publishing for today's ARC giveaways!
Mahalo,
Kim Adams
SOS Military Liaison
Mary regularly receives Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) from publishers and posts reviews on her website, http://www.marygramlich.com/. She also supports military families through SOS America and SOS Aloha (my blog). We have a new partnership in which she will donate recently reviewed ARCs for an SOS giveaway!
This week we have a double-header with two authors from Grand Central Publishing, Jill Shalvis and Annie Solomon.
I recently met Jill Shalvis at the RWA National Convention in Orlando - not once, but three times. I now read her blog every night, http://www.jillshalvis.com/. She posts beautiful pictures of Northern California and shares her "I Love Lucy" moments in her daily life. Jill's next book is Simply Irresistible, available September 26, 2010:
In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother–a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.
Starting over won’t be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career–if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.
The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes–and mouth–are making it hard for her to remember that she’s sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie’s struggles to overcome the past, though she’s about to discover that there’s no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.
Mary posted her review, "First book in this new series is a home run", on:
http://www.marygramlich.com/Contemporary-Romance--Series-.html
I have not met Annie Solomon, but I enjoyed her bio on her website, http://www.anniesolomon.com/
"I’m a Noo Yawka, born and bred. Which is why if I sometimes seem loud and pushy, it’s just my biological imperative acting up." Hmmm ...wasn't Lucy Ricardo a Noo Yawka, too?
Annie's next book is Two Lethal Lies, coming in October 1, 2010:
A love to die for...
On the run since his daughter was born, Mitch Turner has concealed a truth so dangerous, its discovery could jeopardize both their lives. But when a series of shocking murders hits their new found home, the trail leads straight to Mitch. With the police out for blood and his daughter ripped from his arms, he has nowhere to turn—until a beautiful stranger offers her help.
Neesy Brown has made mistakes in her life, yet she refuses to believe this mysterious man is a killer. There’s a strength in his broad shoulders that draws her to him and a weariness in his eyes that she longs to ease. As the murders tear her small town apart, she vows to help Mitch find his missing child. But a cunning predator is pulling them deeper and deeper into his fatal game. And the price of losing is the child—and the future—they could both share...
Mary posted her review, "Two lies add up to one great book from start to finish," at:
http://www.marygramlich.com/Contemporary-Romance.html
So let's give away the ARCs!
1. Leave a comment - have you had a Lucy moment? Or a Noo Yawk minute?
2. Go to Mary's website, http://www.marygramlich.com/, click on Support Our Soldiers, and look for the contest word of the week.
3. Email me, sos.america@yahoo.com, with
- the contest word of the week
- which ARC you would prefer
- your mailing address.
Two commenters will win the ARCs (Mary will mail from St. Louis, so the lucky winners will receive it sooner than the slow boat across the Pacific). All others who send me their mailing address* will receive a Hawaiian treat in celebration of Hawaii Statehood Day on August 21.
* If I already have your mailing address, just let me know if you want the Hawaiian treat!
Speaking of Hawaii Statehood Day, join us on Saturday, August 21, for the celebration and more books to giveaway.
Thanks, Mary, Jill, Annie, and Grand Central Publishing for today's ARC giveaways!
Mahalo,
Kim Adams
SOS Military Liaison
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
RWA Recap and Book Giveaway
Congratulations to the following commenters to last week's posts:
- Summer Treat: Jodi, Sarah, and Mary.
- Coast Guard Treat: Joder, Victoria, and Loretta
Please send your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com.
And now for the highlight of my summer vacation - the RWA National Convention! I did not read one word in a book. Instead, I spent 5 days networking with romance's stars, chapter friends, and new acquaintances among the 2100 who attended. Highlights include:
The Reviewing Bloggers: I met four bloggers who share my passion of romance reading:
Kristie J from Canada, http://www.kristiej.blogspot.com/
Azteclady from Orlando, http://karenknowsbest.com/
Rosie from California, http://rosemont1217.blogspot.com/
Wendy the Superlibrarian, http://www.wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/
These bloggers are warm, welcoming and willing to share their knowledge of the romance industry. They have each posted recaps from RWA so I invite you to check out their blogs!
