We chat with author Julie Abe about her new middle grade release Tessa Miyata Is No Hero, which is a thrilling and charming middle grade fantasy steeped in Japanese lore and mythology, perfect for fans of the Zachary Ying series.
Hi, Julie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi, The Nerd Daily readers! I’m Julie Abe, and I write lots of magical, whimsical books for young & teen readers. Here’s my official bio:
Julie Abe has spent many humid summers in Japan, and currently basks in the sunshine of Southern California with never enough books or tea, where she creates stories about magical adventures. Her debut novel EVA EVERGREEN, SEMI-MAGICAL WITCH received a starred review from Kirkus: “Bewitching…a must-read for fantasy lovers,” and was also listed as a Best Middle Grade Book by Kirkus, New York Public Library, Bank Street College of Education, and Book Riot. Julie is also the author of EVA EVERGREEN AND THE CURSED WITCH; ALLIANA, GIRL OF DRAGONS; and TESSA MIYATA IS NO HERO, as well as the young adult novels THE CHARMED LIST and OUR CURSED LOVE.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I was a lifetime reader—I devoured all the books I could get my hands on. “Summer Reading Programs” were like magic to my ears. But, honestly, I never thought that I could write, that someone like me could become published, so it was never even a dream that I had…
…Until I started my first job after college, and thought to myself… There has to be more to my life than this. I can’t only be stuck in a cubicle for the rest of my life!
So, with that, I began to dream… and dream…
And I wrote. I wrote a ton. I wrote at night, in the early morning, during my lunch break… I practiced and practiced and got rejected a TON. Eventually, after a dozen failed books and attempts to find representation from an agent, I wrote Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch—which is the story about a girl with just a pinch of magic, who’s sure she’s not good enough to become a witch. It was emotionally driven by my publishing journey, and I felt her emotions deep in my soul.
To my surprise, I received multiple offers of agent representation for Eva Evergreen, and then multiple offers for publication from major publishing houses. From there, I kept writing and writing, which takes us to where we are today: at the release of my sixth book, Tessa Miyata Is No Hero.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I remember is one I came across recently—it was a Disney picture book, and what made it so special was that it was a gift from my lovely kindergarten teacher, Kelly King! (If she’s out there, I’d love to say thank you to her—she was such a wonderful teacher.)
The one that made me want to become an author—ALL of the books. All the stories that kept me up reading until late at night. A particularly special book I love is The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. So beautifully written, and with gorgeous worldbuilding.
The one that I can’t stop thinking about—check out my recommendations at the end! 😉
Your latest novel, Tessa Miyata Is No Hero, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Tessa Miyata is No Hero is… your cheapest “vacation” to Tokyo! 😂
What can readers expect?
Adventures, friendship, and food! Tessa Miyata Is No Hero is a thrilling and charming middle grade fantasy steeped in Japanese lore and mythology. When 12-year-old Tessa Miyata accidentally unleashes an evil god, she (only a very ordinary mortal) must stop him in his tracks or Tokyo—and her family, who she loves more than anything—will be lost forever.
I often think of books as my “vacation” without having to go anywhere, and I hope Tessa will feel like that to readers. I try to write immersive locations that make readers feel like they’re there—even if they’ve never traveled to Rivelle Realm from the Eva Evergreen/Alliana books (which unfortunately doesn’t exist), or to Tokyo, Japan like in Tessa Miyata. When I open a book, I want to be sucked into the story and the world as if it’s real and surrounding me, even if I were to close the pages, so I love to write in sights, sounds, and tastes for readers to enjoy. And, for me, I wrote it in a time when I couldn’t go back to Japan (my birth land), so I wrote it thinking of my grandpa and wishing I could be there with him again.
Where did the inspiration for Tessa Miyata Is No Hero come from?
I got a spark of inspiration from a legend that was so fascinating, it took root in my mind and wouldn’t let go. Years and years ago, I was researching a few Japanese legends for a previously released book (Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch), when I learned about Taira Masakado. He was a renegade samurai who was about to overthrow the government—until he was assassinated. However, that’s not where his story ended.
There are so many wild rumors about him, with most revolving around consequences for anyone who puts him in an ill light. For example, he has a burial ground dedicated to him in Tokyo’s financial district, which is an incredibly expensive plot of land. Plans were drawn up to build something there, but workers started getting sick, then the lead minister on the project died. After that, construction was halted and the grounds purified to placate Taira’s ghost.
Reading about this—and the other legends about Taira Masakado—made me so fascinated with him, and though I couldn’t find a spot to put him into my first book (other than naming a special character after him), I kept thinking of his legends and dreaming of writing him into another book.
Then, one day, a story began to unfurl in my mind of a girl who wasn’t very legendary, and definitely wasn’t a hero… and the consequences of what might happen when she bumped into a very legendary character who could send her life into complete doom… And that spark developed into what is now Tessa Miyata Is No Hero.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
One of the very first scenes explores Tessa’s character and her family dynamics as she pauses in front of her grandparents’ gate. That moment—filled with possibilities and questions of what life in Japan might bring—were drawn from my summers in Japan, visiting my grandparents, and standing in front of that very gate.
I also absolutely loved writing Kit—he’s a legendary kitsune, a Japanese fox. He’s a bit snarky but has a sweeter side to him, and it was particularly fun seeing him come to life on the cover of Tessa Miyata—I like to think he’s (of course) leaping towards whatever trouble he can get into.
What a stunning cover! Can you tell us a bit about the process at all?
I’m incredibly lucky that the amazing Karmen Loh agreed to illustrate the Tessa Miyata covers. For this cover, I thought a lot about how to convey what Tessa Miyata is No Hero is all about, in just one image. I asked my husband for input, and he was kind enough to draw a basic concept for me, which I sent to my editor, and she passes on my thoughts to the art director. From there, I got back an initial concept sketch by the art director, which turned into a sketch by the artist, and then colored and refined. It’s truly an amazing process—covers are one of my favorite parts of having my books published!
What’s next for you?
I’ve been completely immersed in writing Tessa Miyata is So Unlucky, the sequel to Tessa Miyata is No Hero! There are two new side characters that I absolutely adore and I can’t wait for readers to meet them.
I also write books for teen readers, and have Our Cursed Love, the companion novel to my young adult debut, which releases in December—so it’s been a very busy few years!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’m a huge fan of Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan! It’s set in a dazzling world with a dark underside (and the author’s note made me tear up). Another favorite pick is anything by Adrianna Cuevas, who writes fun, heartfelt stories like The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, which features a boy who just might be able to talk to animals—but there’s a local witch who is hunting them down…
