Kalena Makanui

Native Hawaiian Author

About Kalena

Kalena Makanui (she/her) is a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) writer who grew up on Hawaiʻi Island. She loves storytelling in all forms, especially theater and anything with a hint of magic.

When she’s not organizing her life in a spreadsheet, she can be found cross stitching colorful pieces of art, struggling to keep her succulent alive, and coercing her husband to play cooperative board games.

She currently lives in Omaha, NE.

Represented by Katie Gisondi and Laura Dail at Laura Dail Literary Agency.

Landscape photography by Martin Lyev. Author photo by Elias Elias.

Smiling woman standing in front of a brick wall