We chat with author Thien-Kim Lam about Something Cheeky, which follows two friends who get the opportunity to work together on their dream project—a Cinderella rock musical with an all-Asian cast—and discover that falling in love was the easy part…
Hi, Thien-Kim! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a Vietnamese American born and raised in Louisiana, and I now live in the DC metro area. Besides writing, I’m also a book coach. I’m a certified sex educator with over 24 years of experience which plays heavily into why I enjoy writing sex scenes in my romances. I probably drink too much coffee but I have no regrets.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I wrote my first short story in middle school about some chicken nuggets coming to life to revolt against the humans. I even typed it up on a typewriter! (Yes, I’m dating myself.) I didn’t take writing seriously until 2010 when I started a parenting blog called I’m Not the Nanny where I wrote about raising Vietnamese and Black biracial kids. Now I mostly focus on fiction/novel writing and book coaching.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe wasn’t the first book I read but definitely left an impression on me.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Not a specific one, but I got tired of reading about white folks falling in love so I wrote Happy Endings, a romance with a Black and Asian couple.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin. She is a genius who creates the most amazing worlds
Your latest novel, Something Cheeky, is out March 4th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
BIPOC folks who deserve happiness.
What can readers expect?
You can expect tender moments, laughter, lots of spice, and characters being Asian AF. Oh, and a feisty cat!
Where did the inspiration for Something Cheeky come from?
I majored in theatre and worked as a professional costume designer for several years so some of Zoe’s experiences come from my own. I still love musicals and wanted to imagine what it might be like for Zoe and Derek to produce a musical version of the Vietnamese Cinderella fairy tale.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
In writing how Zoe fell in love with her college best friend Derek, I came to understand my sexuality better. Something Cheeky helped me embrace my demisexuality which is why I made Zoe a demisexual, too. This fact about Zoe just made sense on why it took her so long to realize that she was in love with Derek
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
What didn’t I face? Ha! We had some major health crises in my family that made it challenging to write anything. (Everyone is fine now.) Besides that, it was tough to work out Zoe and Derek’s character arcs because they both embody so much of the racism, sexism, fatphobia, and microaggressions I’ve experienced not just working in theatre, but living in our society as an Asian American plus-sized woman.
What led you to romance?
I fell into romance at first because I’d read everything else on our bookmobile. I stuck with romance because the heroines weren’t afraid to fight for what they wanted. They didn’t compromise their dreams just because they were in love.
What’s next for you?
I can’t share specifics but I’m working on a new contemporary romance and have some fantasy novels bouncing around in my head.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I’m excited to read Accidentally On Purpose by Top Chef Kristen Kish, Daughter of Tides by Kit Rocha, and When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa.
