Hi Abigail, a huge congratulations on the publishing of your debut novel, Loveboat, Taipei! How would you describe your experience and what it feels like now that you’re a published author?
I wrote five novels over twelve years, and received hundreds of rejections along the way. The only reason I kept going was because I was surrounded by critique partners and friends who encouraged me through the hardest times.
On the eve of publication, I’m overwhelmed by the incredible support for Loveboat, Taipei. So many people have offered help, bringing all their creativity, resources and advice to the table. Teaspoon created a bubble tea “Passion Attraction” – just for Loveboat, Taipei! Boba Guys created a film with me on how to make boba, along with an interview. I’m speaking at Google and other companies in the coming weeks.
One thing I didn’t realize I’d love so much was the opportunity to connect with and hear from so many different people. On tour, people are telling me their stories of feeling marginalized, of being left out of pictures for their own works or finding out they were the lowest paid in their groups for the past decade. I want to find ways to help. And as more people read Loveboat, Taipei, more opportunities are coming up.
I don’t know what else is in store but am excited to find out!
It amazes me and excites me at the same time that Loveboat is based on a real program that still exists to this day. How much of your experience at the real Chien Tan would you say that you included in this novel?
I get this question a lot! Love it. I think people are surprised by some of the craziness that goes on in the novel. I was certainly surprised when I showed up on Loveboat myself!
I would say the internal character journeys are very much mine: learning to navigate between cultures, discovering identity in all its facets and trying to figure out how to pursue passions while honoring parents.
I also drew in part from my husband’s and my experiences, as well as some quintessential experiences like sneaking out clubbing, glamour shots and the tour around the island. My husband, Andy, attended the program a few summers before I did and it was fun to see how our experiences differed: he and his friends sneaked out over the blue pipe that stretches across the Keelung River. My girlfriends and I just ran out the front door.
But the characters and their storylines, including the love quadrangle and the talent show at the end, are all fictional. As Sophie says, there’s never been a talent show at Loveboat like the one she and Ever put on!
As the novel explains, Chien Tan is about helping young people reconnect to their roots. Would you say that your experience influenced Asian culture more in your life?
I definitely became a lot more comfortable with my Asian heritage, which was a critical part of embracing all parts of myself. I have a much richer sense of the depth of stories, culture and heritage that I come from, which allows me to bring more of myself to the table. I am fully American, and before Chien Tan, I didn’t know I was also part of this awesome other community.
And yes, Asian culture is definitely more in my life now as a result. I used to not really engage in holidays like the Moon Festival and Chinese New Year. Now I look forward to celebrating them each year and sharing them not just with my children but my friends and community.
In Loveboat, Taipei, we meet the main character Ever Wong, who is stuck between her parent’s expectations to become a doctor and her passion for dancing. What advice would you give or any insight you might have after writing such a heartwrenching family situation, for someone possibly going through the same kind of thing?
This is always such a hard question because every situation is unique. I wish I could say talk it out honestly with your parents, but not everyone is in a position to do that. I would say – take baby steps and pick your battles. Save the gunfire for the big issues that really matter to you, like your choice of college major or who you date.
Also something to keep in mind: while you’re a student living under your parents’ roof, it’s harder to strike out and do what you want. That will come to an end. You’ll become an adult and no one will be responsible for your decisions except yourself.
Like many others, as someone who used to dance, I could really relate to Ever’s passion for dancing. Do you also enjoy dancing and/or did you put some of your passions or traits into her personality?
Yes, I love to dance. Writing Loveboat, Taipei solidified just how much!
This moment in the novel came from a real moment of dancing when I was trying to figure things out for the book: “Almost against my will, the music takes hold of my shoulders, then my hips, then my feet. Slowly, my stocking arms draw curves through the air, picking up speed as the music deepens… I begin to dance. One song. Another, another, my feet beating out the rhythm on the floor. I whirl into the spaces between the dressers, my long-armed shadow stag leaps over the walls, until, deep in my body, I understand what I will never have words for.” (p. 269)
A novel is a medium of words, but communication and understanding involves so much more that transcends words. I came to that realization even more acutely as I was writing Ever’s story.
