Sharon Keiko Simmons shares her family memoir, "Gaman," tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Aloha Books in Kihei, and 2:30 to 4 p.m. at Waldenbooks, Lahaina Cannery Mall.

Mary Koski, artist and author of the "Stowaway Fairy" books, shares her latest children's book, about the fairy's volcano adventure, 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at Barnes & Noble.

"The Musubi Man" creator, Sandi Takayama, will be at Borders, Waikele, 11 a.m. tomorrow.

Star-Bulletin ocean reporter Greg Ambrose talks about "Shark Bites," 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at Honolulu Book Shops, Ala Moana.

He will also sign books at Waldenbooks, Koko Marina, 3 p.m. Saturday and at Waldenbooks, Windward Mall, 1 p.m. Sunday.

Learn how to sing with Scott Shirai's "Karaoke" guide, 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at Honolulu Book Shops, Kailua Shopping Center.

Penelope Neri presents her Christmas anthology, "Deck the Halls," 1 p.m. tomorrow at Borders, Waikele.

Rick Carroll presents spooky tales, "Chicken Skin," 2 p.m. tomorrow at Waldenbooks, Koko Marina, and 2 p.m. Dec. 21 at Waldenbooks, Windward Mall.

Dennis Fujitake, Kevin Sullivan and Deb Aoki sign books noon Sunday at Borders, Ward Centre. Fujitake and Sullivan did the "Dead Gecko" books. Sullivan and Aoki created "The Best Hawaiian Style Mother Goose Ever."

Mirka Knaster discusses her guide to holistic health, "Discovering the Body's Wisdom," 7 p.m. Tuesday at Barnes & Noble.

Talk with Glen Grant, keeper of the "Obake Files," 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Honolulu Book Shops, Ala Moana.

The awards, which include a $500 cash prize, recognize the best in drama, journalism, screenplays and teleplays. Entries, except for plays, must have been initially produced, or published in newspapers or magazines, in 1996.

The competition is open to writers who live west of the Mississippi River. For an entry form, write to: PEN Center USA West, 672 S. Lafayette Park Place, Suite 41, Los Angeles CA 90057. Selection is by panels of writers, editors, critics and booksellers.

Takes readers down into the shattered and "hot" hulls of ships sent to the bottom during the "Crossroads" atom-bomb tests a half-century ago.

Author James Delgado, executive director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, was part of the team of underwater archaeologists who explored the wrecks. The book is part science and part personal reaction to the event.

Delgado "calls the irradiated island of Bikini a 'museum of the modern age,' and like a skilled museum guide, he immerses his readers in this haunting site," notes Edward T. Linenthal, author of "Preserving Memory: The Struggle to Create America's Holocaust Museum."

"Ghost Fleet" (ISBN 0-8248-1868-7) is $21.95 paperbound.

"To AIR Is Human: Aviation Adventures & Anecdotes": Ray Thiele, $9.95, 190 pages, Olomana Publishers

The Kailua aviation writer, author of "Kennedy's Hawaiian Air," presents photographs and stories about the exciting and humorous times shared by pilots and passengers.

Thiele notes that the book contains "a number of hairy-scarey adventure tales and dozens of anecdotes, mostly humorous, but all essentially true. Embellished a little? ...yes!"

"To AIR Is Human" (ISBN 0-9643365-1-0) is $9.95 paperbound and is available from Olomana Publishers, 1605 Uluamahi Place, Kailua HI 96734, or from bookstores and museum shops.

"A Legendary Tradition of Kamapua'a": Lilikala Kame'eleihiwa, $22.95, Bishop Museum Press

Translation of the epic story of the Hawaiian god who can take the form of a giant boar, with insights into 19th-century Hawaiian culture. Illustrated with block prints by Dietrich Varez.

"Karaoke: Sing Along Guide To Fun & Confidence": Scott Shirai, $10.95, Visual Perspectives

Techniques to improve singing and reduce stress.

"Dateline Tanonaka": Dalton Tanonaka, $8.95, Honolulu Dolphin Works

Sequel to two books about life in Japan from the perspective of a Big Island son. This trip ranges from Las Vegas to China and the Philippines.

"Retail Selling Made Easy": Ron Martin, $23.95, 146 pages, Success Dynamics

Advice for businesses on using Martin's "Pro-Active, No-Pressure selling system." He provides a script for approaching customers and talking with them to find out what they want.

"Gaman: A Generation in Hawai'i": Sharon Keiko Simmons, $7.95, 122 pages, Black Tiger Press

Memoir by a Maui resident celebrates the family and the lessons it teaches. Gaman is a Japanese term for strength of will, or the endurance of hardship and change with grace.

