Writers Archives - Page 2 of 3

Mahalo, 2023!

December 6, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

What a year it’s been! As 2023 ends, I look back with much aloha and gratitude for the many people who have made such a difference in my writing life.

Mahalo nui loa …

to the amazing writers, artists, and filmmakers who shared their manaʻo here on my blog this past year. Their accomplishments and hard work continue to inspire us!
to the many wonderful writing friends, critique partners, and mentors, especially at Writing Barn’s Courage to Create community, my aloha always. You are a source of encouragement and wisdom I know I can count on.
to my computer gurus, Vicki and Steve Palmquist of Winding Oak, for your patience and tech genius.
to my awesome agent, James MacGowan of BookEnds Literary, for believing in me. Team James all the way!
To my husband, Tim, and my daughters, Kalikolehua, Kawehionalani, and Kaleonani, for supporting me in everything I do. And to my little moʻopuna, Haliʻa and Laʻakea, for being an endless source of childhood wonder and stories.

I look forward to sharing more interviews and book reviews by Native Hawaiian, Polynesian and Hawaiʻi-based creatives. And look for good news in the coming year about my upcoming writing projects! Aloha from our ʻohana to yours! See you in January!

Interview with Illustrator Jing Jing Tsong

August 22, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Talented picture book illustrator Jing Jing Tsong is a master at her craft. Influenced by the principles of monoprint and traditional stone lithography, Jing Jing layers colors and textures to create images that are engaging and compelling. Their visual and emotional appeal communicate a visual experience for young readers and their grown-ups. “In everything I practice,” she says, “I explore the interconnectedness of being.”

We are very pleased to talk story with illustrator Jing Jing Tsong.

Welcome, Jing Jing! For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

I am an amateur musician (cello and stand-up bass), a permanent grom (beginner surfer), and a writer and illustrator. To me, these interests are inextricable—they influence how I approach my life—finding flow, connection and being ready to improvise.

Where did you grow up? Who do you consider to be your biggest supporter?

I grew up in a small college town in central Pennsylvania. Because of my dad’s work (physics researcher) our family had the opportunity to live in West Berlin for a year and then Albuquerque, NM, for a summer.

There have been many “biggest” supporters in different phases of my life. But overall, it is definitely my husband, Michael Austin (who is also a writer/illustrator). We met each other in the Graphic Design program at Penn State. For many years we were rock climbing partners—we had to trust each other in belaying and being ready to take up the slack in the rope if one of us fell. Creatively, when I feel I am falling or feel that I am failing, I trust Mike to catch me or pick me up and encourage me.

Your relationship sounds amazing. Why did you become an illustrator? Did you always knew you could create art?

Honestly, one of the reasons I started to focus on illustration was because I was burned out on being the Art Director of the design studio that Michael and I were partners in. Michael left the business first and committed to illustration full-time. Eventually, when we sold our business, we took a year long sabbatical where I reconnected with family and my creative self. I worked on developing an illustration portfolio and at the end of the year, declared myself an Illustrator. Looking back, it seems rather audacious to make such a life pivot. Luckily, there was no one to tell us we couldn’t, so it worked out well. But full disclosure—I did juggle freelance design work, teaching and playing my cello at dozens of weddings, before I actually practiced illustration full-time.

I never thought I COULDN’T be an artist. My mom used to bring us to the library every weekend for story time and then to replenish our stack of books for the week. I loved picture books and read them well past the time I was an “advanced” reader. After dinner, we often sat around the table as a family and drew and copied things from books. Because my parents loved ballet, I drew a lot of dancers! My dad had an easel set up in the tiny space by the washer and dryer. He experimented with abstract painting. My childhood seems to be a collage of visual experiences and creating art seemed as natural as eating or breathing.

What do you enjoy most about creating art? What are some of your greatest challenges?

The thing I love most is that anything is possible—I am the only to tell myself I can’t.

The greatest challenge is not letting all the amazing work I see on social media distract me from my own journey.

Your art is so expressive and colorful. If you had to choose a favorite project, which would it be and why?

My favorite project is usually the most current one.

The one on my drawing table now, is a middle-grade graphic novel I’ve been working on for the past 7 years. I actually have sketches for initial explorations that date back 12 years! It started out as a picture-book, but my editor suggested it would be stronger as a graphic novel. She and my agent took great care in guiding me through this challenging and, at times, intimidating path. The story went from 32 to 90 to almost 200 pages.

When it comes out (hopefully Spring 2024), it will be my debut as a writer. Ironically, even though I am known for my colorful work, my true love is black and white work. I had a chance to indulge myself in black and white drawings which reflect an important concept in the story. I use color sparingly. What started out as a story on an experience of being bullied, evolved into a loving exploration of a young girl finding her place in her family and how that allows her embrace her different identities into a true expression of self.

We’re looking forward to your graphic novel! What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your artistic career and what you would like to see published in the future?

I see illustration and writing as a life practice. I hope I continue to learn and create stronger work. I’ve illustrated over 20 picture books. In the future, I’d like to illustrate more of my own manuscripts. I hope that whatever I put out in the world will help someone understand their connection to their world in a joyful way.

Do you have any experiences as a woman of color illustrator that you might share with our readers? What would you like to see change in the industry regarding the acceptance of BIPOC illustrators and writers?

Once I received a manuscript where a description in the vein of “Oriental grace” was used to describe something. It definitely raised my hackles, and I reviewed it with my sisters to see if they felt the same. They reinforced my feelings, and I was able to address it with the editor who then addressed it with the writer.

Overall, I’m excited to be in publishing during a time of positive change. There is still a lot of work to do, but I feel there are many people in the picture-book community actively seeking under-represented people to share their stories.

Because my parents grew up in a time where their mother tongue, Taiwanese, was banned by 2 different occupations, I am always thrilled to see work that supports and celebrates indigenous languages. Without these languages, we’re in danger of losing stories that are essential to our understanding of traditions and histories. I’m honored to be part of one such project, the Hawaiian Legends for Little Ones by Gabrielle Ahuli’i, published by Beachhouse Publishing, comes out in an ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i edition this spring.

What beliefs is your work challenging?

Instead of “challenging” I think of my work as “encouraging.” I hope my work encourages people to think of themselves as parts of communities that extend beyond geographic and political borders. I hope that what I put into the world encourages people to take the time to listen and watch and seek experiences that broaden perspectives.

Where do you get your inspirations?

My local library is one of my favorite places to procrastinate. I love the randomness of scanning shelves and finding unexpected treasures. I also like listening to different kinds of music and have my sisters and son and daughter for introducing me to aural treats I may not have found on my own.

In addition to books, what other kinds of art do you do?

I like to experiment with different materials. Last year, I carved my own pens out of bamboo and created ink from blackberries. This year, I’ve been experimenting with intaglio printing using lids from plastic containers and scratching images with a sewing needle. I really want to get into pottery!

Can you share a bit about what you’re working on next?

