We chat with author Claire Ahn about Bad Influence, which is a contemporary YA novel where high school student Charlotte Goh is an aspiring Asian American fashion influencer desperately trying to lift her family out of hardship, only to find it may come at a cost higher than any Chanel bag.
Hi, Claire! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Korea and only moved stateside at the age of 18. I’ve been back and forth a few times, but my home is rooted in Korea, which is pretty easily reflected in my stories. I used to work a corporate job and it sucked the life out of my soul so I made a game plan to slowly find my way out through writing books. I think so much of life is lived trying to surround ourselves with passions and beauty, and it can feel muddled and tricky, but in the end, it always feels worth it. I love writing books for children. It feels like the sweet spot in life where you’re hopeful for the best outcomes in everything and the weight of the world hasn’t come down on you! To write for an audience like that feels pretty incredible.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’d say in the third grade is when I distinctly remember writing my first story and falling in love with it. I was told to write a story of some kind and I ended up writing a play about three friends from planet Mars coming to planet Earth in search of candy, which was Mars’ source of life. It made zero sense and it was only eleven pages, but I had so much fun with it that I still remember the names of my characters (Clacky, Clooney, Klooky).
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Junie B. Jones !!!! I am a stan. Forever.
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Chronicles of Narnia, specifically, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Also, The Crucible by Arthur Miller
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Uprooted by Ruth Chan. So relatable and cute and precious for the age range.
Your latest novel, Bad Influence, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would
they be?
It would be… “Don’t we all have secrets?!”
What can readers expect?
It’s a bit of fun escapism seeing Charlotte experience the glamorous influencer life. But it’s also filled with best friendships, romance, and the ache of carrying family burdens while trying to find yourself through the cloudiness of internal and external pressures.
Where did the inspiration for Bad Influence come from?
Bad Influence is about a teenager with a burning desire to make it as an influencer. I was inspired by this random factoid that more than half the teens of America wanted to be an influencer when they grew up. It was appalling to me! Because social media has been strongly linked to feelings of comparison, depression, dissatisfaction, etc., the thought that young kids wanted to voluntarily enter this world without fully understanding the consequences frightened me to my core. I wanted to explore that more through a fictional lens and make it fun, but real. The main theme, however, is around family and familial burdens, and I think that’s inspired by the lives around me, including mine, where we live in a world aware of generational struggles and trying to make amends for the past.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing Steven. In so many YA books I’ve read, the male love interest always seems so swoony and perfect and that was never my experience in high school! Steven is sweet and deeply cares for Charlotte, but he’s so flawed and going through his own thing too. I wanted him to be his own person, not just someone there for the main character.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I think the biggest challenge was the balance of social media versus outside social media relationships / situations Charlotte was in. I chose to not delve too deep into the social media world and focus more on her actual life because that’s what I ultimately cared more about. But every time I say, ‘oh, this book is about a teenager trying to be an influencer,’ I wonder if that’s really an accurate portrayal of the story, because I think the meat of it is so much more than that. There were so many moments where I thought I had to go back and make it more social media heavy, but the truth was that I didn’t want to. It seems that being a writer includes constantly feeling like you can do better, and part of overcoming that is knowing that at some point, you’re just changing your novel, not actually improving it.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a picture book and an adult fiction cozy mystery novel! Both have been super fun and I hope to complete both before the end of this year.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I’m doing research for my murder mystery novel so some books in the pipeline include The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant, and The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim. But beyond that, I’m super excited to dive into Meet Me At Blue Hour by Sarah Suk and Jilted by Vi Keeland.
