Hi, Kelly! Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The Babysitter’s Club
• The one that made you want to become an author: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Beautiful Country

Your latest novel, The Take, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

An anti-aging thriller with bite

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect a wild ride with two unhinged women hellbent on changing the rules on aging because they’re tired of being told their time is not now or their time is almost up! We have Ingrid Parker, a rich, white female producer in her 50s who makes a deal with Maggie Wang, a scrappy, broke Asian American writer in her 20s, to buy 10 years of Maggie’s youth in an experimental medical procedure for $3M.

Where did the inspiration for The Take come from?

The inspiration for the Take came from reading about biohacking in Silicon Valley and tech bros buying young plasma in real life, as well as new research out of Harvard saying they’ve figured out how to get an older rat to de-age, by linking them up with a young rat!

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I LOVED writing all the scenes in which the characters behaved badly! Those were the most delicious to write and there are so many of them in this book, but I also hope that they inspire us to reflect on why we judge certain behaviours as unacceptable at certain ages, while older, more established people can get away with it?

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge was worrying about people’s reactions to me writing this book, which is soooo different from my middle grade! It’s about power and toxic mentorships and feminism and capitalism. The only to overcome it is to just…not think about it! Now that it’s coming out, I’m really excited. I hope people will give my adult fiction a chance and allow me to have multitudes!

This is your adult debut! Did you approach change when it came to writing or did you adopt any new methods with the shift in audience?

I got into the mindset of Ingrid and Maggie by tricking myself into thinking no one will ever read this and in doing so, let myself have a ton of freedom to write their inner, most unspeakable thoughts!

What’s next for you?

I’m trying to finish my next adult novel, and then I’m starting a new middle grade series!

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

The Children by Melissa Albert

Will you be picking up The Take? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Kelly Yang, Author of ‘The Take’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

KELLY: Hi Joanna! I’m thrilled to talk to you about your first ever YA!

JOANNA: Hi, Kelly! I’m so excited to talk with you about PRIVATE LABEL, your upcoming YA. The cover of your next book is so beautiful, it is stuck in my brain. Can you tell me what it’s about and where the story came from?

KELLY: Of course! PRIVATE LABEL is my first YA romance! It’s about a 17 year old Chinese American girl Serene, whose mom is a fashion designer. When Serene’s Mom gets pancreatic cancer, Serene has to come in and take over her mom’s business. And in the process, she finds out a lot about herself and falls in love with a new boy in town (who could not be less fashionable). The story is inspired by my mom’s own diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. What about your book, THE SILENCE THAT BINDS US?

JOANNA: That sounds amazing! THE SILENCE THAT BINDS US is also about a Chinese American girl. Maybelline Chen loses her beloved older brother to suicide and in the aftermath of his death, city leaders turns against her family and the Asian community, claiming that it is the Asian culture that increases the stress and pressure in their schools. In effect, they blame May’s parents for their own son’s death. It’s the story of May’s journey of grieving, healing, and finding her voice when so many want to keep her silent.

I’m so sorry to hear about your mom’s diagnosis. That must have been such a difficult experience for all of you. Challenging personal experiences are often hard to live through, let alone relive by talking about them. What inspired you to build a story based on this painful experience?

KELLY: That’s such a great question. I have always thought of writing as a therapeutic experience. Growing up, writing was the way for me to process the world. Especially when my world felt like it was spinning out of control, which as a young immigrant was often. So I think about 3 months into my mom’s cancer journey, when some of the chemo was really starting to get to my mom, and I truly felt like I had no real tangible way of helping her, and it was a heartbreaking feeling, I started drafting this manuscript. Writing this book allowed me and my mom to think about something else besides cancer, allowed us to fall in love with the characters, to be able to connect through the lines, and LAUGH – because one of my characters is an aspiring stand up comic. It was such a healing experience for us. This story gave us strength and hope! And I am so glad that you are talking about suicide in your story, because I feel like both cancer and suicide are things that we don’t always talk about in the Asian American community but they’re so important. They’re things that so many families struggle with and these stories are so necessary.

For you, how did you get the inspiration for your book?

