JENNY COON was born and raised in Georgia and moved to Maui after graduating from Auburn University in 2009 to work for the Four Seasons Wailea.  She later married Riley Coon and joined the family business, Trilogy Excursions, Maui's oldest and most reputable sail boat company where she worked for 7 years in the Sales Department.  She currently loves being at home with her children and writing books for families. She attends Waipuna Chapel and in her free time she volunteers at her children’s schools and enjoys adventures with her family all over the island!

NICKI BARSAMIAN grew up on Maui and attended Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus. After graduating she ventured to the east coast and attended Dartmouth College where she met her wonderful husband Alex. She pursued her degree in education and art and has taught social studies and art at all levels. Her most recent position was at Kamehameha Schools Maui Campus teaching art at the Middle School level. She left that position in 2019 to stay at home with her three keiki and continue creating works of art through illustration for kids of all ages to enjoy! Her passion is to use place as a vehicle for learning, creating, and connecting to the land. She is a member of Waipuna Chapel in Kula, Maui (where she met Jenny Coon!) She is grateful that God has blessed her with a gift that can hopefully bless others. 

"I was Born in Wahiawa, O’ahu and raised on a plantation camp nearby. I was a young girl, I wanted to be like my mother when I grew up. It's only recently that I realized I got my big wish. I'm mostly self-taught. I cook, crochet and sew like my mother did. I've always loved scribbling, reading and love going to the library. As a child I would often carry a bunch of books home from the bookmobile. It opened the world to me. I'm an Austen fan and my fave book of course is "Pride and Prejudice." I wrote, "Aloha Nui Loa," many years ago one summer, in 8 weeks. My plantation and family members are characters. Never thought it would be printed nor that people would love it. Secretly, I wanted to create a modern-day Mr. Darcy. I think I have succeeded because my hero seems to be the fave character to those who have read the story. People seem to love the plantation history, and here it is just the backdrop to a story between the main characters that I really made up. I had fun.

I did work in the early '90s as a “Home Facilitator” for “Maui Family Support Services” and as “Program Assistant” at “UHMC Job Training Program”. I've taught “Sunday School” for 15 years, to children ranging from 3 to 12. I've also shared a “Hospitality Ministry” with my husband for over 10 years. We hosted many speakers and ministers from all over the world. My husband would take them on a tour of the island, and I would cook for them. "The View from Pono Place, Old Fashioned Recipes and a Recollection, volume 1" is really a result of all those guests requesting my recipes. I was recording secretary for “Women's Aglow” years ago and wrote their monthly newsletter. I've been married to David for 56 years. We both are members of "Grace Church" in Pukalani under Pastor Robb Finberg. We live in Haiku on a bluff overlooking the ocean. I can safely say that I am living a mother's dream, as my son built a home next door. I have two grown grandchildren, and a miracle dog named Ipo."

Born and raised on Maui, WAYNE MONIZ received a B.A. in English and Communications in 1968 from the University of Dayton, Ohio. In 1980 he was awarded an M.A. in Theater Arts - Film from UCLA. In 2005 he received the Cades Award for Literature, Hawaii's most prestigious writing prize for his body of work. His short story collection of Valley Isle tales won him the Nā Palapala Po`okela 2010 Readers' Choice Book of the Year. The audio book of the same, Under Maui Skies and Other Stories, was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 in the Spoken Word Category. Dubbed "The Dean of Maui Playwrights" by the Maui News. Wayne has written works that deal with the people, events, and issues of Hawai`i.

TOM PEEK is the author of the nationally award-winning novels "Mauna Kea" and "Daughters of Fire", compelling Hawaiʻi narratives that have been widely praised for their depth and authenticity. An acclaimed writing teacher, his popular "Empowered by the Pen" workshops have encouraged countless islanders to write down their own stories, poems, essays, and family histories.

Tom lived his early life on an island in the backwaters of Minnesota's Upper Mississippi River. After hitchhiking by boat through the South Seas, he settled on Hawaiʻi Island three decades ago. There he's been, among other things, an astronomy and mountain guide on Mauna Kea, an eruption ranger and exhibit writer on Kīlauea, and an insider participant in the efforts to protect both sacred volcanoes. Tom and his artist wife Catherine Robbins live in a rainforest cottage a few miles below the fuming summit of Kīlauea.

Dr. Flo Wiger has had over 40 years of experience in various educational institutions from tutoring 6 grade students in Lāhainā to guiding Ph.D students at the "University of of Minnesota"; she has also served in numerous administrative positions such as Chair of the "American Indian Studies Department" at the "University of Minnesota" and most recently Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and then Acting Chancellor at the "University Hawai'i - Maui College". She was also a member of the national founding group that developed the concept of "service learning" for high school and college students to receive credits for community work as part of graduation requirements. She has been received honorary degrees and been honored with outstanding teacher and outstanding administrator awards. One of her most prestigious honors was being awarded a "Bush Fellowship".

