“Rosemary, how does a Canadian author / teacher / great humanitarian learn so much about Hawaii & be able to write about it accurately & with such feeling?”

My interest in the history of Hawaii happened accidentrally back in 1987.  My daughter wanted my husband and I to take her to Hawaii for a High School graduation present.  I knew absolutely nothing about Hawaii.  I thought it was sort of a tourist trap.  While there I happened to look into a store window and wondered who the people were that were portrayed in ceramic figurines there.  I  was astonished to learn that there had been a monarchy in Hawaii.  I somehow had assumed it had always been American.  I was jolted into researching about Hawaii history and I started to visit 
used and new book stores for Hawaiian history books.