Special Anniversary - Fort Meade Tea Party

ordinary-gentlemen.com

Readers often ask me how I came to know many of their favorite authors.  It started with a tea party ....

... four years ago, I served as the luncheon coordinator for the spouses' club at Fort Meade.  Our February speaker cancelled and I scrambled to replace her.   We had just polished the club's vintage tea set for Fort Meade's 90th anniversary and a friend suggested we host an Old Fashioned Tea Party.  Another friend suggested I recruit members to sponsor individual tables with their own tea sets.   We ran with this idea and themed tables popped up:

- Balt-Tea-More Tea  Party (hosted by Baltimore native Wallis Simpson)
- Boston Tea Party
- Garden Tea Party
- Scotland Forever Tea Party
- Best Damn Scones (sponsored by a Canadian spouse ... and they were the best damn scones)
- Children's Tea Party

womentoday.org

I was curious who "invented" tea parties.  A Google search provided the answer - from the Independent,

High tea, it seems, was invented in the early 19th century by the Duchess of Bedford as a way of getting around a mid-afternoon energy dip in an age when lunch was seldom eaten. She established the fashion for tea and sandwiches by asking aristocratic friends to her boudoir at Woburn for a nibble, before extending it in fine weather to include a stroll in the grounds.

I contacted the ancestral home of the Duke of Bedford, Woburn Abbey.  The curator provided more information about the Duchess, the Honorable Anna Maria Russell.

In 1841 she wrote a letter to her brother-in-law from Windsor Castle:

‘I forgot to mention my old friend Prince Esterhazy who drank tea with me the other evening at 5 o’clock or rather was my guest amongst eight ladies in the castle’.

Thus, I made the Duchess of Bedford the honorary hostess for our tea party.

I understood British titles from my extensive reading of historical romance, but would the other spouses attending the luncheon?   I took to Google again and found an informative article by legendary historical romance author Jo Beverley, English Titles in the 18th and 19th Century.  I sent an email to request her permission to reprint her article.  Not only did she give me permission, but she donated two books as door prizes.

Jo's generous offer inspired me to invite local romance authors to the tea party.  20 plus authors from the Washington Romance Authors and the Maryland Romance Writers.  You can imagine that I was in hog heaven!   I encouraged the spouses to dress in vintage clothes, including gloves, hats, and pearls.  We gave away "titles" for the day, including the Duchess of Delft, Marchioness of Murano, the Baronness of Boleslawiec (the corresponding prizes were Delft ceramics, Murano glass, and Polish pottery).  

Rebecca York (left) and Kathryn Falk

The grand dame of the Tea Party was Kathryn Falk, Lady of Barrow and Queen of Romance.  She is the founder and CEO of RT Book Reviews.  Kathryn is also the founder of SOS America Inc. - a military charity which hosts the SOS Military Mixer at the RT Booklovers' Convention each year.  

The Fort Meade Sound Off published a comprehensive article about this event. 

In honor of this special anniversary, I am giving away a Historical Romance Gift Pack, including:

- Jo Beverley's classic Regency, SKYLARK
- English tea
- Tea towel
- Tea Time recipe book

To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about a special event where you met someone you admire.

2. This giveaway is open only to US residents (sorry, postage!). Comments are open through Saturday, March 5, 10 pm in Hawaii. The winner will be announced on Sunday, March 6 during the Weekly Winners announcement post.

3. If you are new to SOS Aloha, please make sure I know how to contact you. If your Blogger profile does not provide your email address, please send it to sos.america@yahoo.com. (I have several unclaimed prizes because I do know how to contact the winner).

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

I leave you with images of current books from a sample of authors who attended the Tea Party:

Guest Review - Maya Banks' HIDDEN AWAY

I asked one of my regular commenters, Stephanie in Pennsylvania, to review HIDDEN AWAY by Maya Banks.  HIDDEN AWAY is the 3rd book in Bank's KGI series.

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, to secret, family-run business. 

Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.

Mission: Host/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can't...

A man who shoots first and asks questions later...

