Cruising Into A Writing Career: Author D.V. Whytes

Today’s author interview is with guest and fellow SinC/Hawaii member, Vicki White. Vicki and her husband Don make up the writing team of D.V. Whytes. 

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAII: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to participate in a Sisters in Crime/Hawaii interview, Vicki. You and your husband Don write mysteries under the nom de plume of D.V. Whytes. The setting of your mystery novel Prism Poison is an African Cruise. How did you come up with the title for this novel?

 

VICKI WHITE: The book had several titles ... The Fever Tree, On the Limpopo, and others. None seemed to fit. There is a murder by poisoning and there is diamond smuggling, so we decided Prism Poison was the name.

 

 

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAII: When did you decide to write the novel Prism Poison? 

VICKI WHITE: I had just been laid off from my job, the department I was working for closed. So Don and I went on a trip. We flew from Honolulu to Nairobi in about 40 hours. I can't sleep on planes. Don slept through the trip. 

When we arrived in Nairobi, they took us to the Karen Blixen home at the foot of the Angola Mts. Then we went to our hotel to clean up and go to a dinner at the Magnificent 5, where they serve rhino, giraffe, wildebeest, lion and elephant. I tried to settle down with a diet coke and piece of toast, but couldn't do it because I was so tired. We missed the dinner. 

We did 2 safaris, one in Amboeseli and one in Tsavo. We arrived in Mombassa the day of the bombing to catch a cruise ship to travel the east coast of Africa to Capt Town. The trip was terrific and we decided to write the trip into a Novel/murder mystery.

 

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAII: What was it like for you, Vicki and Don, to be in Mombasa the day of the bombing in November 2002, and how did you incorporate your experiences into the novel? 

VICKI WHITE: The city was in mayhem, but we thought it was somewhat normal, as Africa is always in some type of turmoil. They have no organizing skills there that we have ever seen. The security to board the ship was heightened, but no one told us about the bombing. 

When we got to the ship's restaurant for dinner, there was a great crowd. One woman was sitting on the floor. I spoke with her. She was on the El Al plane that diverted from the land to air missile. 

During dinner the Captain gave the announcement and also told us we would not be going to Zanzibar as it was an Al-Qaeda hideout. This was a direct order from Great Britain Prime Minister and the President of the US. 

I had made a daily diary of our trip and used it with our pictures that we took on the trip. There was a hotel that was bombed and we just imagined what it might have been like to have been there.

 

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAII: Do you have plans for another novel based on your travels? 

VICKI WHITE: Most definitely. We have one coming out very soon titled Cookie Crumbs, Green Eyes and Murder. This is taken from our trip, when we caught a cruiseliner from Thailand and sailed to Venice. A most wonderful 30 days. This book is great. It is our hope to continue the Greystone Murder Mysteries into a series of several exotic travels.

 

Vicki and Don White's novels are available at Amazon.com under the nom de plume of D.V. Whytes.

 

 

 

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Sisters in Crime/Hawaii Does HPD SIS and Museum Tour

 

Honolulu Police Department
Main Police Station, Beretania Street



“. . . fascinated by the real-life origins of Charlie Chan.”

“. . . spent some time talking to Officer Fatu,”

“. . .whirlwind tour due to emergency call-out of the crime scene techs.”

Officer Croom



Officer Fatu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jenny Delos Santos presented our guides with traditional kukui nut lei at the beginning of our tour. 

The Scientific Investigation Section of the Honolulu Police Department is located at the Main Police Station on Beretania Street in Honolulu. On April 21, 2015, Sisters in Crime/Hawaii had an opportunity to tour the HPD lab and museum. Due to an emergency call-out, the lab was being shut down early, so our museum tour was halted while Officer Fatu escorted all 24 of us down to the lab first. Rather than cancel the tour, the HPD tour officers merely juggled their schedule and graciously allowing us access to the lab.

Glowing summaries from Sisters/Misters in Crime/Hawaii members of their experience on the tour:

Kent Reinker, author of Science Fiction and Medical Thriller novels

http://www.amazon.com/Alain-Gunn/e/B00J84QD1Y/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1430090522&sr=1-1 

 I particularly liked the historical background that Eddie Croom gave us (in the museum). The fact that the police department has existed under the monarchy, independent republic and American state of Hawaii is very interesting, particularly since the historical roots continue to be represented symbolically on the present-day badge, which includes depictions of both the kapu sticks of authority and the law of the broken paddle. I was also fascinated by the real-life origins of Charlie Chan. 

Officer Croom welcoming SinC/Hawaii
to the HPD museum tour

 

 



 

 

A.J. Llewellyn, author of Mysteries set in Hawai’i

http://www.amazon.com/A.-J.-Llewellyn/e/B002DBJBC2/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1430090547&sr=1-2-ent

 

HPD Officer Fatu

I spent some time talking to Officer Fatu, and asked how the HPD cops felt about the TV series Hawaii Five-O. "We laugh at it. We think it's funny. It's off the mark in so many ways, including the kinds of crimes really taking place in Hawaii and the weapons that are used by both criminals and HPD." That said, he wanted to audition for the role of Kono Kalakaua in the reboot. "The original Kono was a big, Hawaiian guy like me, but they said, 'No, we're going with a Korean-Canadian actress for this!'" He did get to appear in the series however. "Look at this handsome guy!" he cracked, showing me footage of him firing a gun in a street scene. "Such good fun!" 

 

 

Joanna Bressler, Author

https://www.facebook.com/joanna.bressler

The Deceptograph

At almost the last minute, Vicki White pointed something out to me in the museum: The Deceptograph, Lie Detector Desk Model, HPD, 1948. Every inch of this ordinary-looking desk was wired to hunt down the lies of the suspects hooked up to it.

I couldn't tear myself away from the Deceptograph because I'm a Deceptograph too. I police my stories relentlessly to find and eliminate the lies in them. Alas, as with all polygraph machines, I am notoriously unreliable.

 

Gail Baugniet, author of Soft-boiled Pepper Bibeau mysteries 

http://www.amazon.com/Gail-M-Baugniet/e/B004QYTEGC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

SinC/Hawaii members
A.J. Llewellyn, Laurie Hanan, Gail Baugniet

 

 

Everything about the tour was exciting for me, including the luncheon at Auntie Pasto’s afterwards. The photographs I took tell much of the story. Our visit to the science lab (SIS) was a whirlwind tour due to an emergency call-out of the crime scene techs, but the sights and information imparted by our guide were invaluable to us as mystery writers and Hawaii residents alike.  

What is a Mass Spectrometer?

Mass Spectrometry (SM) is an analytical chemistry technique that helps identify the amount and type of chemicals present in a sample by measuring the mass-to-charge ratio and abundance of gas-phase ions. A Mass Spectrometer measures ionizes chemical compounds to generate charged molecules or molecule fragments and measures their mass-to-charge ratio.

Mass Spectrometer
 

Evidence collected by Honolulu Police Officers or Detectives is first turned over to Evidence Lockers, to protect chain of custody and to label and record. Any evidence that must be tested is then sent to the Lab, most often drugs such as marijuana or methamphetamines.

Once the evidence is tested, if it leads to a suspect already recorded in NCIC, National Crime Information Center, then a sample of the evidence is sent to the agency that entered the information. That agency then verifies if the sample is a match. If it does match, then the Honolulu Police Department can move forward with their investigation.

In the Firearms Laboratory, analyses are conducted on weapons and ammunition. They have the

capability to conduct any type of examination associated with weapons offenses as well as toolmark examination.  The Rear room of the laboratory is a one-lane indoor firing range, where test fire examinations are held. They also compare fired bullets and shell casings, and restore defaced serial numbers on weapons and other items.

The Gunshot Residue Lab is where they test for what we all know from CSI shows as “GSR”. GSR can be found on the skin or clothing of the person who fired the weapon, on an entrance wound of a victim, or on other target materials at the scene. Clothing or other items submitted to the lab can be tested to determine presence of GSR.

The type of weapon can influence the distribution of GSR, barrel length and caliber affecting how it is emitted. Delay in obtaining residues, movement and/or washing of the body prior to autopsy will diminish or destroy gunshot residues.

