Ashes in a Coconut

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Pub Date 15 May 2019 | Archive Date 26 Apr 2019

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Description

To save her marriage, Laura Harrison accompanies her husband Jack to Indonesia where he is to take over as president of troubled bank; but when her premonitions become reality, events spin out of control. Laura expects their new home in Jakarta to be a romantic hideaway like something out of a classic Bogart movie. Instead she walks into a house of horrors. White sheets cover Gothic furnishings, and black garments hang in the closets. It's as if the former occupants had fled from some danger. Despite feelings of doom, Laura is determined to make things work. At the local market she's appalled to see a baby orangutan for sale, its mother having been killer by loggers. She resolves to save the endangered primates and their rainforest habitat. As Laura attempts to grow closer to her husband, they become at odds over his shady business dealings. And when his secrets and life of lies are revealed, Laura finds herself alone and responsible for her own destiny.

To save her marriage, Laura Harrison accompanies her husband Jack to Indonesia where he is to take over as president of troubled bank; but when her premonitions become reality, events spin out of...


A Note From the Publisher

BO KEARNS, journalist and writer of fiction, is the author of Ashes in a Coconut, a novel set in Indonesia, where he lived for three years. He is a feature writer with Northbay biz magazine and the Sonoma Index-Tribune newspaper. His short stories have won awards—First Prize, Napa Valley College writing contest, Honorable Mention-Glimmer Train Fiction Open competition, and Finalist- Redwood Writers On the Edge genre competition. Other works have been published in the annual California Writers Club Literary Review, Napa Valley Writers First Press, The Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine and Sonoma: Stories of a Region and Its People. He is a UC Naturalist, beekeeper, avid hiker and active supporter of conservation causes. He lives in the wine country of Sonoma with his wife. Learn more at http://bokearns.com/.

BO KEARNS, journalist and writer of fiction, is the author of Ashes in a Coconut, a novel set in Indonesia, where he lived for three years. He is a feature writer with Northbay biz magazine and the...


Advance Praise

 "...an intriguing page-turner."—Kirkus Reviews

“Bo Kearns brings the reader intimately close to the intriguing local color and customs of exotic Indonesia. Ashes in a Coconut weaves a tale of corruption, betrayal, and ultimately redemption that had me marveling at the resiliency of the characters to the very last page. A wonderful debut!”—Reyna Marder Gentin, author of Unreasonable Doubts

“Whet your appetite for the dazzling palette of colors and aromas, the bustling mysterious world of Indonesia…described by author, Bo Kearns, a talented wordsmith and a keen observer….what he paints is the transformation of heart and mind and spirit, an inspiring and sometimes terrifying rebirth. Ashes in a Coconut should be on the top of the list for any reader who cares about the planet or the people who inhabit it.”—Daniel Coshnear, Willa Cather Fiction Award winner and author of Jobs & Other Preoccupations and Occupy & Other Love Stories

“Ashes in a Coconut fascinated me from the first house on fire to the final coconut. In 1990s Indonesia, a banker fights to save his company and his honor while a strong woman works to overcome American expat stereotypes. Both deal with clashing cultures, political upheaval, and corruption in government and international banking undermining the love they are trying to repair. Kudos to Bo on his debut novel.”–Eric Witchey. Award-winning author of Bull's Labyrinth and Littlest Death

“I enjoyed spending time with Jack and Laura as they attempt to mend their marriage and make their way through the Jakarta of 1983, a glamorous and dangerous place of Singapore Slings, shady bankers, mysterious curses, seductive servants, damaged rain forests, magnificent Buddhist temples, and orphaned orangutans.”—Molly Giles, author of Rough Translations, winner of The Flannery O’Connor Prize, the Boston Globe Award, and The Bay Area Book Reviewers’ Award and other award-winning story collections

“A colorful and exotic novel, this [is] a taut thriller with a plot steeped in betrayal and corruption….perfectly suited to those who love thrillers and stories of travel. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.”—Readers Favorite, 5 stars


 "...an intriguing page-turner."—Kirkus Reviews

“Bo Kearns brings the reader intimately close to the intriguing local color and customs of exotic Indonesia. Ashes in a Coconut weaves a tale of...


