Kailua-Kona author pens first novel
Recently selected by Publishers Weekly as one of 30 semifinalists for the prestigious annual BookLife Prize, Katherine Kayne’s debut novel “Bound in Flame” is being called “a rip-roaring, smart, and vivid romantic adventure with a truly dynamic and memorable heroine [and] an exceptionally appealing Hawaiian setting and a wildly unusual premise. Kayne’s imaginative landscape will cast a spell on readers.”
An epic historical adventure meets sweep-you-off-your-feet romantic fantasy set in Hawaii at the turn of the 20th century, it is with a bolt of inspiration from and deep roots in Hawaii’s wonderfully fascinating history.
“Bound in Flame,” released Oct. 28, centers on Letty Lili‘uokalani Lang, a suffragist of the most fearless kind with a bullwhip, big dreams, and ancient powers she doesn’t yet understand.
Banished to a San Francisco boarding school to tame her wild temper, the story begins with Letty returning home to Hawaii, bringing her devotion to animals with her. She’ll be among the first female veterinarians in history – remarkable in 1909 when women still cannot vote.
With one mad leap into the ocean to save a horse, Letty sets another destiny in motion.
The book is now available in paperback and ebook formats.
Book Clubs meet in November
Kona Stories community bookstore offers many choices of book clubs. Groups meet monthly to discuss books of fiction, travel, memoir, classics or non-fiction. Book groups meet at 6 p.m. and are free if books are purchased from Kona Stories or a $5 donation is appreciated. Bring a pupu or beverage to share and come prepared to discuss the following books at Kona Stories in the Keauhou Shopping Center.
Nov. 19, Classic Group: “Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier
Sixty years after “REBECCA” was first published, Daphne du Maurier’s unsurpassed masterpiece continues to enthrall readers with romance and suspense, as the second Mrs. de Winter narrates the haunting events surrounding her marriage to Maxim de Winter and her growing obsession with his first wife, the beautiful, now dead Rebecca. Includes excerpts from the author’s personal notes and essays, exclusive to this edition.
Nov. 26, Non-Fiction Book Club: “How to Change Your Mind” by Michael Pollan
When Michael Pollan set out to research how LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are being used to provide relief to people suffering from difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression, addiction and anxiety, he did not intend to write what is undoubtedly his most personal book.
But upon discovering how these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill but also of healthy people coming to grips with the challenges of everyday life, he decided to explore the landscape of the mind in the first person as well as the third. Thus began a singular adventure into various altered states of consciousness, along with a dive deep into both the latest brain science and the thriving underground community of psychedelic therapists.
A unique and elegant blend of science, memoir, travel writing, history, and medicine, “How to Change Your Mind” is a triumph of participatory journalism.