Jeanne Cooper grew up listening to songs and stories of Hawaii from her mother, who lived in Oahu as a teen. She began writing about Hawaii and its diverse cultures in 2002 for theSan Francisco Chronicleand SFGate.com, where her work still regularly appears. Her travel stories have also been published in numerous U.S. newspapers, magazines, and websites, including Localgetaways.com. She lives on Hawaii Island with her triathlete husband, a dog, and two cats.