Spotlight of The Aloha Spirit by Linda Ulleseit

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TYPORAMA
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THE ALOHA SPIRIT

LINDA ULLESEIT

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR.

  

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Linda writes books inspired by stories told to her by her grandmother about her female ancestors.

This book was inspired by my husband's grandmother, who was always loving and welcoming.

I wondered how she was able to be that sort of adult when she'd experienced such a difficult childhood.

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2020 Grand Prize winner for CIBA Goethe award

2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards): Bronze Winner in West-Pacific - Best Regional Fiction

Included in Parade's list of "Poolside Reads You'll Want to Pick Up Before the End of Summer!"

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PRAISE FOR THE ALOHA SPIRIT:

 

The poignant and atmospheric tale captures the pre–World War II diversity of Hawaiian culture, a melting pot of religions and ethos... Evocative and engaging, with a protagonist determined to keep the aloha spirit in her heart.” ―Kirkus Reviews 

“Ulleseit writes with a strong grasp of local color to send the Hawaiian spirit flowing through your veins . . . an exceptional story of a woman whose unwavering spirit has been tested at a very young age and continues throughout her years.”―Readers Favorite, FIVE STARS

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ABOUT THE ALOHA SPIRIT:

 

The spirit of aloha is found in Hawaii’s fresh ocean air, the flowers, the trade winds . . . the natural beauty that smoothes the struggles of daily life.

 

In 1922 Honolulu, unhappy in the adoptive family that’s raised her, 

 

Dolores begins to search for that spirit early on—and she begins by running away at sixteen to live with her newlywed friend Maria.
 

Trying to find her own love, Dolores marries a young Portuguese man named Manolo. 

 

His large family embraces her, but when his drinking leads to physical abuse, only his relative Alberto comes to her rescue—and sparks a passion within Dolores that she hasn’t known before. 

 

Staunch Catholics can’t divorce, however; so, after the Pearl Harbor attack, Dolores flees with her two daughters to California, only to be followed by both Manolo and Alberto. In California, Manolo’s drinking problems continue—and Alberto’s begin. 

 

Outraged that yet another man in her life is turning to the bottle for answers, Dolores starts to doubt her feelings for Alberto. 

 

Is he only going to disappoint her, as Manolo has? Or is Alberto the embodiment of the aloha spirit she’s been seeking?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Linda Ulleseit has an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University. She is a member of the Hawaii Writers Guild, Women Writing the West, and Paper Lantern Writers.

 

Linda is the award-winning author of two novels, Under the Almond Trees and The Aloha Spirit. 

 

Her books are the stories of women in her family who were extraordinary but unsung.

 

She recently retired from teaching elementary school and now enjoys writing full time as well as cooking, leatherworking, reading, gardening, spending time with her family, and walking her dog.

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