I’m working on illustrations for a counting book about delicious things. All I can say is that every time I start sketching, I get hungry!

What advice would you give an aspiring illustrator?

Join your local chapter of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, join a critique group. The chapter I belong to (Western Washington) is so supportive, and I am constantly inspired by the generosity and phenomenal support of this community.

What’s your online presence? What do your followers say?

You can find my illustration here: www.jingjingtsong.com . I’m inconsistent on IG (occasionally sharing my creative process, or a good wave): @jingjingtsong. Working from a home studio can feel incredibly isolating, so I’m on Twitter every now and then, joining in on the weekly conversations in different picture book groups.

The books that have elicited the most response are the Hawaiian Legends for Little Ones series. People are grateful to have these authentic stories about Hawaii.

Mahalo, Jing Jing, for talking story with us! We loved learning about you and your creative process. Best wishes always!

To learn more about Jing Jing, including her gorgeous print gallery, visit her website, JingJingTsong.com. While you’re there, visit her online bookstore, Jing and Mike Co. Photo courtesy of author.

Interview with Native Hawaiian Author Gabrielle Ahuliʻi

July 18, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Like most Native Hawaiians, author Gabrielle Ahuliʻi grew up hearing the beloved legends passed down from generation to generation.

Best known for her popular series, Hawaiian Legends for Little Ones, and now for her first graphic novel, Hi’iaka and Panaewa, Gabrielle beautifully retells these classic stories for today’s young readers and their grown-ups.

Why is it so important for children to know the myths and legends of their ancestors? Gabrielle explains in an interview at Brightly:

Exposure to stories and legends of cultural significance in early childhood can give children a deep sense of respect for the place they live and an opportunity to engage with the culture around them. Access to and engagement with Native Hawaiian stories empowers children of Native Hawaiian descent by arming them with knowledge to help navigate their world as Indigenous people…If a child understands the world around them from a cultural perspective, they are not only able to engage more deeply with their culture, but to create more meaningful connection across cultures as well.

We totally agree.

Aloha e Gabrielle. For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Gabrielle Ahuliʻi Ferreira Holt, and I was born and raised on Oʻahu. I live in the ahupuaʻa of Makiki, which is also the ahupuaʻa of the school I work at. I am the school librarian at Hanahauʻoli School, a 105 year old progressive elementary school.

Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?

I grew up in Honolulu, and I was fortunate to attend both Hanahauʻoli School and Punahou School. Hanahauʻoli gave me the gift of critical thinking, a love of learning, and creative problem solving, while Punahou school widened my horizons and gave me the gift of learning ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi for four years.

Go Buff n’ Blue! Who is your biggest supporter?

I live an incredibly privileged life in that I have no lack of supporters. I have countless people in my life who step up, both physically and mentally, and are constantly and consistently on my team. I want to recognize my family, my partner, my mentor, my editor at Beachhouse, my friends and colleagues at Hanahauʻoli, and the lāhui for always giving me everything I need.

Why did you become a writer? What inspired you to write for children?

I didn’t ever see myself as a writer; as a kid, I was an incredibly lazy writer. I didn’t connect to writing in the way that I deeply connected to reading. I became friends with someone who publishes books for children in Hawaiʻi while I was in the Library Sciences program at UH. At the time, I was focused on Hawaiian / Pacific Librarianship, and when she heard about my passion, she approached me with a writing project. She and I worked so well together that we published six adaptations of moʻolelo together. She allowed me to see myself as a writer.

What do you enjoy most about writing for kids? What are some of your greatest challenges in writing for children?

Since I am a school librarian, I get to workshop ideas and rough drafts with my students. Their feedback is invaluable. I hear their voices in my head when I am crafting a story. I love that I get to essentially collaborate with my students. Some of them are such powerful, descriptive writers that truly inspire me.

After their Hawaiʻi Island trip, one child wrote about the “braided lava.” Another child wrote the phrase “Pele runs her hand along creation,” and I was just blown away. Just being around their sincere, creative energy makes me a better person and a better writer.

My biggest challenge is keeping stories simple. Too often, people feel that children need bells and whistles in a story to keep them engaged. Nothing is further from the truth! The most enduring, meaningful narratives for children are often the most simple but profound. If you have something to say, say it truthfully, meaningfully, and in the language of the world you have built.

Congratulations on your new graphic novel, Hiʻiaka and Panaewa! Can you share a bit about the book? Without giving too much away, what is it about?

This book is a re-telling of Hiʻiaka and her first major encounter with one of the moʻo of Hawaiʻi – Panaʻewa. My re-telling simplifies her journey a lot. Itʻs for younger readers and for those who may not have a lot of context for who Hiʻiaka is, so she sets of on this adventure with a slightly different goal than what is discussed in the original ʻoli.

What inspired you to choose that topic for your first graphic novel?

When I was approached to write this, I suggested three Hawaiian moʻolelo (hoping that this one was the one the publishers would connect to). I wanted to write a moʻolelo with a female protagonist, and I wanted to bring more of Hiʻiakaʻs story to younger readers.

What was your favorite part of writing your graphic novel? What was most challenging?

I love reading and doing research, so I really like that part of the process. I want to make sure that my adaptations are faithful, while also being able to give them my own voice and perspective. I wasnʻt used to creating books in a graphic novel format, so the biggest challenge was thinking about what I wanted each panel to look like – not that I necessarily told the illustrator exactly what to draw, but I needed to think about what my words needed to say and where the images could help support the rest of the story.

What was the journey to getting that book published like?

Capstone approached me to write an entry in their ongoing Discover Graphics series in December of 2021 and I spent 2022 working on the manuscript. It was published in December of 2022. They found me because of my first series of Hawaiian Legend adaptations, which has indeed opened many doors for me.

What characteristics do you love best about the protagonist(s)?

I love Hiʻiaka as a character because although she is powerful, she is also fallible and realistic. I love how courageous she is, but also how cocky she can be. I didnʻt get to include this in my re-telling, but there is a point in her story when she is participating in a surf contest, and she says, “Aia a ʻane e uhi ke kai i ke kua o ke kuahiwi o kea, a laila, kū koʻu nalu – When the sea rises and covers Mauna Kea, then that is my wave.” So brave, and so bold! I just love her so much and want more of her epic available for children to enjoy.

You are also the author of a successful series of board books. What inspired you to write about folk tales for your first books?

I think there is a true need for moʻolelo to be accessible for young readers – we have a few very, very good adaptations, but I want children to have as many anthologies and books about Hawaiian gods and goddesses as there are about the Greek ones. I want more Native Hawaiian voices represented as the tellers of these moʻolelo, and I want a wide variety of moʻolelo told.

What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your writing career and what you would like to see published in the future?

I would love to continue to perpetuate the culture of literacy that Kanaka have built. It is a privilege to get to be someone who can write these moʻolelo down for posterity, so I hope and dream that I continue to do it and do it in a way where I make my community and lāhui proud to read them.

