For the Press
Biography
Kamalani Hurley is a Native Hawaiian author living in Honolulu. Having spent her career teaching college business writing and linguistics classes, she now happily devotes her time to writing about and for her indigenous community. She lives on the island of Oʻahu with her husband, three daughters, and two dogs. Kamalani is the author of Kahoʻolawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People, a Junior Library Guild gold selection. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, attending her granddaughter’s hula performances, and watching Korean dramas.
Downloadables
- Full-sized book cover for Kahoʻolawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People
- Kamalani Hurley photo, 7″ x 9″, 300 dpi (please credit Rokki Midro)
- Book illustration by Haranani Orme, pages 4 and 5, “illustration © Haranani Orme for Kaho’olawe, written by Kamalani Hurley, published by Carolrhoda Books
- Book illustration by Haranani Orme, pages 24 and 25, “illustration © Haranani Orme for Kaho’olawe, written by Kamalani Hurley, published by Carolrhoda Books
Podcast Episodes
- Interview: “Writing Unique POV with Kamalani Hurley,” Kirsten W. Larson, Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations, 7 Mar 2025 (Podcast)
- “Kamalani Hurley,” Episode 85, Share Your Asian Story podcast on Instagram, February 3, 2025
- “Kamalani Hurley and Unspeakable (written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper),” Picture Books Are for Grownups, Too!, interviewed by Patrice Gopo, April 29, 2023
Interviews
- Interview: “PAL Member Spotlight: Kamalani Hurley,” Tammy Lee, SCBWI ‘Ohana News, undated
- Interview: “Q&A with Kamalani Hurley,” Deborah Kalb, Q&As with Deborah Kalb, 19 Jun 2025
- Interview: “Writing Unique POV with Kamalani Hurley,” Kirsten W. Larson, Nonfiction KidLit Craft Conversations, 7 Mar 2025 (Video, YouTube)
- Interview: “Kahoʻolawe: an Interview with Author Kamalani Hurley,” The Lerner Blog
- Interview: “A Conversation with Kamalani Hurley, Author of Kahoʻolawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People,” Megan Kamalei Kakimoto, Honolulu, February 4, 2025
- Interview: “Meet Kamalani Hurley, Author of Kahoʻolawe,” Danielle Ballantyne, Foreword, February 3, 2025
- “Interview: “Book on Kahoʻolawe for keiki authored by former Leeward CC instructor,” University of Hawai‘i News, 17 December 2024
- “Part I of My Book Talk with Native Hawaiian Author Kamalani Hurley,” Brandi-Ann Uyemura, Author Interviews, October 23, 2024
- “Part II of My Book Talk with Native Hawaiian Author Kamalani Hurley,” Brandi-Ann Uyemura, Author Interviews, October 29, 2024
- “How I Got My Agent,” 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, August 16, 2022
- “An Interview with Professor Emerita P. Kamalani Hurley,” Writer and blogger Brandi-Ann Uyemura, February 8, 2022
Articles
- “Happy Book Birthday: February New Releases,” The Lerner Blog
Panel
- Topic: Is the CTC Right for Me? March 6, 2023. In support of the Writing Barn Courage to Create group.
Memberships
- Children’s Literature Hawai’i
- Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
- Friends of the Library of Hawai’i
- Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
- Steam Team Books
Representation
- My agent is the amazing James McGowan, BookEnds Literary Agency.
[photo: Rokki Midro]
Learn more: About Kamalani