Do you regret having given up acting to become a Hawaiian private eye? I haven’t given it up completely. I still do some acting—commercials, mostly. And I just got a walk-on part in Hawaii Five-0.
You like being a private eye then? For sure. It’s dangerous, but it’s a lotta fun, too. You get to meet some cool people. And we’re getting better with each case.
What’s the best part? Solving the case? I like putting the pieces of the puzzle together and watching it take shape. What a trip.
The three of you are best friends; is that right? Linda and I have been BFFs for years. JJ—who used to go by the name of Jill—is my cousin. But the three of us get along real well. We’re kinda like The Three Musketeers, but very easy on the eyes.
What was your most dangerous moment so far as a P.I.? We’ve had a few, but I’d say being stuck with William Howell at a secluded cottage up north was pretty scary. For a few seconds, I really thought we might end up dead. The guy was an absolute psycho.
Are you planning on keeping the agency on Oahu or do you think you might eventually return to California? I think we all agree that Hawaii’s our new—and permanent—home. But maybe we’ll expand the agency one day, to Kauai and Maui. Anything’s possible.
What would you advise other women who might be considering becoming private investigators? Learn all you can about the trade first. Know what you’re getting yourself into. Take self-defense courses. Make sure you know how to use a gun and Taser, because you never know.
Do you make good money in this profession? We’ve made some, sure.
Are there perks? You get to meet a lot of people and end up being god friends. You’re always learning interesting tidbits, not just about the case or life, but yourself. You also get to try things you’ve never done before.
Such as? P.I. stuff—like techniques, do’s and don’ts. Different ways to defend yourself and new modes of fitness. And how to deal with wingdings and fruitcakes.
Have you ever shot anyone? I’ve had to protect myself.
You don’t want to elaborate? Nope.
As a P.I., what’s one thing you’re good at and one thing you’re bad at? I’m good at asking questions and getting answers, and finding things. I’m bad at driving and taking attitude.
What do you three women do for fun? JJ’s gotten into boxing. She’s into fitness. The poor dear really sucks at swimming, so she’s taken a couple of sailing and surfing lessons—just to get comfortable with water. Linda’s into cooking and wine-tasting. She loves to read and write and blog. Me, I’m into shopping, spas, and movies. Together, to cut loose, we kick off our shoes and enjoy Mai-Tais. Driving around the Island to try new food trucks is something we like doing, too.
What do you do when you have free time? Shop.
What’s your pet peeve? Attitude.
Do you have a romantic interest in your life right now? Who has the time?
Are you working on a case at the moment? We have a couple, but I can’t talk about them. Call me in a couple of weeks and I’ll share; we should have put them to bed by then.
The Writer's Grab-Bag 