About Me
Hello!
I am an author and a screenwriter who creates stories for children and adults. I write about all kinds of things, all types of people and all sorts of places. I write about the past, the present and the future. I write for you, me and them. I love writing because I want to tell you something special about the world we live in.
My Story
I was born in New York City.
Soon after, my parents brought me back to Taipei, Taiwan, where I spent the next eleven years of my life living in an area famously known as the pet shop lane. Every morning, I woke up to canaries chirping. Every night I fell asleep to dogs howling.
When I was twelve, we returned to America and moved around at least half a dozen times before my parents settled us down in sunny California, which is where I live today.
The first book I ever read in English was A Wrinkle in Time. It took me a long time to read it because I didn’t know any English and had to look up practically every word in the dictionary. But I got through it!
I learned English by watching A LOT OF TV which led me to major in Mass Communication in college. Upon graduating, I went to teach English in China and realized that I really wanted to make movies and TV shows. So, I taught myself how to write screenplays and eventually became a professional script writer and consultant. My bilingualism and bicultural background afforded me opportunities in China’s fast-growing entertainment industry. I had the privilege of working with leading actors and directors and being a part of an international filmmaking milieu.
But before all that, my storytelling journey began in elementary school where I had to write an essay or a story for a composition class every week. It was, by far, my favorite part of the school day. When I turned nineteen, I wrote my first book, That Year in China. It was a young adult memoir about my travels in China. Several universities in China listed it as a summer must-read for their students. Later, parts of the book were adapted into a limited TV series that got nominated for a Golden Eagle Award.
I also explored other mass media, writing for magazines and online blogs, and co-created a radio talk show that taught conversational English and introduced American culture. The program won Beijing Educational Radio’s Best Newcomer Award and had millions of listeners in China.
These days I’m applying myself to writing exciting, magical stories that will give my reader that “wow” experience that I had when reading A Wrinkle in Time.
Check out my newest creation, The Riceball Fairy, a middle grade fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Lunar New Year and the films of Studio Ghibli!
Things You Might Want to Ask Me
Why do you write?
As a kid, I read a lot of stories but always wanted to change them. Eventually I started writing my own. I also grew up in a household where children didn’t have much of a voice, but I knew I had one and I wanted to use it. So, I spoke through my writing. I also have a very active imagination, and I channel it into my creative work. Finally, to me, writing is the most effective form of communication. (I love connecting with people!)
Where do you get your ideas?
I don’t really know. They just pop into my head. For example, The Riceball Fairy was inspired by a giant Christmas diorama in a park in San Jose, CA. The festive display featured a huge walnut, and I thought if there’s a food that immediately made me think of the biggest holiday in my culture, Lunar New Year, it’d be a yummy glutinous rice ball.
What is your favorite book?
I’d have to say A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. It was the first book I ever read in English. I had to look up almost every word in a brick-sized English to Chinese dictionary which I carried around with me everywhere. It is the kind of story I love to tell. I also love The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Sorry, I listed three books instead of one. I am not great with numbers.
What is your favorite kid movie and your favorite grown up movie?
Out of Africa is my favorite grown up movie. It’s about a woman who defied conventions and lived life on her own terms. To me, that is bravery.
Spirited Away is my favorite kid movie. It inspired me to write The Riceball Fairy. I remember leaving the cinema telling myself that one day I will write a story as imaginative and powerful as this. This story is about staying true to yourself. That is important to me.
Why did you transition to writing graphic novels?
My background is in screenwriting, so I’ve always been a visual writer. In my film career, I was hired to help writer-directors craft their screenplays. But I wanted to write my own stories, so I applied my screenwriting chops to writing graphic novel scripts which are a lot like screenplays except you have to think about dialogue balloons, page breaks and panels. I enjoy more creative freedom as an author.
If there is a common theme that runs through all your stories, what is it?
We can all choose to be a good person.
Can you tell us three fun facts about you?
- When I was little, I binge-watched cartoons for three days straight and ended up needing glasses after that.
- I didn’t speak much English when I moved to America. I learned the best way to get people to talk to me was to ask them questions about themselves. Looking back, it was an extremely useful skill for a writer. I developed a genuine curiosity about people.
- My Chinese name is plum blossom. My mom chose it because plum blossoms bloom in winter when the weather is harsh and cold. “It is a sign of strength,” she said, “to thrive in adverse conditions.”