Most people would take an all-expenses-paid trip to the beach in a heartbeat. Garrett Kelly only accepts to keep tabs on Sarah Daniels, who's in hiding after witnessing a murder by Marcus Lattimer, her half-brother -- and a personal enemy of KGI. This gig may be beneath a disciplined soldier like Garrett, but if he gets a shot at Lattimer, it will all be worth it...

...and the ultimate moving target.

But Garrett hadn't counted on falling for Sarah. He'd considered seduction as a tactical maneuver, but when he glimpses Sarah's dark past, he feels an urgent desire to keep her safe -- even after she disappears on him. Garrett doesn't know exactly who, or what, Sarah's running from, but whatever it is, she's running for her life...

What Stephanie Thought: I usually don't find myself enjoying romantic suspense because I like my romance books to be simple and realistic, something I can snuggle up with after a long day and not have to think too deeply about. Hidden Away, March's upcoming Berkley Sensation release is an exception though. Frankly, I loved it.

Let me begin with the story line first. I had not realized, when I started reading, that this book was the third installment of Maya Banks's KGI series. So, much of the plot was confusing, but I had it down pat once I was about halfway-through; it wasn't that hard to figure out and I will personally say it makes a great stand-alone novel. The Kellys are a noble, cunning family with a proud line of spies, agents, and soldiers alike. All of the Kelly sons were once part of the Marine or the Army yet Garrett Kelly, though only in his thirties, is retired due to injuries. He now accepts top-secret missions to save and protect refugees and victims of crime or war. And he thought by leaving the military, the hard part was over -- until he was assigned Sarah's case.

To make a long story short, Sarah Daniels was raped by her boss, Allen Cross, and her half-brother, Marcus, rebounds with a cold vengeance by murdering him. Once the trigger is pulled though, is when Marcus realizes that killing a man right in his office is a tragic mistake, and Sarah, the only witness of the shooting, is forced to run away in order to keep her half-brother safe from the government.

Even before actually meeting Sarah, Garrett knows there is something about her that draws him to her. He willingly accepts the mission, and locates Sarah at her "hiding place" way too easily. Though he is hired by the very men who want to convict Marcus, he lies to Sarah saying Marcus is the one who brought him to her, and unfortunately, Sarah believes him.

Hidden Away is a story of failed trust, loyalty, and deceit. Sarah's journey of losing herself within Garrett's charm and kindness is portrayed beautifully, only to have it shatter when she finds out that he is actually after Marcus. Garrett's struggle to remain loyal to his family and the KGI, but "fall head over ass" is admittedly enlivening, but heartbreaking at the same time. And the way Sarah is able to rebuild her trust in the man she realizes she loves is a warm, hopeful ride that is complemented by strong passion and scintillating romance.

By far, Hidden Away was made enjoyable most by Banks' writing style. Her voice is rich and detailed, but not too flowery, and her writing contains LOTS of humor, provided, it's mostly crude. However, that's my kind of story: one with wit and vulgarity, so I found it entertaining. A warning for the more genteel: there is a lot of swearing in this book. Maybe one or two swear words per page, often times more. I didn't have a problem with it, but some of you might, so it's just a heads up.

Another thing I loved about this novel. Berkley Sensation is the erotic imprint of the Berkley Publishing Group. Unlike most erotic novels however, Hidden Away does not have characters sleeping with each other all over the place within the first few chapters. In fact, despite major flirting, innocent kissing, and somewhat heavy petting, actual sex does not occur until about the last quarter of the book. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I think it enhanced my anticipation of the story because I knew Sarah and Garrett had it bad for each other; it was just a matter of when they would express that attraction. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time building up to the (sinfully) steamy sex scene. Not only because of all the suspense with guns and fighting, because I just needed to know what would happen in the relationship. And Banks certainly satisfied by detailing a scene of passion sensually and enticingly.

Some of the dialog was repetitive. This wouldn't have been so disappointing if the original line wasn't so good. I would come across a line and laugh out loud thinking, "Oh my gosh, this is great!" But then about fifty pages later, the same line would come up again, which took away from my initial awe of Banks' delightful verbosity. That is the only thing I disliked about Hidden Away. Other than that, it is perfect, perfect, and more perfect. Not one stray bullet.