JOANNA: I wanted to write a book that explored anti-Asian racism. This was long before “stop Asian hate” became a slogan on protest posters, before it was a topic of public conversation. It was a way for me to explore my own experiences with racism, and also the topic at large. My high school community was racked with two teenage suicide epidemics soon after I graduated. Several years ago, I was at a group dinner and a wealthy white businessman stated that it was the Asians in the community that caused the stress and pressure and suicides. I was sitting directly across the table from him and was so invisible that he didn’t even see me. I began to wonder how it would feel to be a parent or a sibling to not only experience this deep personal tragedy, and then be blamed for them. To your point about silence in the Asian American community around mental health, cancer, and other difficult topics, I think racism is something we all know exists and we discuss behind closed doors, but don’t speak about publicly enough. I hope this story offers many openings to dialogue about topics we all need to discuss more openly.

How do you hope that PRIVATE LABEL lands with readers? What do you hope they will take from the story?

KELLY: I hope that teenagers reading PRIVATE LABEL feel less alone when life suddenly throws them curveballs and they find themselves in the eye of a storm they never ever saw coming. I had no idea my mom was going to get cancer, and suddenly we’d be on this journey. I have no idea what the future will bring, but I’m grateful for every day that we have. In some ways, I think her cancer has brought us closer together. We’ve been able to have some deeply honest conversations, just like in the book, about life, what coming to this country meant for her, and our hopes and dreams for the future. Ultimately, as much as this book is a love story between Serene and Lian, it’s also a love story between Serene and her mom, finally being able to bond, in the most unexpected of circumstances.

What is your greatest hope for your book?

JOANNA: Although the topics of suicide and racism are heavy and painful, I really hope this story offers a message of hope, healing and empowerment. I hope it offers a lens through which we can collectively examine the invisibility of Asians in our society, the nuances and challenges of working in solidarity, the value of speaking out about mental health, and the power of working together to change dominant narratives that have confined us for too long. Similarly to you, writing this book has also brought me closer to my mom. In some ways, it’s been a vehicle for me to learn about my own history and heritage and this has strengthened our bond.

You were able to create a story of love and laughter from unexpected and difficult circumstances. How do you hold on to that light in your own life?

KELLY: Great question! Well, I write next to a 60 lb fuzzy labradoodle, who always helps me see the humor and lighter side of life! I also have three rascals, Eliot, Tilden, and Nina, who remind me every day why I do what I do. Why I get up and I write, on the good days and on the bad days. It’s always to inspire the next generation. To show them that life can be unpredictable, and sometimes downright terrifying, but I’m going to keep trying, and I don’t know what is going to happen, but I’m going to approach it with love, kindness, and humor.

What about you? How do you hang onto the light?

JOANNA: My kids! Cookies! Nature! I eat a lot of chocolate chip cookies! I agree with what you shared also. My kids really remind me what matters and give me such hope for the future. Spending time with them is genuinely my joy and they fill my reserves, even if mommying can be exhausting! When my daughter is drawing leopard dots on herself with Sharpie in the middle of church, or my son is lecturing me about the ten million trains that he would like to own one day, I feel grateful to be their mom and this in and of itself is light and life for me.

KELLY: That is the sweetest thing! It’s such a joy and an honor being in conversation with you and I cannot wait for the world to read THE SILENCE THAT BINDS US!

JOANNA: I can’t wait to meet your three rascals, especially after I finished reading NEW FROM HERE! I can’t wait until PRIVATE LABEL is out in the world!

The post Authors In Conversation: Kelly Yang and Joanna Ho appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Kelly! Tell us a bit about yourself!

Hi! I’m Kelly Yang and I’m the New York Times bestselling author of FRONT DESK, winner of the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature, the sequel THREE KEYS, and the young adult novel PARACHUTES.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I first fell in love with writing when I was 7. I had just learned English and I wrote a story about coming over to the US from the China on the airplane, and the jitters and excitement in my tummy. And even though my story was full of grammar mistakes and spelling mistakes, my teacher told me that it touched her heart. It was such an empowering feeling, being able to touch someone’s heart with my words, that I fell in love with writing right then and there.

With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day?

My coping mechanism has always been the same since I was a kid – I write! Writing is very therapeutic for me; it’s a way for me to feel safe and cocooned, especially when the world often feels like it is spinning out of control.

Your recently published middle-grade novel, Three Keys, is the follow-up to your award-winning and best-selling Front Desk! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Funny, heartwarming, searing, suspenseful, hopeful.

Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?

Readers can expect to continue the journey of Mia Tang! Mia and her friends and family are now the proud owners of the Calivista Motel, and they’re finally going to run the motel their way! Mia also finally has a best friend – Lupe. She’s waited her whole life to have a best friend! But when a new law on the ballot threatens to take away everything away, it’s going to take all of Mia’s bravery and creativity to stand up for what’s right!