ROBERT WINTNER's novels and short fiction are literary with a twist, lyrical and entertaining, often wicked, ironic and insightful. His narrative fiction endures in the classic vein.

Wintner's short fiction has appeared in "Hawaii Review (University of Hawaii)" and "Sports Illustrated". His historical novel, In a Sweet Magnolia Time, was nominated for a "Pulitzer Prize" and a PEN/Faulkner Award. Los Angeles production companies optioned his sailing novel "Whirlaway" and the motorcycle adventure "The Modern Outlaws" for film rights.

Robert Wintner is also "Snorkel Bob", Hawaii's largest reef outfitter. Reef photography rounds out the opus with five volumes on reef culture and characters of Palau, Hawai'i, the Great Reef, the Virgins, Fiji, Tahiti and Cuba, showing reef society and personalities, with incisive narrative on conservation politics and victories.

Wintner is also Executive Producer and a key player in "The Dark Hobby", a feature film from "Paradise Filmworks", on the campaign to end aquarium trade devastation on reefs around the world, beginning with Hawai'i and Hawaiian cultural practitioners on the front lines.

Wintner lives on Maui with his wife Anita, Cookie the dog, Rocky, Yoyo, Tootsie, and Coco the cats.

David S. Kapaku is a Hawaiian business owner with deep Hawaiian roots. He resides in Lāhainā on Maui Island with his wife, Kenda. Kapaku serves as a minister and community leader and is skilled in coconut basket weaving. He is also a vendor, musician, and author of children's books. An accomplished public speaker in Leadership and Personal Development, Kapaku is certified by the John C. Maxwell Team. Additionally, he teaches the Hawaiian language and holds the distinction of Distinguished Toastmaster. His natural talent for professional speaking captivates diverse audiences in his role as emcee for various business events. He has been an active member of Maui Business Brainstormers' volunteer organizing team since August 2012.

ARNIE KOTLER, M.A. UC Berkeley, has been a developmental editor of nonfiction books since 1979, when he helped translator/scholar/artist Kazuaki Tanahashi with Moon in a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dōgen. In 1985, Arnie started Parallax Press and helped craft the lectures and writings of Thich Nhat Hanh and other spiritual peace activists into landmark books. Jodie Evans, cofounder of CODEPINK: Women for Peace, told Publishers Weekly, “Arnie has an unerring instinct for agents of change, and he has been able to deliver their messages.”

In 2005, Arnie founded Koa Books on Maui to publish works on personal transformation, social justice, and Hawai‘i. Koa Books’ titles include Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace, edited by Maxine Hong Kingston; The Wisdom of Sustainability, by Sulak Sivaraksa; Inner Gold, by Robert A. Johnson; Daughters of Fire, by Tom Peek; Under Maui Skies, by Wayne Moniz; and Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawai‘i, by Patricia Jennings and Maria Ausherman. In 2015, he founded Arnie Kotler Editing Services, where he continues to do freelance editing, publishing consulting, and helping authors find publishers. Other authors Arnie has worked with include Joanna Macy, Jack Kornfield, H.H. the Dalai Lama, Mayumi Oda, Col. (Ret.) Ann Wright, Kahikākealani Wight, Ruby Hamili, Koohan Paik, Jerry Mander, and Wes “Scoop” Nisker.

MAILE MEYER loves reading and has a vivid imagination. She went to Punahou School, Stanford University and received an MBA from UCLA. She "married brilliantly, to an Italian with a Hawaiian soul," and started a book distribution business as a young mother. In the 1980s she "opened good ideas and closed bad ones" and in the 1990s she set up a makersʻ collaborative with 18 entities. She is connected to permeable and inclusive community-based entities including, "Nā Mea Hawai'i", "Native Books", "Aupuni Space", KEANAHALA and "Puʻuhonua Society".

DANIA NOVACK was born with a desire to eat delicious food and nothing has changed much except that she now wants you to join her at the table to eat together. 

Born and raised in Santa Monica. CA she flew to Hawai’i in 1987 where she made Maui her home. In her back pocket along with her passport and love of eating is her extensive travel experience. Her travels have taken her from Japan, Brunei, and Israel to NYC and every exotic place in between.

From 1987-1997 she managed the fine art publishing division for DL Enterprises. She over saw production, marketing and sales for over 50 limited editions quality print making and fine art books.

Today, she is the former publisher/owner of a James Beard award winning statewide publication, edible Hawaiian Islands. Along with publishing she was a James Beard Judge.

She is a community connector for all things local and delicious. Also founding board member of Slow Food Maui and a former popup restaurant owner and her latest project is The Lahaina Cookbook. Dania was inducted into Les Dames d’ Escoffier International, O'ahu Chapter in 2017.