Stephanie Loves: "'It's all right,' he crooned as he stroked down her arm. 'You're safe now. Take some deep breaths.' ... Gradually her heartbeat slowed and he could no longer feel the erratic thump of her pulse. She raised her head, bumping his chin as she stared across the room at the table where his gun rested.

'You have a gun,' she whispered.

He winced. Trust her to notice that detail. She was probably one of those women who fainted at the sight of a weapon.

'Yeah.'

She raised herself off his chest to look into his eyes. 'Can I have it?'

As what-the-fuck moments went, this one was one of the bigger ones. The thing was, she was dead serious. There was an earnestness to her gaze that said she really wanted him to give her his gun. Shit."

Where Stephanie Got It: Kim at SOS Aloha for review.

Radical Rating: 9 hearts- One of my all-time favorites! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Mahalo, Stephanie, for your review!  Stephanie posts her reviews at Stephanie Loves Blog

Note that the review Stephanie submitted to me was visually appealing with contrasting text and colors.  Sadly, this artistry does not translate from text to Blogger.

In honor of Stephanie's review, I am giving a beach gift pack - beach bag, towel, and other trinkets - to one randomly selected commenter (see book blurb).  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Stephanie's review, Maya Banks, and romantic suspense.

2.  This giveaway is open only to US residents (sorry, postage!).  Comments are open through Saturday, March 5, 10 pm  in Hawaii.  The winner will be announced on Sunday, March 6 during the Weekly Winners announcement post.

3. If you are new to SOS Aloha, please make sure I know how to contact you. If your Blogger profile does not provide your email address, please send it to sos.america@yahoo.com. (I have several unclaimed prizes because I do know how to contact the winner).

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Thanks to Patricia Rouse from Rouse's Romance Readers Group for the ARC. Pat is also the source for the many colorful bookmarks, postcards, and promo items I mail to SOS readers.

Overnight Encampment on board the USS Missouri

Last night, Boy Scout Troop 97 participated in the USS Missouri Encampment Program.  The USS Missouri is moored off Ford Island in Pearl Harbor.  It stands guard over the USS Arizona Memorial.  The program was open to Scouts, parents, and siblings.  I invited Andrew (Boy Scout) and David (Cub Scout) to share their experience:

Kim:  What happened when you first came on board the USS Missouri?

Andrew:  We were directed to the fantail where we received our dog tags.  We split into two groups to tour the ship. 

David:  This is my first dog tag!  It has my name, "USS Missouri Encampment", and the date.

Kim:  Tell us about the tour of the ship - what did you learn?

Andrew:  We saw the "R2D2" gun turrets.  They have giant radar domes that make it look like R2D2.  The guns were huge.  

David:  I learned about the Surrender of Japan (September 2, 1945 in Tokyo Bay).  The Japanese took a boat launch to the USS Missouri.  General MacArthur had 5 black pens and one red pen.  Each pen was given to someone after the signing.  He gave the red pen to his wife, who kept it until her death in 2001.

Kim:  What happened after the tour?

Andrew:  We climbed down to the mes hall for dinner.   We were served a typical dinner of meatloaf, mash potatoes, and salad.  The food was prepared by on board chefs - it was better than school food.

David:  I learned that dinner is called "chow".   The tables had upturned sides to stop the plates from falling off (when the ship rocked).   Sometimes when the ship rose with the waves, food jumped off the plate.  Someone else's food might fall back onto your plate. 

Kim:  Where did you sleep?

Andrew:  We slept in the bunk area where the sailors originally slept.   It was a thin mattress on a wooden shelf with three shelves in one berth.   They gave us a pillow case and sheet to make our own bunk.   It was not comfortable.   I first took a bottom bunk, but my friend above me kept reaching down to bother me.  So I traded to a top bunk.  In the middle of night, I jumped down to use the bathroom.  Then I realized I wouldn't be able to get back up.  So I found a bottom bunk.

David:  Lights out was 2200 hours.  There was a strap to keep the sailors in their bunks. I picked a middle bunk.  But I could hear the scout moving above me but I could still go to sleep.

Kim:  What happened this morning?

