What’s in Mrs. Hale’s Receipt for the Millions 1857?
1387. Choice of Reading. – Never keep a house without books. Life is not life to any great purpose where books are not.
Hawaii No Ka Oi and Some Exciting News
I’m excited to be part of the launch of best selling author Toby Neal‘s Lei Crime Series Kindle World. Her successful police procedural series is set in the islands of Hawaii.
As some of you may know, I’ve always had Hawaii in my heart. In 1969, while waiting for a Peace Corps assignment, 
I flew out from Maryland to Honolulu to stay with my youngest brother. I had no concept of exactly how the Hawaiian Islands were composed – were there more than two islands? I had been given some idea by the original Hawaii 5-0, but alas, Iolani Palace, the model for the intrepid team’s headquarters, was closed up when I got there. The state legislature had moved to their brand new facility.
Hawaii took me by surprise. I fell in love with it. While waiting on the Peace Corps, I enrolled in an art class at the University of Hawaii and began singing folk songs at the Off Center Coffee House where wonderful musicians and singers gathered. I hiked with the Hawaii Trail and Mountain Club. When I did get my call to serve, I accepted because training was in Hilo. I’d still be in Hawaii.
As it turned out, that particular Peace Corps program was not for me and I returned to Honolulu and entered UH full time in their BFA program. A year later, I met my future husband. I got my BFA in weaving and textiles. We married four years later(1974) on the Big Island where our first son was born. Life was good. So are the memories. When we had to move away, I carried many with me and never forgot.
Toby Neal and the Lei Crime Series
I met Toby Neal on-line around 2005. Always drawn to things Hawaii, we became virtual friends. In 2011, when my middle son graduated from UH Manoa, I flew down to meet Toby and her writing group on Maui. It was a wonderful evening I’ll never forget.
I’ll also never forget Toby’s plan at that time to get her books published. Her vision and passion was so clear. It’s been wonderful to see her novels with Lei Texeria and Micheal Stevens (and other characters from the Lei Crime series with their own stories) so well received. Toby has done incredibly well, bringing to life contemporary Hawaii that tourists don’t see, while populating her novels with characters you grow to love. I have been a fan from early on.
Writing in @TobyNeal Lei Crime Kindle World
And now her own Kindle World: Lei Crime World. What an honor! Toby joins Hugh Howey, Bella Andre, JA Konrath and others, an excellent community of writers with their own Kindle Worlds.
I’m flattered to be among a group of writers invited to help Toby with her launch. You can go to her post here announcing the upcoming launch and see the other writers. It’s a challenge and a blast to be writing my first suspense/mystery. Mouflon sheep, Iraq War veterans and greed are some of the elements of my novella. And beloved places of the Big Island and Maui.
I hope you will join us for the launch. Mahalo nui loa.
