Hello, folks! Meet our second awesome AAPI writer, Miya Hikari (MiyaHikari), the author of the Watty-shortlisted dark fantasy novel, Whisper of Blade!
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What do you do when everyone seems to want you dead? Kill them first, of course.
Minerva Pyroline, assassin by night and heir to an empire by day, has one goal: Survive. No matter the obstacles. No matter the cost. But with political tensions on the rise, strange feelings for a secretive enemy prince, and destructive capabilities hidden within Minerva herself, the goal is nearly impossible to attain. In fighting fire with fire, killing to not be killed, she's tipped the scales of justice too far. Blood cannot be shed without a price. The goddess of retribution is coming to collect.
When Minerva finds herself on the receiving end of the blade, she must answer its whispered question: Do you deserve mercy?
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AUTHOR BIO: Miya Hikari is a farmhand by day, speculative fiction writer by night. She has previously been published in the children's magazine 'Cricket' and is currently hard at work on a high fantasy trilogy which includes the Wattys 2022 shortlisted novel, Whisper of Blade. Readers of her main work can expect enemies to lovers, elemental magic, and dragons (though maybe not the kind you'd expect). Though she also dabbles in Science Fiction as the mood strikes her. When she isn't writing, helping run the DreamlandCommunity on Wattpad, gaming (both board games and video games), holding court with the chickens, and splitting firewood are at the top of her list of things to do.
1. Hi Miya! We're delighted to have you here today. Let's start. Can you tell us something surprising about yourself?
I have a black belt in Taekwondo and enjoy martial arts. I'd really like to try kickboxing given the chance.
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 half-Japanese, half-Korean, and fully American. While I wish I had better knowledge of the languages and traditions, the values my parents have taught me are rooted deep. Honoring my elders, striving to excel in learning, believing that anything is achievable if you work hard enough are all ways that my heritage has shaped me into who I am today. I hope to pass the same wisdom on to my children, but given that they'll be more racially diverse than I am, I want to teach them to be proud of their heritage but that skin color is secondary to character.
3. How did you come up with the idea for your story? And what are your inspirations for the world you have created?
I sat in the car one day, hiding from social interactions and inclement weather, and drew a map with a piece of paper and a pencil I stole from my younger brother. That map birthed a whole world and several story ideas, though as far as maps go, it's probably not that great XD The Pyro Empire, the main setting for Whisper of Blade, draws some inspiration from feudal Japan and ancient Rome, and the rest is from my imagination.
4. If you could be a character in your story, who would it be and why?
I think it'd have to be Azuki, the floofy seven-tailed kat. The kats of Whisper of Blade have their basis in kitsune legend and maneki-neko (lucky cats that you'll see at some restaurants), which means many of them can talk and have fun little abilities like defying gravity or...wielding lightning and fire to roast the skin off your bones :D Overall, they're very chill and get to laze around in the sun. They're also highly revered, so there would be no downsides to posing as one.
5. Does your family have any traditions that are important to you? Feel free to share your at least one experience here!
My family isn't big on traditions, but I would say mealtimes are very important to us XD We always make sure to eat together if possible, and when we have guests over, they say it feels like eating is "an event" at our house. Food is very much a love language too!
6. 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!
I really like getting my friends into k-pop and anime, but if I had to pick one thing, it would be mochi ice cream. It's one of my favorite desserts and a lot of people seem to like it when they try it!
7. What are your favorite books? Both on and outside Wattpad?
This is a loaded question...I have too many! On Wattpad, my favorites are the Venture series by tarishannon18 and The Omen Girl by grendelthegood. Off Wattpad, Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author with the Stormlight series. The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan is also a huge favorite.
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Thank you very much for joining with us today, Miya. And all of you reading, we hope you found that inspirational! Give her stories some love!
