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In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are highlighting stories written by Asian and Pacific Islander authors. Today's interview is with TL_Nonoke, whose story reached rank 3 in #AsianFantasy.
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About the Author: TL_Nonoke is a Chinese Canadian RoFan writer with a specific focus on Asian fantasy. Besides reading and writing, she enjoys comics, C-drama, and anime.
About 'Migong': It's the story of Feiyan, a highly trained shadow guard who has been raised as the Crown Prince's substitute. The backdrop for her journey is an East meets West mashup of the Chinese myth of the Four Guardian beasts and the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I'm a Chinese Canadian RoFan writer with a specific focus on Asian fantasy. Besides reading and writing, I enjoy comics, C-drama, and anime.
2. How do you identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and how has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
I'm a 1st generation Canadian with Chinese immigrant parents. I would describe myself as a "banana". While growing up in a predominantly Caucasian neighbourhood in the 80s (yes, I know I'm old), I was isolated from the larger Chinese community and spent most of my childhood and teenage years as a subject of discrimination. Wanting to be accepted fuelled a lot of conflict with my very strict and traditional parents who had no idea what to do with a North American teenager. I really rejected being Chinese until I reached adulthood when I "rediscovered" my cultural heritage. It took a long time for me to realize the harsh realities of the immigrant experience (working several different jobs just to stay afloat) really impacted my parents' ability to help me cope in an environment so vastly different from what they had known. It's been a real journey learning to accept myself and who I am. I've definitely come full circle in choosing to be an Asian fantasy writer.
3. Does your family have any traditions that are important to you? Feel free to share at least one experience here!
New Year and the Mid-Autumn festival with my parents and kids. Even if it's just a dinner, I want to ensure that my kids understand the importance and richness of their background, especially since they are mixed. I want them to have a positive experience with their cultural heritage as they grow up.
4. If you could introduce something from your culture to someone else, what would it be and why? It can be a tradition/custom, food, music, or anything else that comes to mind!
My first inclination is to say food, but since there's so much out there already, I think I'd rather say Chinese traditional dance. There are so many variations and the costumes can be just gorgeous.
5. What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you?
Fact: AAPI Heritage Month has been alive and well in the U.S. since 1979, but was only made official in Canada in 2002. I feel like we have a long way to go here in recognizing and celebrating Asian culture. We need to do more and that can only come with representation. AAPI is my "DO MORE" month. I'm doing my part with my writing and by participating in this interview! You can do more too! :)
6. How do your experiences as an AAPI author shape your stories? Do you take inspiration from your culture to tell your story? You may talk about 1-2 stories here.
My writing has definitely been influenced by my experiences and cultural background. My first novel, Water Mirrored Moon, came about because I was trying to reimagine heroines and tropes in Chinese manhuas. My new story, Migong, is about a heroine who rejects the role that she's assigned. Through trials and tribulations, she frees herself of that identity and becomes her own person.
7. What is your favorite myth or legend? Why?
Right now, I'm obsessed with the fact that multiple cultures all over the world have similar stories about the grim reaper or entity assigned to guiding newly deceased souls to the underworld. In Korean mythology, they are called Jeosung Saja; the Chinese have Heibai Wuchang; and in Greek mythology, it's the god, Hermes. I'm doing some research and sketching an outline for a story that I might want to write in the future called The Lamplighter's Lover.
8. If you could have the same powers as a creature and/or deity from mythology or legends, what would it be? Why?
It would be a dragon that controls water...Why? The earth is mostly water...this is about world domination... (=^.^=)
9. What is your advice for other writers who want to use mythology in their story?
My advice is to write what you know and if you don't know a lot about it, then do a heck of a lot of research and maybe run it by people who do know...Definitely get creative and make it your own, but always be willing to take constructive criticism and make changes if someone feels like it could be improved. If you feel the need, be transparent about it an author's note or the intro to your story. It always pays to be respectful of the source material, especially if you don't come from that cultural background.
That's it for the month, it was fun getting to know about TL_Nonoke. You can check her stories featured in our reading list as well as her other works. If you're interested in learning more about other AAPI authors, check out Myth & Legend's AAPIHM reading list here.