My next goal or wish is to create an anthology of Hawaiian moʻolelo for middle grades — 3rd to 6th. There is a real need there. The anthologies that do exist are good resources for adults. I want older elementary age children to be excited about the Hawaiian pantheon of Gods and Goddesses in the same way many are obsessed with Greek or Norse mythology.

There are not a lot of stories for kids by Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or BIPOC writers. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do the change that?

I do feel we are seeing a paradigm shift in publishing culture. Many are being more critical of the books that take up space in the canon of childrenʻs literature and giving it a second glance. I feel that it is more diverse than when I was developing my reading skills, certainly.

However, it really does boil down to: You canʻt be what you canʻt see. The only books that I read as a child with a Hawaiian character in it were either so wildly misrepresented as to verge on offensive, or written by a non-Hawaiian person. I think that in order to fix this, we have to empower ourselves to take charge, shed our imposter syndromes and say, “I can do this, I can tell this story.” In that way, we can invest in a future where children have seen themselves represented in their literature and are encouraged to not only seek out more, but add on to what has been created.

Which of your books did you have the most fun writing? Which were the most challenging?

All were such interesting challenges that it’s hard to rank them. I loved doing the research piece for all the board books — even though the adaptations are quite short, I wanted to do the tradition of moʻolelo service and tried to find and read as many versions as I could. I loved writing all of them!

What beliefs are your books challenging?

I want to challenge the belief that Hawaiʻi is just this static place that visitors simply “experience”. I want people to understand that every piece of Hawaiʻi is a moʻolelo in itself; that every person (visitor, settler or ʻōiwi) here has a responsibility to take care of Hawaiʻi and acknowledge those moʻolelo.

Can you share a bit about your next book?

I’ve just finished an ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi translations of my first six board books with Beachhouse. David Del Rocco helped me immensely with the translation process (I needed some language support — some of my grammar was a little rusty!) I am beyond excited for those re-publications to come out. I would love to read them aloud ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi someday soon to a group of children!

What advice would you give an aspiring writer?

Write what you know and in your own voice, writing is not a solo process, the project is never truly finished, treat your characters with empathy and as if they are sitting in the room with you.

What kinds of books do you enjoy reading? Any favorites?

I love reading and my superpower is that I am an extremely fast reader, so I am able to read a lot in a short amount of time. I love authors like Ali Smith who play with the conventions of what a novel is and have such a specific voice. I love all genres – although I donʻt necessarily gravitate towards romance or thrillers (except a book called Razorblade Tears that I thought was stupendous).

Hereʻs a list of authors and/or books that I love:

Ali Smith (Seasonal Quartet, The Accidental, How to be Both)
Rachel Cusk (Outline trilogy)
Hernan Diaz (Trust)
Elif Batuman (The Idiot)
Otessa Moshfegh (My Year of Rest & Relaxation, Lapvona)
Bernadine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other)
Emma Cline (The Girls, Daddy, The Guest)
Jesmyn Ward (Salvage the Bones, Sing, Unburied, Sing)
Madeline Miller (Song of Achilles, Circe)
Robert Jones Jr. (The Prophets)
Miriam Toews (A Complicated Kindness, Women Talking)
Tommy Orange (There, There)
Yoko Ogawa (The Memory Police)

More authors: Mohsin Hamed, Helen Oyemi, Andrea Levy, Bryan Washington, Michael Ondaatje, Lisa taddeo, Juhea Kim, Chanelle Benz, Lauren Groff, Zadie Smith, Luis Alberto Urrea, Brandon Hobson)

I have so many!

Can you share a bit of your current work?

I just went to Hawaiʻi Island with some students and was isnpired by Waiānuenue / Rainbow Falls and the moʻolelo of Kuna the moʻo. I started drafting a story to tell my students the second night we were there, so this is a work in progress:

The moʻo took silent steps toward her. The moʻo was covered in a sickly translucent set of scales, as if the rays of the sun could not reach him. His eyes were a deep mottled grey. Hina thought of the lava fields south of Hilo, the smooth lava that in some light looked like bodies strewn across a plain. His eyes gave her that same unsettled but awe-struck feeling.

The moʻoʻs tongue slicked out to wet one of those grey eyes. “Hina of Hilo — you meet my eyes as if we are equals. But you do have manners, so I will not strike you down here. I have long tired of you and your kind coming to this island, assuming that you can shape the earth around you with no consequence.”

Hina opened her mouth to argue but remained silent. Sometimes silence was better.

The moʻo continued. “Your son, the famous Māui, has a hook. He will bring me this hook that he has used to reshape the heavens itself, or you will die here, in this pool. This pool is cold and the current is strong, and the sea of this coast is violent and unforgiving.”

Hina thought. Why should Māui bring this monster his hook?

The moʻo smiled slyly. “Why should your son bring me this hook, you may be thinking. Simply: he does not deserve this extraordinary tool. This hook belongs to the old Gods, those that were born from the deep roiling depths and grew alongside the ferns and fish and birds.”

“The gods themselves gave that hook to my son, and he has only used it to serve others. As I have taught him.” Hina stood up straighter.

“Who does he serve when he cracks the sea floor to pull islands to the surface? Who does he serve when he bends even the sun to his selfish will?” The moʻo spoke calmly, but Hina could sense the fury pulsing through the monsterʻs veins. His tail tapped slowly on the wet cave floor.

“He serves his family and his people. As is correct,” Hina responded simply. “The responsibility of gods and their family is to help and protect the humans who live with us.”

The kids must’ve loved this! Do you have a website? Are you on social media? Do your readers contact you? What do they say?

My website is gabrielleahulii.com. I donʻt really have social media in a professional “writer” capacity. Most people contact me through my website. I get messages about how they discovered my books or I get images of children reading them. I love that a lot. I also get to meet people when I do readings, which is always so fantastic!

It was wonderful meeting you, Gabrielle. Mahalo nui for sharing your manaʻo, and best wishes always for your continued success!

To read more about Gabrielle, including her work on literacy in Hawaiʻi, visit her website, GabriellaAhulii.com. Photo courtesy of author.

How I Learned to Write Using Mentor Texts: Unspeakable, by Carole Boston Weatherford

July 11, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Welcome to a new occasional series about learning from mentor text picture books!

I love picture books, those wildly colorful, wonderfully imaginative works of children’s literature. Some picture books are so good that every time I read one, I always come away with something new — a fact I didn’t know, an exciting idea I hadn’t thought of, a point of view I hadn’t considered — in a small, easy-to-read, beautifully illustrated package. As a writer, I use mentor texts to improve my storytelling skills.

What are mentor texts?

These are well-written books we can use as models to become better readers and writers. Mentor texts allow us to experiment, to take risks, and to test new ideas and points of view.

There is an army of us authors (and teachers, parents and grandparents, librarians, and students) devoted to and inspired by picture books. Just listen to the popular podcast Picture Books are for Grown-ups, Too led by my friend, the wonderful Patrice Gopo. Her guests are writers who discuss mentor texts, fiction and non-fiction, of all kinds.

