Shave Ice Paradise
KIRKUS 9 BEST BEACH READS 2020
TOP 100 BOOKS SHELF UNBOUND
BOOK EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALIST
SHORTLISTED MYSTERY AND MAYHEM AWARD
“Gina is on a mission, and it's one she never envisioned herself having to accept. Her investigation leads her to Curly, and things are never the same. Seiler writes a fast-paced mystery novel. I found myself trying to work through the clues even when I took breaks in the reading. There is nothing quite like a well-done mystery, and Seiler has more than achieved that through Gina and Curly. I highly recommend mystery fans pick up a copy.”
Literary Titan
“The story is set in Hawaii and describes a beautiful tropical paradise filled with genuine scenes that makes you want to visit. The characters are compelling, and I enjoyed the relationship Curly had with Gina. Nothing about the story is predictable, and I think that is what made this book enjoyable.”
Jeyran Main Top Book Reviewer REEDSY 2019
“Shave Ice Paradise" is such a fun, engaging story! I feel like I should warn readers right off the bat - don't start reading it unless you don't mind your canceling your plans, leaving your house a mess, or spending the weekend in your P.J.'s (or similar lounge attire), because once you start reading, you won't want to put it down! . . . For me, it's the characters that make this story shine. Every character has a personality you won't soon forget - they are quirky, inventive and full of gumption - especially Gina. Strong-willed and reactive, sometimes you just have to shake your head in wonder about where she gets some of the hair-brained ideas she comes up with. You might just find yourself praying she'll come out of things alive. I highly recommend this read - it's an energetic and engaging mystery!”
Sheri Hoyte for Reader Views
“After reading several spooky murder mysteries and getting little sleep, Mark Seiler's book Shave Ice Paradise came into my hands. It was just what I needed: a lighthearted but not shallow mystery. This instructive, witty tale of a heinous crime in a tropical paradise was delightful but not frightful.”
Irma Guzman Wagner, Ph.D.
Dean/Professor Emerita,
Inveterate Bookworm
“Curly has no idea what's in store when he falls head over heels for Gina. While a light romance builds, there are other issues brewing. The protagonist's flaws are just the tip of the iceberg as Seiler slowly but deftly develops the inner workings of his cast--a vital and attractive element to his literary writing style. Seiler pulls from the several tangled situations to create unpredictable twists and turns, a ticking-bomb climax, and a slam-bang ending.”
Anita Lock, The Feathered Quill
“It's a rare talent to craft a mystery novel that offers a mise-en-scène as rich and complex as the plot. Mark David Seiler accomplishes that with a textured Hawaiian backdrop and a cast of memorable locals who tackle an impossible-to-solve murder and turn it into a delightful peek into the life of real Hawaiians. You will taste the smokey da kine pork sold by the side of the road. You will marvel at the serene beauty of the tea ceremony in a wabi-sabi Japanese tea house. And mostly, you will cherish the relationships between good people struggling to make a basic living while navigating the convoluted politics of glitzy tourist resorts, offshore corporations, and local law enforcement. The mystery will keep you riveted while the characters and the descriptions entertain and educate you. Highly recommended!”
John Leslie Lange, author of Seven Malas
About the Book
Following her aunt's suspicious death, Gina Mori, daughter of a Buddhist minister, searches for a missing handbag and discovers the dark underbelly of paradise. In the course of her investigation, Gina falls for Julius, a stream biologist who has recently moved to Hawaii.
After discovering her lover's secret past, Gina must confront her own demons. A local girl stuck in a dead-end job, Gina stalks corrupt officials, exposes shady land deals, until at last, she comes face to face with the man who murdered the woman who raised her. Shave Ice Paradise has all the ingredients of a delicious mystery: an unsolvable murder, a delightful cast of trusted friends, and an evil antagonist, with plenty of twists and turns leading to a satisfying and unexpected conclusion.
Publisher: Owl House Books
ISBN-13: 978-1947003682
Release Date: May 2020
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Status: Out of Print
Behind the Story
Literary Titan Author Interview
Their Spicy Attitude
Shave Ice Paradise follows Gina as she sets out to solve a murder mystery that exposes her to the dark underbelly of paradise? How did the idea for this novel start and change as you wrote?
From the moment we meet Gina, we are on her side. Like when Little Red Riding Hood leaves the safe confines of home, we want to warn her, “Be on the lookout for wolves dressed in pinafores!” It’s inevitable that our hero will encounter what is waiting for her in the dark forest: love and loss.
I appreciated the banter between Gina and Curly and Curly and Moreno. What did you enjoy the most about their interactions?
I confess, the characters crack me up. I love their spicy attitude, how they tease each other and never give in. I appreciate Moreno’s explanation of monster trucks, a phenomenon I’ve never been able to wrap my head around.
I enjoyed the mystery at the heart of this story. Did you plan the novel before writing or did things develop organically while writing?
The writing process begins with the characters, a wild and unruly bunch. I talk with them about my plans till I’m blue in the face, it’s no use, they’re going to do things their own way. It’s a mystery novel, but in my view, at the heart of Shave Ice Paradise is a love story.
