TURNING JAPANESE
by Cathy Yardley
Commercial FictionSt. Martin's Press
www.CathyYardley.com
3 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, May 15, 2009
About the Book
Meet Lisa Falloya, an aspiring half-Japanese, half-Italian American manga artist who follows her bliss by moving to Tokyo to draw the Japanese-style comics she's been reading for years. Leaving behind the comforts of a humdrum desk job and her workaholic fiancée, Lisa has everything planned-- right down to a room with a nice Japanese family-- but hasn't taken into account that being half-Asian and enthusiastic isn't going to cut it. Faced with an exacting boss and a conniving “big fish” manga author, Lisa risks her wedding, her friends, and her fears for a shot at making it big.
Interview with the Author!
1. Turning Japanese is about a half-Japanese, half-Italian girl. I read on your website that you’re half Vietnamese, half-Irish/American. Were you able to pull from any of your own experiences to write this book?
I was able to put a lot of my own experiences into this book. I’m not Japanese, but being “hapa”, or half-Asian, has a lot of similarities despite which specific ethnic make-up you have. I really wanted to capture the feeling of being between two worlds, culturally speaking. You never feel like you quite fit in either one, but once you acclimate, I think you can literally enjoy the best of both worlds!
2. You certainly have written a lot of books. (I think I counted 15!) Women’s fiction, non-fiction, romance. What genre do you like the best? Which is easiest?
I enjoy writing all of them! So I can’t really choose a “best,” since it would be like saying “which child do you love best?” And none of them are easy, although the non-fiction wound up being the quickest to write, simply because I’d been teaching the material for so many years, and I love teaching so much, that the words just flowed out.
3. After this many books, how do you keep the content and story fresh? For you and your readers?
It’s been 10 years since my first sale, and I’m still learning so much. With every story, I try to experiment and grow. I’ve been writing for Harlequin for years, but next year I’ll have my first three-book series, called The Players’ Club. I haven’t written with meta-themes and overarching plots, so I’m enjoying myself. Writing Turning Japanese was fantastic, because I got to write about “manga” (Japanese comic books, which I love), and I got to go to Tokyo besides for research!
4. Your non-fiction book is called Will Write For Shoes: How to Write a Chick-Lit Novel. What’s your secret to writing good chick lit?
Writing chick lit well isn’t different than writing for any other genre, I think. Will Write For Shoes has a lot of tips that, I’ve been told, can apply to any genre. That said, I think that Chick Lit is making a comeback, very soon. People need comedy now! I wouldn’t write about fashionistas necessarily, or shopaholics – in the current economic situation, that’d be completely tone deaf. But if you can comment on those sort of things in the midst of the downturn, and make it funny… I bet anything that it would sell!
5. Is there a genre you haven’t written in yet but really want to try?
I’m really interested in trying paranormal… I’ve had some ideas that I’ve been kicking around for years, but never felt ready to tackle. Fingers crossed!
About the Author:
Interview with the Author!
1. Turning Japanese is about a half-Japanese, half-Italian girl. I read on your website that you’re half Vietnamese, half-Irish/American. Were you able to pull from any of your own experiences to write this book?
I was able to put a lot of my own experiences into this book. I’m not Japanese, but being “hapa”, or half-Asian, has a lot of similarities despite which specific ethnic make-up you have. I really wanted to capture the feeling of being between two worlds, culturally speaking. You never feel like you quite fit in either one, but once you acclimate, I think you can literally enjoy the best of both worlds!
2. You certainly have written a lot of books. (I think I counted 15!) Women’s fiction, non-fiction, romance. What genre do you like the best? Which is easiest?
I enjoy writing all of them! So I can’t really choose a “best,” since it would be like saying “which child do you love best?” And none of them are easy, although the non-fiction wound up being the quickest to write, simply because I’d been teaching the material for so many years, and I love teaching so much, that the words just flowed out.
3. After this many books, how do you keep the content and story fresh? For you and your readers?
It’s been 10 years since my first sale, and I’m still learning so much. With every story, I try to experiment and grow. I’ve been writing for Harlequin for years, but next year I’ll have my first three-book series, called The Players’ Club. I haven’t written with meta-themes and overarching plots, so I’m enjoying myself. Writing Turning Japanese was fantastic, because I got to write about “manga” (Japanese comic books, which I love), and I got to go to Tokyo besides for research!
4. Your non-fiction book is called Will Write For Shoes: How to Write a Chick-Lit Novel. What’s your secret to writing good chick lit?
Writing chick lit well isn’t different than writing for any other genre, I think. Will Write For Shoes has a lot of tips that, I’ve been told, can apply to any genre. That said, I think that Chick Lit is making a comeback, very soon. People need comedy now! I wouldn’t write about fashionistas necessarily, or shopaholics – in the current economic situation, that’d be completely tone deaf. But if you can comment on those sort of things in the midst of the downturn, and make it funny… I bet anything that it would sell!
5. Is there a genre you haven’t written in yet but really want to try?
I’m really interested in trying paranormal… I’ve had some ideas that I’ve been kicking around for years, but never felt ready to tackle. Fingers crossed!
About the Author:
Cathy Yardley is the author L.A. Woman, Couch World, and Will Write for Shoes. She has written eight romance novels for Harlequin and a forthcoming trilogy of romantic fairy tales for Avon Red. She lives in Oceanside, California. For more, please visit: www.CathyYardley.com
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5 comments:
Great premise! I'm also half and half (though a different mix *g*) and agree it's a tricky situation. Read 'Will Work for Shoes' and found it very helpful.
No need to enter me, just posted this on Win A Book.
Thanks, M! "Shoes" has been one of my favorite books, and I really do believe Chick Lit and romantic comedy are making a comeback. And nice to meet another hapa! :)
Oh please tell me the signs that make you believe in The Comeback! I recently did a post all about how Chicklit is MIA and who knows when or how (I will never say 'if') it will rise again...
"The Hong Kong Connection" is a legal thriller about a gutsy female attorney who takes on high ranking International officials. It's a taut, rollercoaster of a ride from New York to Palm Beach to Washington D.C. to Hong Kong. The plot is expertly woven, the characters persuasive, and the dialogue snappy and spot on.
www.StrategicBookPublishing.com/TheHongKongConnection.html
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