Why I wrote World of Water, World of Light

There’s no question that my time in Hawaii influenced this book. Actually hearing whales singing? Seeing an enormous humpback whale spy hop within inches of me? Those experiences will be seared into my brain forever. While seeing whales from a distance is thrilling, being inches away is not only stunningly terrifying, but profoundly enlightening. From close up, you sense the power of creatures for whom we are as tiny and lightweight as butterflies. And are instantly humbled by an intelligence that far surpasses human understanding.

I heard a TV journalist say one night that whales were of no interest to her. She called them stupid. I’m betting this sad little person has never looked a whale in the eye. Her words made me want to write something that would give young readers a different perspective.

The first pages of this book took shape so fast my fingers could barely keep up, but as I settled into the writing, I began to develop a bigger sense of purpose.

I wanted this book to give the people of Lahaina a voice, to let them know we won’t forget. We won’t forget the brutal fire of August 2023 or what was lost.

Imagine losing not only your home, perhaps loved ones, but your very history, your link to the land. To honor the courage of those who are gone and those who dared to start over, I made the heroes of my book, eleven-year-old Mako and her wise uncle Kimo, Native Hawaiians. People with profound respect for their history, their stories, the gifts of their ancestors, and a culture in which children learn to revere the natural world.

Mako in particular is a very special character to me. She’s exceptionally strong and independent, highly intelligent, and fearless. Secure in her own skin. She doesn’t march for women’s rights or wave placards. But her very life is a testament to the joy of being yourself, of questioning everything, of living as an unabashedly free spirit in a world that seeks to channel your thoughts and actions. I found myself challenged every day to write dialogue and scenes worthy of this tough little warrior.

You’ll hear authors say how their favorite characters take on lives of their own. True. It’s one of the great joys of writing fiction. As a character becomes three-dimensional, an author gets to discover, right along with readers, just what that character might be capable of, whether it’s winning the Maui Channel Swim, rescuing a drowning whale, or swallowing her pride to rekindle a dying friendship.

Just how can you tell whether a literary character is good?

Simple. A good character has more books inside her.