Elvis Tiki Bday @ Forbidden Island

Written By Will Viharo

With Molokai Mike (Photo by Jane Tyska)
"The Burning Love" cocktail special

Celebrating Elvis Presley's birthday has been a tradition in my life for many years. I officially met my wife Monica Tiki Goddess at an Elvis Bday Party at The Ivy Room on January 8, 1998 (after unofficially encountering her at my midnite show at the Parkway on May 31, 1997, when she spun my wheel before Jailhouse Rock.) After many successful Elvis Bday (and D-day, August 16) movie shows at the Parkway and Cerrito Theaters over the years, the party has moved to Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge in Alameda, co-run by Elvis fan Michael Thanos, my good pal. It was the first official collaboration between Thrillville and my favorite tiki lounge, for which I do PR, and it was one big hunka love, baby.
Monica digs the PB&B sandwich

The bar was packed all night by a plethora of Elvis fans young and old. I gave out a bunch of prizes via my trademarked b.s trivia questions. Some in the audience may not have even been Elvis fans per se, at least not when they walked in, but no doubt their "E.Q." was a lot higher on the way out. The delicious peanut butter and banana sandwiches went like hotcakes, and the specially-themed Elvis cocktail specials were likewise popular:Monica Tiki Goddess was like an Elvis concert roadie, checking IDs at the door while I MC'd:

There were also movies on the big "indoor drive-in" screen:
And Elvis himselvis showed up, much to the excitement of the female patrons:
We did The King justice. Across town, my pal Deacon Rivers of the Church of Elvis was throwing his own b-day shindig. Deacon Rivers - AKA PM Clary - was my original partner in organizing these annual events. Now we're spreading the Graceland Gospel all over the East Bay. Read about both shindigs in Angela Woodall's column here.

This was one of my favorite Bday celebrations ever. It was a beautiful way to kick off the year, and the decade. Hail to the King! Cheers & TCB, "Wilvis."
Will Viharo

WILL "THE THRILL" VIHARO is a freelance writer and the author of several "gonzo pulp" novels including "A Mermaid Drowns in the Midnight Lounge," "Freaks That Carry Your Luggage up to the Room," "Chumpy Walnut," "Lavender Blonde," "Down a Dark Alley," and the “Vic Valentine, Private Eye” series, the first of which, "Love Stories Are Too Violent For Me," has been optioned for a film by Christian Slater, reissued in 2013 by Gutter Books, which also published the new Vic Valentine novel "Hard-boiled Heart" in December, 2015.

Two science fiction novels, "It Came from Hangar 18" and "The Space Needler's Intergalactic Bar Guide," were written in collaboration with Scott Fulks, who added real science to Will's pulp.

Will's own imprint, Thrillville Press, has issued a three volume anthology series featuring all of his standalone novels called "The Thrillville Pulp Fiction Collection," along with another omnibus called "The Vic Valentine Classic Case Files," which include four novels from the 1990s, "Fate Is My Pimp," "Romance Takes a Rain Check," "I Lost My Heart in Hollywood," and "Diary of a Dick," plus a recent short story, "Brain Mistrust."

More recently published books include the Vic Valentine "Mental Case Files" trilogy comprised of "Vic Valentine: International Man of Misery," "Vic Valentine: Lounge Lizard For Hire," and "Vic Valentine: Space Cadet"; the original story collection "Vic Valentine, Private Eye: 14 Vignettes"; the erotic horror noir novella "Things I Do When I'm Awake"; and a collection of erotic horror noir stories, "VIHORROR! Cocktales of Sex and Death."

Additionally Will has had stories included in a variety of anthologies including "Fast Women and Neon Lights: Eighties-Inspired Neon Noir"; "Mixed Up!"; "Long Distance Drunks: A Tribute to Charles Bukowski"; "Deadlines: A Tribute to William Wallace"; "Dark Yonder: Tales and Tabs"; "Knucklehead Noir" and "Weird Winter Wonderland" (both Coffin Hop Press); and "Pop the Clutch: Thrilling Tales of Rockabilly, Monsters, and Hot Rod Horror."

Viharo's unique brand of "gonzo pulp fiction" combines elements of eroticism, noir, fantasy, and horror. For many years he has also been a professional film programmer/impresario and live music booker. He now lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and cats

https://www.thrillville.net
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