Keller, a former Star-Bulletin staffer, developed the novel from her short story "Mother Tongue," which won a Pushcart Prize in 1995.

"Comfort Woman" is told in the voices of Beccah, a young Korean-American woman, and her spiritually tortured mother, Akiko.

Beccah learns that Akiko had been a "comfort woman" forced to service Japanese solders during World War II.

The Jan. 6 Publishers Weekly review of "Comfort Woman" calls it "a striking debut by a strongly gifted writer."

Romance reading group meets 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

Local authors Margo Berdeshevsky and Karla Brundage will be featured 4 p.m. tomorrow, Borders, Waikele. Berdeshevsky co-authored "Angel Heirs" and Brundage has work in the anthology "Adam of Ife: Black Women in Praise of Black Men." The first 25 people will receive passes to the screening of the movie "Love Jones" on March 14. Call 676-6699.

Writers support group, 7 p.m. March 14, 23 and 27, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

Scott Shirai presents "Karaoke: Sing Along Guide to Fun & Confidence," 2 p.m. Sunday, Borders, Waikele. Call 676-6699.

The American Poetry Association is accepting original poems, not to exceed 25 lines, for National Open Poetry Contest. Cash prizes. One poem per person. Send with name and address to: the association, P.O. Box 1216, Highland Park, Ill. 60035 by April 30. Call (847) 579-0305.

Ka Palapala Po'okela book awards: Hawaii Book Publishers Association will evaluate books published in Hawaii during 1995 in technical and general categories; general winners will be decided by a public vote in the summer. Call 263-6087 or e-mail: buzz@aloha.net.

A book of Hawaiian songs translated into English and Japanese. The book gives a brief description of each song and contains many beautiful pictures of Hawaii.

"Sugar Water: Hawaii's Plantation Ditches": Carol Wilcox, $20, 159 pages, University of Hawai'i Press

History of how sugar plantations captured and controlled Hawaii's water supply, allowing the mass production of sugar. The book contains pictures of various irrigation systems and gives the history of water development from different perspectives.

"Chinese American Portraits: Personal Histories 1828-1988": Ruthanne Lum McCunn, $18.95, 161 pages, University of Washington Press

Collection of real-life stories and photos tell of the struggles Chinese Americans went through to be accepted, the inter-relationships they faced, and the hardships they endured.

"The Explorers of the Pacific": Geoffrey Badger, $24.95, 239 pages, Kangaroo Press

Revised edition covers two centuries of human voyaging in the Pacific, with discussions on ancient artifacts, societies, navigators' problems and European adventures. Chapters on the "aftermath" of the explorations detail the influence of the beachcombers (Kamehameha had 10 in his entourage by 1790), gunboat diplomacy, remedies for scurvy and other achievements.

"Bali: The Ultimate Island": Leonard Lueras and R. Ian Lloyd, $45, 230 pages, St. Martin's Press

See Bali through more than 200 color photos. The book gives the history of Bali "when men and gods were one," and also covers everything from religion to music.

"The Filipino Piecemeal Sugar Strike of 1924-1925": John E. Reinecke, $23, 141 pages, University of Hawai'i Press

Account of events leading to the battle between strikers and police in Hanapepe, Kauai, which cost the lives of 20 men.

The strike changed the plantations' management policies, moving them toward consolidation. After Reinecke's death, the manuscript was completed by Edward and Alice Beechert.

"Dark Legacy: A Novel of Secrets": Rosalie Wilde, $24.95, 465 pages, Barbara A. Rainey

Fiction about family sins haunting the pastor of an Aina Haina church and his daughter. The book is not yet in stores. Write to: Barbara A. Rainey, P.O. Box 15727, Honolulu 96830-5727. Include $2.25 for shipping.

"Images of Natural Hawaii, A Pictorial Guide to the Aloha State's Native Forest Birds and Plants": Michael Walther, $7.95, 64 pages, Hawaiian Service Inc.

A resource of Hawaii's native bird and plant species. The book contains many photographs of the species, maps depicting the remaining native forest areas and has a section on the threats to the endangered birds and plants.

"Earthwalking Sky Dancers, Women's Pilgrimages to Sacred Places": Edited by Leila Castle, Frog Ltd.

Anthology of world-wide sacred sites. Carole Nervig, a Big Island resident, wrote a chapter about her experience at Nan Madol in Micronesia. Former Big Island resident Hallie Iglehart Austen wrote about Pele's Cave.

