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Poised at the Edge
Author Interview: PAULA YOO
-- First of all, for those who have not yet read GOOD ENOUGH can you please give a brief description of the book?
In GOOD ENOUGH, main character Patti Yoon is a high-achieving high-school senior struggling between her Korean immigrant parents’ demanding expectations and her growing desire to shape her own future… not to mention pursuing her first crush on a cute guy in her homeroom.
You and your main character Patti Yoon share many common traits and experiences. How much does her life mirror your teen years? Also, what are some of the differences and similarities between your parents and Patti’s parents?
-- Busted! LOL. You are right - Patti and I share a lot of the same personality quirks and her life is based a lot on my own real life growing up and surviving high school. The things we share in common: We both play the violin, we both had a crush on a cute boy who played rock guitar and asked us to "jam" with him on some songs, we both were concertmaster of our All-State Orchestra, and we both performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with our youth orchestra, we both had moms who wanted us to have a home perm (and yes we both got our ears burned by accident during the process) sand yes, we both ate a lot of SPAM. But that's about it. Patti is WAY smarter than me, especially in math. Any references to Calculus are strictly things I found on google because I suffer post traumatic shock syndrome with my experience in AP Calc and can't remember a darn thing from that class. As for our parents - sure, my parents pressured me to get good grades and work hard and not talk to boys and study all the time and practice my violin constantly, but the difference is that my parents always wanted me to be happy. Patti's parents LEARN that there is a difference between success and happiness, and they realize that pressuring Patti all the time isn't a good thing. MY parents fortunately already knew the difference. At least, that's what they're asking me to tell people in these interviews. LOL! (just kidding)
There’s an incredibly poignant scene in GOOD ENOUGH where Patti’s father has to endure an onslaught by an uncouth ignorant racist (actually, what other kind of bigots are there?) Patti is humiliated as she watches her father quietly suck it up. Was this a difficult scene to write? It was very uncomfortable to read. Was writing the scene cathartic for you in any way? What do you hope your readers will take away from it?
Thank you for your kind words about that scene. Yes, it was a difficult one to write because it did happen in real life, but to my mother. I remember standing there, silent, not knowing what to do. This scene was cathartic in the sense that I was able to find closure by writing this scene and creating an ending that never happened in real life. I hope readers will learn not to keep quiet when witnessing a racial incident - that it's okay to speak up, rock the boat, and not be afraid to defend themselves and/or their loved ones in an unfortunate situation like this. I also believe the best writing always makes us uncomfortable - because in writing, we are seeking the truth, and the truth is never easy.
Who would you say is the target audience for GOOD ENOUGH?
I wrote GOOD ENOUGH with no real audience in mind. I just wrote it. After I finished it, I realized I was probably subconsciously writing to teenagers because it definitely is a YA novel. But I think a lot of older readers have gravitated to the book as well because the themes are universal and timeless at any age. And this sounds corny, but it really means a lot to me when teen girls email me to say how they liked the book and identified with Patti, because it makes me feel as if I've helped them deal with their own real life pressures by learning to laugh and not take it all so seriously. I wished I had a book like this when I was growing up - I took everything so darn seriously as a teenager and only recently have I learned to just laugh and take it easy.
GOOD ENOUGH is very much a story about cultural issues. Still, it has several other concepts at its core. Patti falls for Ben Wheeler. He’s a great guy. He’s really cute. He’s a talented musician. He’s nice. He really likes Patti…..but only as a friend. Ouch! Also, Patti’s most difficult relationship is with her parents. She doesn’t know how to take command and figure her life on her own terms. These are issues that plenty of teens can relate to. Were these parts of the story autobiographical?
Thank you again for your kind words. Yes, these storylines were very autobiographical. Who hasn't had a crush on a boy or girl who only liked them as a friend? So many YA novels have happy endings where the couple falls in love. I wanted to explore the humiliating-yet-character-defining aftermath of when a person admits he/she is in love with someone else and gets rejected. How do you deal with seeing that person next day in class? How can you get past that rejection and learn to stay friends with him/her? And the stuff with the parents was autobiographical but I tried to make the moments universal - you can replace the chapter titles "How to Make Your Korean Parents Happy" with "How to Make Your Cuban Parents Happy" or whatever fill-in-the-blank demographic you want! It's really about "How to Make YOUR Parents Happy." And of course, in the end, it's about how to make YOURSELF happy!