What is the next novel that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently seeking publication of my fourth novel, RIFT. Hours after a powerful earthquake strikes San Francisco, world-renowned architect, D.T. Hiro, arrives from Tokyo and finds himself entangled in a violent street protest. Stepping in front of a police baton to protect a stranger, Hiro meets a kindred spirit. The death of a beloved street musician, the destruction of Alcatraz, and two gritty survivors ignite a vision of compassion that heals a city and renews our faith in second chances.
Feathered Quill Author Interview with Anita Lock
The Tables are Turned
FQ: What would you say was the turning point in your life that led you to become a writer?
SEILER: When you’re a kid, you notice little things, like air. “Hey! Why isn’t anyone talking about this invisible stuff?” Even though we can’t live long without air, we just kind of get used to it and don’t really think about it much. Little invisible things, like air, tend to go unnoticed until the tiny unseen things gather together into a storm: a tornado carries away your home or a gale blows your ship off course and you find yourself shipwrecked on a desert island. What was the turning point? Why did I begin writing? I blame the little invisible forces.
FQ: Who would you say are your inspirational authors, and why?
SEILER: Just the right book, at just the right time in your life, can change the world. As a terrible teen, a kind, older woman gave me Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Looking back on it, had I not run into those hobbits and elves at just that precise moment, I probably would have become an orc? Books aren’t just “okay.” Books change the world.
FQ: What books would you say have had the most influence on your life as a writer, and why?
SEILER: Before I ever dreamed of becoming a writer, reading Hermann Hesse’s Narcissus and Goldman in high school had a profound effect on the trajectory of my life. Many of Hesse’s novels follow a similar pattern: childhood friends take diverse paths, one quits school runs away and has unexpected adventures and experiences, while the other youth goes to university and leads a conventional life. By chance, many years later, the two friends meet and compare mythologies. I love stories that blend the knowledge learned from experience with the knowledge that can be taught. And yes, I was the friend who ran away.
FQ: Since Hawaii is your place of residence it makes perfect sense to write a story that weaves everything Hawaii in them. There are under fifty novels (according to Wikipedia—thirty-three, to be exact) written with Hawaii in the backdrop. Have you read any of them, and if so, would you consider any of them to be inspirations to why you’ve chosen to write a Hawaiian-based novel? If not, what inspired you to write this story?
SEILER: I’m shocked there are only thirty-three Hawaiian novels. If you walk around the neighborhood you’re bound to bump into at least thirty-three storytellers. Life is a struggle on the island. Locals work three jobs to make ends meet, but they make time to talk story. Along with the constant Trade Winds, there is also a prevailing attitude of giving on the islands. A little respect, a measure of kindness, and a pinch of generosity returns to you thousandfold. If you’re very lucky, you will encounter the true Aloha Spirit which can’t be captured with words, but must be experienced. I’m constantly inspired and humbled by the people I meet.
FQ: What would you say is the inspiration for your characters in Shaved Ice Paradise?
SEILER: Though other people appear in our dreams, I’ve read that we are all of the people in our dreams, which is crazy to think about. Dreams are wonderful and wild—pure storytelling. We have little, if any, control over the characters in our dreams. Similarly, the characters in Shave Ice Paradise have minds of their own and seldom, if ever, listen to my advice. They are willful, troublesome, stubborn, and fun. I’d like to say we have somethings in common, though I’m not sure they would see it that way.
FQ: You’ve chosen to portray all your characters in Shaved Ice Paradise — protagonists and antagonists alike — with redeeming and flawed qualities, which is not common in literature. Why did you choose to do this?
SEILER: “Redeeming and flawed,” you say? Flawed sounds like a piece of pottery that comes out of the kiln with an imperfection. We’re all certainly works in progress. Somethings in life come easily for us, while other things are just plain hard, if not impossible. What’s in the way, what are the obstacles keeping us from being content? One can make a compelling argument that the reason we’re not happy is because of things that can’t be changed, that we ourselves can never change. One of the dirty secrets is we are able to change. Transformation is not only possible, it is taking place around us all of the time.
FQ: You incorporate environmental issues in Shaved Ice Paradise. Are they based on events that have happened or are presently happening in Hawaii?
SEILER: Yes, there are many serious environmental issues at present in Hawaii.
FQ: With two award-winning books under your belt and a possible third with your latest novel, Shaved Ice Paradise, what plans do you have for your next literary project?g
SEILER: If you love fun characters, my new novel, RIFT, is coming out in the spring of 2021, followed by a thriller, Black Tango. The genres may vary, but at the heart of all my novels is a love story.
FQ: What do you hope your audience will come away with after reading Shaved Ice Paradise?
SEILER: Mostly, I want readers to have fun and enjoy the story. If I’ve done a proper job, there might be one or two points of interest along the way. One of the many things I love about being a writer is hearing from readers. I’ve learned to never underestimate the reader’s imagination. I’m constantly amazed by the rich, wonderful world the reader creates from the words I’ve strung together. When the reader describes the story they read, the tables are turned, and I’m the one who comes away with something new.
FQ: Do you foresee writing more Hawaiian-based mysteries in the near future?
SEILER: My hope is readers enjoy Shave Ice Paradise and they leave me no choice but to write the continuing adventures of Gina Mori.