Graham Salisbury

Photo © 2003 Ray Warren

"Meaningful fiction may just possibly urge kids to think about a few things while it entertains them. It can enlighten. It can suggest options and possible consequences. It can offer hope in an often frightening and uncertain world."—Graham Salisbury

Where my inspiration comes from . . .

I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of a Navy fighter pilot and an art student from the Hawaiian Islands. At the age of two months, Mom and I were shipped back to Hawaii on an appropriated luxury liner protected by a convoy of Navy destroyers. I lived, for that time crossing the Pacific Ocean, in a cardboard box under a sink.

I spent my entire childhood on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii, the most glorious days in the most remote, most beautiful place in the world. In my teens I skippered a small glass-bottom boat and worked as a deckhand on a deep-sea charter fishing boat. I also surfed my brains out. My friends were of every imaginable race, mostly all mixed up—haole, Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, Filipino, Portuguese, and many more. My stories mostly come from those guys and those times.

The most significant element of my life is the fact that I was raised, essentially, without a father. Although I had three of them, I knew none of them. My real father was killed in World War II, my first stepfather died when I was ten; my second stepfather was inaccessible.

My stories often explore friendship, loyalty, courage, honor, and the relationship between fathers and sons. That last part is for me; it's what I do to fill the fatherless void in my life.

My stories come from the far corners of my mind, and if I'm lucky, from my deepest heart. Blue Skin of the Sea captured pieces of my own adolescence on the Big Island of Hawaii. Under the Blood-Red Sun explored a question I'd grown up with: what was it like in Honolulu on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed? Shark Bait was based on a good friend of mine, a kid who loved to fight, something I wanted no part of. But he had this magnetic pull on me. I really liked the guy.

When it comes to writing, I believe in magic. Generally, I have in mind a glimpse of where I want to go when I begin a novel. I try to sketch out a premise and possible story line before I begin. It's all extremely nebulous at this point, trying to create something out of nothing. The magic comes, really, in the writing. Something happens between my fingertips and the keyboard. I don't understand it, but it's absolutely the most fabulous and surely the most mysterious part of the writing process: write, and things happen.

Magic.

From the universe.

A window, open to the Great Unknown.

Wow.

I love being a writer, a daydreamer. Life is good, if we allow it to be.


BIOGRAPHY

Graham Salisbury's books have won several awards, including the PEN/Norma Klein Award for his debut novel, Blue Skin of the Sea, and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction for his second novel, Under the Blood-Red Sun. Its sequel, House of the Red Fish, was named an ALA Notable Book. His more recent young adult novels have recieved much recognition, including The Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Lord of the Deep, ALA awards and a Parent's Choice Silver Honor Award for Eyes of the Emperor, and multiple starred reviews for Night of the Howling Dogs. His new series for middle grade readers begins with Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet. The Calvin Coconut series is set in Hawaii with a wonderful multicultural cast of characters and a unique family dynamic for Calvin. Young readers will love learning about life in Hawaii as Calvin tries to be a responsible "man of the house" but still manages to find trouble in many hilarious forms.

