On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks to Malia Maunakea all about her debut fiction middle grade novel, Lei and the Fire Goddess! They talk about how much of Lei’s story mirrors Malia’s, her own personal adventures, Hawaiian culture, whether there’s more story to tell, and much, much more.

To purchase a copy of Lei and the Fire Goddess, click HERE!

About the Author

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.