Andrew:  Lights shot on at 0600 hours.  Everyone jumped out of their bunks.  "Someone" stole three scouts' linens in the night!  We ate breakfast - eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cereal - back in the mess hall.  

David:  After breakfast, we raised the flag on the fantail.  The tour guide read a poem Johnny Cash called Ragged Old Flag.   We received certificates for completing the encampment program and took a group photo in front of Gun Turret No. 1.

Both:  We are glad we did it!

Mahalo, Andrew and David, for sharing your experience with us!  In honor of their visit to Mighty Mo, I am giving way a Pearl Harbor gift pack - trinkets from the National Park Service's Valor in the Pacific Memorial Park.  The park is the gateway for visiting the USS Missouri (afloat battleship), USS Arizona Memorial (straddling the sunken ship), USS Oklahoma Memorial (next to the Missouri entrance), USS Utah Memorial (overlooking the sunken ship), and the USS Bowfin (afloat submarine).  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment regarding the most unusual place where you have toured, dined, or slept.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, March 5, 10 in Hawaii to enter the giveaway.

3. If you are new to SOS Aloha, please make sure I know how to contact you. If your Blogger profile does not provide your email address, please send it to sos.america@yahoo.com. (I have several unclaimed prizes because I do know how to contact the winner).


Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

"Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash

I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.
I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down,
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".
I said, "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down,
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town"
I said, "I think it is"
He said "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of
That Ragged Old Flag

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
and It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it,
writing "Say Can You See"
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
and It almost fell at the Alamo
beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
and now they've about quit wavin' back here at home
in her own good land here She's been abused,
She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she's getting thread bare, and she's wearin' thin,
But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.
Cause she's been through the fire before
and i believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don't let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I *do* like to brag
Cause I'm mighty proud of
That Ragged Old Flag"

Weekly Winners and Sunday Surprise Book Giveaway

Today is Oscar Sunday - who do you think will wow us on the Red Carpet?  Which winners will be eloquent at the podium?  I just hope it is a King's Speech - literally and figuratively.

We have winners here at SOS Aloha!

February 19:  Eloisa James' WHEN BEAUTY TAMED THE BEAST
- Jessica

February 20:  Lucy Kellaway's IN OFFICE HOURS
- Estella

February 20:  LIVE, LOVE, SURF magnet from Jillian Chantal
- Casey

February 21:  Susan Fox's HIS, UNEXPECTEDLY
- Artemis

February 22:  Hannah Dennison's THIEVES! plus Farmers' Calendar
- Emily

February 22:  Jill Shalvis' ANIMAL MAGNETISM
- Izzy

February 23: Hawaiian print bandanna in honor of Terry Odell
- Marjorie

February 23 - Maggie Toussaint's ON THE NICKEL- Stephanie

February 24:  WWII Memorabilia in honor of Ilona Fridl
- Jodi

February 25:  PRIDE AND PREJUDICE DVD in honor of Donna Hatch
- Dani

And the Sunday Surprise Book Giveaway .... Deborah Bedford's HIS OTHER WIFE. 

Since her divorce from Eric, Hilary has done everything she can to control life for herself and her son. Beneath a calm surface, she is terrified of failing Seth. She's worked hard to raise him on her own, and she's succeeded--he's now set to graduate from high school and enroll at the University of Illinois with a full scholarship.

But Hilary's worst fears are realized when there is a rock-climbing accident at a post-graduation campout. A young girl is hurt, and Seth is arrested. Pamela, Eric's new wife and Seth's stepmother, blames Hilary for letting Scott go to the campout in the first place. With Seth's college scholarship now just a distant memory and his entire future at stake, the two women must come together for Seth's sake.

Is Hilary's love strong enough to save her son and release him to her ex-husband's other wife?

Mary posted her review on her blog,

Never give up or give away your own true self

Mary is offering her review copy to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about the Oscars and/or your weekend activities.

2.  The giveaway is open to US residents only. Comments are open through March 5, 10 pm in Hawaii, to enter the contest.  Winner will be contacted by email as well as announced on March 6.

3.  If you are new to SOS Aloha, please make sure I know how to contact you. If your Blogger profile does not provide your email address, please send it to sos.america@yahoo.com. (I have several unclaimed prizes because I do know how to contact the winner).

