I don’t write for the accolades, but I am damn proud of this book and how it’s been embraced by readers, critics, booksellers, librarians, and peers. Thank you for cheering me on.
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Literary event season is winding down for me, and I’m already feeling nostalgic. This year I’ve spoken at 17 events at festivals and libraries, shared the stage with dozens of fellow writers, met countless readers and booksellers, sang a 90s alt-rock anthem in front of a packed house in Vancouver, was nearly coaxed by the audience to read a risque scene while in a church in Nelson, shared family photos in Sechelt, and made many friends along the way. Spending a week in Toronto to celebrate this weird book with Team Cosmonaut was a wonderful way to cap off an unforgettable year. Thank you to everyone who shared these experiences with me.
Kudos to @ruta016 , my extraordinary publicist, for making all of this possible. We don’t call ourselves Team Hustle for nothing.
And I’m forever grateful for Thomas, the love of my life and tour companion, who attended nearly every event to take photos, fetch coffee, ensure I stayed hydrated, charm organizers, make me laugh when I needed to decompress, and generally keep me calm, sane, and happy. Now, a restful weekend, then some adventure time as we fly to Mexico City next week before roadtripping to Puerto Escondido by way of Puebla and Oaxaca.
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Photography: Ryan Emberley
I’m very proud of these two novels. Despite being released during a global pandemic, they’ve brought escape and comfort to readers thanks to the relentless work of my publisher, my agent, booksellers, librarians, distributors, and the literary community.
The holidays are upon us, so treat yourself or someone you love. Find AFTER ELIAS and THE REBELLIOUS TIDE wherever books are sold—though I encourage you to support your favourite local bookstore. ✌🏽
1,200 people showed up at the opening reception of FUTURE GEOGRAPHIES: Art in the Century of Climate Change last night at the @vanartgallery , where the rotunda was buzzing with applause and conversation.
Bravo to the artists who captured this era of ecological precarity in such exquisite and thought-provoking form, like this whale skeleton made entirely of plastic chairs by @brianjungen . I hope your work causes people to pause, mourn, and act.
it’s tuesday and you know what that means!
this week on Friendless i’m joined by @eddyautomatic for a live interview at @bookwarehousevancouver on main street. we got real weird with this one, talking everything from the grief we hold for those we love, outlets for asian rage, the contradiction of identity, and where prejudice first forms. all that and so much more, this interview was an absolute treat and i’ve been so excited to share it since recording.
listen now through the link in the page bio or just search for Friendless anywhere you get your podcasts.
get off this hellscape and go listen now!
fun and safety sweet peas 🫛
I spoke at a library filled with high school students, so of course I had to show them what I looked like at their age.
Feeling upbeat about this generation after meeting so many thoughtful, attentive students. This was my first time speaking at an event with students of this age, and they made it fun and easy, even if I was a bit cringe.
Thanks to Ms. Prior at Handsworth Secondary and Vancouver Writers Fest for bringing writers into the classroom. Write on.
With it being Asian Heritage Month, I’ll share a family tradition that has survived the journey across three countries and four generations since my ancestors resided in China: the Chinese tea ceremony.
My grandparents lived in Hainan, an island province of China, before fleeing during the war. They landed as refugees in Brunei, a country that’s predominantly Malay and Muslim, where my parents were born. Mom and Dad migrated to Canada as a young couple in the 1970s, where they married and raised three sons.
Last week, my nephew, a third-generation mixed-heritage Canadian, married a lovely young woman. Keeping with tradition, we kicked off the festivities with a formal Chinese tea ceremony, where the soon-to-be-newlyweds served tea to their family elders (yes, that includes me now!) in exchange for red envelopes and gold jewelry.
It was a truly Canadian event: the house filled with people of all ages and heritages taking part in a custom that had travelled across decades and an ocean, sustained by an innate desire to honour one’s roots. Our ancestors would be proud to see this tradition expand in this way, even if they found reason to criticize our outfits.
🪭❤️🧧
One year later.
And I’m still pretty damn proud of this book.
If you loved it, help me celebrate its first birthday by recommending it to a friend.
If you hated it, help me celebrate its first birthday by recommending it to an enemy.
If you haven’t yet read it, what are you waiting for?
Thank you for reading. Thank you for cheering me on. Let’s eat some cake.
🐅🌙
I want to continue living in a world where another human being helps me find my next beloved book instead of an algorithm, where I can scour the shelves and scan the jacket rather than receive my purchase in a box at my doorstep.
Local bookshops have long been some of my favourite places on Earth, giving our communities much-needed space to gather around ideas, conversation, and the love of literature. To celebrate Canadian Independent Bookstore Day, show some love to your local shop that’s hustling every day to keep your neighbourhood vibrant and well-read. Get a book for yourself or for a friend. Fill that tote bag and wear it with pride.
Here’s a collection of just a few of my favourite local shops, all of which have supported me and my career with such gusto. Tap each image to find their Instagram page.
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Shari Hosaki and I joined the board of Writers’ Trust of Canada on the same day in 2022, and we recently got to toast the Trust’s 50th anniversary at home in Vancouver as the first stop of a cross-country celebration.
Our mission hasn’t changed much at all since 1976, when Margaret Atwood, Pierre Berton, Graeme Gibson, Margaret Laurence, and David Young started Writers’ Trust to support and celebrate Canadian writers. Now, our nation’s writers receive more financial support from the Trust than any other non-governmental organization through awards, grants, and fellowships, along with opportunities to develop careers through mentorships and residencies. Writing careers are challenging to build and sustain, and the Trust is here to make it a little easier.
It’s an honour to serve on this board alongside such devoted colleagues, staff, and supporters. On a personal note, my small contribution to the Trust’s important work is my way of giving back to the writing community that has been so good to me. I joined with a commitment to being a voice for the underrepresented, and that hasn’t changed.
What a lovely evening it was in Vancouver with Eden Robinson, Kamal Al-Solaylee, Elizabeth Hay, Margaret Gallagher, and a theatre filled with some of the city’s brightest literary talent. Next stop: Calgary on May 13!
