“𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐬𝐮 𝐆𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲.” —𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟, 𝐓𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲Creative and versatile writer with 25+ years of experience crafting compelling content across various genres and platforms. Successful author of five novels, two sold at auction (𝒔𝒆𝒆 Penguin Random House). Award-winning poet and essayist (𝒔𝒆𝒆 Poetry Society of American Chapbook Fellow & Ka Palapala Poʻokela Award of Excellence). Former food blogger culminating in the successful sale of the business in 2022. I thrive in multiple environments, corporate and creative (𝒔𝒆𝒆 PricewaterhouseCoopers). Fast learner. Massively curious. Out-of-the-box thinker who believes there is always a way to reach a desired outcome.Lover of writing prompts, micro narratives, and chocolate (𝒔𝒆𝒆 Writer-ish). Part-time dog owner. Helping other writers get unstuck is one of my superpowers, as is crafting and navigating creative and personal pathways. Mom of three. Adaptable. Quick to pivot. Independent/collaborative (𝒔𝒆𝒆 Haliʻa Aloha). Proven ability to align writing style with brand voice standards and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (𝒔𝒆𝒆 Sephora.com). Proficient in leveraging data insights and AI writing tools to optimize content performance and drive audience engagement (𝒔𝒆𝒆 Friendship Bread Kitchen). SEO, A/B testing, surveys, sales funnels, newsletters.I'm a writer who loves to teach (𝒔𝒆𝒆 UCLAx, Hugo House, Writer-ish). Do I enjoy developing unique curricula and coursework that help writers unlock their potential, uplevel their craft, and establish a writing practice all while moving towards the completion of a project? Yup, I'm all over that. My areas of focus and soft spots: micro prose/micro essays/micro memoirs (300 words or less), personal narratives, family narratives, place-based writing, cultural and familial inquiry, hybrid and lyric forms, nonfiction (love me a good how-to), creative nonfiction (personal essay and memoir), commercial fiction, novels about small towns with big hearts and/or characters who are more than they seem (aren't we all?). Give me a good story and/or good information and/or leave me thinking or a bit weepy or with all the feels. I'm a voracious reader, in case that wasn't obvious. Also, I like naps.