Apia, SAMOA — What happens when you put out a call for Oceania women to share their stories for a book written ‘by us, about us and for us’? And give them a deadline of only two weeks? It sparks a wave of creative fire as writers from across the world craft stories from the heart that have long been simmering, waiting for just this opportunity.

The result is Vā – Stories by Women of the Moana – an anthology of creative fiction from 38 writers, with a total of 70 original short stories and poems, 98,000 words of pure magic.

With a worldwide release on December 23rd, Vā is the brainchild of writers Sisilia Eteuati and Lani Wendt Young. On November 12th, they put a call out in a Facebook writer’s group, for original unpublished writing from women across the vast Pacific.

“It was a way to get everyone writing,” explained Lani, an author based in Samoa and creator of the popular “Telesa” series. “A short submission window, and then publication would be fast-tracked. Those of us in the group with publishing experience have been sharing expertise with the others so by the end of this, many more Pasifika writers will have the confidence and the skills to publish their work and get it out to readers worldwide.”

Drawing on Lani’s experience as a hybrid author who has books that are both indie published and also with a traditional publisher, the duo formed Tatou Publishing. Within a few days, they had a stunning book cover with art by Samoan artist Lalovai Peseta, a website and most important — the stories had already started to come in.

Sisilia, a lawyer and writer in Aotearoa, took the lead in the editing process. “It’s been an amazing experience meeting with wahine toa through story in this time when we cannot meet across borders. I have different versions of myself, and I have found homecoming, in story after story after story. I look forward to other readers finding themselves in story too.”

By the deadline, the editors had received more than sixty submissions of original creative fiction. All by Moana women from all walks of life. The writers range from experienced and award-winning authors with multiple novels to their name, to ‘newbies’. Women who are single parents, caregivers, lawyers, doctors, educators, gardeners, IT specialists, business owners, and everything in between and beyond.

The wave of stories has been impressive. As Lehua Parker, Hawaiian author and publisher commented, “Too often publishers believe that not only is there no market for Pacific Literature stories, but that also, we aren’t writing any. To have this number of submissions is unprecedented. It’s impossible, according to publishers. There aren’t that many people writing these kinds of stories in the world, let alone women.” She added, “Lani and Sisilia have built their own table, a ginormous table, big enough to hold a feast of words, of stories, of lives told in authentic voices. Better loosen your belt.

There are more courses — flavors and textures — than your tongue can hold. This is the start of something special.”

The anthology releases worldwide on December 23rd 2021, from all major book retailers. There is a pre-order link on Amazon here: Va, Stories by Women of the Moana. From the back of the book — Stories that tell COVID how we really feel, where a Centipede God watches on with wry humour and wrath, where a sexy Samoan goes on a hot Tinder date inHonolulu, where a New Zealand doctor is horrified to be stuck at her cousin’s kava drink up in Fiji, stories where Ancestors and Atua live and breathe. Stories that defy colonial boundaries, and draw on the storytelling and oratory that is our inheritance. Immerse yourself in the intrigue, fantasy, humour and magic of beautiful strong stories by 37 writers from across the Moana.

In this book you will travel across oceans and meet diverse and deep characters in over 50 rich stories from Cook Island, Chamorro, Erub Island (Torres Strait), Fijian, Hawaiian, Maori, NiVanuatu, Papua New Guinean, Rotuman, Samoan and Tongan writers.