A definition of Hele

1. nvi. To go, come, walk; to move, as in a game; going, moving; a gadabout.
   Figuratively, to die.
2. nvt. To tie, bind, lash, make fast; noose, snare.
   —Hawaiian to English Dictionary, Pukui-Elbert (1986)

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Now that The Perilous Past, fourth book in the series, is published and I can seemingly count on at least some period of a cancer remission, I have started working on a short prequel to The Guild of Ornamental Hermits series. My publisher is eager for it!

We hope to get Hele to Hermitville made into an audiobook. And I hope to gain more readers as a result.

Here are some of the elements that I plan to include in the prequel.

Much more about The (Paranormal) romantic history of Ginger croom and professor almond

Ginger Croom, the stubborn, red-headed California winery heiress, has been such a vivid character to me since I first began to write The Dire Deeds, that it is odd I killed her off at the very beginning of that book. However, as founder of Hermitville, her influence ripples throughout the series and every now and then readers have learned a little more about her.

Her long and bitter disagreement with the Professor over locating Hermitville in Hawai’i is a big part of that backstory. I can’t wait to really get into it in depth!

The Founding of Hermitville

Hermitville is located near Pahoa, in the Puna district of Hawai’i Island. There’s an unfortunate history about how that particular piece of the ‘aina became available for purchase, though it should have stayed in the hands of the Kamapua’a family, and I’ll get into that.

I’ll also be covering some of Ginger’s “Hermit recruitment” tactics.

More about the Hermits

There will be more about background info on the Hermits of Hermitville. Readers will get to know them better, particularly some of the ones who have been more in the background in the first four books.

A New despicable villain (or two)

I’m keeping quiet about this one. It’s a surprise!

☽☆☾