1. The Musubi Man Sandi Takayama and Pat Hall, Bess Press (1)
2. Fishes of Hawaii Susan and Thomas Kelly, Bess Press
3. The Goodnight Gecko Gil McBarnet, Ruwanga Trading (2)
4. Three Whales Who Won the Heart of the World Suzanne Kita, Island Heritage (8)
5. Aloha Bear and the Meaning of Aloha Dick Adair, Island Heritage (5)
6. Tales of Tutu Nene and Nele Gale Bates, Island Heritage
7. The Legend of Guava Bear Gale Bates, Island Heritage (10)
8. Adventures of Aloha Bear and Maui the Whale Mark A. Wagenman, Island Heritage (7)
9. Endangered Animals of Hawaii Patrick Ching, Bess Press
10. The Legend of the Laughing Gecko Bruce Hale, Geckostufs (9)

Gift and Travel

1. Viewbook (series) Douglas Peebles, Hawaiian Resources (2)
2. Hawaii, The Big Island Allan Seiden, Island Heritage
3. Scenic Hawaii Series Island Heritage (3)
4. The Choy of Cooking Sam Choy and Catherine Enomoto, Mutual (1)
5. Islands of Hawaii Ray Helbig, Hawaiian Service (7)
6. Waikiki Yesteryear Glen Grant, Mutual
7. From the Skies of Paradise (series) Glen Grant, Chris Cook, Tom Stevens and Douglas Peebles, Mutual (6)
8. Hawaii Blossoms Dorothy and Bob Hargreaves, Island Heritage
9. Maui on My Mind Rita Ariyoshi, Mutual
10. Pidgin to Da Max Douglas Simonson, Pat Sasaki and Ken Sakata, Bess Press

Literature

1. Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen Lydia Liliuokalani, Mutual (1)
2. A Hawaiian Reader edited by A. Grove Day and Carl Stroven, Mutual (9)
3. Stories of Hawaii Jack London, Mutual (10)
4. Teller of Tales Eric Knudsen, Mutual
5. Hawaiian Mythology Martha Beckwith, University of Hawai'i Press
6. Myths and Legends of Hawaii W.D. Westervelt, Mutual (3)
7. Potiki Patricia Grace, UH Press
8. Legends and Myths of Hawaii David Kalakaua, Mutual (8)
9. Mark Twain's Letters From Hawaii Mark Twain, UH Press

10. The Betrayal of Liliuokalani Helena G. Allen, Mutual (7)

Hawaiiana

1. Chicken Skin: True Spooky Stories of Hawai'i Rick Carroll, Bess Press (2)
2. Obake Files Glen Grant, Mutual P(1)
3. Shoal of Time Gavan Daws, UH Press (9)
4. Fornander's Ancient History of the Hawaiian People Abraham Fornander, Mutual (8)
5. Hawaiian Journey Joseph Mullins, Mutual (5)
6. Hawaiian Names English Names Eileen Root, Press Pacifica
7. Pele - Goddess of Hawaiian Volcanoes Herb Kane, Kane Press
8. Ka Lei Ha 'Aheo: Beginning Hawaiian Alberta Hopkins, UH Press
9. To Steal a Kingdom Michael Dougherty, Island Style Press (10)
10. Na Mele O Hawaii Nei Samuel Elbert and Noelani Mahoe, UH Press

Reference

1. New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary Mary Pukui and Samuel Elbert, UH Press (1)
2. Hawaii's Birds Hawaii Audubon Society
3. Hawaii's Humpback Whales Greg Kaufman and Paul Forestell, Island Heritage
4. Pearl Harbor: The Way It Was Scott C.S. Stone, Island Heritage (6b)
5. Kilauea, the Newest Land on Earth Christina Heliker, Island Heritage
6. Atlas of Hawaii O.A. Bushnell, Gavan Daws and Andrew Berger, Island Heritage (6a)
7. Tropical Trees of Hawaii Dorothy & Bob Hargreaves, Island Heritage
8. Growing Native Hawaiian Plants Heidi Bornhorst, Bess Press (2)
9. Birdwatchers Guide to Hawai'i Rick Soehren, UH Press
10. Hawaiian Dictionary (revised) Mary Pukui and Samuel Elbert, UH Press (5)

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.