The Hawaii Home Book: Practical Tips for Tropical Living - Softcover

Anderson is a freelance writer living on the island of Hawaii. She is a regular contributor and feature writer for the West Hawaii Today newspaper and the managing editor of a national trade magazine on school construction.

First, buy a mallet

Ah, paradise. The idea of beautiful settings filled with beautiful people has piqued the curiosity of many impressionable travelers, lured to Hawaii by glossy brochures and countless TV shows playing up the islands' natural splendor.

Living in paradise does comes with its own particular set of problems. Thing is, it's not always about you: You might be adjusting well to your new environment, but your new home could be on shaky ground.

Millipedes? Check. Termites? Check. Check. The broken, in-line propane tiki-torch system that seemed like a good idea at the time? Check. Check. Check.

What happens if you've settled into the community of your dreams but your charming home is beginning to crumble around your feet, wondered Karen Anderson, a Big Island-based author who writes about home and garden topics unique to Hawaii.

Anderson has written The Hawaii Home Book, which specifically discusses caring for a home in paradise. "The idea came for the book because there wasn't any on the subject," said Anderson. "I thought I'd better do it now before someone else does. I wanted to fill that void."

Anderson is managing editor for At Home in West Hawaii, a Sunday supplement to the West Hawaii Today newspaper. Her book offers suggestions on topics from removing the termites that eat away at the structure of your home to combating the salt air that chips away at your varnish.

Her inimitable words of advice to any homeowner who dread dealing with the elements? "Don't freak out. There isn't a problem that can't be solved with vigilance."

No prophetic words here, just advice that can apply to homes in most any location. A list of resources includes useful contacts, rules of thumb for hiring contractors, plus guidelines for obtaining building permits.

Her advice is the result of firsthand experience, said Anderson, also a property site manager for Kealakekua Bay Properties in southern Kona. "Being a site manager, I might have learned a thing or two."

But mostly, Anderson turned to service professionals when she began working on the book. She tackled such topics as mold control, battling salt-air corrosion, energy efficiency and landscaping with native plants.

Anderson offers plenty of advice on keeping a home and surrounding areas weatherproof and waterproof. But the most feedback she's gotten has centered on troublesome creatures -- coqui frogs, gold dust day geckos and, in particular, termites. "A lot of people really liked the chapters on bugs."

She does have a few choice personal extermination methods, tactics that some might consider offbeat: "I surveyed people for their favorite methods of killing centipedes. People spoke of pouring gasoline and chopping and burning them, but I can't imagine the sight or smell. Some used a machete or tongs, but my favorite method is a rubber mallet."

Though there are plentiful chapters, one subject Anderson wishes she expanded upon on is irrigation. She hopes to add more on that topic in her next book. In the meanwhile, "I think it's a fun book; there's a sense of humor. But I hope people enjoy the book and find it useful."

Her own pet peeve? Millipedes. "They just don't seem to die." Not even with a mallet. --Jacquelyn Carberry, Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Living on a tropical island isn't always as idyllic as the advertising people over at Corona would like you to think. Most of us who actually live in Hawaii can recount tales of late-night millipede encounters, barking geckos and cockroaches large enough to eat at the big kids' table. Karen Anderson's how-to bible The Hawaii Home Book: Practical Tips for Tropical Living makes residing in paradise Corona-commercial simple.

Geared for those who are building, remodeling or customizing their homes, Anderson's guide covers everything from tax incentives to tiki torches. What makes living in Hawaii unique also creates challenges. Concerned about Coqui frogs? Want to know the best way to light up that coconut tree in your front yard? Anderson's got you covered. The large color photographs make it easy to tell the difference between flooring like teak and tigerwood, transforming the reader into a materials master. Who knew monkeypod looks excellent when polished? While most of the book is strictly for home owners, the Finishing Touches chapter has some great ideas that even lowly renters can use to transform that Kaimuki studio into a lush, inviting retreat to be proud of. --The Honolulu Weekly