Derek Otsuji

I live and write on the southern shore of Oahu, between the Ko'olau Mountains and Kewalo Harbor. I am an avid birder; so what a terrific thrill it was last summer when I spotted my first indigo bunting in Tennessee, where I attended the Sewanee Writers' Conference. I collect beach glass and love exploring tide pools. My big project right now is reviving the pikake (jasmine) patch on my father's farm, which sits at the base of Koko Head Crater. When the bushes flush with buds, we pick them and sew them into leis. I teach at Honolulu Community College.