Like these writers, I also study mentor texts to learn the tricks and tips to improve my own writing. I focus on HOW a story is told, including plot devices, page turns, and lyrical language.

But what if I can’t find mentor texts about the topics I want to write about?

That’s the challenge I face. I write about my Native Hawaiian community’s difficult history, and mentor texts on our generational trauma written by ‘ō’iwi authors are pretty much non-existent.

If, like me, finding mentor texts for your difficult topics is a struggle, it may help to realize that our communities are not the only ones that face historical challenges. Picture books by successful kidlit authors such as Carole Boston Weatherford, Traci Sorrell, Rob Sanders, Sun Yung Shin, and others can inspire and instruct us.

That’s what this series is about — the search for mentor texts that demonstrate ways in which difficult / sensitive topics can be handled with care yet honestly for young readers, and thus inspire us to write our own stories.

Which mentor text inspired me to write my own picture book stories?

For me, the influential picture book that helped me to write my first two non-fiction manuscripts is UNSPEAKABLE, THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE by Carole Boston Weatherford (Lerner, 2021.) In fact, I love this book so much that I chose it to speak about when I was a guest on Patrice’s podcast.

The book makes this difficult history story accessible to kids. Ms. Weatherford does this in deliberate, ingenious ways:

employing the familiar refrain, “Once upon a time,” to gently orient readers to the city and the residents’ accomplishments,
making use of measured yet musical language, such as internal rhyme and alliteration,
incorporating the everyday activities of residents with the names of actual businesses, such as the soda fountain at Williams Confectionery, making the story more relatable to today’s young readers,
presenting the inciting incident with the words, “All it took,” a devastating moment in the book,
choosing words that demonstrate the violence of the mob, resulting in a clear-eyed telling that never condescends or insults the reader’s intelligence,
ending with a call to action and a scene of hope.

Because I’m such a fan-girl, I contacted Ms. Weatherford through her website to thank her for her incredible book. Her response was a gracious email encouraging me to stick with it:

Thanks so much for reaching out. I love Hawaii but hate what was done to the indigenous people. Please document that history.

Absolutely!

What are your mentor texts? Are you working on difficult, challenging topics? Which picture books inspire you? Email me kamalani3@gmail.com and let’s talk books!

Interview with Native Hawaiian Artist Solomon Enos

June 27, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Native Hawaiian artist Solomon Enos is a modern-day Renaissance man: a sought-after artist, book illustrator, muralist, sculptor, and game designer. His beautiful pieces have been exhibited at multiple public venues, including the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Hawai’i State Art Museum, and the prestigious Smithsonian Museum Asian Pacific American Center. Google, Pixar, and Disney’s Aulani Resort are among his famous clients.

His website describes the artist this way:

A self-described “Possibilist” Solomon’s art expresses an informed aspirational vision of the world at its best via contemporary and traditional art that leans towards Sci-Fi and Fantasy. His work touches on themes like collective-consciousness, ancestry and identity, our relationship with our planet, and all through the lens of his experience as a person indigenous to Hawaiʻi.

Yet for all his many accomplishments and contributions to the community, he is a humble man of few words. We are honored to feature the artist, Solomon Enos.

Aloha e Solomon. For those who haven’t met you yet, can you please tell us a little about yourself?

I am a native Hawaiian artist with an interest in visually translating aspects of Hawaiian culture into new media and genres.

Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?

I grew up in Mākaha [island of Oʻahu] and went to Waiʻanae High School.

Go Seariders! Who are your biggest supporters?

My family and associates who share a sense of kuleana to our cultural values.

Why did you come an illustrator/artist? Did you always know you could create art?

From a very young age, as my family gave me all the encouragement I needed.

What do you enjoy most about creating art? What are some of your greatest challenges?

The very mystery of creation, and finding enough time to work in balance with my other responsibilities.

Where do you get your inspirations?

From a multitude of varied sources and quite a bit of internal explorations.

Illustrators and artists, like writers, do a lot of research when theyʻre creating. Whatʻs your research process like?

This is probably the most challenging question, as I am constantly working and creating, so I do not separate my process from my daily life. To sum it up, I have an unstoppable belief that I can achieve any vision I set out to create, providing I manage my time, as I have multiple visions in progress.

What beliefs are your work challenging?

The nature of war as inevitable, and the worship of wealth without responsibility.

There are not a lot of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or people of color illustrators. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do to change that?

I am very much committed to inspiring other natives, by example of my work ethic, and my aspiration to gain consensus as I move to excellence.

What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your artistic career?

I am blessed to be working on a range of major commissions simultaneously, and I hope to get back to my own projects with all this gained experience.

Can we see a bit of your current work?

Sure, @solomonenos on Instagram is the most current and easiest way to access my work.

What advice would you give an aspiring artist?

Make sacred work spaces, where you have all your tools and good lighting. Know that whatever you are currently working on, it is the most important thing you can be doing with the time you have to give. Be fearless and take risks with paper and canvas, and no time used creating is ever wasted.

What’s your online presence like? Do your followers contact you? What do they say?

Solomonenos.com, and I am most actively on Instagram @solomonenos. I absolutely encourage engagement and conversations, and I have been blessed with many people expressing their appreciation and who have found inspiration in my work. Those are truly the priceless ways that I thrive and can give back.

Mahalo, Solomon, for sharing your mana’o with us today, and best wishes always for your continued success!

To learn more about Solomon Enos, including his online portfolio of murals and exhibitions, visit his website, SolomonEnos.com. Photo and images courtesy of Solomon Enos

Interview with Native Hawaiian Author Malia Maunakea

July 2, 2025June 6, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Malia Maunkea is Native Hawaiian author of middle grade and non-fiction. Her new novel, LEI AND THE FIRE GODDESS, a rollicking story about an adventurous Native Hawaiian twelve-year-old, is a rarity in childrenʻs literature: a story for middle grade kids written by an ʻōiwi author that features an ʻōiwi character. We are proud to feature Malia in todayʻs talk-story.

Hoʻomaikaʻiʻana on your new novel! For those who haven’t met you yet, please tell us a little about yourself.

Sure! My name’s Malia, named for the Olomana song O Malia since my parents’ first date was to an Olomana concert. My mom is from upstate New York and is pure Polish. My dad is from Māʻili (West Side) on Oʻahu. I’ve been married to my awesome partner for nearly two decades, and we have two kids who are teens at the time of this interview. I love hiking and backpacking and traveling around the continent in our tiny campervan.

Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?

I grew up on Hawaiʻi Island ’til 7th grade and Oʻahu thru high school. I got accepted into Kamehameha Schools in 7th grade. I was a boarder for one year, then my family moved over to Oʻahu and, much to my dismay, I had to move back in with them. I graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1999. My dad is class of ʻ72. My great-grandpa is class of ʻ17.

I mua! Go Warriors! Can you share a bit of your upcoming debut novel, LEI AND THE FIRE GODDESS? Without giving too much away, what is it about?

