I'm a Ukulele Player by Leslie Langley
I play the ukulele. When I
mention this to people, after the spit takes and rude remarks, they ask me why
I don’t play a real instrument. Contrary to popular beliefe, the ukulele is not
the spawn of an unholy union between a guitar and a cartoon character –
although I do agree it looks like that. It is not a toy. Okay, maybe sometimes
it’s a toy.
Don’t know much about the
instrument aside from that unfortunate man named Tiny Tim? Here are some Fun
Facts About The Ukulele:
·
While
it is considered a Hawaiian instrument, it was really invented by Portuguese
immigrants to the island, based on their traditional madieran instruments - machete do
braça, braguinha, rajāo,
and cavaquinho. And no, I have no
idea how to pronounce that. Any of it.
·
It is
played by a very unusual list of celebrities, from mega billionaire Warren
Buffet to The Beatles to Phil the Minion and Sponge Bob Square Pants.
·
“Ukulele”
means “Jumping Flea” in Hawaiian. Don’t feel bad. I don’t get it either.
·
It is
pronounced, “oo-koo-lay-lee.” Apparently I’ve been pronouncing it wrong for 4
years.
·
The
original strings were made of catgut. I have to wonder what possessed someone
to say, “Hey, we need something to make the strings of this uke with. How about
a dead cat’s intestines?” Well, hopefully the cat was dead.
·
There
are four sizes of ukuleles: Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone – all
different sizes. There are even offshoots, like the banjulele (which is fun to
say) and the bass uke (which I’m assuming, like it’s guitar counterpart, is
played by the men your mother warned you about).
·
It’s
often referred to as the instrument ANYONE can play. This explains why I was
able to pick it up. And why my daughter, the trumpet performance major, picked
one up for the first time and played it like a pro.
My grandfather played the
ukulele and I have his. It’s one of five I own – all Sopranos. And yes, I
realize I only need one. It’s like Thin Mint cookies – you can’t eat just one.
Disclaimer – you shouldn’t eat a ukulele.
My newest ukulele with pink
strings – made from plastic, not real dead catgut.
My adoration for the uke led
me to write my Ukulele Mysteries. UKULELE MURDER came out last July and UKULELE
DEADLY comes out April 11. In fact, I’m having a 99c sale on UKULELE MURDER
from April 10-16 just to celebrate!
Maybe…just maybe…this will
inspire you to give the ukulele a try too.
Leslie Langtry is the USA
Today Bestselling author of three cozy comedy series. She lives in the Midwest
with her family and a few cats who do not appreciate her. And she hoards
ukuleles (she might need an intervention).
In addition to the 99c sale
of UKULELE MURDER, Leslie is giving away a signed, print copy of the book to
one lucky commenter on today’s post!
UKULELE MURDER 99c SALE – April 10-16,
2017
Ukulele Murder (A Nani Johnson Mystery)
Aloha Lagoon Mysteries book #1
Nani Johnson thought she had it made when she moved from Kansas to the resort town of Aloha Lagoon, Kauai. In spite of her certifiably crazy mom, Nani is determined that nothing will stop her from becoming a ukulele virtuoso! Unfortunately her Julliard training doesn't help her break into the local music scene due to some heavy competition from the Terrible Trio—three hostile, local musicians. The only work she finds is a few bar mitzvahs and gigs at the kitschy Blue Hawaii Wedding Chapel.
But when one of Nani's competitors drops dead right after a public feud, Nani becomes the police's main suspect. A missing murder weapon, mysterious threats, and a heck of a frame-up job all have Nani worrying she'll be trading in her flowery muumuus for prison orange. Enter hunky local botanist Nick Woodfield, who just might be able to help her clear her name...that is if he doesn't have secrets of his own. With the bodies stacking up, the danger closing in, and the authorities circling, Nani must track down a killer...before she ends up the latest victim of the Ukulele Murderer!