Author Bookshelf
		Blue Skin of the Sea Written by Graham Salisbury Paperback Eleven interlinked stories tell the tale of a boy coming of age in Kailua-Kona, a Hawaiian fishing village. Sonny Mendoza is a little different from the rest of the men in his family. Salisbury explores characters like Aunty Pearl, a full-blooded Hawaiian as regal as the queens of old; cool Jack... Read More
		Blue Skin of the Sea Written by Graham Salisbury eBook Eleven interlinked stories tell the tale of a boy coming of age in Kailua-Kona, a Hawaiian fishing village. Sonny Mendoza is a little different from the rest of the men in his family. Salisbury explores characters like Aunty Pearl, a full-blooded Hawaiian as regal as the queens of old; cool Jack... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: Dog Heaven Written by Graham Salisbury Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers Hardcover What do you want so badly that you can taste it—and can you persuade someone to give it to you? That’s the subject of a writing assignment Calvin’s fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Purdy, gives the class. Calvin wants a dog! He reads what he’s written to his mom to see just how... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet Written by Graham Salisbury eBook Fourth-grader Calvin lives near the beach in Oahu with his mom and little sister. Mom says: “You’re the man of the house.” But Calvin’s not great at being the man of the house, or taking care of his responsibilities. He’s too busy having fun with his pals, and avoiding Tito, the... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet Written by Graham Salisbury Trade Paperback A humorous chapter book about a fourth-grade boy, full of the fun of growing up in Hawaii.   Calvin Coconut lives near the beach in Kailua, Hawaii, with his mom and his little sister. All his friends live there, too. Mom says: "You're the man of the house, Cal." Which means: Be responsible... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover Fourth-grader Calvin lives near the beach in Oahu with his mom and little sister. Mom says: “You’re the man of the house.” But Calvin’s not great at being the man of the house, or taking care of his responsibilities. He’s too busy having fun with his pals, and avoiding Tito, the... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover Library Binding Fourth-grader Calvin lives near the beach in Oahu with his mom and little sister. Mom says: “You’re the man of the house.” But Calvin’s not great at being the man of the house, or taking care of his responsibilities. He’s too busy having fun with his pals, and avoiding Tito, the... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix Written by Graham Salisbury eBook Calvin Coconut needs to fix things with Stella—and fast! Stella from Texas is now officially a member of the Coconut household. As if getting a bossy babysitter isn’t bad enough for Calvin, Stella teases him mercilessly. What’s a nine-year-old boy to do? Calvin decides to “fix” her, and he dumps his neighbor’s... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover Library Binding Calvin Coconut needs to fix things with Stella—and fast! Stella from Texas is now officially a member of the Coconut household. As if getting a bossy babysitter isn’t bad enough for Calvin, Stella teases him mercilessly. What’s a nine-year-old boy to do? Calvin decides to “fix” her, and he dumps his neighbor’s... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover Calvin Coconut needs to fix things with Stella—and fast! Stella from Texas is now officially a member of the Coconut household. As if getting a bossy babysitter isn’t bad enough for Calvin, Stella teases him mercilessly. What’s a nine-year-old boy to do? Calvin decides to “fix” her, and he dumps his neighbor’s... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: Dog Heaven Written by Graham Salisbury Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers eBook What do you want so badly that you can taste it—and can you persuade someone to give it to you? That’s the subject of a writing assignment Calvin’s fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Purdy, gives the class. Calvin wants a dog! He reads what he’s written to his mom to see just how... Read More
		Calvin Coconut: Dog Heaven Written by Graham Salisbury Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers Hardcover Library Binding What do you want so badly that you can taste it—and can you persuade someone to give it to you? That’s the subject of a writing assignment Calvin’s fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Purdy, gives the class. Calvin wants a dog! He reads what he’s written to his mom to see just how... Read More
		Eyes of the Emperor Written by Graham Salisbury eBook Eddy Okubo lies about his age and joins the army in his hometown of Honolulu only weeks before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Suddenly Americans see him as the enemy—even the U.S. Army doubts the loyalty of Japanese American soldiers. Then the army sends Eddy and a small band of Japanese American... Read More
		Eyes of the Emperor Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover Eddy Okubo lies about his age and joins the army in his hometown of Honolulu only weeks before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Suddenly Americans see him as the enemy—even the U.S. Army doubts the loyalty of Japanese American soldiers. Then the army sends Eddy and a small band of Japanese American... Read More
		Eyes of the Emperor Written by Graham Salisbury Paperback Eddy Okana lies about his age and joins the Army in his hometown of Honolulu only weeks before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Suddenly Americans see him as the enemy—even the U.S. Army doubts the loyalty of Japanese American soldiers. Then the Army sends Eddy and a small band of Japanese American... Read More
		House of the Red Fish Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover 1943, one year after the end of Under the Blood-Red Sun, Tomi’s Papa and Grandpa are still under arrest, and the paradise of Hawaii now lives in fear—waiting for another attack, while trying to recover from Pearl Harbor. As a Japanese American, Tomi and his family have new enemies everywhere, vigilantes... Read More
		House of the Red Fish Written by Graham Salisbury eBook 1943, one year after the end of Under the Blood-Red Sun, Tomi’s Papa and Grandpa are still under arrest, and the paradise of Hawaii now lives in fear—waiting for another attack, while trying to recover from Pearl Harbor. As a Japanese American, Tomi and his family have new enemies everywhere, vigilantes... Read More
		House of the Red Fish Written by Graham Salisbury Paperback 1943, one year after the end of Under the Blood-Red Sun, Tomi’s Papa and Grandpa are still under arrest, and the paradise of Hawaii now lives in fear—waiting for another attack, while trying to recover from Pearl Harbor. As a Japanese American, Tomi and his family have new enemies everywhere, vigilantes... Read More
		Island Boyz Written by Graham Salisbury eBook In this rich collection, Salisbury’s love for Hawaii and its encircling sea shines through every story. Readers will share the rush a boy feels when he leaps off a cliff into a ravine or feasts his eyes on a beautiful woman. They’ll find stories that show what it takes to survive... Read More
		Lord of the Deep Written by Graham Salisbury Paperback Fishing. This is it, the big time. Mikey's 13, a deckhand working on a charter boat in Hawaii. Working for the best skipper anywhere, his stepdad, Bill. Before Bill came along, it was just Mikey and his mom. Now they're a real family, and Mikey has a little brother. He can't... Read More
		Lord of the Deep Written by Graham Salisbury eBook Fishing. This is it, the big time. Mikey's 13, a deckhand working on a charter boat in Hawaii. Working for the best skipper anywhere, his stepdad, Bill. Before Bill came along, it was just Mikey and his mom. Now they're a real family, and Mikey has a little brother. He can't... Read More
		Night of the Howling Dogs Written by Graham Salisbury Paperback DYLAN'S SCOUT TROOP goes camping in Halape, a remote spot below the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The only thing wrong with the weekend on a beautiful, peaceful beach is Louie, a tough older boy. Louie and Dylan just can't get along. That night an earthquake rocks the camp, and... Read More
		Night of the Howling Dogs Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover DYLAN'S SCOUT TROOP goes camping in Halape, a remote spot below the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The only thing wrong with the weekend on a beautiful, peaceful beach is Louie, a tough older boy. Louie and Dylan just can't get along. That night an earthquake rocks the camp, and... Read More
		Night of the Howling Dogs Written by Graham Salisbury eBook DYLAN'S SCOUT TROOP goes camping in Halape, a remote spot below the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The only thing wrong with the weekend on a beautiful, peaceful beach is Louie, a tough older boy. Louie and Dylan just can't get along. That night an earthquake rocks the camp, and... Read More
		Night of the Howling Dogs Written by Graham Salisbury Hardcover Library Binding DYLAN'S SCOUT TROOP goes camping in Halape, a remote spot below the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The only thing wrong with the weekend on a beautiful, peaceful beach is Louie, a tough older boy. Louie and Dylan just can't get along. That night an earthquake rocks the camp, and... Read More