The Author Bloggers: I also met authors from my favorite collaborative blogs, including:
Risky Regencies, http://www.riskyregencies.blogspot.com/, including Diane Gaston, Carolyn Jewel, Amanda McCabe/ Laurel McKee, and Janet Mullany.
Romance Bandits, http://www.romancebandits.blogspot.com/, including Jeannie Adams, Anna Campbell, Christie Kelly, and Donna MacMeans, plus their cabana boys Lars and Sven.
Romance Rollcall, http://romancerollcall.com/, including AJ Brower, Catherine Mann, Cindy Gerard, Jessica Scott, and Marliss Melton.
Word Wenches, http://wordwenches.com/, including Jo Beverley and Cara Elliott.
The Beau Monde Confernece and Soiree, http://www.thebeaumonde.com/, the Regency Set Specialty Chapter of RWA. I attended the morning session with Cara Elliott and Lauren Willig as they discussed teaching romance reading to Yale students. The luncheon speaker was Gaelen Foley, who advised authors to "remain positive" on their journey to being published. During the Soiree, the ladies of the Ton dressed in Regency gowns and danced to Regency music. Miranda Neville taught Katharine Ashe how to play Regency card games while others bid on research books offered by the Silent Auction.
The RWA Literacy Signing raised over $55,000 for literacy projects. Hats off to Washington Romance Writers (WRW) member Julie Halperson for organizing this fabulous event with the assistance from Mary Blayney, Diane Gaston, and countless other volunteers.
Mary also hosted the afternoon party for the WRW, http://www.wrwdc.com/. WRW is my "home" chapter and it was fun to see friends who inspired me to promote romance to military spouses - Mary, Diane, Lavinia Kent, Sally MacKenzie, Pamela Palmer, and many more.
Aloha Sightings: I connected with current and former members of the Aloha Chapter, http://www.rwaaloha.org/, including Jane Porter - she looked beautiful after flying from Honolulu. I met founding member Tess Gerristen, who was promoting the new TNT series Rizzoli and Isles based on her best selling books. I chatted with Lynn Raye Harris (Air Force Spouse) at the Literacy Signing. I teased Carol Burnside who coordinated the chapter basket raffle - she was eyeing the goodies I donated from Hawaii!
RomVets Gathering: The RomVets, http://www.romvets.com/, gathered in the lobby bar to for a meet and greet - Nancy Brandt, AJ Brower, Teresa Bodwell, Delores Fossen, Elle James, Geri Krotow, Jessica Scott, Isabella Wooldridge, and other veterans. Where as I don't always understand "publishing speak", I do understand "military speak" and it was fun to connect with my service sisters.
Luncheon Speakers:
Sherrilyn Kenyon spoke to the Librarians' Day. My roommate, May from Thailand, attended the luncheon and enjoyed meeting her.
Nora Roberts kicked off the convention as the keynote speaker. Her speech was laced with humor but had a very specific message - you can sit by the pool in a lounge chair or you can jump into the pool and start swimming towards publishing. It was a motivating speech.
Jayne Ann Krentz spoke during the awards luncheon and also inspired us with her highs and lows throughout her publishing career. She demonstrated that persistence - and a core story - were the keys to success.
Book Signings: Most publishers sponsored a book giveaway and author signing. Many readers, like the reviewing bloggers, "camped" outside the designated rooms so they could meet their favorite authors. I joined Azteclady for the Bantam book signing - I was first person in front of Sherry Thomas so I had her attention for a few precious minutes. She signed His At Night - one of the few books I will keep for myself!
RITA Awards: RWA ended the conference with the Golden Heart (unpublished) and RITA (published) Awards. The nominees were dressed to the nines as they walked the "red carpet" past those of us waiting in line for the doors to open. In their acceptance speeches, Sherry Thomas was funny, Julia Quinn was overjoyed, and Kristan Higgins was refreshing. I was thrilled when RomVet Cindy Dees won for Best Contemporary Series Romance Suspense/Adventure. As she walked to the stage, the media team played "Off we go into the Wild Blue Yonder" in honor of her service in the USAF!