LEI is about a girl who is raised in Colorado but goes to stay with her tūtū in Volcano, Hawaiʻi every summer for three weeks. She’s part Hawaiian but doesn’t feel like she’s Hawaiian enough to fit in there, and she also struggles fitting in back home in Colorado where no one believes the things her grandma tells her.

This summer she decides she doesn’t believe them either, and all she wants to do is go do touristy things so she can have fun stories to tell her friends when she gets home. Unfortunately, Lei ends up insulting Pele, the fire goddess, who sends her giant hawk to kidnap her best friend. When Lei goes to rescue him, she realizes just how real Tūtū’s moʻolelo are as she teams up with demigods and talking bats to battle mythical creatures and evade the traps Pele hurls her way. For if Lei hopes to get her friend back, she has to dig deep into her Hawaiian roots and embrace all of who she is.

That’s an exciting idea! What inspired you to choose that topic for your debut novel?

My son was big into Greek mythology for a while, and I tried explaining to him that we Hawaiians have our own amazing gods and legends, but he sorta brushed me off. I decided the only way I could get him to listen was maybe if I put it in a book that could be on a shelf that his classmates might pick up and read, like a Percy Jackson type story. So I came up with this story to try share a lot of the myths and moʻolelo I learned growing up in Hawaii with a new generation of readers who may or may not be familiar with our stories.

What was your favorite part of writing your novel? What was most challenging?

My favorite part was going back through my memories and pictures from living in Volcano and visiting Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and remembering all the iconic art and songs that I was able to thread throughout the story. The most challenging was bringing it up to speed. Things have changed since I moved from the island, and I wanted to make sure I was still on point with various landmarks and understandings.

What characteristics do you love best about your protagonist, Anna Leilani Kamaʻehu? Is she modeled after someone specific?

I love that she’s sort of a jump-right-in-and-figure-it-out-as-we-go kind of a person. I pulled a lot of my own struggles of not feeling Hawaiian enough and difficulties making and keeping friends as material for Anna.

What was the journey to getting your novel published like? How long did it take to write your book?

I drafted this book from April to August of 2020 then spent two years in revisions. My journey was super fast compared to some folks, and not as fast as others.

In the fall of 2020 I applied for a number of mentorships and ended up being selected for both We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) and my regional Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) programs. I worked intensively with Alan Gratz and Andrea Wang to rewrite, revise, and improve my story from January to May of 2021, then submitted it to #APIPit (a pitch event on Twitter) in May of 2021. I received interest from a number of agents, so I sent out my queries and interviewed different agents, selected an agent, did more revisions, sent the book out on submission to publishers in June, ended up having multiple publishing houses interested and went to auction in August.

We sold in September 2021 in a two book deal and started working with my fabulous editor Elizabeth Lee at Penguin Workshop (an imprint of Penguin Random House). So since then it has been many more rounds of revisions, and now working on book two!

Why did you become author? Have you always wanted to be an author?

I loved writing when I was young but was advised by teachers that it wasn’t necessarily my strong suit and that I was better at the maths and sciences. I also loved reading but abhorred book reports and most of the required reading from my classes. It wasn’t until I was an adult with a couple of careers under my belt when I popped my head up from the grind and wondered if it was possible for me to try writing again.

We are so glad you did. What do you enjoy most about writing, especially for kids? What are some of your greatest challenges?

I love writing exciting, fast-paced action scenes—showing kids how clever and strong and brave they can be. My greatest challenge is to get the characters to have an arc, to have them change over the course of the story. A mentor told me once that people don’t fall in love with plot; they fall in love with characters. The character needs to be three dimensional and flawed, so readers can root for them and understand why they’re going through what they’re going through. That is challenging for me as I usually come up with fun circumstances that I want to have happen to my character, but they usually don’t tie in to a theme or deeper meaning (which probably ties into why I struggled with Language Arts and book reports in school.)

You also wrote another book, BACKPACKING WITH CHILDREN book, which is on a very different topic. What made you decide to write this book?

I actually started that one before LEI AND THE FIRE GODDESS. A friend of mine published a book for beginner backpackers, and I thought that if he could do it, I could do it. They say to “write what you know,” so I wrote about my experiences backpacking with our kids over the past ten years and 600+ miles. While that book was on submission, I had a lot of time to wait, and so I decided to write the next thing, and the next thing, and then another thing. And that last thing ended up becoming LEI!

What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your publishing career and what you would like to see published in the future?

I have so many ideas and not enough time! I’m working on revising the sequel for LEI right now and working on a young adult contemporary novel that I describe as Pride and Prejudice meets WILD. I’d love to do well enough that I’m able to get back to Hawaiʻi and spend time with keiki in the schools there.

Hopes and dreams? How big you want to know? Heck, if we go big time, I’d love for someone like Dwayne Johnson or Jason Momoa or Barack Obama to pick it up (they all have daughters and probably other kids that they could gift it to after they’re pau reading) and talk about it so that it gets on the radar of Taika Waititi and scooped up into a movie. Then some mysterious benefactor who is looking to give back to kānaka in Hawaiʻi offers to give a copy to every kid in Hawaiʻi (so many times growing up I never had money to get a book at those book fairs) and rents out the movie theaters so all the kids and their families can go see it for free.

Clearly I’m not realistic when it comes down to the fact that this is a business since I want to just give it all away. I’d absolutely love to have a long, steady career in writing, but even if LEI is the only fiction book I ever sell, it’ll have been an incredible experience.

I love your big dreams, Malia. What beliefs are your work challenging?

I’m not sure if this is challenging beliefs, necessarily, but I’m trying to do a couple things with this story:

Help kids who might not feel like they are representative of their own cultures or ethnicities understand that they are enough and
Help increase awareness of some of the issues Hawaiians are facing in an age appropriate way that doesn’t feel overly teachy/preachy— mentioning the day the Hawaiian flag was taken down from ‘Iolani Palace, by mentioning the telescopes on Maunakea and protection efforts there, having Anna face discrimination by a local girl when she doesn’t pick the right sticky rice at the grocery store.

Do you have any experiences as a Native Hawaiian writer that you might share with our readers? What would you like to see change in the industry regarding the acceptance of BIPOC creators?

Our voices are so important! The way we view the world, interact with nature and our families, process trauma, and perhaps come from a more collectivist culture (prioritizing the group above the individual) are all so different than experiences traditionally portrayed in stories.

Some of us don’t follow traditional western storytelling patterns, and that’s okay! I’m really excited about some new up and coming Kanaka authors, like Makana Yamamoto’s Hammajang Luck and Megan Kakimoto’s Every Drop Is A Man’s Nightmare and your own Kahoʻolawe! All of our stories are important, and it’s necessary for a plethora of us to have our voices out there so none of us is burdened with representing the entire lāhui, the entire Native Hawaiian population. We are each so unique within our shared experiences, it is critical that readers are able to see Hawaiians as individual flavors, not just all coconut all the time.