"Kamehameha IV: Alexander Liholiho": Ruby Hasegawa Lowe, 112 pages, Kamehameha Schools Press

Biography of King Liholiho is part of a series written by Kamehameha Schools faculty. Illustrations by Robin Yoko Racoma.

"'O Kamehameha V: Lot Kapuaiwa": Rosalin Uphus Comeau, 108 pages, Kamehameha Schools Press

Hawaiian-language version of the biography of Prince Lot has been translated by Ipo Wong and edited by Hana Pau. Illustrations by Robin Yoko Burningham.

"Ode's Den": Harriet Gay, $11.95, University Editions

Former Hawaii resident's novel follows a Massachusetss woman on her search for her identity.

2. The Musubi Man Sandi Takayama and Pat Hall, Bess Press

3. Native Animals of Hawaii Patrick Ching, Bess Press

4. Gecko Hide and Seek Gil McBarnet, Ruwanga Trading (10)

5. Aloha Bear and the Meaning of Aloha Dick Adair, Island Heritage (1)

6. Tales of Tutu Nene and Nele Gale Bates, Island Heritage

7. Beautiful Birds of Hawaii Patrick Ching, Bess Press

8. Three Whales Who Won the Heart of the World Suzanne Kita, Island Heritage (3)

9. The Legend of the Laughing Gecko Bruce Hale, Geckostufs (8)

10. (tied) Keiki's First Books (series) Wren and Maile, Bess Press

10 (tied). Adventures of Aloha Bear and Maui the Whale Mark A. Wagenman, Island Heritage (4)

2. Viewbook (series) Douglas Peebles, Hawaiian Resources (2)

3. Islands of Hawaii Ray Helbig, Hawaiian Service

4. Hawaii The Big Island Glen Grant, Peter French and Greg Vaughn, Mutual Publishing

5. From the Skies of Paradise (series) Glen Grant, Chris Cook, Tom Stevens and Douglas Peebles, Mutual Publishing (3)

6. Maui's Hana Highway Angela Kay Kepler, Mutual Publishing

7. Maui on My Mind Rita Ariyoshi, Mutual Publishing

8. Kauai, The Garden Island Allan Seiden, Island Heritage (7)

9. Hawaii Blossoms Dorothy and Bob Hargreaves, Island Heritage (6)

10. The Essential Guide to Maui Island Heritage (4)

2. Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen Lydia Liliuokalani, Mutual Publishing (3)

3. Myths and Legends of Hawaii W.D. Westervelt, Mutual Publishing (8)

4. The Betrayal of Liliuokalani Helena G. Allen, Mutual Publishing (10)

5. Mark Twain in Hawaii Mark Twain, Mutual Publishing

6. (tied) Horror in Paradise edited by A. Grove Day and Bacil Kirtley, Mutual Publishing

6. (tied) Stories of Hawaii Jack London, Mutual Publishing (9)

2. Hawaiian Journey Joseph Mullins, Mutual Publishing (1)

3. Obake - Ghost Stories in Hawaii Glen Grant, Mutual Publishing (6)

4. Honolulu Mysteries Glen Grant, Mutual Publishing

5. Hawaiian Names English Names Eileen Root, Press Pacifica (3)

6. Pele - Goddess of Hawaiian Volcanoes Herb Kane, Kane Press (7)

2. Birth by Fire: A Guide to Hawaii's Volcanoes Bob Krauss, Island Heritage

3. Exotic Tropicals of Hawaii Angela Kay Kepler and Jacob R. Mau, Mutual Publishing (8)

4. Hawaii's Fishes: A Guide for Snorkelers, Divers and Aquarists John Hoover, Mutual Publishing (4)

5. Hawaii's Birds Hawaii Audubon Society, Hawaiian Service

6. Tropical Trees of Hawaii Dorothy & Bob Hargreaves, Island Heritage

7. Surfer's Guide to Hawaii Greg Ambrose, Bess Press

8. Atlas of Hawaii O.A. Bushnell, Gavan Daws and Andrew Berger, Island Heritage (7)

9. Learn Hawaiian at Home Kahikahealani Wight, Bess Press

These are best-selling books in Hawaii during the period noted. Figures are courtesy of the Hawaii Book Publishers Association and Book-lines distributors, and reflect sales by Hawaii-based publishers. A star () denotes a title that has been on the market at least five years or more; a number in parenthesis indicates a title's previous ranking.