I was born in England, raised in Texas, Hawai`i and Guam, and have found the home of my heart on the island of Maui. I moved to Hawaii in 1959 with my family (Dad was a newspaper man who covered events like volcano eruptions and tsunamis on the Big Island), and my life was transformed. Imagine living in a jungle, swimming along Hilo's reefs, and watching record-breaking lava fountains after a childhood spent in a suburb on the edge of the Texas desert! I formed a lifelong love of Hawaii, its music, culture and people.

I moved to Maui in 1968, lived in the country raising goats, chickens and vegetables, then went to work for an alternative weekly newspaper. That led to a job at the Maui News, where I worked for 18 years, covering every aspect of Maui life. Since 1998, I've been a free-lance writer specializing in Maui and the history of Hawaii. My books include Exploring Historic Upcountry, The Spirit Lives On: A History of Old Maui High at Hamakuapoko and several collaborations with other writers.

But the book I really want to tell you about is Island Life 101: A Newcomer's Guide to Hawaii. This book, published in 2008, expands on the success of my earlier book, Maui 101: Your Guide to Island LIfe. In Island Life 101, I give newcomers (and those who simply love the Islands and their lifestyle) inside info on the history, culture and community life of Hawaii. If you just moved to Hawaii, or are thinking of doing so, please read this book! In it, I share the accumulated understanding of most of a lifetime dedicated to learning about this beautiful place.