Aloha Lagoon Mysteries book #1
Nani Johnson thought she had it made when she moved from Kansas to the resort town of Aloha Lagoon, Kauai. In spite of her certifiably crazy mom, Nani is determined that nothing will stop her from becoming a ukulele virtuoso! Unfortunately her Julliard training doesn't help her break into the local music scene due to some heavy competition from the Terrible Trio—three hostile, local musicians. The only work she finds is a few bar mitzvahs and gigs at the kitschy Blue Hawaii Wedding Chapel.
But when one of Nani's competitors drops dead right after a public feud, Nani becomes the police's main suspect. A missing murder weapon, mysterious threats, and a heck of a frame-up job all have Nani worrying she'll be trading in her flowery muumuus for prison orange. Enter hunky local botanist Nick Woodfield, who just might be able to help her clear her name...that is if he doesn't have secrets of his own. With the bodies stacking up, the danger closing in, and the authorities circling, Nani must track down a killer...before she ends up the latest victim of the Ukulele Murderer!
BUY LINKS:
Long Links:
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Leslie_Langtry_Ukulele_Murder?id=K5XADAAAQBAJ
Excerpt:
CHAPTER ONE
If
anyone requests "Ukulele Lady," I'm out of here.
I'm not going to do it. Not again. Not for the millionth time. Is that the only
song tourists know? Yeesh. Please, tiki god of the Ukulele, don't let me kill a
tourist today.
"'Ukulele Lady!'" a dumpy,
middle-aged man in a Frankie Goes to
Hollywood T-shirt screams. He gives me a knowing nod with his balding head
to indicate he's the only one in the room who knows true Hawaiian culture.
I hate him. I imagine
bludgeoning him with my koa wood uke.
But I don't. Do you
know how hard it is to get blood out of koa wood? Well…I don't know either, but
I'd guess it isn't easy.
Instead, I play the
damn song—smiling as I imagine shoving his pineapple drink up his…
The crowd cheers as I
perform. I know—it's not so bad having an adoring audience. But this isn't the
audience I want. This is Judah Horowitz's bar mitzvah. One of the few gigs I
could get in Aloha Lagoon.
My name is Hoalohanani
Johnson. My mother, Harriet Jones Johnson, is a bit of a Hawaiian-obsessed nut.
It's so bad that it's to the point where she believes she is the reincarnation
of a Hawaiian princess and says that my name came from a dream from an ancestor
god. In reality, it probably came from the bottom of a rum bottle.
To her endless
annoyance, my redheaded, green-eyed mom comes from a long line of English
ancestors and grew up in Kansas. Dad was a third-generation blond, brown-eyed
German whose name was shortened to Johnson due to the inability to pronounce
whatever the name really was. Neither of my parents had ever been to Hawaii
until Mom and I moved here after Dad died.
I go by Nani. And I now
live in Aloha Lagoon on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, with my mother, who now
calls herself Haliaka and dyes her hair and eyebrows a ridiculous shade of
black that does not look natural.
I've never understood where my dark-brown hair comes from, but I look more
native than she does. Always dressed in a muumuu, Mom wears hibiscus flowers in
her hair and hangs out on my lanai, singing island songs all day and night,
much to my neighbors' dismay. Sigh.
I finish my set, tell
the crowd "aloha," and am cut off by the DJ who decides suddenly to
play a gangsta rap song.
"Thank you!"
Gladys Horowitz of Trenton, New Jersey, and Judah's mother, slips an envelope
into my hands before running to the dance floor to shimmy disturbingly.
Thirteen-year-old Judah hangs his head in shame.
I make my way through
the crowd to the bar and order a decidedly un-Hawaiian vodka tonic.
"Here's the ten
bucks I owe you." The bartender smiles, handing me money.
I gulp my drink, slapping
an empty glass on the bar. "I told you, someone requests it every
time." I take his money and head to my car. My shift in hell is over.
Comments
I really enjoy the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series, and Ukulele Murder was very entertaining..excited about the new book!