Aloha to Books with a Past in Glenwood, Maryland

The New Year weekend gave me chance to visit my favorite book store, BOOKS WITH A PAST.  From its website (link),

Books With A Past was opened in 1996 by Marvin and Mary Alice Schaefer. Over the first few years, the Schaefers expanded from a small 1400-square-foot store with 7,000 volumes to a 4,200-square-foot, 100,000 volume size. In December 2009, the Schaefers sold Books With A Past, name and all, to Erin Matthews. Erin is an avid reader who has wanted to own a bookstore since she was 15. She is grateful to the Schaefers and to the local community who have made this dream possible.

I discovered BOOKS WITH A PAST when we first lived on Fort Meade (the assignment before Hawaii).  I enjoyed chatting with Marvin and Mary Alice - they were retired mathematicians!  Erin has done a fabulous effort in modernizing the store, including the romance section.

Oh, look!  The shop offers plenty of Cathy Maxwell books!

Love the tote bag!

The store offers a comfy sofa to sample the books.

Erin mentioned she hosted a Frozen party with a dozen princesses.

How about candle scents inspired by book settings ... 

... Winterfell for George R. Martin fans ... 

... and Sassenach for Diana Gabaldon fans. 

  

The cat didn't want to come to work the day we visited the store.  We'll catch him next time.

What is your favorite book store?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 9, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 10.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to San Antonio - Authors Galore, Menger Hotel, and Librarian's Day

 

The stars were bright in San Antonio for RWA's Annual Conference, including Avery Flynn, Kimberly Kincaid, Cathy Maxwell, Carly Phillips, and Robin Covington.

Cathy and I enjoyed an evening stroll.  Above is the La Antorcha de la Amistad - the Torch of Friendship.  Sculpted by Mexican artist Sebastian, it was a gift from the Mexican government to the City of San Antonio in 2002.

Another view of the Tower of the Americas ...

... and the Alamo at twilight.

 The corner of Alamo Plaza and Crockett Street leads to the historic Menger Hotel.

From Wikipedia,

By the 1870s, the Menger was the best known hotel in the southwest. The hotel is mentioned several times in the works of O Henry, and hosted Ulysses S. Grant in 1880. It hosted Theodore Roosevelt at least three times, most notably in 1898 when he used the bar to recruit Rough Riders, who fought in Cuba in the Spanish-American War.

The Victorian interior offered a step back into a luxurious past ...

... including a stained glass ceiling.

The next day, I attended the Librarian's Day, including a networking event with ...

... Shana Galen holding a chocolate kiss martini, shaken but not stirred, in honor of her new historical romance, LOVE AND LET SPY.

Navy Veteran-turned-Harlequin author Geri Krotow (right) greets the chief librarian from Fort Sam Houston.   What's better than a day spent with librarians?!?!

One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about a historic hotel that you have visited.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, August 16, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, August 17.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Jennifer McQuiston (left) and Candis Terry (right) 

Aloha to the NJRW Conference (part 2)

  
Saturday morning kicked off with Connie Brockway and Eloisa James - The Fabulous Sexy Novella:

Join Connie and Eloisa for this special presentation on how the novella is experiencing a comeback.  This workshop will address ways to create a novella that readers will love. 

Connie and Eloisa worked well as a team with an infusion of humor!

This writer is ready for a Steampunk Tea Party with her cute hat from the Scarlet Fairy, www.scarletfairy.com.

Cathy Maxwell is ready for the Highlands with her handcrafted leather sporran ... 

... with the Maxwell motto, "I flourish" (link).    Check out the its designer, Macski's Highland Gear, www.macskis.com.

Cathy presented Empowering the Writer within You:

It takes courage to be a writer willing to put her work out there.  Cathy will discuss techniques and strategies for staying ahead in the business of writing and protecting our most precious resource - our creativity.

Each time Cathy speaks, she raises the bar in motivating writers (and bloggers) to achieve their dreams.   Had Cathy remained in the Navy, I believe Admiral Maxwell could have been an eloquent spokesperson for the Department of Defense. Alas, the Navy's loss was Romance's gain as she now writes heartfelt historicals.    

I am giving away two conference bags filled with fun swag plus:

Diana Cosby's HIS CAPTIVE
Diana Cosby's HIS WOMAN
Margaret Mallory's KNIGHT OF DESIRE
Eloisa James' KISS ME ANNABEL
Anthology, THE LADY MOST LIKELY, with Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about what motto you would choose for your handcrafted sporran - feel free to make one up! 

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 26, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 27.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Anne Walradt, Cathy, and Margaret Mallory

Aloha to the New Jersey Romance Writers (NJRW) Conference (part 1)

This past weekend, I drove with Cathy Maxwell to the New Jersey Romance Writers (NJRW) Put Your Heart In A Book Conference (link).  The theme was DREAM BIG - WRITE NOW.  Cathy and I arrived just in time for the cocktail reception to celebrate the writing contest finalists.  Above is Diana Cosby, Cathy, and Diane Gaston.    

Kimberly Rocha from BOOK OBSESSED CHICKS (link) joined our group.  After chatting with Kimberly, I realized that we both attended Lora Leigh's RAW - she's in the picture of line dancing at this link.   

C.H. Admirand and Sara Humphreys chatted about their publisher, Sourcebooks.

The West Coast was represented by Margaret Mallory (Washington) and Jane Porter (California).

Cathy and I dined at the Kona Grill in memory of Hawaii. After eating healthy entrees, we splurged on a decadent dessert - butter cake with vanilla ice cream.   There are no calories at conferences, right?

I am giving away two conference bags filled with fun swag plus:

Diana Cosby's HIS CAPTIVE
Diana Cosby's HIS WOMAN
Margaret Mallory's KNIGHT OF DESIRE
Eloisa James' KISS ME ANNABEL
Anthology, THE LADY MOST LIKELY, with Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about your favorite dessert.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 26, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winners on Saturday, October 27.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Giving Thanks - A steersman for a stormy day

I often sit at my computer and wait for inspiration.  Tonight, I didn't have to wait too long as my husband (in Korea) sent me an email.   He generously cropped my pictures from the Medal of Honor book signing on October 6 at the Hale Koa - House of the Warrior.    I add the words from Cathy Maxwell's guest post on Fox News (at this link).  

Thank you for stepping forward when others step back.

Thank you for placing yourself between us and danger.

Thank you for delaying plans for college, marriage, and other opportunities and choosing to serve.

Thank you for braving the unspeakable horrors of war.

Thank you for sacrificing time with your families and missing those significant milestones the rest of us take for granted.

Thank you to your spouses who find themselves living nomadic lives, often far away from the support of loved ones.

Thank you to your children who accept your absence as a way of life and understand they share you with a nation and sometimes the world.

Thank you to your parents who have nothing but prayers to protect you and must now trust you will be safe and that we will offer the best we have to you.

Thank you for continuing to support your country once you leave military service by following new careers and becoming the teachers, clergy, business owners, employees, pilots, civil servants and so much more that we need to be a successful society.

Thank you for involving yourself in your local community, your state, and your country, helping us to solve problems and to create a vision for our future using the skills you learned during your tour of duty.

Thank you for being a conscience to our nation.

Thank you for serving as a heroic example of who we are and what we can dream to be.

Thank you for your service.

The military can be a grand life, but there isn’t a fighter squadron, destroyer, or combat team that doesn’t know what it is like to lose people. Even in peacetime, soldiering is dangerous work and always has been.

Please, let us never forget that freedom comes at a price.

He ho'okele wa'a no ka la 'ino. 

A steersman for a stormy day.

A courageous person.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii