Aloha to all the BAMBOO RIDGE extended family. I hope that you had a great January and that February is none too shabby so far. For all you lovers out there, here’s hoping that this is the best Valentine’s Day for you so far.
Mahalo to all of you who've participated in both the original Great BR 100 Word Contest and this past year's Great BR Fishing & Wishing 100 – 100 Contest.
As we did last year, we are are celebrating Chinese New Year with a month's hiatus in the contest. A new Bamboo Shoots monthly writing contest will begin March 1st, and we hope that you will all continue to send in your great entries.
Keep an eye on the BR website for the new contest rules.
As you may recall, 29 of the pieces submitted between July 2010 and June 2011 for both the original 100-Word Contest and the Fishing & Wishing 100 – 100 Contest were honored at the Wine and Words 100th Issue event in July and will be published in the upcoming landmark 100th BR issue.
Now, out of all the pieces submitted since then — between July 2011 and January 2012 — we have chosen five to honor as well. Each of the five authors will receive a Bamboo Ridge Press exclusive Cora Yee "Walking the Tightrope" T-shirt and a signed copy of Lee Cataluna's THREE YEARS ON DOREEN'S SOFA (Issue #99).
Congratulations again to these five authors who are listed along with the awards they had won over the past seven months:
Da mos Float Like one Buttahfly, Sting Like one Bee Award:
"Inertia," by RICHARDMELENDEZ
http://bambooridge.com/bambooshoot.aspx?bid=1194
Da mos Well Woven Endstory Award:
"Hanako's Dreams," by ERIC KIMURA
http://bambooridge.com/bambooshoot.aspx?bid=1066
Da mos Now Das One Great Grampa Award:
"Pahoa Avenue," by CWONG11
http://bambooridge.com/bambooshoot.aspx?bid=1075
Da mos Wailana Coffee House Sucks — No It Doesn't — Yes It Does — No It Doesn't — Y . . . Award
"Wailana Coffee House Visits," by ØSTBANEGADE
http://www.bambooridge.com/bambooshoot.aspx?bid=1106
Da mos So You Tink You Get Problems Award:
"The Wall," by GLIKS
http://bambooridge.com/bambooshoot.aspx?bid=1096
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And speaking of BRP online happenings, check out the ongoing renshi challenge dealing with the infamous Massie Affair:
http://bambooridge.com/renshi.aspx?sid=2
Also, at the BRP online bookstore, Eric and Darrell continue their surprisingly insane effort to give away the inventory. Right now, there’s a special quantity discount for book purchases the month of February.: First book at full price, every subsequent book of equal or lesser value @ $10 : )
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If you haven’t made your reservations yet, make sure to catch the John Wat and Harry Wong adaptation of Lois-Ann Yamanaka’s SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE PAHALA THEATRE, running at Kumu Kahua Theatre through February 26th:
http://www.kumukahua.org/plays.html
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ALOHA SHORTS will have their next live taping this Sunday, February 12th. Make your reservations to be there for: Liquid Words — Ocean, Sea, and Stream:
http://www.bambooridge.com/event.aspx?pid=3&eid=428
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And for all of you West Coasters within striking distance, it’s never too early to talk about a Lee Cataluna event. She’ll be doing a book signing on March 21 in Rancho Mirage CA:
http://www.bambooridge.com/event.aspx?pid=1&eid=429
Of special interest too, Lee will be doing a reading and workshop on April 12th at the Saguaro Correctional Facility in Arizona where there are hundreds of inmates from Hawaiʻi, some taking creative writing classes. Right/Write on, Lee! You are a good woman for doing this.
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And to give you all a heads-up, the annual Hawaiʻi Book and Music Festival will be held the first weekend in June:
http://www.hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org/index.html
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I think that’s all for now. Again, watch for the new BR online contest rules. We’ll get the show up and running on March 1st : )
Until next time, everybody take care, stay healthy, love your families, oh — and avoid a Super Bowl food and drink coma if possible.
Super Bowl Sunday advice: Take notes at your Super Bowl party. Could be a good story there. I know a woman who locked herself in the bathroom at a Super Bowl party, did not have her cell phone with her, and could not be heard pounding on the door and yelling because of the noise everyone was making. The worst part of the problem was that there were numerous bathrooms in the house, and she happened to be in the one farthest away from the TVs. She did eventually get out when her husband was ready to go and couldn't find her. The makings of a tragic tale all the way — although she would have had an ample water supply — but a happier ending than might have been : )
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Bamboo Ridge Press was founded in 1978 to foster the appreciation, understanding, and creation of literary, visual, or performing arts by, for, or about Hawaiʻi's people. BRP is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts, and the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities.
A hui ho!
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