Author Interview With Book Blog Reading Nook

1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you into writing?

I am a teen author (now 17) who grew up in Taiwan. Having been exposed to the beautiful language of English at a young age, most if not all of my time is devoted to reading novels or writing one. I was ten when I first came up with a story idea that involved me and my two cousins on a fantastic adventure. I wrote it...and bagged it after writing 2,000 words. Even as a ten-year-old I couldn't stand the tone of my own prose. For the next few years I quit writing, but never stopped believing I would be an author one day. When I was 13, I daydreamed about escaping from school and into a magical world every day. I pictured myself as a hero in that other world, someone who could go on adventures and save lives instead of being confined to a classroom with nothing but my textbooks and workbooks to keep me company. In our school there was this huge white-bricked fountain perched in the middle of the courtyard, which always seized my attention when I walked by. It's fascinating, especially under the gentle glow of the afternoon sunlight. I could stand in front of the window and watch the gilded waves ripple in the pool of melted gold forever. I imagined it was a portal that took me to the Otherworld-a fictional world that existed in my dreams. That's the story behind In the Name of the Otherworld.

2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?

I write anytime and everywhere; that is, when my brain is unable to find an excuse for procrastination. Mornings, afternoons, and evenings, sometimes in my study, in the car, waiting for my meal to be served.... As long as the inspiration hits, I type it down. My favorite place to write is at my grandma's. She always pampers me with delicious food, which magically boosts my creativity. The atmosphere there is quiet and peaceful, perfect for a writer. Inexplicably, my mind works the best in the evenings. Most if not all of the chapters that make me proud of are born in the evenings.

3: Where do your ideas come from?

Everywhere. From my Facebook feed, a trip to another city, a giant fountain in school, inspired by another book or an event.... Life is full of story ideas. Ever since I started writing, I saw everything around me in a whole new piece-light. People see a line of trees swaying in the breeze; I see a queue of dancers waving their limbs to the soft hum of a singer. People see a white airplane departing from an airport and ascending into the sky; I picture a lonely white bird sailing towards a foreign country. I often over-interpret things and keep asking myself "what if?" What if that hole in the tree is an entrance to a fairy kingdom? What if the storm tonight is a curse placed on our town by an evil witch? What if that tree over there is actually a giant in disguise? And then….