Special Moments: The entire week was exhilarating but exhausting. I would not have missed it and I share five special moments with you:
- Meeting Robyn Carr in the elevator. As we rode up, we chatted about her son's service in the Army.
- Sharing breakfast with Anne Elizabeth. She was glowing from her new graphic novel release, Pulse of Power. But Anne was eager to return home to her husband, a retired Navy SEAL (who wouldn't want to return home to an Alpha Hero?!?!).
- Meeting Jayne Ann Krentz in the bathroom. I was so star struck by the moment that I forgot to tell her that her Amanda Quick books comforted me when my husband deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan.
- Chatting with Geri Krotow outside the goodie room. We sat down for 15 minutes so we could catch up on her life as a Navy spouse in Moscow and writing for Harlequin Super Romance.
- Meeting Jill Shalvis during the social media workshop. I had a chance to further our acquaintance at the airport during the wee hours of Sunday morning. - she posts beautiful scenic pictures on her blog!
Next year, RWA will hosts its National Convention in NYC ... so I am saving my pennies (and airline miles) to once again immerse myself into the romance sisterhood.
And now for the book giveaway. The books listed below represent the authors mentioned in today's blog. To request a book,
(1) Post a comment on who at RWA would be your star struck moment
(2) Send your top three book requests plus mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com
(3) When you receive your books via media mail (slow boat across the Pacific), please email the author to let her know you received the book from the SOS RWA giveaway.
This giveaway is open only to US residents due to mailing costs. The books will be given away on a first come, first serve basis.
For international residents, if you would like an assortment of bookmarks from RWA, please send me your mailing address.
I'll giveaway more RWA books in the coming months from the publishers's book signings.
Join us next week as Wednesday Wanderings celebrates Hawaii Statehood!
Mahalo,
Kim Adams
Romance Groupie
Riskie Regencies
- Carolyn Jewel, My Forbidden Desire, My Wicked Enemy
- Laurel McKee, Countess of Scoundrel
- Janet Mullany, The Rules of Gentility
Romance Bandits
- Anna Campbell, Claiming the Courtesan, Untouched, My Reckless Summer
Romance Roll Call
- Cindy Gerard, Risk No Secrets, Rescue Me (anthology with Cherry Adair and Lora Leigh)
- Catherine Mann, Renegade, Defender
Word Wenches
- Jo Beverley, The Secret Duke, The Secret Wedding
- Cara Elliott, To Sin with a Scoundrel
Luncheon Speakers
- Gaelen Foley, My Wicked Marquess
- Sherrilyn Kenyon, Born of Fire, Phantom of the Night (with Dianna Love)
- Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick: The Perfect Poison
- Nora Roberts/JD Robb: Big Jack, Hot Rocks
Beau Monde Conference and Soiree
- Ann Lethbridge, Wicked Rake Defiant Mistress
- Miranda Neville, Never Resist Temptation, The Wild Marquis
RITA Winners
- Cindy Dees: The Longest Night
- Kristan Higgins, The Next Best Thing
- Julia Quinn, What Happens in London (winning book)
- Summer Treat: Jodi, Sarah, and Mary.
- Coast Guard Treat: Joder, Victoria, and Loretta
Please send your mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com.
And now for the highlight of my summer vacation - the RWA National Convention! I did not read one word in a book. Instead, I spent 5 days networking with romance's stars, chapter friends, and new acquaintances among the 2100 who attended. Highlights include:
The Reviewing Bloggers: I met four bloggers who share my passion of romance reading:
Kristie J from Canada, http://www.kristiej.blogspot.com/
Azteclady from Orlando, http://karenknowsbest.com/
Rosie from California, http://rosemont1217.blogspot.com/
Wendy the Superlibrarian, http://www.wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/
These bloggers are warm, welcoming and willing to share their knowledge of the romance industry. They have each posted recaps from RWA so I invite you to check out their blogs!
The Author Bloggers: I also met authors from my favorite collaborative blogs, including:
Risky Regencies, http://www.riskyregencies.blogspot.com/, including Diane Gaston, Carolyn Jewel, Amanda McCabe/ Laurel McKee, and Janet Mullany.