A special MAHALO to Jenny Delos Santos, our newest Sisters in Crime/Hawaii member, for scheduling the tour and for working closely with Officer Fatu to ensure we received a tour of Scientific Investigation Section of the Honolulu Police Department.

Jenny with the Motorcycle Display in the Museum

Sisters and Misters in Crime/Hawaii
HPD arranged special seating for us
in the Police Museum for a special presentation
by HPD Officers Croom and Fatu 



Officer Croom telling the story behind the HPD Police badge

   

For more information about the Honolulu Police Department and about their tours, visit:

http://honolulupd.org/community/index.php?page=museum

 

 

 

Author Interview with Children's Book Writer Gloria Andrada

Author Gloria Andrada

Today’s guest and member of Sisters in Crime/Hawai’i,  Gloria Andrada, is the author of the children’s picture book, Stanley’s Bummer Bus Ride. Thank you for taking time to visit, Gloria, and to give us a look at your new book. First, please tell us a little about yourself. 

 

GLORIA ANDRADA: Thank you. I was born and raised in a small town called Waipahu, on the island of O’ahu in Hawai’i. My parents were immigrants from the Philippines. My father was hired to work as a heavy equipment operator for the O’ahu Sugar Plantation. My world of haul cane trucks, sugar cane and plantation took a major turn at age 7 when I spotted a book called, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in a bookstore in Honolulu.  

 

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAI’I: When did you decide to write a children’s book? 

GLORIA ANDRADA: It took a while to decide, because I wanted to write about my paranormal experiences and share the pictures. I won two Storytelling contests in Moiliili when Glen Grant was hosting those. In fact he asked to tell my story and show the pictures. I won, and one of the prizes was one of his Chicken Skin books. He autographed it and it inspired me to reach a goal like writing a book someday. 

What convinced me was a lady named Terri Madden, who’s a director, actress and owner of Play Builders. When I auditioned for a part in the play Wahiawa: Remembah Wen…,I used the Stanley story, but it was a rough form of the book. She told me it was a good story, what I needed was a good illustrator to bring it to life. That became a two-year journey for Stanley to be in book form. 

Stanley is the kid in all of us. He goes and spends a day with his friends and has an experience, and how he handles the situation without depending on a parent is amazing. I wanted a book that the kids in Hawaii could relate to, with words and places they knew, and where they could meet a real, live author who would encourage them to read, get out in Nature and have an adventure.

 

Stanley's Bummer Bus Ride
by
Gloria Andrada

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAI’I: Where did the name Stanley come from?

 

GLORIA ANDRADA: The name Stanley came from my favorite comic book writer, Stan Lee. He wrote about super heroes, like Spiderman. And he is in his 90’s now and is very active. 

The name Stanley in the Urban Dictionary describes him as a sweet, cute and funny guy. He takes care of his friends and is talented at whatever he does. He’s independent and a good friend to have. It’s good to look up your name and see if you’re living up to your name. 

 

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAI’I: What is the age range of readers for your published book? 

GLORIA ANDRADA: The age range of readers is 5-12 years old. It seems their parents enjoy the book as well and experience a deeper meaning to what is not written down but is felt. Gotta read the book. 

 

SISTERS IN CRIME/HAWAI’I: How are you marketing the book?

GLORIA ANDRADA: This is my first, self published book, and what I’m doing is reading in the schools and libraries and getting my name known. So far some the schools and libraries are carrying my book. Kids approach me and tell me I’m the author of Stanley. They have a conversation with me. I think I have a following. Adults approach me and ask it they could be in the next book. I hope I inspired some of the kids to become writers.

 

Thank you for sharing your interesting writing experiences with us, Gloria. We look forward to seeing your book in print. Best of success to you in a long and glorious career.

 

Please visit Gloria's website for more information about the author and her writing, and learn how to purchase her book, Stanley's Bummer Bus Ride, for all the children in your life!

 

http://gloriaandrada.com/

 

 

 

Author Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos Santos: On Writing a Memoir

Aloha Everyone, and Mahalo for joining us today at Sisters in Crime/Hawaii.