What advice would you give an aspiring writer?

Find other writers to learn with, practice with, and commiserate with! If you love it, it isn’t a waste of time. If your strengths lie elsewhere, you can do both! Keep this as a hobby as you explore other things as well.

Is there a fun fact youʻd like to share about yourself with young readers?

Hmm, one of my earlobes is attached, and the other isn’t. Oh, and I have a preauricular pit on one ear. And I get random songs stuck in my head a lot of times and end up making epic mash ups of songs but can never remember any of them. Otherwise, I’d have been an awesome DJ.

What kinds of books do you enjoy reading? Any favorites?

As a kid I loved Garfield and The Far Side (I probably would have devoured graphic novels if they’d been around!). Then I got into creepier things, RL Stine to Christopher Pike to Stephen King (it was quite the jump, but there weren’t many young adult options that I knew of way back in the 1900s). Now I love reading funny, action-packed middle grade stories and young adult or adult rom-coms with strong female leads and lots of witty banter. I go through them too quickly to remember a favorite!

Do you have an online presence? Do your readers contact you? What do they say?

My website is MaliaMaunakea.com, and on social media I’m on Instagram and Facebook. My book wasn’t out then, but I did some virtual classroom visits in February and read a couple chapters of my book to kids, and a number of the classes sent me thank you notes. Oh, my goodness, my heart was not prepared for the sweetness and loveliness of their expressions. They are why writing for kids is the best thing ever.

It was so much fun talking story with you, Malia! Mahalo nui loa for sharing your mana’o with us! E pili mau nā pōmaikaʻi me ʻoe (best wishes!)

To read more about Malia, including her cool list of fun facts, visit her website, MaliaMaunakea.com. Photo credit: Kahiki Photography

Interview with American Library Association President Lessa Pelayo-Lozada

July 2, 2025May 17, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

President of the American Library Association, Native Hawaiian Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada is a warrior. With politicized book bans on the rise, the nation’s librarians battle to protect intellectual freedom. Lessa works to strengthen the ALA’s commitment of keeping the nation’s libraries as safe spaces that offer everyone — regardless of their socio-economic status — free and equal access to news, information, and education. The fight is daunting, but Lessa and are all in:

We are resisters at our core. We protect all our patrons, uphold intellectual freedom, and serve our communities. Yes, the wins we see every day are a reward, but knowing that we have resisted for yet another day and continue to provide that safe space is a reward in and of itself for me, and I hope for all of you as well. — Lessa Pelayo-Lozada, American Libraries Magazine

Lessa is the first Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander to be elected president of the ALA. She is also the youngest person ever elected to that position. We are grateful that this hard-working, dedicated leader made some time to talk story with us.

Congratulations on your election to president of the American Librarians Association! For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

I am a mixed-race, continent born and raised Native Hawaiian woman from Southern California. I’ve been in public libraries since 2007 and have worked as library page, clerk, Children’s Librarian, Teen Librarian, and now am the Adult Services Assistant Manager at the Palos Verdes Library District in Southern California.

I am the current President of the American Library Association and am a past President and Executive Director of the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association. I have also served as a board member for the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature for the last ten years and contribute to our best books list annually.

I used to dance hula for Kaulana Ka Hale Kula ‘O Nā Pua ‘O Ka ‘Āina in Torrance, California, and am a current member of the Hawai’i’s Daughters Guild of California. My husband, Christian Lozada, and I co-authored the book Hawaiians in Los Angeles from Arcadia Press.

Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?

I’m born and raised in Southern California, in the cities of Torrance and Gardena. I went to Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance.

Go Knights! Have you always wanted to be a librarian? When did you realize that being a librarian was your calling?

Originally I wanted to be an elementary school teacher, teaching either kindergarten or second grade. While I was working at Borders Books, I met a number of librarians from the Los Angeles Public Library who showed me that librarianship was a viable career path – one I thought I would follow after I would spend time teaching. After two days in the teacher credential program, however, I knew for sure that librarianship was my calling and started working as a page that same summer and have never looked back!

What made you decide to run for the ALA’s highest office?

Two things:

First, as an ALA Executive Board member from 2017–2020 and chair of the Steering Committee on Organizational Effectiveness from 2018–2020, I identified the need for ALA’s structures to change and become more nimble in today’s changing world. The work I began as an EB member I hoped to finish as president, and I am happy to say that we have gotten a number of things accomplished during my year, such as modernizing the ALA bylaws which will go to a full member vote this spring.

Second, the pandemic and all the ways that library workers were showing up for their communities inspired me to run for President. As a front facing library worker, I saw all the ways that we needed ALA to show up for us, but as someone who understands the capacities of ALA, I also knew that the current structure couldn’t support the labor needs of library workers. I ran to push the envelope in working on fortifying the ALA structures that can support these needs, such as the ALA-Allied Professional Association, a companion organization to ALA. Although the process has been slow, we’ve been making progress in this realm.

What are some of the biggest challenges that librarians face today?

The biggest challenge facing libraries, library workers, and librarians today are book challenges. The unprecedented number of book challenges and the toxicity and harassment of library workers around these book challenges is creating difficult and impossible working conditions for many across the country. To help combat book bans, I encourage folks to visit uniteagainstbookbans.org and explore ways they can fight back. We can’t do this alone as library workers – we need the public to join in this fight!

What are your greatest strengths that you bring to the ALA and its membership?

One of the greatest strengths I bring are my values of kuleana and kōkua. My commitment to library workers and libraries is rooted in these two values and help me to keep perspective on the long road ahead towards being spaces of lifelong learning, education, and true inclusion when it comes to access to information and I believe allow me to communicate a specific vision that can be shared by ALA members everywhere.

I also can facilitate a great meeting and work hard to ensure all voices and necessary stakeholders are included in decision making, modeling the inclusion that I hope we all embrace.

What do you enjoy most about being a librarian?

Learning new things! Whether it is learning something through a reference interaction, learning a new song for story time, or learning another person’s story, it’s impossible to get through a day as a librarian without learning something new – and something you might not have sought out to learn on your own!

During your campaign, you received many endorsements. What does this recognition mean to you?

The number of endorsements and support I received during my campaign was a huge honor and a testament to the relationships I try to develop in doing work on behalf of the association. Even if I didn’t win the presidency, knowing that I had all of those people to do great work with in the future, and have done great work with in the past was a big win.

Can you share a bit of your current work?

Right now I am focusing most of my time on my role as ALA President which includes being the primary spokesperson for the association, chairing the Executive Board and Council, and working with ALA members and committees to figure out the path forward around book challenges.

The role of spokesperson is a big one, as it includes media interviews like the one I did for Teen Vogue as well as traveling the country and internationally doing keynote speeches and speaking on panels like I did when I visited Hawai’i for the Hawai’i Library Association Conference and Centennial Celebration!

I am also a member of the program committee for the International Indigenous Librarians Forum to be held in Honolulu this November. I hope folks will join us!

