A Pleasure To Have My Story Night Work Published In The Gorgeous And Slightly Disturbing Ghosts And Phantoms

Lillian, you spent seven years writing The Charm Buyers. What were your inspirations for writing this story?

My inspirations were the land and the people. Tahiti is incredibly beautiful, but there’s also such sadness in its history. I hoped to bring its recent history to life, particularly nuclear testing - but I didn’t want to write a polemic novel. I hope that The Charm Buyers brings the complexity, radiance, darkness, and hopefulness of its individuals to life.

29 Must-Read Local Books You Won’t Want to Put Down This Holiday Season

Epics, eras and albatrosses—we’ve got your book-lover gift bases covered.

Thank you Honolulu Magazine for naming The Charm Buyers one of 29 Must-Read Local Books You Won’t Want to Put Down This Holiday Season!

Lost Lake and Mount Hood

photo: Daniel Montgomery

thank you to my daughter Vanina for this photo

Redwoods. Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt Redwoods State Park

POLYNESIA: PARADISE LOST?

In this two-part feature, Lillian Howan, author of a powerful novel set in Tahiti, offers a revealing interview and a lyrical essay describing her cultural heritage, her creativity and her experie…

Thank you author & literary shaman Leslie Stuart Tate for interviewing me on my childhood in Tahiti and my novel The Charm Buyers, as well as chronic illness, and lupus. Thankful to Francoise Holozet-Howan for the spectacular photos - this interview begins with a translation of her message re why she shares these photos: to bring more awareness to the environmental vulnerability of these islands, on the frontlines of climate change.