Malia Maunakea is a Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) writer who grew up on Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu before relocating to the continent for college. She writes both middle-grade fiction and nonfiction and is the author of Lei and the Fire Goddess (Penguin Workshop, summer 2023) and Lightweight Backpacking for Families (CMC Press, spring 2023). When not at her computer, she can often be found roaming the Rocky Mountains with her husband, their two children, and a rescue mutt named Peggy. Malia is online at maliamaunakea.com and @MaliaMaunakea on Twitter and Instagram. What inspires you to write? Where do you get your ideas? Hawaiʻi is my inspiration: my childhood and experiences, our people and our history. I write because I want kids growing up there…

Suzanne Park is a Korean-American writer who was born and raised in Tennessee. She is the author of THE PERFECT ESCAPE, LOATHE AT FIRST SIGHT, SUNNY SONG WILL NEVER BE FAMOUS (out June 2021) and SO WE MEET AGAIN (August 2021). In her former life as a comedienne, she appeared on BET, was the winner of the Seattle Sierra Mist Comedy Competition, and placed as a semi-finalist in NBC’s “Stand Up For Diversity” showcase in San Francisco. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, female offspring, and a sneaky rat that creeps around on her back patio. In her spare time, she procrastinates.  Eyes: brown, Hair: black. What…