Bel Canto Books is delighted to host Kristiana Kahakauwila, author of CLAIRBOYANCE, in conversation with Laurel Flores Fantauzzo, MY HEART UNDERWATER.
Kindly RSVP so we can plan accordingly. Please stay home if you feel sick.
This event will be held indoors at KUBO LB (3976 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach CA).
E VENT SCHEDULE
3:45PM - Event check-in begins
4:00pm - Welcome & event start
4:15-5:00pm - Author reading, conversation, and Q&A
5:00pm-6:00pm - Book signing & shopping time
6:00pm - Event ends
ABOUT THE BOOK
Freaky Friday meets 11 Before 12 in Clairboyance, a middle grade novel with a touch of magic which follows Clara, a girl whose life is turned upside down when she discovers that she has boy-specific ESP abilities. Perfect for fans of Debbi Michiko Florence, Lisa Greenwald, and Natalie Lloyd!
After accidentally wishing on a family heirloom to hear what boys are thinking, Clara wakes up the next day able to do just that. Every idea, every worry, every generous or petty thought crossing their minds—somehow, they now form a chorus of voices in hers.
But why couldn’t her newfound powers have arrived sooner? Then, maybe, she could have stopped her ex–best friend Leo from betraying her and ditching her for the more popular kids. At least her dad is open to the idea of moving her off O‘ahu and out to Arizona to be with him.
If Clara can use what she hears to solve her problems, then her powers might just be able to make up for lost time—but instead, she ends up making a bigger mess of everything! Scrambling to fix her mistakes, Clara must question old friendships and enter into new ones as she tries to figure out if people are what make a home, and whether she is willing to leave hers behind.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kristiana Kahakauwila is a writer of Kanaka Maoli, German, and Norwegian descent. She is the author of This is Paradise: Stories (Hogarth 2013), a collection of literary fiction, and Clairboyance (HarperCollins 2024), a middle grade novel. Kristiana grew up in Long Beach, CA. (Go Jackrabbits!) She earned a BA in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an MFA in creative writing from University of Michigan. Today, she teaches at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she directs the creative writing program.
ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER
Laurel Flores Fantauzzo is the author of the young adult novel MY HEART UNDERWATER (Harper 2020) and the nonfiction narrative THE FIRST IMPULSE (Anvil 2017). Their essays have appeared in CNN Philippines, the New York Times, and The Baffler, and they have been named a Philippine National Book Award finalist, a PEN/FUSION Emerging Writers Prize finalist, and a grantee of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice.
ABOUT BEL CANTO BOOKS
Founded by Jhoanna Belfer, a Filipina-American poet and former hospitality executive, Bel Canto Books offers a curated selection of fiction, nonfiction and children's books, organized around a theme of the month, in particular celebrating books by women and people of color. Learn more at belcantobooks.net.
ABOUT KUBO LB
KUBO LB is a creative community space for Filipinx, BIPOC, LGBTQ, and Women led small businesses. KUBO LB is a space to support and educate small businesses through retail, business workshops and more. Learn more at kubolb.com.