Your novel has a strong focus on important and relevant topics, such as immigration and antiracism. Why do you think it’s important to have topics such as these in books for younger readers?

It’s critically important for children to learn antiracism and about the immigrant experience at a young age so they can understand what other kids around them are going through and have more empathy. These are issues that impact all of us. And only by understanding what’s happening can we start to make things better. I love that my books are conversation starters for families. I originally wrote FRONT DESK to tell my son Eliot about the way I grew up. It ended up opening the door to many many rich conversations about race, and poverty, and justice.

As this book is historically set in 1994 (which is quite bizarre to say), you lived through Proposal 187 yourself. Did you face any challenges while writing Three Keys? If so, how did you overcome them?

It was very important to me that I captured the emotions of that time accurately, so I did a ton of qualitative and quantitative research. In addition to talking with many families and children, I also consulted immigration legal experts and even visited immigration jail. It was an unforgettable experience.

What do you hope your readers will take away from your novel?

I hope readers take away the three keys of friendship and allyship – you gotta listen, you gotta care, and you gotta keep trying! I also hope young readers are inspired and empowered to stand up for what’s right!

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Write, write, write! The best way to get better at writing is to just keep doing it. Don’t give up!

What’s next for you?

I’m working on more middle grade!

Lastly, are you currently reading anything and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

I’d love to recommend my amazingly talented friend Mae Respicio’s new book ANY DAY WITH YOU, which celebrates a heartwarming granddaughter-grandfather friendship and the beach, two of my very favorite things!

Will you be picking up Three Keys? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Kelly Yang, Author of ‘Three Keys’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Kelly Yang is the New York Times best-selling author of the novel FRONT DESK, which won the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature, and her first ever YA Fiction novel, Parachutes, releases on May 26th. With humour and romance, it talks about the challenges faced with immigrants, pressures of high school, parents, and friends. Two girls from different economic backgrounds and living under the same roof when something unexpected brings them together.

With the release of Parachutes happening soon, we had the pleasure of interviewing Kelly Yang herself! You can find Kelly online at Twitter, Instagram, and kellyyang.com.

Hi Kelly Yang! First off, I want to say that I love the book and I know many readers will too. This is your first Young Adult novel. No matter the age since there’s a spread of young adults and adults who read young adult fiction, what can your readers expect with Parachutes? 

They can expect a modern immigrant story! I really wanted to capture the experience of coming to the US as a teenager on your own, without your parents, and all the exhilaration and the dangers that come with that. Parachutes is a novel that delves deep into wealth, power, privilege, family, and what it means to speak up in today’s world.

What inspired you to take a step back from Middle Grade Fiction and write Young Adult?

I wanted to be able to capture the intense emotions of being a teenager, on the cusp of becoming an adult, realizing all the hard truths about the world – your parents aren’t perfect, the world is unjust – but still finding the courage to fight for what’s right.

In a past writing class, you spoke on how it was writing two separate books then combining it into one. How did you go from Claire’s lifestyle and voice to Dani’s lifestyle and voice? How did you switch perspectives effortlessly to make them have unique voices?

Good question! It was really hard! I think I related to both characters in different ways. I was a scholarship student like Dani. I grew up in similar circumstances – my parents cleaned rooms – so it was easy for me to tap into all the hardship and frustration she’s feeling – and also all the hope! The hope that if she could just win this debate, their lives would change. As for Claire, I related to her fear and thrill and panic of having to go off to this strange place all by herself because I went to law school in Boston by myself at the age of 17.

You could’ve made Dani any nationality. Why did you choose Filipino instead of Chinese, like Claire?

As a creator, it’s important to me to see more Asian American representation on the page, not just Chinese-American and East-Asian representation but also Southeast Asian American representation. I wanted to tell a true modern immigrant story. Growing up in Southern California, so many of my best friends were Filipino-American and so many of my dear friends to this day are Filipino, so I really wanted to bring that representation to the page.

The book itself deals with so many real life issues, not only those that Claire and Dani face but also the other characters too. Which character, that you related to the most, was the easiest to write?

Probably Dani was the easiest to write because she just came so fully formed to me. I think she reminds me of an older Mia Tang. She has such a fiery voice. The scenes of Claire and her parents, particularly her mom, were also really fascinating for me to write.

