Makana Yamamoto was born on the island of Maui. Splitting their time between the Mainland and Hawai’i, Makana grew up on beaches and in snowbanks. Always a scientist at heart, Makana fell in love with sci-fi as a teen—they even led the science fiction and fantasy interest house at their college. A writer from childhood, fiction became the perfect medium for them to explore their interests as well as reconnect with their culture, coalescing into a passion for diverse sci-fi. They love writing multicultural settings and queer characters, as well as imagining what the future might look like for historically marginalized communities. In their free time, Makana likes to hoard dice for their Dungeons & Dragons games, defeat bosses with their guildmates, and get way too invested in reality competition shows. They currently live in New England with their wife and two cats.