Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Guest Blogger Cathryn Cade - In Love With a Place


Have you ever fallen in love with a place?

My favorite destination on earth is Hawaii. Warm sun, soft breezes, palm trees swaying over lush vegetation… aloha! We love Maui with its party atmosphere and the whales that linger in Ma'alea Bay, but after honeymooning there, and returning with our boys, we wanted to try a different island. Last spring my DH and I bought tickets for Kona-Kailua.

The Big Island now has my heart. We found a condo next to a picturesque beach, and not too far south of Kona-Kailua town. Our tiny third floor lanai looked out onto Magic Sands beach, full of local body surfers and a few honu, sea turtles. It's a little rough for snorkeling, so every day we loaded our gear and cooler in the car and headed for a new adventure.

The Big Island has fewer beaches than Maui, but because there is less sand, it also has clearer water. Honaunau Bay is a wonderland of tropical fish, turtles and the occasional eel. If you're very lucky, the spinner dolphins, the nai'a, will cruise into the bay for their mid-day rest. If they rise around you to take a breath, it's the thrill of a lifetime.

We also visited the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on Mauna Loa. To my dismay, no molten lava flowed. But the evidence was all around us—these islands were built with Pele's fire.

After a day of snorkeling, swimming and touring, evening usually found us on the lanai drinking mai-tais and eating ahi sashimi (raw tuna soaked in spices, herbs and soy sauce—yum!), and watching the sun set over the ocean.

Hawaii is not only gorgeous, it's full of interesting people. Hawaiian natives, engaged in their day to day lives while they graciously endure visitors from all over the globe. The aloha spirit is alive and well. I couldn't help spinning stories for the picturesque natives and tourists I saw—and out of the notes on my laptop grew my next book series.

Hawaiian Heroes debuts April 10 @ Samhain Publishing, with Walking in Fire.

Born to defend his people, he will sacrifice everything—for her.

Nawea Bay, a remote Hawaiian paradise, is just the haven Melia Carson needs to escape the chill of heartache. Instead, she finds herself swept up in a tropical heat wave, fueled by her unexpected attraction to a handsome native she meets on a snorkel tour.

He’s big, powerful, hot enough to melt her defenses—and he’s not all he seems. How else could he survive an injury that should have killed him…and why does she dream of him garbed in ancient native dress and wreathed in flames?

David “Malu” Ho’omalu must find and destroy a cache of dangerous designer drugs before they can be sold to his people. Fending off amorous female tourists is part of the job, but one look in Melia’s blue eyes, and his instincts scream that she is his.

As Melia surrenders to the desire burning between them, she discovers more than a fiery heritage that defies modern logic. She discovers a man who will descend into the molten depths of the volcano to protect his island. And her…if she can find the strength to trust her heart to him.

Product Warnings
Hot, hot Hawaiian hero with volcanic passion on his mind. Better pack a heat-proof bikini for this island paradise.

I hope you'll give this series a try, and fall in love with Hawaii yourself. Stop by my website to read an excerpt, and stay tuned for release month contests and prizes.

Leave a comment here, and I'll enter you in a random drawing for a free e-copy of Walking in Fire.
Aloha,
Cathryn

Cathryn Cade lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she works an elementary school librarian, attempting to inspire future readers. She is happily married to her best friend, has two sons and a golden retriever, and loves to read. She is a book nerd with an extremely active fantasy life, which she now gets paid to reveal in her romance books, so all in all, she feels extremely blessed.

10 comments:

  1. Ooh ooh ooh! What could be better? Hot hero and Hawaiian setting! You make it sound so awesome Cathryn! Welcome to the Naughty Nine!

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  2. Pacific NW! Also, your book sounds fascinating and possibly paranormal. LOVE IT.

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  3. I've only been to Hawaii once but I would love to go again. I stayed on the island of Oahu. Part of the trip was spent exploring Honolulu and the other half was spent on the North Shore. Loved the people, food, sunsets and sounds.

    Congrats on the book, Cathryn. It sounds lovely.

    geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

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  4. Welcome to the Naughty Nine, Cathryn. I've always wanted to go to Hawaii, and after reading your descriptions, I'm even more enthusiastic.

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  5. I have always wanted to visit Hawaii. As an added plus, I would love to read this book and maybe get a little bit of Hawaii on the page!
    jepebATverizonDOTnet

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  6. Hawaii sounds lovely. But as a chick with waaaay too many fat cells, I prefer cooler places. My favorite place on the planet? Newfoundland, Canada.
    Beautiful ocean, rugged land, friendly people, and the finest drinking establishments on earth.

    I can't wait to go back!

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  7. Cathryn, I totally agree with you about the Big Island! We're here right now and I couldn't be happier. I never want to leave. Can't wait to read your book!

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  8. Welcome, Cathryn. Walking in Fire sounds awesome.

    And the Big Island is definitely the best (that's not a size queen thing, btw. lol!)

    Next time you go though, you have to give the Hilo side a try. I used to be a Kaloa girl 'til Pahoa stole my heart...well, as much as it can be stolen from California, that is. ;)

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  9. Ladies,

    Thanks so much for welcoming me to your blog, and for your enthusiasm about my book. I certainly look forward to sharing my version of red hawt Hawaii with everyone.

    Those of you who get to live on the Big Island, wow! And thanks for the tip about Hilo--we'll put it on our itinerary for our trip over this spring.

    Stop by my website this weekend, and see who has won a FREE copy of the book.

    I noticed today Walking in Fire is available on Amazon for pre-order. Will be soon on Samhain, as well.

    Cathryn

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  10. Katie,

    Newfoundland sounds ruggedly beautiful, and I've always wanted to visit there.

    My DH and I are all about great beer. (I mention Kona Brewing in Hawaiian Heroes Bk 2: Rolling in the Deep) We'll definitely put Newfoundland in our bucket list of travel places.

    Cathryn

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