Romance Bandits, http://www.romancebandits.blogspot.com/, including Jeannie Adams, Anna Campbell, Christie Kelly, and Donna MacMeans, plus their cabana boys Lars and Sven.
Romance Rollcall, http://romancerollcall.com/, including AJ Brower, Catherine Mann, Cindy Gerard, Jessica Scott, and Marliss Melton.
Word Wenches, http://wordwenches.com/, including Jo Beverley and Cara Elliott.
The Beau Monde Confernece and Soiree, http://www.thebeaumonde.com/, the Regency Set Specialty Chapter of RWA. I attended the morning session with Cara Elliott and Lauren Willig as they discussed teaching romance reading to Yale students. The luncheon speaker was Gaelen Foley, who advised authors to "remain positive" on their journey to being published. During the Soiree, the ladies of the Ton dressed in Regency gowns and danced to Regency music. Miranda Neville taught Katharine Ashe how to play Regency card games while others bid on research books offered by the Silent Auction.
The RWA Literacy Signing raised over $55,000 for literacy projects. Hats off to Washington Romance Writers (WRW) member Julie Halperson for organizing this fabulous event with the assistance from Mary Blayney, Diane Gaston, and countless other volunteers.
Mary also hosted the afternoon party for the WRW, http://www.wrwdc.com/. WRW is my "home" chapter and it was fun to see friends who inspired me to promote romance to military spouses - Mary, Diane, Lavinia Kent, Sally MacKenzie, Pamela Palmer, and many more.
Aloha Sightings: I connected with current and former members of the Aloha Chapter, http://www.rwaaloha.org/, including Jane Porter - she looked beautiful after flying from Honolulu. I met founding member Tess Gerristen, who was promoting the new TNT series Rizzoli and Isles based on her best selling books. I chatted with Lynn Raye Harris (Air Force Spouse) at the Literacy Signing. I teased Carol Burnside who coordinated the chapter basket raffle - she was eyeing the goodies I donated from Hawaii!
RomVets Gathering: The RomVets, http://www.romvets.com/, gathered in the lobby bar to for a meet and greet - Nancy Brandt, AJ Brower, Teresa Bodwell, Delores Fossen, Elle James, Geri Krotow, Jessica Scott, Isabella Wooldridge, and other veterans. Where as I don't always understand "publishing speak", I do understand "military speak" and it was fun to connect with my service sisters.
Luncheon Speakers:
Sherrilyn Kenyon spoke to the Librarians' Day. My roommate, May from Thailand, attended the luncheon and enjoyed meeting her.
Nora Roberts kicked off the convention as the keynote speaker. Her speech was laced with humor but had a very specific message - you can sit by the pool in a lounge chair or you can jump into the pool and start swimming towards publishing. It was a motivating speech.
Jayne Ann Krentz spoke during the awards luncheon and also inspired us with her highs and lows throughout her publishing career. She demonstrated that persistence - and a core story - were the keys to success.
Book Signings: Most publishers sponsored a book giveaway and author signing. Many readers, like the reviewing bloggers, "camped" outside the designated rooms so they could meet their favorite authors. I joined Azteclady for the Bantam book signing - I was first person in front of Sherry Thomas so I had her attention for a few precious minutes. She signed His At Night - one of the few books I will keep for myself!
RITA Awards: RWA ended the conference with the Golden Heart (unpublished) and RITA (published) Awards. The nominees were dressed to the nines as they walked the "red carpet" past those of us waiting in line for the doors to open. In their acceptance speeches, Sherry Thomas was funny, Julia Quinn was overjoyed, and Kristan Higgins was refreshing. I was thrilled when RomVet Cindy Dees won for Best Contemporary Series Romance Suspense/Adventure. As she walked to the stage, the media team played "Off we go into the Wild Blue Yonder" in honor of her service in the USAF!
Special Moments: The entire week was exhilarating but exhausting. I would not have missed it and I share five special moments with you:
- Meeting Robyn Carr in the elevator. As we rode up, we chatted about her son's service in the Army.
