Takeaways from Paradise

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. I’m the last member of Murder is Everywhere to write about the Left Coast Crime convention on the Island of Oahu. Jeffrey shared the people part of the convention and the contrasts between busy Oahu and quiet Kauai. Susan got up insanely early to photograph a sunrise … Read more

Malia’s Gap Year

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. Congratulations to Malia Obama. She’s made it through the constant observation that began with her entrance to the White House in 5th grade. Both Malia and her 8th grade sister, Sasha, have gracefully stayed the course without acting out and remaining close to their parents. Malia, an excellent … Read more

Hawaii Journal Part Two

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. In Hawaiian, the ‘Iolani bird is a heavenly hawk. Queen Emma chose it as the name for the Anglican school she founded for Hawaiian and mixed-race boys in Oahu between 1863 and 1870. Approximately 150 years later, the renaissance royal is gone but not forgotten. Many institutions … Read more

Hawaii Journal Part One

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. I shouldn’t be in Hawaii right now, watching the waves roll in and basking in sunshine. The only reason I’m here is because I’m a worrier. In 2014, I began the application process for an artistic residency at the Iolani School in Honolulu. I worried I wasn’t going to … Read more

A Taste of Literary New York

This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. One of the perks of East Coast life is the freedom to visit other cities within just a few hours. Recently I caught a 6:30 charter bus to New York City and was midtown by 9:45. I’d temporarily abandoned my peeps in Baltimore to enact a very … Read more

Some Favorite Travel Locations in Japan and India

The following is bonus material from Sujata’s latest newsletter. You can subscribe by clicking here. INDIA The Kerala backwaters are hundreds of miles of brackish waterways that you can travel for an hour or days on houseboats. The gateway for arranging all this is in the town of Alleppey (also known as Alappuzha). Fort Cochin, … Read more