Maryann talks about the meaning of ALOHA & Incorporating ALOHA into her Writing-from the EP Foster Library
Gather ’round The Paradise Table
Writing ALOHA
Thanks to my English teachers in middle school, I first developed a love of storytelling as a child. I wrote stories ranging from historical fiction to modern-day romances, mysteries, and even futuristic tales.
And then I forgot about my writing…until much later.
My love of theatre in high school and college led me to work in equity and non-equity productions as an acting apprentice and seamstress in the costume department. Soon afterward, I became enthralled with behind-the-scenes – coordinating props, directing, and producing. With my father’s guidance, I eventually landed a film, television, and communications scholarship at one of New York’s leading universities.
My desire to create, write, and produce film and television led me to head to Los Angeles post-college graduation. While I worked at various studios and entertainment agencies throughout my career, I continued to harbor the desire to write and produce my own creative projects. That’s when I had an epiphany—why not put some of my dreams about writing my screenplays (and novels!) into action? I knew I wanted to write inspiring pieces, stories that delved into the human condition, and themes that would give people hope, faith, and a better understanding of our world and our relationship to others in our human family. I asked and prayed that God show me the way he has.
My first project was adapting the best-selling novel by James Michael Pratt entitled, The Lost Valentine, to screen. I fell in love with the story, which deals with the themes of family, lasting love, and service to country, and wrote the screenplay on spec. Hallmark Hall of Fame committed to the movie a few years later, and Betty White and Jennifer Love Hewitt were cast in the lead roles. I am proud to say the film went on to win critical acclaim and the night in ratings for CBS-TV, with over 15 million people tuning in. It has since become part of Hallmark’s Classic Collection and is available on DVD and streamed on Hallmark Movies. Betty White received a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie for her performance as “Caroline,” the film won Movieguide’s prestigious “Faith and Freedom Award.”
A few years and projects later, I returned to another idea I always expressed to my friends and family — that I would write novels one day.
Although I needed to figure out the subject matter of my first novel, I came up with a book title and an idea in 2014. Soon after, I started writing, but the story wasn’t calling me yet, so I put my manuscript away. It wasn’t until I visited the ancient Garden Isle of Kauai that the story of Lady in the Window unfolded.
Lady in the Window tells the journey of Kate Grace, a successful journalist who seemingly has it all until she doesn’t. Kate faces the trials and tribulations that we all face at one time or another — the death of a loved one, the breakup of a romantic relationship, and the desire to find one’s authentic place in the world. It’s a magical story about healing, finding one’s path, and the infinite bond between mother and daughter.
Other books in the Kate Grace novel series, The Paradise Table, Secrets of Grace Manor, Under the Tropical Skies, and other books yet to be written. All my work focuses on themes of ALOHA— love, family, friendship, healing, and topics inherent to the human condition.
Blessings to you and thank you for taking an interest in my work. I appreciate you! Please feel free to contact and interact with me on Facebook.com/MaryannRidiniSpencer.
Aloha,
Maryann
The Meaning of ALOHA
Aloha, the beautiful word that just rolls off the tongue, is the Hawaiian word used when you greet a person “hello,” or bid a person farewell. Aloha also means with love and affection, and its meaning also extends to an attitude or way of living life.
You’ve probably heard the terms “The Spirit of Aloha” or “The Way of Aloha” — it means a way of interacting with the natural world and all those who live in that world. Living “in the spirit” or “the way” of Aloha is living by a specific code of ethics which includes, but is not limited to: love, kindness, tolerance, compassion, respect, and honor of all humanity and living things. Living “the way” also includes the thoughtful and deliberate preservation of the earth and its precious resources, the joyful sharing of oneself with others, the act of being committed to the caring and the sustainability of one’s community and the planet, and “conscious manifestation” to live life joyfully in the present. The list of meanings goes on, but clearly, Aloha means so much more than “hello” or “goodbye.”
For me, ‘Living Aloha’ is more than just a law. It’s a way of life, a philosophy that resonates deeply with my beliefs. I see it as living the way God wants us to live, and I consider it my mission, my joy, and my privilege to be able to write about these themes, whether the backdrop is modern-day Hawaii or another place and time in the world.
Since writing Lady in the Window, I’ve formally dedicated myself to writing themes of love, hope, gratitude, service, compassion, and other topics expressing God’s calling to humanity.
The “Law of the Aloha Spirit” or “Aloha Spirit Law” (1986, Hawai’i Revised Statutes, 5.7-5)
The Aloha Spirit Law is an existing law “on the books” in Hawaii. It acknowledges that the Aloha Spirit was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to the people of Hawaii.
It’s not just for the citizens and government officials of Hawaii. This law extends its reach to all those who step foot on our beautiful islands. It’s a call for everyone to conduct themselves in accordance with the principles of love, respect, and compassion, as outlined in the Aloha Spirit Law.