Even though we don’t hear Dani’s debating often, her last one was empowering and had to be a memorable scene in the book. It was so moving and brought me to tears at three in the morning. Is there a particular scene in the book that was your favorite to write? 

My favorite scene to write was probably Claire and Jay roaming around Newport Beach, feeling so adult because they’re on their own, without their parents. They have their own car, they’re driving down the beach, just feeling like the sky’s the limit, and yet they are still met with shocking discrimination when they go into a house on Balboa Island. It’s just a raw, honest scene.

In chapter eighty, there’s the line: “Being strong doesn’t mean never hurting”. This piece of dialogue touches not only on the characters but the readers as well. Were there lines in the book you wrote that you just sat back and admired? 

My favorite line is – your voice is your armor! That’s the line from the book that I think really sums it up the best.

What I loved about Parachutes was that everyone had their own challenges that they went through. Not only Dani and Claire but also Ming, Zach, and Jess as well as Florence. Is it possible to have a companion novel in the future? 

Maybe! Jess in particular was really really fun to write – I’d love to spend more time with her!

One of Parachutes’ main topics that brought the themes together was the pressure exerted on most of the characters. Do you endure any pressure as an author? If so, was there any pressure entering the Young Adult world?

Absolutely! It’s definitely true that the more successful of a writer you are, the more pressure there is. No one’s really telling you this pressure explicitly, but you feel like because you know all the indicators of a “successful” book – all the starred reviews, lists, etc. So there’s a lot of pressure and it can be pretty scary. I’ve tried my best to cope by shutting out the noise as much as I can. I’ll turn off my email for half the day and just focus on the words on the page – if the words make me laugh or cry or smile, then I think I’m ok – that’s the measurement of my success.

As an Asian American, how important is Parachutes to the world right now in terms of COVID-19, racism, and money being the centre of attention?

I think it’s critically important right now to read works by Asian American authors and other authors of color. We need to read and watch stories to get us through this hard time and to discover all the things we share – the commonalities that bind us as a human species. That’s how we’re going to get through this difficult time, stronger, together.

What do you hope readers can take away from Parachutes? 

I hope Parachutes shines a light on rape culture and the roles played by many at even the highest levels of institutions that allow it to persist. My greatest hope is that after reading Parachutes, teens will be better prepared to deal with the world – and to change it.

What can readers expect from you next? 

Readers can expect THREE KEYS, my highly anticipated sequel to FRONT DESK, coming out in Sept! And after that, more middle grade and YA novels from me coming out in 2021 and 2022! XOXO

Will you be picking up Parachutes? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Kelly Yang, Author of ‘Parachutes’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

What If It’s Us meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in this upbeat and heartfelt boy-meets-boy romance that feels like a modern twist on a ’90s rom-com!

By the Book: A Novel of Prose and Cons by Amanda Sellet
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In this clever YA rom-com debut perfect for fans of Kasie West and Ashley Poston, a teen obsessed with nineteenth-century literature tries to cull advice on life and love from her favourite classic heroines to disastrous results—especially when she falls for the school’s resident Lothario.

Parachutes by Kelly Yang
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

Forged in Fire and Stars by Andrea Robertson
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Games of Thrones meets An Ember in the Ashes in this action-packed fantasy from the internationally bestselling author of the Nightshade series.

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
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When Dimple Met Rishi meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this rom com about two teen girls with rival henna businesses. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled—but Nishat can’t quite get rid of her crush on Flávia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton
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Moxie meets A Knight’s Tale as Kit Sweetly slays sexism, bad bosses, and bad luck to become a knight at a medieval-themed restaurant.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
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In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab
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Expansive, romantic, and powerful. Gayle Forman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and I Have Lost My Way

The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos
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A magic-infused YA novel about friendship, first love, and feeling out of place that will bewitch fans of Rainbow Rowell and Maggie Stiefvater.

Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally
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A new swoon-worthy romance following a couple’s love story on the same date over four years.

Out Now: Queer We Go Again! by Saundra Mitchell
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A follow-up to the critically acclaimed All Out anthology, Out Now features seventeen new short stories from amazing queer YA authors. 

The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor
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Code Name Verity meets Jennifer Donnelly’s Revolution in this gripping debut novel.

Will you be picking up any of these young adult releases? Tell us in the comments below!

The post May 2020 Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Kelly Yang will bring readers to tears in this gripping story involving wealth, immigrant, relationships, and trauma.

