First Book Talk: An Interview with Hawaiian Author Makana Yamamoto
- Pacific Islanders in Publishing
- May 15
- 3 min read
Our team had the pleasure of speaking with Makana Yamamoto about the recent publication of their debut novel. Hammajang Luck is pitched as Ocean’s 8 meets Blade Runner. It’s a science fiction adventure and swashbuckling love letter to Hawai’i about being forced to find a new home and striving to build a better one. And it’s a Locus Award Nominee for First Novel (2025)!
Makana was born on the island of Maui. Splitting their time between the Mainland and Hawaiʻi, Makana grew up on beaches and in snowbanks. Always a scientist at heart, Makana fell in love with sci-fi as a teen–they even led the science fiction and fantasy interest house at their college.
Pacific Islanders in Publishing: We were thrilled to see this book find its reader across the world and are eager to hear more about your debut experience, Makana. Did you celebrate your debut with a launch party or book tour? How did it feel to share your book in person and meet your readers?
Makana: Hammajang Luck first launched in the UK, so I celebrated from afar. I was able to celebrate with my friends and family, my wife even brought me a cake! For the US launch, I celebrated at a local independent bookstore in Boston, Brookline Booksmith. I haven’t really done a book tour per-se, but I’ve been doing appearances and readings here and there with my local indies. It’s been so lovely sharing my story and meeting readers! I’m truly blown away by the response, and forever grateful for the indies in Boston for giving me a space to share my work. Shoutout to Brookline Booksmith, Side Quest Books, All She Wrote Books, and Narrative Bookshop!
PIIP: We’re glad to know debuting was a thrilling, unforgettable experience! What were some of the most memorable moments of your launch?
M: It’s hard to narrow them all down! Some memorable moments include indie hopping on launch day signing stock, seeing my book hit #1 on Amazon, talking to readers about how much the book meant to them... what stands out as the funniest is when I got the final headcount for my book launch event and doing a double take. I thought they were all my friends, but when I got to the venue they were almost all strangers! It was so shocking to see how many people wanted to hear me speak.
PIIP: This must have been surreal! And a little bit overwhelming too. Did you encounter any difficulties?
M: While my debut experience has been incredible, there’s been some difficulties along the way. I experienced a lot of homophobic, transphobic, and racist microaggressions, as well as some outright hostility. But I try to ground myself in the fact that for every bigoted comment or review, there’s ten more people so excited to see themselves reflected in my story.
PIIP: That’s a meaningful perspective that really highlights the impact your work is having. On that note, do you have any creative, logistical, or emotional advice for Pacific Islander authors preparing to debut? What’s something you wish you had known or done (or hadn’t done)?
M: Don’t compromise on your vision! There were points where I believed that the only way to get an agent or sell a book or become a bestseller were to tone down the Hawaiianess of my book. For example, I was prepared to fight to keep the Pidgin in the title. But my editors LOVED it, and it turned out to be its biggest selling point! There are so many people out there who are hungry for stories like ours. Don’t cave to the pressure to fit in, because our uniqueness is our greatest strength.
PIIP: We’re excited to see what you do next! What are you working on now, and when might we see your next book?
M: I’m currently doing copyedits for book 2 of the heist lesbians series: The Obake Code. It follows Malia, the hacker, 3 years after the original heist. She’s struggling to adjust to civilian life and ends up embroiled in a political conspiracy—one that is intricately tied to her backstory and how she became the superhacker she is today. It’s darker, weirder, and twistier than Hammajang Luck, and I’m so excited to share it with the world!
PIIP: Mahalo Nui Makana! We’re looking forward to the second book in the series.
Grab your copy of Hammajang Luck here.