What advice can you give someone who might be consider studying library science?

Be firm in your “why” – why you want to work in libraries and what kind of impact you want to make. It can be a difficult field when book challenges, continued budget cuts, and hierarchical bureaucracies can prevent you from doing your job, but recognizing the impact you have, can, and will make on your communities can help keep you motivated.

I also always encourage folks to be open to the myriad of opportunities available in libraries. There are so many paths you can take and you don’t always know what they all are when you start in libraries, so be open to new opportunities and experiences you never thought possible. That kind of mindset helped me to become ALA President.

And a few niele questions, if you’d like to answer:

Who is your hero?

I have a lot of heroes! My grandfather and grandmother, Alcario and Mary Pelayo, are my primary heroes. They modeled and inspired me to live a life of service and leadership and supported my many, many interests growing up, even if they didn’t always understand them.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband!

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Putting on the 2018 Joint Conference of Librarians of Color as a Steering Committee Member.

What do you enjoy doing in your down time?

Baking, exercise, hiking.

Where can readers find you online?

Mahalo nui loa, Lessa, for sharing your manaʻo with us! As an author, life-long learner, and library patron, I offer my best wishes to you for your continued success!

Interview with Award-Winning Author Rukhsanna Guidroz

February 13, 2025April 25, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Award-winning author and Maui resident Rukhsanna Guidroz has always lived life on her own terms. Born in England and educated at the Sorbonne in Paris, Rukhsanna has been a world traveler, journalist, radio producer, and now, teacher. Her books feature plucky female characters in stories that charm and delight young readers…and their adults, too.

Hi, Rukshanna! For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

I am an educator and writer. I moved to Maui from Hong Kong in 1996.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Manchester, England, and graduated from a small private school outside the city. Manchester has cold, wet, grey winters. I remember the sunny days being such a welcome surprise. I went to Seattle in March last year, and the crisp, cool weather was familiar to me. Even though I’ve lived in a warm climate for 30 years, my body still remembers cold temperatures. I don’t think I could live anywhere else but Hawaiʻi now that I’ve been spoiled.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband is one of my biggest supporters. Writing and forging a path as an author can be a long, lonely endeavor. There have been many times when I’ve considered giving up and moving on. My husband has always believed in me and encouraged me through uncertain times.

Why did you become a writer? What inspired you to write for children?

I have always enjoyed writing. In middle school, I wrote a poem that ended up being published in the school magazine. I never considered pursuing writing as a career, but there was something in me that felt the need to write that poem. It was a channel through which I could freely express myself. There came the point in my life when I felt I needed more than just writing stories for myself. I started seeing the stories in book form. When writing wasn’t enough, I knew I was ready to begin submitting my work to agents and editors.

As a teacher and tutor, I have always enjoyed being with kids. Spending time with them allows me to see the world through their eyes. When you put yourself in someone else’s shoes and perceive the world around you, it’s incredible what you see.

What do you enjoy most about writing for kids? What are some of your greatest challenges in writing for children?

Writing for kids allows me to be a child again. Our youthful years are often spent working out our place in this complicated world. Feelings can be mixed up and confusing. We are trying to understand who we are and where we belong. That vulnerability is a universal theme. It’s what we all share as human beings, no matter where we live or what situation we were born into. For me, it’s a rich ground for exploration and story.

My most significant challenges are staying in their youthful space and not returning to adult life before I finish my work. Remaining in character as I write can be tricky. I have to constantly remind myself who I am and what drives me as a character in the story. I have found tricks to help me, though. Taking breaks for tea, a stretch, or a walk helps me. Changing the font in my document can feel like I’m reading a peer’s work, not my own. That distance allows my constructive voice to come through and spot areas that need adjusting.

What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your writing career and what you would like to see published in the future?

I would like to think I could be a prolific writer and write book after book. That’s not me. I wish it were, though. I want to write a children’s fantasy novel at some point. The idea frightens me because it’s a genre I’ve never written in, and maybe the challenge is what attracts me. Starting my next project is always refreshing, exciting, and intimidating at the same time.

I would love to see more books out there by marginalized voices. Those little unknown stories are precious gems and much needed in our world. I think it’s essential for our children to see themselves in books so they can feel valued and validated. Literature has the power to do that.

There are not a lot of stories for kids by writers from your community. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do the change that?

I have never met anyone who is Indian-Chinese. It took me many years to realize that being seen as unique or unusual is not negative. As a person of mixed heritage in England, I always felt like an outsider. But now that I appreciate my identity, I see the possibility of many stories.

It takes courage to write, and then, of course, you have to find a way to publication, whether it’s traditionally or self-publishing. On your way to publication, you have to find people who believe wholeheartedly in you and your work. The publishing industry has been dominated and still is by white people. When brown and black people fill some of its key positions, perhaps there will be more books that reflect the true diversity of this world.

Can you share a bit of your current work?

I am currently working on a picture book biography about a chef. Food was such an important part of my childhood. It brought the family together, whether we were having a good or bad day. It was an equalizer and neutralizer. My mother embraced my father’s Indian/Pakistan roots, and our meals were mostly comprised of ingredients and dishes from his culture. My sister and I had a favorite dish we loved to cook. Growing up, we ate a lot of Chinese food, and dim sum was a favorite Sunday. Writing a book about cooking came naturally to me.

Which of your books did you have the most fun writing? Which were the most challenging?

Writing each of my books was a different experience. When I wrote Mina vs. The Monsoon (Yali Books) I had fun crafting a story about a quietly persistent girl who is passionate about soccer. Imaging the scenes of this story were especially fun because I had many colors and their tones in mind, and the illustrator who created the artwork perfectly captured the feel I wanted.

My novel in verse, Samira Surfs (Penguin Random House) is about a Rohingya refugee who finds peace and empowerment in an all-girls surf community. It was probably the most challenging writing because I had never written a novel-length story. It is also a historical story, and I spent nearly two years researching the political and social aspects of the contextual setting. It stretched me as a writer, but I learned much along the way.

What beliefs are your books challenging?

My books challenge the idea of limitations on girls. I didn’t set out to write about this theme, and I didn’t realize it was so important to me until I started writing. I believe it’s vital that any human being who wants to express their voice should have the avenues to do that. Girls and women are often overlooked in work, sports, and educational arenas.

In my second picture book, Leila in Saffron (Simon & Schuster) young Leila comes to appreciate who she is through self-discovery. It’s a story of female empowerment, although it can apply to boys or anyone unsure of their identity. I think my biggest compliment would be if even one girl is inspired to speak up after reading one of my books.

What’s your experience with getting your books published?

Writing books can be an exercise in opening your heart and surrendering. Once a publishing contract is made, the author has to let go of complete control of the book. A whole team of people comes on board, and the project then becomes a collaboration with an agent, editor, illustrator, art director, etc. I have had positive experiences with my work and can only speak to the value of working with professionals who know how to shepherd a book from idea to bookshelf.

