Words and Wine at Kona Stories

Kona Stories Book Shop is gearing up to host its next free Words and Wine Event on June 2 at 6 p.m.

During the monthly event, the public is welcomed to participate in a meet and greet with some of Kona’s favorite authors. Complimentary pupus and wine will be served as participants mingle with June’s featured authors: Mary J. Park, Robert Frutos, and Priya Deborah Lucas.

Park wrote the book 38 CHESTNUTS, which delves into the lasting legacy of the Korean War on its survivors through the stories of three generations of one Korean American family. Park won the 2009 Hawai’i Writers Conference Prose Writing Competition and is an alumnae of Squaw Valley Community of Writers. In 2015, she won third place in the Toastmasters Hawai’i Championship of Public Speaking. Currently, Park lives on the Big Island with her high school sweetheart and their four-legged companions. She graduated from Smith College.

Frutos, an internationally recognized author, professional nature photographer, and camera artist, who is also a professional guide, wrote the book Aloha Spirituality. He describes his book as being about “a state of heart, a state of mind, a state of consciousness, and a state of awareness that we as individuals – and humanity as a whole – can benefit fully from and use … to change our lives and the world around us.” As a spiritual educator, counselor, kahu, teacher, presenter, healing practitioner, and multi-business owner, Frutos has created a unique body of work that has been woven together.

Lucas’ book, Aloha Qi gong, is self-depicted as “a practical handbook where we find simple, yet profound, methods of gathering energy to transform your life, heal your physical body, calm your emotions, clear your thoughts and open your heart.” She has studied and taught Qigong for nearly 20 years and is currently a teacher in Hawai’i. Lucas has trained with Luke Chan, Frank Chan, and Grandmaster Feng Zhiming. Since being in Hawai’i, she has studied with Master Liu Jianshe.

The event will begin with an informal meet and greet period. Following the greeting period, a formal book presentation will begin and the evening will end with a question and answer segment.

To learn more, call Brenda or Joy at 324-0350.