Today’s guest author is one of our newest members to Sisters in Crime/Hawaii, Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos Santos. Welcome, to SinC/Hawaii, Jenny and thank you for participating in today’s interview. First, won’t you please share a bit about yourself? 

Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos Santos:

Thank you. I live in the McCully area, near the Hawaii Convention Center. Technically, I grew up in Ewa Beach and went to James Campbell High School. I’m married to my husband Pancho Delos Santos, and I have two adult children from a previous marriage. 

I work at Honolulu Star-Advertiser as an editorial assistant for the newsroom, and I have been there for the past 13 years. My responsibilities include writing On the Move, Business Calendar, Get Involved Calendar, Ship Arrivals and Hawaii Mutuals on a daily basis as well as the obituaries (once a week), payroll (for 120 newsroom employees) when in need and other office duties. 

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii:

You have written a story about an important time in your life. When did you decide to write a Memoir, and why? 

Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos Santos:

My decision to write a Memoir came from many people encouraging me to write a book about my life since they knew I went through a great lot. I became more focused in writing a book when I was told that I couldn’t become a news reporter because I haven’t published anything for the past 10 years. As a result, I thought that I would write my own books, especially since I was fond of reading and writing.

 

My intentions to write a Memoir is to give people, who went through domestic abuse or a traumatic experience, “hope” and “dreams” knowing that if I can go through all that I went through…they also can turn around their lives and become successful in their own way.  

I also want people to know that not everyone abuses the Department of Human Services system, which offers benefits such as food stamps, medical and financial help to the needy, disabled and homeless. Many people end up under dire circumstances, because something traumatic happened in their life, and they just need help to get back on their feet.  

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii:

Why did you decide to join Sisters in Crime/Hawaii? 

Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos Santos: 

By joining a group of writers (such as Sisters in Crime Hawaii), meant that I could be part of a support group, consisting of people who loved to read and write. I remember going to a Sisters in Crime meeting in Kapolei last November, and I was so determined to attend it for the first time. However, I had no idea where Kapolei Library was, and I knew it would take me two hours by bus to reach the destination where the meeting was held. When I finally got to the library, I was in complete awe when I was heartily welcomed by members from the Sisters in Crime Hawaii. Imagine…I finally got to meet real writers, who published numerous books.  

Sisters in Crime/Hawaii:

Where would you most like to live to do your writing? 

Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos Santos:

Hawaii is my first choice to live at while I write books. I like the thought of being surrounded by family, friends and relatives, but at the same time being somewhat secluded for a couple of months as I write. Like, stay at a beautiful resort or a legal vacation rental that has many amenities on the grounds so that I may be able to take time out to rest my weary body after writing for hours and hours. 

Thank you so much for taking time to visit today, Jenny. Best of Success with your writing.

 

Readers can learn more about Jenny Duhaylonsod Delos Santos and visit her at these Web sites: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duhaylonsod 

Follow me on twitter: https://twitter.com/Jenny Delos Santos@duhaylonsod60 

http://www.staradvertiser.com/editorialspremium/20120421__How_I_learned_to_live_with_the_fact_that_diabetes_is_a_lifelong_disease.html?id=148361515 

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/18016 

duhaylonsod60@yahoo.com

 

 

Aloha Romance Writers Reading at Kapolei Library

Secrets, Memorable Dates, Roses & Thorns

 

07 Feb 2015 (Saturday), 10:30am  at Kapolei Public Library

 

Roses & Thorns

 

What’s romance without a little intrigue to keep you on the edge of your seats?  Secrets are sure to keep things interesting. Join our favorite romance writers as they share their different perspectives on this fun topic just in time for Valentine’s Day!  Readings and book giveaways are also planned. 

We hope to see you here at the Library!

Presenting the Romance Writers of America, Aloha Chapter….

