Life in Hawaii

Am I making you jealous yet? There are plenty more photos of where that came from! All joking aside, I wanted to give you a little peek into life in Hawaii. Honestly, life in the Hawaiian islands is so diverse and varied that I could make countless blog posts on it. But to narrow it down, I wanted to share a little of my life in Hawaii and how it inspired Wasp Queen.

The start of the novel finds the main character, Makana, residing in a peaceful, little town in Hawaii. My first scene is her surfing with her dad. I really wanted to make that the first scene, because not only is it a homage to my experience surfing with my dad, but it also sets up the aesthetic for her life at the beginning of the book: fun, relaxed, and chill.

You'll find that's a common theme in Hawaii: hoʻonanea which means to relax. Almost everything is slower and more relaxed. The speed limits are slower, and people don't rush through dinner parties or events. They relax and 'talk story' which basically means to chat and talk about your life, family, etc. Food is also very important in Hawaiian culture. Most get-togethers involve food, and it's customary to feed any guests that come into your house. Even if you're just offering pupus, the Hawaiian word for snacks. So I definitely wanted to involve food in Makana's life, and I worked in the mention of haupia pie and laulau. Both of those dishes are delicious, by the way, and you have to try them if you visit Hawaii.

The way people dress is more relaxed too. Slippers, known as flip-flops in the mainland, are the most commonly worn footwear. Wearing bathing suits with a light cover-up is the norm around town. Graduation parties are normally held at the beach where everyone eats barbeque and 'talks story'. Weddings are often held at the beach too. The bride will be barefoot, and the groom will be wearing a maile lei over a button-up shirt and slacks. It's safe to say the entire ambiance of Hawaii is relaxed.

That's something I really wanted to portray in the book. Yes, Makana enjoys her chill life in Hawaii. I mean, who wouldn't? But she also wants excitement and adventure in the great wide somewhere. (Did you catch the Beauty and the Beast reference there? Where are my fellow Disney fans at? Okay, I'll stop.)

Of course, it's not all fun and games in Hawaii. A lot of residents struggle financially in one way or another. According to Payscale, the cost of living in Honolulu, Hawaii is 95% higher than the national average, making it the most expensive state to live in. The cost of housing alone is over 200% higher than the average, and the median cost of rent in Honolulu is nearly $4,000 a month! Don't quote me on that, by the way. But that's what I found online when I did a bit of digging. Despite the gargantuan cost of living, I actually got paid less per hour in Hawaii than I did working in the mainland. All that to say, financial issues are a relevant concern to many Hawaiian residents, and I wanted to make sure to incorporate that into Wasp Queen as well.

Still, Hawaii is an amazing place to live. I mean, just look at that! How can you resist?!

To sum it up, I hope you enjoy your little peek into life in Hawaii when you read Wasp Queen. I'd love to hear all your thoughts on it!