In Hawaii, we have ti leaves. From the Dole Plantation at this link,
The ti plant isn’t “tea” at all, but a member of the lily family with a distinctive cluster of large, glossy, dark green leaves on a stalk that can grow up to ten feet high. Ti is a “canoe plant,” or one of the few plants the first Hawaiians brought thousands of miles across open ocean to their new home. The leaves and roots of this important plant appeared everywhere in ancient Hawaiian life. If it rained, you might put on a ti leaf cloak. You might have eaten food cooked inside the strong, flexible leaves, or been blessed with a ti leaf in a sacred ceremony.
On the mainland, Sunny Meadows uses tea leaves, crystal balls, and other apparatus in Kari Lee Townsend's THE FORTUNE TELLER MYSTERY series. Kari is celebrating the release of the second book in the series, CORPSE IN THE CRYSTAL BALL. This cozy mystery author joins me for a cozy chat ...
Kim: You wrote in your bio: Trust me, people, my life is my material. So, who inspired the fortune teller in your life?
Kari: No one, really. I've always been fascinated with fortune telling. It just seems so mysterious, a bit scary, yet exciting. I've always wanted to know more about all the different fortune-telling tools, that's why I'm having so much fun focusing each book on a different tool and sharing what I find out with my readers.
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| Madam Simza Heron tells Sherlock Holmes his fortune in GAME OF SHADOWS ... |
Kim: What's your experience with fortune tellers? Have you had a reading?
Kari: When I was younger, I went to a tea leaf reader. Her reading was so spot on, I was hooked then and there. I also had a past-life reading done which was really cool, and again, spot on. the reading totally made sense and explained a lot about the person I am today.
Kari: When I was younger, I went to a tea leaf reader. Her reading was so spot on, I was hooked then and there. I also had a past-life reading done which was really cool, and again, spot on. the reading totally made sense and explained a lot about the person I am today.
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| ... then she danced with him! |
Kim: Tell us about CORPSE IN THE CRYSTAL BALL!
Kari: Tempest in the Tea Leaves was the first book in the series, and in that book, the town librarian is murdered and Sunny becomes the number one suspect. She has to try to clear her name and save her business or her fresh start in the small upstate NY town of Divinity will be over before it ever gets started. In book two, Corpse in the Crystal Ball, Detective Mitch Stone's ex-girlfriend comes to town and winds up dead, leaving him as the number one suspect this time around. He has to step aside and let Sunny try to solve the case and clear his name this time, but that doesn't sit too well with him because he still thinks she's a quack. Yet neither can deny sparks fly when they are around each other.
Kim: What's next for Kari Lee Townsend?
Kari: Well, I just finished Trouble in the Tarot and am beginning to plot Peril in the Palm. I also have a teen superhero series out as well as romances written under the name Kari Lee Harmon. Not to mention there's a paranormal romance brewing around in there as well. Good thing I love what I do :-)
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| Even James Bond had his cards read by Jane Seymour in LIVE AND LET DIE. |
Mahalo, Kari, for visiting us at SOS Aloha! I posted my review of CORPSE IN THE CRYSTAL BALL on Amazon at this link and Goodreads at this link. I am giving away a print copy of CORPSE IN THE CRYSTAL BALL to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,
1. Leave a comment about fortune tellers - do you have any experience with tea leaves, crystal balls, tarot cards, etc.?
Several authors read tarot cards and one "read" them for me at RWA 2010 in Orlando.
Several authors read tarot cards and one "read" them for me at RWA 2010 in Orlando.
2. This giveaway is open to all readers.
3. Comments are open through Saturday, June 30, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 1.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Never had anyone read my tea leaves but had my past and future told several times by a man that had been doing this for yrs. He was head on with me and it was scary. Said if I had had training when I was younger I could do the same thing (back in late 70's). We went to different friends homes and we put our birthdate on slip of paper and he drew them out and told us things that no one else knew. You could have private readings which I did and I recorded it but don't know where it is now.
ReplyDeleteLove Cozy Mysteries and would love to read Kari's latest release. Thanks for opportunity to enter giveaway.
misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com
I've never been to a fortune teller though I would like to try one out sometime. When I was younger I did read the tarot cards but that was years ago.
ReplyDeleterachel
Yes, when I was younger I went to fortune tellers when I was younger. I even had my chart done - which to me was the most accurate.
ReplyDeletePlease do not enter me in this contest.
I've had no experience with them. If I did I wouldn't take it seriously. It's something to do just for fun.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend do tarot cards on me. It was fun and I enjoyed it. I don't really take it seriously. All in good fun.
ReplyDeleteMel
Nope for me. But my friend actually paid quite a bit to get her tea leaves read on a regular basisi. It makes her happy so I don't say anything.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any experience with fortune telling, but I do think it would be fun to have a tarot card reading.
ReplyDeleteI can remember going to one when I was young but don't remember anything being spot on - it was a tea room that served lunch so it was a way to get you in lol. I know of one friend who swears by it and I must admit sometimes it's hard to not believe but I think there aren't a lot of those that are good at it and it is mostly for fun.
ReplyDeleteI have tried using them but am not really good at them. My daughter once had her card read and they were right on with her.
ReplyDeleteI had tea leaves read once the lady said I would move to another country and get married I was 19 then and no I did not believe her. ( He he) when I was 26 I meet a guy who is English and in 1986 I moved to England and married him,today we're still married some 25 years later but we live in California now. This Oct 10th we will have our 26th Annv.
ReplyDeleteYour book sounds very good I will be ordering it!
Penney
love mysteries
ReplyDeletemy family was really into fortune tellers. i was told i was going to get married and have a baby. and o boy my family was so happy. 2 yrs later i had a baby .lol they swore it was 'foretold'
blackroze37@yahoo.com
Have never had any experience with fortune tellers.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any experience with them.
ReplyDeleteNever had any kind of reading! It would be fun, I think as long as you didn't take it seriously!
ReplyDeletemlawson17 at hotmail dot com