Waiwaiole
Lono Waiwaiole was born in San Francisco and spent his childhood moving up and down the West Coast, a rollercoaster ride that took him to 15 different schools by the time he graduated from high school in Portland, Oregon.
Lono is half Hawaiian, a quarter Italian and a quarter something his family refers to as Pennsylvania Dutch. This tangled web has a significant impact on the way he looks at people--in his life and in his writing.
Lono is a retired high school social studies and English teacher. He has also worked as editor of a weekly newspaper, associate editor of a regional magazine, director of publications and sports information at a small liberal arts college, and as a professional poker player--a career which might have lasted longer had he been a little better at it.
Lono's debut novel, Wiley's Lament, was named a finalist for the 2003 Oregon Book Awards for fiction and an Anthony award for best first novel of 2003.