The events that unfolded in Loveboat, Taipei sometimes got me quite teary and really explored friendships, trust and how important communication is. What would you say you also wanted readers to take away after reading it?
One of my writing advisors at VCFA, Martine Leavitt, told me that every reader completes the experience of a novel. Every reader will take different things away based on their backgrounds and powers of imagination.
Another key point I learned as I was growing in my career is that people may not remember what you say, but they will never forget how you make them feel. I would say I want readers to come away feeling stronger, more hopeful and more confident in themselves and their abilities to pursue what they love and make good things happen in their relationships and in the world. My characters are flawed and they make mistakes and get back on their feet and do better. I tend to be quite hard on myself, but I need to also be reminded that is all we can ask of ourselves as human beings. I hope their journeys are encouraging to others.
The cover of the book is absolutely stunning! Were you involved with its creation and putting a face to Ever?
I love the cover! And I was so thrilled to see Ever’s face at the top of the Nerd Daily’s 2020 picks list—so glad you love it too!
Yes, my team at Harper, my agent and I worked closely together on it. The process was incredibly fun. The first decision point was whether we wanted a photograph or a drawing, and we all leaned towards a drawing—which as someone later pointed out, reflects Ever’s mysterious artist. Then we chose an artist—the amazing Janice Sung—to bring Ever to life. We all weighed in, and I was so appreciative of the level of commitment to getting her just right. Then we looked over a page of lettering and unanimously chose Jennett Liaw for the title font.
The hope was for the cover to be memorable and iconic, like Cosette from Les Miserables (my alltime favorite musical). I’d love to hear what readers think!
I have never been to Taiwan, but it’s one of the Asian cities I’d love to visit. For others who are also inspired to visit Taipei after reading the book, what are five attractions or places you’d recommend?
Taipei is an amazing city and I highly recommend a visit along with a tour of the island. There are so many highlights I couldn’t fit into this novel and hope to get into later works. Here are my top five:
Shilin Night Market
National Palace Museum
Liberty Plaza (which houses the National Theater and Chiang Kai Shek Memorial)
Taroko National Park
Sun Moon Lake
For the readers who are also aspiring writers out there hoping to get their own novels published, what would you give them as a tip or piece of advice?
Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods have said similar things: that they only make so many baskets because they have tried to shoot so many. Thomas Edison amassed over 1000 patents and only a few have really stood out over time.
As I mentioned, I wrote for twelve years and received hundreds of rejections. Working in the startup world of Silicon Valley, I see many risks taken, many setbacks and many successes, sometimes years later. I love this culture that views failures as steps along the journey and encourages innovation.
So my advice: keep writing, get feedback, and keep learning. Take the risk of putting yourself out there until you get to a yes.
With a caveat — only if you love it and it feeds you. I remember another author I admire giving people permission to stop writing if it wasn’t fulfilling. That’s also important to keep in mind.
I personally loved this book and I hope we get more from Ever’s story in the future, but in general, what’s next for you?
I’m working on a companion book that picks up where Loveboat, Taipei leaves off. I also have those other unpublished novels that I still love and want to make work, as well as new stories on the horizon. I’m also still loving my work in artificial intelligence. I have some novels on AI and thinking about other ways to bridge my worlds. It’s all very early but I’m loving it all.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?
Here are my favorite books not written by friends and critique partners:
- The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
- Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
- American Born Chinese, by Gene Yang
Abigail Hing Wen holds a BA from Harvard and a JD from Columbia. She also earned her Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Like Ever, she is obsessed with musicals. When she’s not writing stories or listening to her favorite score, she is busy working in venture capital and artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Loveboat, Taipei is her first novel. Visit AbigailHingWen.com, or follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @abigailhingwen.