- Sharing breakfast with Anne Elizabeth. She was glowing from her new graphic novel release, Pulse of Power. But Anne was eager to return home to her husband, a retired Navy SEAL (who wouldn't want to return home to an Alpha Hero?!?!).
- Meeting Jayne Ann Krentz in the bathroom. I was so star struck by the moment that I forgot to tell her that her Amanda Quick books comforted me when my husband deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan.
- Chatting with Geri Krotow outside the goodie room. We sat down for 15 minutes so we could catch up on her life as a Navy spouse in Moscow and writing for Harlequin Super Romance.
- Meeting Jill Shalvis during the social media workshop. I had a chance to further our acquaintance at the airport during the wee hours of Sunday morning. - she posts beautiful scenic pictures on her blog!
Next year, RWA will hosts its National Convention in NYC ... so I am saving my pennies (and airline miles) to once again immerse myself into the romance sisterhood.
And now for the book giveaway. The books listed below represent the authors mentioned in today's blog. To request a book,
(1) Post a comment on who at RWA would be your star struck moment
(2) Send your top three book requests plus mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com
(3) When you receive your books via media mail (slow boat across the Pacific), please email the author to let her know you received the book from the SOS RWA giveaway.
This giveaway is open only to US residents due to mailing costs. The books will be given away on a first come, first serve basis.
For international residents, if you would like an assortment of bookmarks from RWA, please send me your mailing address.
I'll giveaway more RWA books in the coming months from the publishers's book signings.
Join us next week as Wednesday Wanderings celebrates Hawaii Statehood!
Mahalo,
Kim Adams
Romance Groupie
Riskie Regencies
- Carolyn Jewel, My Forbidden Desire, My Wicked Enemy
- Laurel McKee, Countess of Scoundrel
- Janet Mullany, The Rules of Gentility
Romance Bandits
- Anna Campbell, Claiming the Courtesan, Untouched, My Reckless Summer
Romance Roll Call
- Cindy Gerard, Risk No Secrets, Rescue Me (anthology with Cherry Adair and Lora Leigh)
- Catherine Mann, Renegade, Defender
Word Wenches
- Jo Beverley, The Secret Duke, The Secret Wedding
- Cara Elliott, To Sin with a Scoundrel
Luncheon Speakers
- Gaelen Foley, My Wicked Marquess
- Sherrilyn Kenyon, Born of Fire, Phantom of the Night (with Dianna Love)
- Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick: The Perfect Poison
- Nora Roberts/JD Robb: Big Jack, Hot Rocks
Beau Monde Conference and Soiree
- Ann Lethbridge, Wicked Rake Defiant Mistress
- Miranda Neville, Never Resist Temptation, The Wild Marquis
RITA Winners
- Cindy Dees: The Longest Night
- Kristan Higgins, The Next Best Thing
- Julia Quinn, What Happens in London (winning book)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
August celebrates the Coast Guard's Birthday, Hawaii's Statehood Day, and William Wallace's Legacy
Aloha, mai ka 'Aukake puke SOS America!
Aloha, here is the August newsletter for SOS America!
I have been off island since May 31. I spent most of the time in Safety Harbor, Florida, caring for my father with Alzheimers'. It is a devastating disease that taught me a valuable lesson - life is too short to sweat the small stuff. So I am celebrating life and the wonderful opportunities I have as a military wife.
I spent the last week of July in Orlando at the Romance Writers' of America (RWA) National Convention - it was a exhilarating (and exhausting) experience. I will blog about it next week, assuming I can I find my program to remind me of what exactly I did!
Despite the fun I had at RWA, I was ready to come home. As our aircraft banked to make its final approach into Honolulu, we could see the Pacific Fleet, the USS Missouri, and the USS Arizona Memorial standing guard in Pearl Harbor. This morning, I knew I was home when:
- at 4 am, I heard the C5 engines roar on the Hickam flightline. The sounds of freedom may be inconvenient, but they are priceless.
- at 7 am, I heard the longshoreman's horn at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, marking the first shift of the civilian work force who keep the Pacific Fleet ready to protect our seas.