Parachutes is a lengthy novel but it deals with many important topics faced in our society today, so it’s a breeze to read. For Yang’s first YA novel, it’s beautifully written. Readers are so invested in the story, we don’t realise until later that there’s only been one non-Asian (major) character. That’s how Yang crafted the story so well. We’re driven by their experiences more than their appearances.

The story begins with Claire’s luxurious life in Shanghai, China. Everything might seem perfect for the wealthy girl, but up close there’s pressure. It’s all about status and reputation teenagers are put on for the family. Claire understands this well, but still wants to speak her mind. She wants to be different! She wants to break the system of pleasing adults and going with what her gut is feeling. It’s not possible in China. Too much at risk. It’s admirable to read the pros and cons to being wealthy. Thinking it’s all good but people on the outside don’t realise how pressurising and fake it can all be.

The only way Claire can have a normal life is moving to America. Still, there’s pressure since stereotypes of America are brought in and who Claire might become. That’s where we’re brought into Dani’s life. The total opposite from Claire. They’re both smart but have totally different personalities and way of living.

Dani has dreams and aspirations. She wants to get into Yale with her top grades and credit of being on the debate team. She also works hard outside of school. She’s a maid along with her mother and best friend, Ming. She lives in a small villa with her mother, with no complaints until Claire arrives and Dani’s mother hosts her.

Two girls under the same roof are bound to stir up trouble. Claire finds her parachutes of popular girls while Dani keeps her distance. Everything Claire does, Dani finds fault with it. It’s understandable when someone invades your home and has high expectations. It doesn’t help that Dani’s mother treats Claire like royalty.

Yet Dani has bigger things at hand. Her debate teacher favourites her with a nickname and soon offers her private coaching. All seems well in Dani’s eyes until he gets too friendly. Shocked by someone she thought she could trust, Dani doesn’t know what to do. It affects her more than she realises. When she calls him out on it through email, things only get worse since he plays the victim. Torn between whether to speak up with her debate senses kicking in or brush it off, Dani doesn’t know who to turn to for guidance.

Claire’s life begins to crumble when she learns the difficulties of her parents relationship. It doesn’t help when her father blinds her with money. She doesn’t take anymore of it and finds solitude with Jay. Another wealthy kid who seems too perfect. When Claire and Jay date, things are okay at the start but Jay becomes suspicious throughout the story.

What once were Dani’s and Claire’s perfect lives, begins to crumble around them—they only have the voice of themselves to make things right. What made this book more realistic to today’s society was that when they did speak up about harassment, no one listened or believed them. I don’t want to give too much away since I highly recommend this book! At times Dani and Claire did or reacted to things in the way that wasn’t favourable, but them coming together in the end and finally finding something they share—that they can both fight for, is empowering.

The ending to Parachutes doesn’t give much closure but that’s what makes it even more realistic! So many cases of sexual harassment and assault today are still left unanswered, opened while the victims are left to fend for themselves. At least they have people around them supporting them. In other sub-plots, Claire’s parents are more understanding to what she wants and who she is. Dani finally finds her debating voice to speak on a matter that she can relate to the most. Her speech wasn’t based off facts, rather experience. That’s what made it so moving. It’s that moment in the book readers waited for. It’s that moment where Claire begins to realise she isn’t alone and that she isn’t as different to Dani at all. They didn’t bond well throughout the book but in the end, when they came together and spoke up, that was enough closure for readers.

Parachutes is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of May 26th 2020.

Will you be picking up Parachutes? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

They’re called parachutes: teenagers dropped off to live in private homes and study in the US while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. Claire Wang never thought she’d be one of them, until her parents pluck her from her privileged life in Shanghai and enroll her at a high school in California. Suddenly she finds herself living in a stranger’s house, with no one to tell her what to do for the first time in her life. She soon embraces her newfound freedom, especially when the hottest and most eligible parachute, Jay, asks her out.

Dani De La Cruz, Claire’s new host sister, couldn’t be less thrilled that her mom rented out a room to Claire. An academic and debate-team star, Dani is determined to earn her way into Yale, even if it means competing with privileged kids who are buying their way to the top. When her debate coach starts working with her privately, Dani’s game plan veers unexpectedly off course.

Desperately trying to avoid each other under the same roof, Dani and Claire find themselves on a collision course, intertwining in deeper and more complicated ways, as they grapple with life-altering experiences. Award-winning author Kelly Yang weaves together an unforgettable modern immigrant story about love, trauma, family, corruption, and the power of speaking out.

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