Do you have a website? Are you on social media? Do social media play a role for you as an author? Do your readers contact you? What do they say?

I have a website and social media accounts, so my readers can find and engage in my work further. I was reluctant to go so “public” at first, but I see the benefits of being visible worldwide. I have received some enthusiastic emails, tweets, and posts, which always brighten my day.

What advice can you give an aspiring writer?

Never give up. Work on your craft and find other writers. Build a community, join one, and get involved in a critique group. Writing is a solitary activity and can lead to long lonely periods indoors. Often in my break with friends or out in nature, I’ll find inspiration, a way through a block, and a word or phrase that was eluding me. Do anything you can to savor and refine your creativity.

Thank you, Rukhsanna, for a sharing your work and your manaʻo with us!

You can learn more about Rukhsanna Guidroz by visiting her website and following her on Instagram and Facebook.

Interview with Polynesian Illustrator Shar Tuiʻasoa

April 4, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Talented Polynesian artist, illustrator and designer, Shar Tuiʻasoa is the creative force behind the hugely popular Punky Aloha Studio. Following graduation from Kailua High School (Go Surfriders!), Shar pursued a degree in fine art in California before returning home to Hawaiʻi. Best known for her beautiful images of Polynesian women, Shar’s graphic illustrations are bold, colorful and always exciting.

Aloha, Shar! For those who haven’t met you, where did you grow up?

I grew up in Kailua on O’ahu, and it is where I live today with my ‘ohana.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My partner, my husband, my sidekick, Keali’i. He has stood by me through this crazy roller coster. From day 1. He helped me get through college, he helped find my way back to me. When I first started Punky Aloha, he helped me pay for my business license and for my first business cards and prints. I guess you could say he was an early investor. He helped my run my shop in the very beginning, and still helps me install murals to this day.

Why did you become a artist? What do you enjoy most about creating art?

I have always wanted to be an artist. I don’t know that I ever thought about being anything else. And that’s not to say that I was always good at drawing, because I definitely wasn’t. Haha! That took a lot of years of hard work. But I grew up watching my mom draw. She is a wonderful illustrator and painter, and she raised us up surrounded by art.

I think what I love about making art the most is just being able to create the world that lives in your head. It’s almost like having a bit of control over something in your life. Even if it only exists on paper, being able to share your visions with people can be empowering and healing.

You also wrote and illustrated a picture book. What inspired you to write your first book?

As an illustrator, I think many of us have making a children’s book on our bucket list. I know I did. So when I was presented the opportunity, I went with what I knew best: me. I based my book on my childhood and what some of my experiences were like.

What are some of your greatest challenges in writing?

I don’t consider myself to be as strong a writer as I am an illustrator, so I came across a lot of challenges, especially writing for children. I wanted to go on this epic adventure with my protagonist, but you only have 32 pages and 800 words to do so, and you also have got make sure you remember who your audience is — 3–7 year olds! So it presents all sort of challenges but also opportunities in finding new ways to tell a story.

What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of both your art and writing career and what you would like to see published in the future?

My older brother is a very talented writer. He went to film school and has this really great comedic way of storytelling. We have been talking about working on either a graphic novel together or maybe a children’s book. Something. So that’s in my mind a lot right now. Ive also got a couple ideas brewing, so we shall see what the future holds. An ultimate dream of mine would be to have an animated series based on my books with a full pasifka and local to Hawai’i cast! Pasifika showrunner, editors, animators, voices, etc!

That would be amazing! There are not a lot of books for kids by Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander writers. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do the change that?

There aren’t, sadly 🙁 In fact, Punky Aloha was the first children’s book published by a big main stream publisher that was written and illustrated by (and starred) a Pacific Islander. I didn’t realize that until it came out. And I think the lack of representation is something that is finally being addressed more and more. On one end the media very rarely gives us a platform, so if we aren’t seeing ourselves represented, why would we even think we belong in certain spaces? So I think its a partnership in a way. We as PI and NH (Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian) should feel inspired to take up creative space, and we should do what we can to learn those skills so that we can share our stories with our voices. Also, these creative platforms should keep looking out for all the talent we have to offer because there is A LOT! I always say: Greet opportunity with preparation. So when there is an opportunity for you to share your creativity, be sure you are prepared with a strong voice and a strong skillset! We got this!

We do! Do you have a website? Do you blog? When did you get started on social media? What do your readers say?

I do 🙂 www.punkyaloha.com is where you can find my portfolio of work, info and shop. I started my social media presence around 2018.

What advice can you give an aspiring author/illustrator?

My advice is to keep going! Keep working at what you are doing and most importantly, create work that you love. If that is what you are putting out into the world, that is what you will be hired to do.

What beliefs is your work challenging?

I like to challenge what our PI stereotypes. I have always tried to illustrate our people as I know them to be. They are my family, my friends, my peers. There have been so many versions of how we are illustrated that its hard to separate fact from fiction. So it’s a delicate balance. I also like to challenge peoples perspective on what we in Hawai’i are capable of doing. It’s easy to dismiss us because we are from a small cluster of islands in the ocean, but we have as much to offer as anyone and we can do anything in the world. There is so much talent here.

Where do you get your inspirations?

From home. From Hawai’i. From Moana (the ocean, not the Disney character. Even though I love her haha!)

Do you have any plans for another book?

I do! I have two set to release in 2024. One will be another Punky Aloha book, and the second is a book I have illustrated for Illima Todd. She has written a beautiful book about Mauna Kea, and I am so excited to work on it.

We canʻt wait! Can you share a bit about what youʻre working on next?

Right now I am just juggling a bunch of projects. I have a few murals coming up, and some freelance projects, trying to balance it all with also having a family to nurture and spend time with 🙂

This has been awesome! Mahalo nui, Shar, for sharing your art and your manaʻo! You can learn more about Shar Tuiʻasoa by visiting her website, Punky Aloha, and following her on Instagram.

My Debut Picture Book is Announced at Publisherʻs Weekly!

March 11, 2023March 9, 2023 by Kamalani Hurley

Mahalo ke Akua! After a long career teaching writing (which I really loved), I thrilled beyond words that my debut picture book, KAHOʻOLAWE, has been officially announced at Publisherʻs Weekly!

Kahoʻolawe is a story of loss and erasure, of sacrifice and dedication, and, ultimately, of restoration and resilience. Written and illustrated by Native Hawaiians Kamalani Hurley and Harinani Orme, this childrenʻs picture book is the story of aloha ʻāina — a deep love of the land — and explores what happened to Kahoʻolawe and how she is a beacon of hope for the Native Hawaiian people and for people everywhere who fight against social and environmental injustice.

Mahalo nui …

to the leaders of the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana for their expertise and support of this project. Their dedication to Kahoʻolawe and to the Hawaiian people continues to inspire.
to editor and publisher, Carol Hinz, whose expertise and patience we are counting on to get the book into the world.
to my agent James McGowan, who always knew this story needed to be told.

image credit: Vicki Palmquist — Winding Oak