- at 10 am, the F-15s from the Hawaiian Air National Guard flew over my house during "touch and goes". Although my windows rattle with every flyover, I thank them for guarding our skies.
Join me as we celebrate several August events as part of Wednesday Wanderings:
- August 4: Coast Guard's 220th Birthday
I've already posted it at:
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/08/happy-birthday-united-states-coast.html
- August 11: RWA National Convention Recap
- August 18: Hawaii Statehood Day (celebrated on August 21)
- August 25: William Wallace's Legacy (he died fighting for Scotland's freedom on August 23, 1305).
I send out a reminder about the Wednesday Wanderings via Facebook - so make sure you have friended me as SOS America.
My children are back in school, thus our summer vacation is over.
What did you do for your summer vacation?
I will randomly select three commenters to receive a cookbook from the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
sos.america@yahoo.com
Aloha, here is the August newsletter for SOS America!
I have been off island since May 31. I spent most of the time in Safety Harbor, Florida, caring for my father with Alzheimers'. It is a devastating disease that taught me a valuable lesson - life is too short to sweat the small stuff. So I am celebrating life and the wonderful opportunities I have as a military wife.
I spent the last week of July in Orlando at the Romance Writers' of America (RWA) National Convention - it was a exhilarating (and exhausting) experience. I will blog about it next week, assuming I can I find my program to remind me of what exactly I did!
Despite the fun I had at RWA, I was ready to come home. As our aircraft banked to make its final approach into Honolulu, we could see the Pacific Fleet, the USS Missouri, and the USS Arizona Memorial standing guard in Pearl Harbor. This morning, I knew I was home when:
- at 4 am, I heard the C5 engines roar on the Hickam flightline. The sounds of freedom may be inconvenient, but they are priceless.
- at 7 am, I heard the longshoreman's horn at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, marking the first shift of the civilian work force who keep the Pacific Fleet ready to protect our seas.
- at 10 am, the F-15s from the Hawaiian Air National Guard flew over my house during "touch and goes". Although my windows rattle with every flyover, I thank them for guarding our skies.
Join me as we celebrate several August events as part of Wednesday Wanderings:
- August 4: Coast Guard's 220th Birthday
I've already posted it at:
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2010/08/happy-birthday-united-states-coast.html
- August 11: RWA National Convention Recap
- August 18: Hawaii Statehood Day (celebrated on August 21)
- August 25: William Wallace's Legacy (he died fighting for Scotland's freedom on August 23, 1305).
I send out a reminder about the Wednesday Wanderings via Facebook - so make sure you have friended me as SOS America.
My children are back in school, thus our summer vacation is over.
What did you do for your summer vacation?
I will randomly select three commenters to receive a cookbook from the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
sos.america@yahoo.com
Happy Birthday, United States Coast Guard!
On August 4, the United States Coast Guard celebrates its 220th birthday! From the its official website, http://www.uscg.mil/history/:
"The United States Coast Guard, one of the country's five armed services, is a unique agency of the federal government. We trace our history back to 4 August 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws and to prevent smuggling. Known variously through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as the Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service, we expanded in size and responsibilities as the nation grew."
I knew little about the Coast Guard until my family moved to Fort Meade, Maryland. We had several neighbors in the Coast Guard, stationed in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington, DC. They served in various roles, including counterintelligence, medical, and drug interdiction.
And then I moved across the Pacific, where the Coast Guard provides national security and rescue services to the Hawaiian Islands. We could not enjoy island living without the Coasties.
In honor of the Coast Guard's birthday, I'd like to introduce you to my three favorite Coast Guard spouses:
- Ginger at the Hickam Thrift. Ginger is our manager and helps us raise over $100,000 each year for family member scholarships and community project grants. Ginger is a Coast Guard "brat" and married to a helicopter pilot.
I tip my hat to Ginger's parents - retired Coast Guard - who also volunteer at the Thrift Shop. Their extra hands are invaluable and I enjoy hearing her father's "war stories". Did you know the Coasties assigned in Libya to operate LORAN navigation systems wore knee high boots to protect against the cobra snakes? Plus Norm transforms into Santa every December to bring joy to military families across Oahu (yes, his beard is real).