Marketing Plan

ONE WANTS TO SAVE ORANGUTANS

THE OTHER IS FUNDING RAINFOREST DEVELOPMENT

NEITHER HAS ANY IDEA HOW THINGS WORK IN THEIR ADOPTED COUNTRY

AND ONE JUST MADE A BIG MISTAKE

ONE WANTS TO SAVE ORANGUTANS

THE OTHER IS FUNDING RAINFOREST DEVELOPMENT

NEITHER HAS ANY IDEA HOW THINGS WORK IN THEIR ADOPTED COUNTRY

AND ONE JUST MADE A BIG MISTAKE


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781945181504
PRICE US$14.99 (USD)

Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

This Book is Fascinating and takes place in Indonesia . i quickly loved the characters and the main gal Laura. Her fascination with superstition and rituals went hand in hand with some strange phenomena and events happening in their new home . Her husband Jacks takes a new job , which sends them to Indonesia and Laura must leave her New York Home, job, and lifestyle.
Laura faces adjusting to new life, marriage trials and tribulations, and self discovery as well. It was a great thrill ride and exotic writting. Great plot, betrayl, corruption, and thrills.
Laura must face many things and finds herself responsible for her own destiny and life path.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

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At first I had a hard time getting into this book because it is not what I usually read but I am glad I did! I thought the author did a great job with the characters and making you feel as if you were a part of their story. All in all it was a great one and I recommend it to others!

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Laura Harrison accompanied her husband Jack to Indonesia when he is set to take over as president of a troubled bank. She's intending to save her marriage, even though she has the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. She finds meaning in helping to save endangered orangutans and their habitat, but her husband is caught up in a lot of shady dealings that start to force them apart.

Ashes in a Coconut is Bo Kearns' debut novel, and he had actually been in Indonesia as part of his career in finance. This is evident in how vivid his descriptions of Bali are when the book opens, and he describes even the accents of the people talking with Laura and Jack. They witness a funeral with a tour guide as they explore the location outside their resort on the way to Jakarta, and it's more like a celebration of life than quiet misery. Following the cremation, the ashes are placed inside a young coconut and it's floated into the ocean. This is obviously the source of the novel's title, and certainly sets the tone for the rest of the book.

A number of odd happenings and dreary circumstances seem to confirm Laura's premonition that life will be difficult in Jakarta, and the culture clashes are inevitable. Grift and bribery is almost a way of life for most Indonesians in the 1980's, and there is very little emotional support for Laura or Jack. Both react in ways they never thought that they would; situations like this can bring out the best or worst in people, and they're no different. The uneasy feeling that Laura had permeates the novel, and I felt bad for most of the people involved. There were times when I was sorry for them, despite their poor choices, and at other times I would've like to reach through the pages to shake them for their stupidity. The novel didn't end in the way that I expected it to, but it fits the story. I'm left with a melancholy kind of feeling, but it's tempered with hope for the future as well.

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This was a good story, but I did not feel too much connection to it. Laura and Jack are busy people from New York City. Jack is a banker, and Laura is a designer. Jack receives an offer to take over as president of the bank branch in Indonesia. Laura now must give up her life. As soon as they arrive in Jakarta, Laura starts having premonitions and bad feelings about not only Jack's work but also their home. Over time, Laura finds new friends and a new purpose. However, the good times don't last forever.

This book was really well-written, and Kearns is wonderful at catching the likeness of his characters. This story is outside the realm of what I normally read, but I still enjoyed reading it. It was a little slow paced for me, but there was never a dull moment. If you enjoy reading about beautiful experiences in a beautiful place, I recommend you check it out.

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This Book is different than what I was expected and I really enjoyed this debut authors novel. I enjoyed that it took place in Indonesia . I embraced the characters, especially the protagonist Laura.

In Ashes in a Coconut Laura's husband Jacks takes a new job , which is located in Indonesia and Laura must leave her very different life in NYC which sends them to Indonesia and Laura must leave her New York Home, job, and lifestyle.

This book has elements of superstition, rituals, marriage trials, and self discovery.

The plot was great and there is an element of corruption which takes the reader on a rollercoaster of a ride.
At its core, this is a romance, but much more than that.

I think readers of all genres will enjoy this story.

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