1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,200 Hi. Yes, how are you doing, Kelly? I'm doing great. 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,759 How about you? Absolutely fantastic. Looking forward to sharing a conversation with you, 3 00:00:07,799 --> 00:00:11,000 and we're going to start it off with one thing. My granddaughter pronounces 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:15,199 her name Mia m i a. But I've also worked with people her name 5 00:00:15,359 --> 00:00:19,839 is Maya spelled the same way. So how do you pronounce the girl's name 6 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,839 inside your book? It's MIA's, Hay, it is Mia. All right, 7 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,000 let's go for the MIA's. Then. I love what you're doing. 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:32,640 The reality of Miya is so spot on in the way that so many adults 9 00:00:32,719 --> 00:00:35,600 or young adults like her want to be able to share the story. But 10 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,759 but Mia is challenged because she has a writing instrument, which I love. 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,359 But she's walking into a camp that is filled with lots of computers. This 12 00:00:42,439 --> 00:00:48,119 is so spot on reality. I love this about this book. Thank you. 13 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,600 Yeah. I mean it's a send of the nineties, and I remember 14 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,320 struggling with that, just thinking, oh, I don't have the same tools, 15 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,039 you know, can I even do something? Of course, these days, 16 00:00:58,079 --> 00:01:03,319 you know all kinds of people with fancier technology and connections and money and 17 00:01:03,519 --> 00:01:07,239 history that I don't have. But but you know, it's important to still 18 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,519 get out there for this story to come to life. How did you put 19 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,159 yourself inside the mind of Miya, because I mean you're an adult now, 20 00:01:15,359 --> 00:01:21,719 but were you able to easily go back into those shoes and li an adult? 21 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:27,120 I don't know. I mean I have three kids, so they are 22 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,480 one is in high school, one in middle school, and one in in 23 00:01:30,599 --> 00:01:33,920 elementary school, so they definitely help. But the other thing is that I 24 00:01:34,159 --> 00:01:38,439 really had my favorite year happen in fifth grade. I mean I think I 25 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,079 really peaked in fifth grade. I had a great teacher, I had my 26 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:47,439 first crush. I remember we lived by the beach that year. It was 27 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:52,879 just such a magical year that for some reason, whenever I write that, 28 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,159 I can just easily tap into that time in my life. When did your 29 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:57,719 writing journey begin? Because and the reason why I bring that up is because 30 00:01:57,719 --> 00:02:00,599 you're talking about the fifth grade. Mind started in the second grade because the 31 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:06,040 teacher believed in me. Was it was it the same for you? Yes? 32 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:08,439 Yes, absolutely, And like shout out to the teachers out there, 33 00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:13,039 I mean that you really, you guys are making such a difference. But 34 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,479 yeah, for me, I mean that first year in America, I was 35 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,919 in the first grade, and I didn't speak a single word of English. 36 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,560 They even wrote that on my report card, which I still have, that 37 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,439 she only began talking in the last week. And so that first year was 38 00:02:25,479 --> 00:02:30,520 really hard. But in second grade, I think what happened was towards the 39 00:02:30,599 --> 00:02:34,919 end of second grade, I wrote something and it was this, you know. 40 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,840 It was a short little paragraph on my experience coming to America and how 41 00:02:38,879 --> 00:02:45,759 the airplane made my ears vibrate and I couldn't eat anything, but I was 42 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,599 hopeful about where I was going to go in this country and what I was 43 00:02:49,599 --> 00:02:52,639 going to do in this country. And it was a very moving piece, 44 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,960 even though it was riddled with grammar mistakes. And my teacher said, this 45 00:02:58,039 --> 00:03:01,639 story has a lot of emotion. His like, emotion is what makes writing 46 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:07,520 good, not the grammar or the spelling. And I was like, thank 47 00:03:07,599 --> 00:03:09,800 God, somebody told me that, and just go and give me permission to 48 00:03:09,879 --> 00:03:14,560 keep trying. Basically, and I've always I've always loved writing because it gives 49 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,639 me that opportunity to tap into the creative universe. I mean, sure, 50 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,960 I'm a great reader in the way that I'm inspired by others who write, 51 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,599 but at the same time, you've got to be able to trust your own 52 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:28,080 creative path. And so many writers, especially young young authors, they'll put 53 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,520 away their writing and we never get to see it because it's hidden away in 54 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:37,000 a box. Absolutely absolutely. I mean I recently discovered something that I wrote 55 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,800 and I kind of dusted it off and it's coming out as the picture books. 