The Makana’s Legacy follows a family and their struggles with personal grief, a fractured family bond, and the looming presence of ancient spirits tied to their island’s tumultuous past. I thought this story had a unique setup and an interesting premise. What were some sources that informed this novel’s development?

This story is completely from my imagination with some elements of my life mixed in. I based the story on CHamoru lore of the taotaomo’na and the makana. The lore was something I grew up with, so there wasn’t much for me to research there. Some of the characters are somewhat based on real people in my life and some of the events, even supernatural, are based on personal accounts from myself and my family. I have never heard stories told like this one, though, that bring the actual legends to life. In the past, I have only heard the legends and scattered personal accounts. I thought it would be great to actually put all of this into a formal novel that showcases my culture, the taotaomo’na lore, and recognizes the suruhanos who continue to serve our communities. Like my first novel “Guardians of the Latte Stones”, I wanted to use the story to share my culture and get readers interested in learning more about the CHamoru people. As far as sources of information go, my father (who is a native CHamoru) helped with the translations and I scoured the Internet for what little information there was on the makana and on the practices of the suruhanos.

Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?

Having grown up on Guam, I have personal experience with the topics in the story. The only thing that I found I didn’t know about was who the makana were. This story originally had “Suruhanu” in the title. But learning about the makana helped to reshape the story. I think that many CHamorus might be learning of the makana through my story and I would feel a great deal of pride if that’s what happens. After centuries of oppression and colonization, the CHamoru people are still striving to restore what we can of our language and history. I hope that my stories can help with that even if just a little bit.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

This is the second book that I have self-published. It’s expensive and developing the stories takes some time. I may not be able to afford to publish my next book for another year or two. I already have drafts for follow-ups to this novel and had planned for them to be part of a “Suruhanu” trilogy. I will be working on them anyway. It’s important to me that I represent my culture well, so I don’t want to rush the stories just to get something published faster.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website

Chosen by his ancestors, a young man becomes caught in a relentless struggle against a dark malevolence.

The CHamoru makåna were powerful healers from a time long forgotten. For centuries, their spirits waited for one destined to carry their sacred light.

When Mateo is born, he inherits the gifts of the makåna. But the light of his ancestors does not go unnoticed by dark, ancient forces.

As Mateo’s extraordinary abilities grow, so does the threat from sinister spirits intent on exploiting his gifts. Shadows stalk his every step, haunting him and tormenting those he holds dear.
In time, it becomes painfully clear that the path to Mateo’s destiny will take him into a darkness beyond the veil of death. Can faith and the light of his ancestors sustain him, or will the forces that seek to consume his soul ultimately prevail?