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Will an Oscar win help Colin Firth transition from Mr. Darcy to King George in the mind's of romance fans?  For me, he will forever by the ultimate Regency hero!

Aloha to Cynthia Eden, DEADLY HEAT and DEADLY LIES

Mary Gramlich, The Reading Reviewer, has been on a reading frenzy, including Cynthia Eden's Deadly duo.  She posted her reviews on her blogsite,

DEADLY HEAT, This book will light up the night with romance and scary suspense

DEADLY LIES, When you have nothing left to fear what still scares you?

I invited Cynthia for a quickfire interview to accompany today's giveaway.  From her bio,

(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people).  Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

Kim:  Did working as a counselor, teacher and editor improve your skills as a writer?

Cynthia:  I think all of those jobs have helped me—just in different ways. J Being a counselor helped me to better understand why people act the way they do (so this helped with character motivation). Being a teacher helped me to learn some intensive research techniques (history was my subject, so I was always digging around in the past!), And, finally, being an editor helped me to recognize plotting and pacing issues—it gave me the tools I needed to be able to approach my own work with a more objective eye.


Coming June 20, 2011

Kim:  You are a paranormal master venturing into romantic suspense with your Deadly series. What inspired the change in genre? What was the most rewarding and the most challenging?

Cynthia:  I noticed that when I wrote my paranormal stories, romantic suspense elements kept creeping into the tales. I didn’t just have demons in my paranormals; instead, I had serial killing demons. I had stalkers. I had detectives who were shifters and bounty hunters who were white tigers. Suspense elements just wouldn’t stay out of my stories! So, I decided I’d try my hand at writing a straight suspense (straight meaning none of my beloved paranormal creatures). The result of my experiment was DEADLY FEAR, my first Deadly book.

At first, it was very hard for me to keep those paranormal elements out of the book because I kept thinking, well, if my heroine had enhanced healing powers, this bullet wound wouldn’t hurt nearly as much…those paranormal characters tend to be more resilient than my human ones. J But after I made a hard mental adjustment, the characters clicked into place for me.

The most rewarding part of writing my romantic suspense was having the ability to push myself. I like trying new things with my writing, and I really enjoyed crafting these suspense stories.

Kim:  You include The Princess Bride, Romancing the Stone, and Pirates of the Caribbean on your list of favorite movies. Each has a strong heroine who takes charge of her life. I notice the same theme in your Deadly series - strong women in dangerous jobs. What real life women do you admire?

Cynthia:  My mom is at the top of my admiration list. I’ve got a brother with severe special needs and, during my whole life, I’ve watched her display amazing strength as she takes care of him—and everyone else around her!

My real life is full of amazing women, and I feel lucky to know them. I have one friend who spends her days fighting for the environment and teaching kids about the wonder of their natural surroundings. I have another friend who lets me pick her Ph.D. brain anytime I want to create a killer profile for my books.

Sure, my heroines might be strong, but I like to think the ladies I know in real life are even stronger.

Thanks so much for interviewing me! It’s been a pleasure!

Mahalo, Cynthia, for joining us at SOS Aloha!  In honor of Cynthia's Deadly duo, Mary is giving away her review copies of both books to one randomly selected commenter. 

But wait!  Cynthia is sweetening the giveaway by offering another randomly selected commenter one book from her Deadly series - DEADLY FEAR, DEADLY HEAT, or DEADLY LIES - winner's choice!

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Cynthia, her Deadly series, and a strong woman who inspires you.

2.  This giveaway is open to US residents only.  Comments are open through Saturday, March 5, to enter the giveaway.

3. If you are new to SOS Aloha, please make sure I know how to contact you. If your Blogger profile does not provide your email address, please send it to sos.america@yahoo.com. (I have several unclaimed prizes because I do know how to contact the winner).

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

I am looking forward to this summer's Pirates of the Caribbean movie with Penelope Cruz.   Parts of the movie were filmed in Oahu and Kauai.

The original Black Pearl, renamed as Queen Anne's Revenge, is moored at he Ko'Olina Marina.  Tourists can walk along the seawall to take pictures of it.