56 00:03:42,479 --> 00:03:46,639 But yeah, it's like you know, and that's okay. Sometimes stories 57 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,919 do need to you know, they need to marinate a little while in our 58 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,479 computer or whatever. But you're right about having that confidence of having that faith 59 00:03:55,759 --> 00:04:00,680 in your voice. And that's what I'm really trying to get through these books 60 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,680 and is telling young people your stories matter. You know, we all have 61 00:04:03,759 --> 00:04:08,400 a top story. Don't don't be ashamed to tell it. Don't be afraid 62 00:04:08,439 --> 00:04:11,520 to tell it. Whatever you're going through, even if it's a little different 63 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,479 from everyone else, there's someone in the world who's going to understand. And 64 00:04:15,479 --> 00:04:17,680 part of that story includes someone like Loopy. We all have a Loopy in 65 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,600 our life in the way that they want to skip ahead and do other things 66 00:04:20,639 --> 00:04:23,079 in life. And you're going, my god, all I want to do 67 00:04:23,079 --> 00:04:25,040 is just be your friend. Can we just hang for a little bit? 68 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:30,199 And Mia struggles with that, Yeah she does. It's hard, especially when 69 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,279 you know we've all struggled about a friend who's kind of outgrowing us or they're 70 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:38,639 not on the same pace and we're like slow down, slow down, And 71 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,000 that's something that is a really hard part of friendship. But another part of 72 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:46,439 friendship is letting people be who they are, and even if that means gipping 73 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:51,920 ahead, supporting them and cherishing what you have together when you have it. 74 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:56,839 Did you have a Djason in your life? You knew that you love some 75 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:58,920 Jason. But the thing is, though, is that you didn't have the 76 00:04:58,959 --> 00:05:00,639 courage of the confidence is say, Jason, can we can we just be 77 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:04,839 okay, let's be boyfriend and girlfriend or can we just go out? Oh? 78 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:11,079 You know what. Jason is based off of two real people when we 79 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,920 work at the hotels. One kid was in my school but did not go 80 00:05:16,079 --> 00:05:18,560 to my class. He was not in my class, and he never went 81 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,800 around to the motels with his dad. The other motel owner that we worked 82 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,879 for, he had a son. He did not go to my school, 83 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:30,000 but he definitely came around all the time with his dad and we used to 84 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,000 figure all day long. We used to fight a lot, and I remember 85 00:05:33,079 --> 00:05:38,560 writing the series trying to Reconcile, which which Jason am I going to put 86 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,639 in? And then my editor said, why don't you just combine all these 87 00:05:41,639 --> 00:05:45,000 people and make them be in your class? And I was like, oh 88 00:05:45,759 --> 00:05:47,839 my gosh. It was like a lightbulb moment. When you write, do 89 00:05:47,879 --> 00:05:50,360 you put photographs in front of you? And the reason why I bring that 90 00:05:50,439 --> 00:05:54,639 up is because in the radio world, that's how they train us to go 91 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,800 one on one ton to physically see who the listener might be. And the 92 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:00,759 way that you write, we feel like that you're sitting right here with me, 93 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:05,000 I'm going, how does she have this down so well? Well, 94 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,279 you know, it is kind of like you're watching a movie in your head 95 00:06:08,639 --> 00:06:12,720 before you write the scene. You're kind of like imagining it in your head, 96 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,000 playing it like almost like you're a director. I don't have a picture 97 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,160 of them, but I definitely have post its where I'm like, don't don't 98 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:25,319 forget the point of this scene, whether it's you know, Mia appreciates where 99 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:30,120 she is, or she learns more from all the really interesting characters that she 100 00:06:30,199 --> 00:06:32,639 meets of Chinatown. You know, just don't forget the point of the scene. 101 00:06:33,439 --> 00:06:36,600 But yeah, to get in the moods for certain scenes, like there's 102 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:41,279 one really special scenes at the end of the book with Mia and Jason, 103 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:46,800 and I listened to a lot of music to prep for that scene because it 104 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,040 was it was a scene I wanted to write ever since I first started the 105 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:53,759 series. That was like six years ago. I've been planning the scene, 106 00:06:54,079 --> 00:06:57,279 but we had to get there. We had to earn the scene, the 107 00:06:57,399 --> 00:07:00,279 characters had to go through all kinds of development to get there, and so 108 00:07:00,439 --> 00:07:03,360 when it was finally time to write it, it was like, ah, 109 00:07:03,399 --> 00:07:10,040 I remember, I had like us Tha pulling from that moment. Though, 110 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,120 That's what's fun about writing, and I wish listeners would understand that that. 111 00:07:13,399 --> 00:07:15,319 