Iwalani is seeking adult upmarket and literary fiction and select nonfiction. In fiction, she loves coming-of-age narratives, family dramas, and stories that challenge systems of power. She is often drawn to a strong sense of voice and/or place, whether the storytelling is grounded in realism or engages with a speculative element. She gravitates toward lush prose, wry humor, irreverent characters, and a sense of yearning. Iwalani is also looking for narrative nonfiction such as memoir, cultural histories, and cultural criticism. She would love to work with writers that are engaging with history, design and architecture, sociology, and anthropology, especially from a leftist angle. Some of her favorite authors include Raven Leilani, Ling Ma, T Kira Madden, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Samanta Schweblin, and Asali Solomon, and she would love to consider any manuscripts in a similar vein. She is passionate about championing the work of underrepresented authors and would especially love to work with Pacific Islander writers.
