Dust off your coconut bras and grass skirts, because Jill Landis is hosting a party to celebrate the release of her new book. Oh, and you are invited, too. Landis will be signing copies of “Three to Get Lei’d,” the
Dust off your coconut bras and grass skirts, because Jill Landis is hosting a party to celebrate the release of her new book. Oh, and you are invited, too.
Landis will be signing copies of “Three to Get Lei’d,” the third book in her Tiki Goddess Mystery series, at 2 p.m. Sunday at Tahiti Nui in Hanalei.
The book signing will be hosted, fittingly enough, in the luau room of Tahiti Nui.
There will be live music from the Pono Kane Trio, food, a no-host bar and hula (of course).
“We will have hula, spontaneous hula, crazy hula, serious hula,” Landis said, adding she will probably hula in between signing books. “It’s a lot of fun. Any excuse to have a party — I give it to them once a year.”
The Tiki Goddess Mysteries are “tales of the madcap capers of a troupe of whacky geriatric hula dancers set on the North Shore of Kauai,” according to Landis’ website.
“The books appeal to all ages — grandmothers and their granddaughters can read them,” Landis said.
Her inspiration? Life on Kauai.
Landis has owned a home on island since the 70s, and has become a full-time resident of Kauai’s North Shore since 2008.
“Things that are so normal to us can be very quirky, we are just used to it,” Landis said. “I can put a spin on it to make it funnier. I mean, where else do you go to a bus bench blessing?”
“Three to Get Lei’d” follows the hula maidens on the adventure to figure out who stabbed someone with the Chef Kimo’s sashimi knife, that nobody is ever supposed to touch.
And don’t think these books are just for people dreaming of a Hawaiian vacation.
“Its been very surprising, people all over just love these books,” Landis said. “Visitors have been here are like, ‘Oh this is just like Kauai.’ People that live here go, ‘Is that me? I hope that’s me?’”
Landis, who admits she was a bit reserved in her first Tiki Goddess book, said she was worried her friends would be wary if they popped up in her books. Instead, she has friends who write down their catchphrases hoping it would made a cameo in the series.
“I make caricatures out of all kinds of people, I blend parts of different people, and it’s just fun,” Landis said.
Landis said her favorite character is Kiki — the crazy bossy pants who thinks she’s in charge of the hula maidens.
“It’s me and a whole bunch of people wrapped into one.”
Fans who can’t make it to this Sunday’s event can hold out for next year. Landis said her upcoming title is “Too Hot Four Hula.”
Landis has written more than 25 novels, and has garnered a slew of awards for her romance and fiction novels. For more information, visit www.thetikigoddess.com. Landis’ book is available for purchase on her website or Amazon.com.
What: Jill Landis will be signing copies of ‘Three to Get Lei’d’
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Tahiti Nui in Hanalei
Cost: Free
Details: Hula dancing, pupus, a no-host bar and live music