Man, it really is a celebration of receiving when when you put it on 112 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:21,000 a page, absolutely it is, and it becomes everyone's story. After the 113 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,800 book is published, I always say, it's not my story anymore. It's 114 00:07:24,839 --> 00:07:28,399 everyone's story and it's what you make of it. How do you deal with 115 00:07:28,399 --> 00:07:30,720 that though, when it's time to relinquish it, because that's always been a 116 00:07:30,759 --> 00:07:33,040 tough cookie. Because I'll put my writing in what I call fermenting, and 117 00:07:33,079 --> 00:07:35,360 then because I want to be able to you know, let us sit over 118 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,879 there for a little bit. But then okay, now I can Now I 119 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,680 can relinquish it. You know, I do know in steps, because you 120 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,680 know, you do feel like it's your baby and you're worried about giving your 121 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,399 baby up. So I'm always worried about it, and so I always have 122 00:07:50,439 --> 00:07:54,920 to kind of almost trick myself, like I'm actually only sending it to my 123 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,600 agent and I can still pick it back. And then it's like, oh, 124 00:07:57,639 --> 00:08:01,000 I'm actually only sending it to my editor and I can take it back. 125 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,439 It's okay. But once it gets through that final copy at its stage, 126 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,519 you're just like, all right, it's it's definitely not mine anymore. 127 00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:13,360 It's everyone's story now, and you almost go through a little bit of a 128 00:08:13,519 --> 00:08:18,040 grieving process, But then you remember what you're doing it for, which is 129 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,560 to reach people, and you celebrate. Well, the book cover itself. 130 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:24,639 I mean, we're not supposed to judge a book by its book cover, 131 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,120 but on this one right here, what I love about it. And maybe 132 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:31,040 it's because I'm a broadcast instructor, but we live in this digital age where 133 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,200 everybody thinks they've got a voice and can have a voice, and for me 134 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:37,879 to be in this with top story. That to me is speaking a language 135 00:08:37,879 --> 00:08:43,799 saying share your story or someone will write it for you. Yeah. Yeah, 136 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,480 and you should be the one to write it. It's your story, 137 00:08:46,639 --> 00:08:50,279 own that story. If you're proud of that story, right, take it 138 00:08:50,399 --> 00:08:56,080 wherever you can, take it to the highest level. And you know when 139 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,240 I said that, as a kid, I started a little newspaper or my 140 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:05,360 community because I wasn't seeing our stories make it into the La Times where I 141 00:09:05,399 --> 00:09:09,080 was living, So I started in a little newspaper. I printed it at 142 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,559 office depot. I remember the people at office people were like, what are 143 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:16,120 you doing? And I just gimuted it. I put it at the Frozen 144 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,600 Yogurt shop and at the library, and it was a little thing that I 145 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:26,440 did, which was me taking that first step to sharing my thoughts with the 146 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,399 world. Well, that's your connection. And maybe that's the reason why I 147 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:33,000 love this story so much is because you do know who your reader is, 148 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,159 you know who that community is, and you're so willing to give that to 149 00:09:35,279 --> 00:09:39,840 them so they can have something to read. Absolutely, and I really hope 150 00:09:39,879 --> 00:09:43,519 that reading this book. I mean it takes place in Chinatown, San Francisco. 151 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:48,120 I hope people go and visit it because it's a beautiful place and there's 152 00:09:48,159 --> 00:09:50,919 a lot of great food there and you're not You're going to have such a 153 00:09:50,919 --> 00:09:54,080 great time. You're not going to regret it. I've been there. There's 154 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,480 also a lot of great shopping there. Man. You got to go there 155 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,480 to spend the entire day or two days there because there's a lot of great 156 00:09:58,519 --> 00:10:03,879 deals always in Chinatown. Absolutely absolutely, and it's cheap. It's a really 157 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:09,519 powerful place where can people go to find out more about you as well as 158 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,720 the front desk novel. Yeah, they can follow me on social media. 159 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:20,080 I'm at Kelly yang HK. I'm on Instagram and Twitter or Access they call 160 00:10:20,159 --> 00:10:24,919 it these days, and you can see me on TikTok making a fool of 161 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:31,200 myself. You can also find talk Story in bookstores online wherever books are sold, 162 00:10:31,399 --> 00:10:33,759 and he can go to my website Kellyan dot com. Hellove it. 163 00:10:33,799 --> 00:10:35,960 Please come back to this show anytime in the future, Kelly. The door 164 00:10:35,039 --> 00:10:39,759 is always going to be open for you. Thank you so much. Thanks 165 00:10:39,799 --> 00:10:43,840 for having me. Will you be brilliant today? Okay, you too, 166 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:45,840 Thank you so much. I appreciate it.