- Mary Blayney, http://www.maryblayney.com/, "writing compelling stories of love, hope, and family." Indeed, Mary's stories are compelling as she celebrated love, hope, and family in the Coast Guard. From her website, "Paul's career gave me the opportunity to experience, in a personal way, the Coast Guard's search and rescue mission where life and death are no more than a breath apart."
Last week, Mary volunteered with RWA's Literacy Signing despite being one of the participating authors. She took the first shift in unpacking and sorting boxes, demonstrating the volunteer spirit that runs through a military spouses' blood even after retirement.
- Larissa Ione, http://www.larissaione.com/. I know Larissa as an Air Force veteran but recently learned that she is also a Coast Guard Spouse! Back in February, Military Spouse Magazine featured an article about three military spouses who are romance writers, including Larissa. The article described how Larissa evacuated her home when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and her husband deployed to support rescue efforts. She drove back to her parents with a toddler in tow and began to write.
Rising from the ashes like the mythical Phoenix, Larissa landed on the New York Times' Bestsellers' list in 2009 and 2010 with her hot paranormal romances. I expect nothing less from an Coast Guard spouse!
To celebrate the Coast Guard's birthday, I invite you to leave a comment to thank our Coasties and families for their tireless service to keep our homeland safe! I will randomly select three commenters to receive a special "Coast Guard" treat!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
"The United States Coast Guard, one of the country's five armed services, is a unique agency of the federal government. We trace our history back to 4 August 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws and to prevent smuggling. Known variously through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as the Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service, we expanded in size and responsibilities as the nation grew."
I knew little about the Coast Guard until my family moved to Fort Meade, Maryland. We had several neighbors in the Coast Guard, stationed in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington, DC. They served in various roles, including counterintelligence, medical, and drug interdiction.
And then I moved across the Pacific, where the Coast Guard provides national security and rescue services to the Hawaiian Islands. We could not enjoy island living without the Coasties.
In honor of the Coast Guard's birthday, I'd like to introduce you to my three favorite Coast Guard spouses:
- Ginger at the Hickam Thrift. Ginger is our manager and helps us raise over $100,000 each year for family member scholarships and community project grants. Ginger is a Coast Guard "brat" and married to a helicopter pilot.
I tip my hat to Ginger's parents - retired Coast Guard - who also volunteer at the Thrift Shop. Their extra hands are invaluable and I enjoy hearing her father's "war stories". Did you know the Coasties assigned in Libya to operate LORAN navigation systems wore knee high boots to protect against the cobra snakes? Plus Norm transforms into Santa every December to bring joy to military families across Oahu (yes, his beard is real).
- Mary Blayney, http://www.maryblayney.com/, "writing compelling stories of love, hope, and family." Indeed, Mary's stories are compelling as she celebrated love, hope, and family in the Coast Guard. From her website, "Paul's career gave me the opportunity to experience, in a personal way, the Coast Guard's search and rescue mission where life and death are no more than a breath apart."
Last week, Mary volunteered with RWA's Literacy Signing despite being one of the participating authors. She took the first shift in unpacking and sorting boxes, demonstrating the volunteer spirit that runs through a military spouses' blood even after retirement.
- Larissa Ione, http://www.larissaione.com/. I know Larissa as an Air Force veteran but recently learned that she is also a Coast Guard Spouse! Back in February, Military Spouse Magazine featured an article about three military spouses who are romance writers, including Larissa. The article described how Larissa evacuated her home when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and her husband deployed to support rescue efforts. She drove back to her parents with a toddler in tow and began to write.
Rising from the ashes like the mythical Phoenix, Larissa landed on the New York Times' Bestsellers' list in 2009 and 2010 with her hot paranormal romances. I expect nothing less from an Coast Guard spouse!
To celebrate the Coast Guard's birthday, I invite you to leave a comment to thank our Coasties and families for their tireless service to keep our homeland safe! I will randomly select three commenters to receive a special "Coast Guard" treat!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)