Meet Linda Ballou

I asked Linda how she had decided to write about Hawaii.

My appreciation for nature took me to Kauai, the most luscious of all the Hawaiian Islands with pleated cliffs and treacherous seas fending off newcomers. It is believed by Hawaiians that a mantle of mana (spiritual power) protects the island from harm. It is here that I listened to wind voices and the seed for my historical novel Wai-nani: High Chiefess of Hawai`i – Her Epic Journey took root in my heart. This story inspired by the powerful personage of Ka`ahumanu, the favorite wife of Kamehameha the Great is a poetic rendering of the ancients with tales of heroes and heroines doing supernatural deeds of mythological proportions. The people of old Hawai'i were connected to nature, played freely, loved passionately and communed with gods that dwelled in every tree, rock and flower. This book is written in the name of Wai-nani with great Aloha.

My quest today is to get to as many naturally beautiful places as I can before they are no more! I have hiked, biked, kayaked and ridden on horseback through some of our most precious wilderness areas. My travel articles and photos have appeared in numerous national publications. My essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and various literary journals. “Look Both Ways on Small Islands” was included in the I Should Have Stayed Home anthology published by RDR Books. Please go to my website www.LindaBallouAuthor.com where you may view many of my articles and photos. If you look closely your reward will be to discover the Secret to Youth.