We chat with author Mae Respicio about Isabel In Bloom, which follows a Filipina-American girl who discovers a connection between her two homes through a culinary garden.
Hi, Mae! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! And sure. I’m a middle grade author with my fourth book, Isabel in Bloom, now out in the world! I’m currently in the Bay Area as I write this, drinking an iced coffee on a very spring-feeling day, and one of my favorite writing snacks while on deadline is ice cream for breakfast. If I had an author-brand, it would be “Asian (specifically Filipino) Joy.”
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Writing, for me, has been a passion and obsession for as long as I can remember. I started keeping a journal and writing short stories when I was in around third grade and have just kept at it. Journaling is the one consistent thing in my writing life, and one thing I love to do is go through my old childhood and middle school journals to find inspiration for my stories.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Not sure about first book ever, but the first novel I remember reading (and crying while reading) was Charlotte’s Web.
- The one that made you want to become an author: A Wrinkle in Time. (If I had two, I’d add the Sweet Valley series. Is this cheating?!)
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I’ve been obsessed recently with Mia P. Manansala’s Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series. I love them all but especially Arsenic and Adobo.
Your latest novel, Isabel in Bloom, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Resilient girl immigrates and blossoms.
What can readers expect?
All the feelings. Isabel in Bloom is a novel in verse about a girl who has only seen her mom five times in five years, since her mom left her behind to become a nanny in the U.S.—a sacrifice to give her daughter a better life. It’s got something for every kind of kid reader from joyful hobbies like baking and gardening, to fun slumber parties set in the 1990s (anyone remember the game “light as a feather, stiff as a board”?)—to deeper themes of belonging and of discovering “home.” Isabel has a lot of both tender and joyful moments and like all of the middle grade novels I truly love, her story ends in hope.
Where did the inspiration for Isabel in Bloom come from?
I had many different inspirations for the book, but one was the memory of a ritual growing up—helping my mom fill a balikbayan box with household goods before shipping it from California to the Philippines. This is a common ritual for many Filipino American families. “Balikbayan” means “returning to one’s country.” These boxes have a long, complex history that have become symbols of sacrifice—a way for millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to stay connected to their families, even though they’ve left them behind to give them a better life. Many OFWs are moms who leave their children. It’s a common story in the Filipino diaspora and one I’d never seen in any kids’ novels yet, so I wanted to delve into that emotional journey. What came out was a universal story about a kid who faces change—and a kid who is resilient.
The world around me also influences my writing. I was brainstorming this book when there was a rise in unprovoked attacks on Asian American elders, which deeply impacted me. It ended up sparking one setting in the story—an Asian American Senior Center. I always think of my young audience when I write, so it felt important for me to weave in how we learn from and honor the generations before us.
This is your first novel in verse. Can you tell us a bit about that process of shifting your writing?
You know, I actually wrote the whole first draft in prose before deciding to revise the entire book into verse! I actually don’t recommend doing it that way (haha) but if you must, I’ll say it’s an excellent way to stretch one’s writing muscles. I love how poetry goes straight to the heart, even in just a few words. Since Isabel’s story is deeply emotional, poetry ended up being the most natural format for it. I read a ton of middle grade verse novels before I started drafting; I also re-read some of my favorite Filipino poets like Brian Ascalon Roley, Barbara Jane Reyes, Irene Suico Soriano, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil, to name a few.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Friendship is one thing that gives me such joy to explore in my books, so fleshing out the friends Isabel meets in her new country was super fun. They’re a bunch of creative, funny kids who love baking and cooking and with Isabel’s lead, they turn a dried up old space into something of a culinary garden. I basically wrote the kinds of kids I would have wanted to hang out with when I was their age.
What do you hope your readers take away from Isabel in Bloom?
To know that we can bloom anywhere. In Isabel’s case, she just needed to discover a few different ways to look at her world—plus inspiration from a dried up old garden.
What’s next for you?
A new middle grade novel! This one hasn’t officially been announced yet but it’s another tender and heart-filled book about two twelve-year-old kids who find power and voice in history. It’s going to be told from two POVs—contemporary and historical (early 1900s)—and in both prose and verse. I can’t wait to start sharing more about it soon.
Lastly, are there any book releases that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?
I’m excited for Randy Ribay’s upcoming book, Everything We Never Had. (My teen is excited, too—Randy is one of his favorite authors!)