Michael Little is the author of the novels Chasing  Cowboys and Queen of the Rodeo.  He is also the author of the short stories "Walter Gets Romantic”, “Pickles and Shawnilynn and Me at the Mall," “Mango Lessons,” “Walter and the Dream Girls,” “Seven Ways to Tell If You Married a   Cosmo Girl,” and “Walter! Walter!” Michael co-edited the anthology The Breakup Queen and Other       Romantic Tales by Hawaii Writers  and was co-editor of Sunset Inn :  Tales from the North Shore.  He edits Island Voices, a blog for writers at www.islandvoiceswriters.blogspot.com


Lynde Lakes holds a Masters  degree from University of California and a California lifetime teaching credential. She is the author of twenty novels including the Virgin Wolf Series and the Ryan Ranch Series.  Her current releases are Virgin Wolf I, II, III and IV Circus Wolf with Evernight Publishing, Cowboy in my Sights with MusItUp Publishing and Cowboy Lies with Wild Rose Press. Find excerpts at www.lyndelakes.com or www.facebook.com/


Shauna Jones has a degree in history    and professional journalism experience.  Her work has appeared in the     Hawaiian Church Chronicles, several newsletters and The Breakup Queen.  Shauna is the Hawaii State representative for the International Women Writers Guide and the Romance Writers Association of America Aloha Chapter Secretary.  She has been coleading a weekly writing group since 2000 and enjoys writing romantic  suspense and  historical romance.


Leslee Ellenson has written several hundred poems, dozens of short stories, several articles on Government Contracting and a manuscript of a contemporary romantic suspense novel titled Isles Apart.  Her work has appeared in the anthologies Strong Currents 2 and Sunset Inn: Tales from the North Shore. A past president of the RWA, Leslee holds both a B.S. and an M.S. in Education.  She works full-time as the Proposal and Contract Manager for the Government Sales Department of Hawaiian Telcom, Inc.


Gail Baugniet is the author of the Pepper Bibeau mystery series.  She has worked in law enforcement as a first responder, police officer and dispatcher. After living through many snowy winters in northern states, she now calls Honolulu, Hawaii her home.  She is president of the Sisters in Crime Hawaii Chapter.  Her novels are available at Amazon.com in trade book and e-book format.

SPECIAL HAWAII AUTHOR EVENT with ALAIN GUNN

Special Author Event Villages of Kapolei Recreation Center Conference Room February 26 at 6:30 p.m. Author Alain Gunn will be at the Kapolei Book Club to speak about his novel, If Pigs Could Cry. The story, which takes place on the Big Island of Hawaii, merges medical horror, science fiction, and current events to bring up disturbing questions regarding medical experimentation on animals, the meat industry, and what makes us human. Meet the author and join the discussion! Books will be available for purchase.

Alain Gunn’s writing benefits from a diversity of experience. He is a surgeon, an educator, a military officer, a hospital administrator, a scientist, and a world traveler. His publications include newspaper articles, textbook chapters, scientific research, short stories, and novels. He has published four novels to date: A Tale of Two Planets, Red Exodus, If Pigs Could Cry, and The Honey Bee. He also contributed a short story to Mystery in Paradise: 13 Tales of Suspense.     His service in the US Army spans more than twenty years, including the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. Following his military career, he was Chief surgeon and chief of the medical staff at Shriner's Hospital where he treated patients throughout the Pacific basin. A Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in Hawaii and Texas, he has lectured or worked in over thirty-five countries, on every inhabited continent. He serves on the editorial board of one orthopaedic journal, reviews submissions to two others, and is author or co-author of more than forty scientific articles published in orthopaedic or genetic journals.      Born and raised in Lakewood, Ohio, he currently lives in Honolulu. He is married and has three children. Hobbies include scuba diving, underwater photography, ocean kayaking, playing banjo in a jazz band, and singing in a choir. After Brad Crenshaw’s daughter, Lani, dies while awaiting a heart transplant, he closes his practice as a pediatric cardiologist. Dr. Crenshaw turns to the laboratory, in an attempt to honor Lani’s memory by creating an unlimited source of transplantable hearts, thus ensuring that other parents and patients do not have to face the same agony his family has endured. His plan is to substitute human DNA in the genomes of cloned swine to make their hearts more compatible with human hosts. After thirteen such substitutions, he is near to complete success. But the cloned swine resulting from the fourteenth substitution demonstrate unexpected changes that threaten his research, his family, his Hawaiian community, and ultimately, the future of humanity.

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