Month: December 2024

2024 — what a pro­duc­tive year! A lot hap­pened in my writ­ing life this year, and I am so very grateful.

• Kaho’o­lawe: The True Sto­ry of an Island and Her Peo­ple (which launch­es on Feb­ru­ary 4, 2025) is a Junior Library Guild selec­tion. The book also received a starred review in the School Library Jour­nal. So grateful!
• Maha­lo to these tal­ent­ed cre­ators who shared their sto­ries on the blog — Keoni Kealo­ha Alvarez, Megan Kamalei Kaki­mo­to, Cather­ine Payne, Yuko Green and Kealani Netane.
• The blog fea­tured I See Col­or by Valerie Bolling, Tala Learns to Siva by Kealani Netane,  and Lei and the Invis­i­ble Island by Malia Mau­nakea, great reads each one.
• Vic­ki Palmquist of Wind­ing Oak, my web design­er guru, gave my web­site a much need­ed over­haul. It looks great! A spe­cial maha­lo nui to the amaz­ing Hari­nani Orme for shar­ing her beau­ti­ful pho­tos of her huaka’i to Kaho’olawe.
• I am espe­cial­ly grate­ful to my pub­lish­er, Lern­er’s Car­ol Hinz, and my agent, Book­Ends Lit­er­ary’s James McGowan for hav­ing faith in me and for being key to ush­er­ing my sto­ries into the world.

And MAHALO to you, dear read­ers and friends, for com­ing along on this jour­ney with me. Mele Kaliki­ma­ka a me Hau’oli Makahi­ki Hou from our ‘ohana to yours! See you in 2025!