Before good enough you wrote short stories with white protagonists. What made you finally write a story about a Korean-American girl? How was the experience and the story different from the ones with non-Asian characters? Will you be writing more Asian based stories in the future?
I wrote a lot of stories and novels and scripts from the perspective of a white main character because at the time, race didn't interest me. I just wanted to write a story and didn't want to dwell on racial issues. I didn't realize you could write a novel featuring a person of color and NOT have it be about racial issues - so when I wrote Good Enough and the main character was Korean American, it wasn't about race as much as it was about a young girl trying to learn how to stand up for herself finally. Race is a part of the story, but it's not the defining element. It was very freeing as a writer to learn not to be afraid of writing stories with a multicultural character. And given that I am Korean American, it was an interesting growth experience for me to explore what that has meant to me growing up and how that has shaped me as an adult and how it's influenced my perspective of the world. I have some Asian American characters in future book ideas, but not all my books will feature Asian American characters. I prefer to think of my characters as characters, and their racial background is not the main defining characteristic. But the main lesson I learned was that it's good to learn how to write from your own heritage because once you can write honestly from your own point of view, you can use that honesty to learn how to write authentically from another person's point of view.
How did GOOD ENOUGH happen? What was your process writing the book?
GOOD ENOUGH was inside me my whole life. I didn't write it until a TV show I was working on ended and I didn't have another job lined up. I knew I was facing several months of unemployment, so I took advantage of the "free" time to write this novel. It was a miracle the way the book was written - I literally just sat down and started writing and it flowed out of me. I wrote 300 pages in 5 weeks - I wrote from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. every single day for those five weeks. When I wrote the final sentence - which is the exact same last sentence in the final published version - I cried because I knew this book was special and that it would be the one to get published. I then spent two weeks revising it, and then sent it to my agent who sold it within a month. It was a surreal experience to say the least!
You said something very interesting in a recent interview about “left brain” and “right brain” writing. Will you please explain the difference between a “left brain” writing day and a “right brain” writing day?
Oh gosh, I can't remember which side of the brain controls what part of your intellect (one side is more artistic, the other side is supposed to control your logical thinking)... I better google this! LOL! But what I meant in general was that when I'm inspired by the creative muse to write, I take advantage of that time and write, write, write! On the days when I am stumped and have writer's block, I use that day to concentrate on the logical part of my brain. I will read books, analyze books I've already read to inspire me to write, and I will do research for a project and/or brainstorm fun new ideas or even just revise what I've written. That way, I never really feel like I've had writer's block because I'm always being productive, whether it's left or right brain (creative v. logical) writing!
What can we expect from you next?
I'm working on a new YA novel plus what I hope will be my first middle grade novel. My next published book will be another children's picture book biography. It will be published in spring 2009 by Lee & Low Books, the same publisher who published my debut children's picture book SIXTEEN YEARS IN SIXTEEN SECONDS: THE SAMMY LEE STORY (2005). My new picture book is called SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY and it's about the life of Hollywood's first Asian American female movie star who was born the daughter of a poor laundryman in Los Angeles' Chinatown. Lin Wang is the artist and the illustrations are exquisite, so I'm very excited for this book.
Author Interview: PAULA YOO
-- First of all, for those who have not yet read GOOD ENOUGH can you please give a brief description of the book?
In GOOD ENOUGH, main character Patti Yoon is a high-achieving high-school senior struggling between her Korean immigrant parents’ demanding expectations and her growing desire to shape her own future… not to mention pursuing her first crush on a cute guy in her homeroom.
You and your main character Patti Yoon share many common traits and experiences. How much does her life mirror your teen years? Also, what are some of the differences and similarities between your parents and Patti’s parents?
-- Busted! LOL. You are right - Patti and I share a lot of the same personality quirks and her life is based a lot on my own real life growing up and surviving high school. The things we share in common: We both play the violin, we both had a crush on a cute boy who played rock guitar and asked us to "jam" with him on some songs, we both were concertmaster of our All-State Orchestra, and we both performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with our youth orchestra, we both had moms who wanted us to have a home perm (and yes we both got our ears burned by accident during the process) sand yes, we both ate a lot of SPAM. But that's about it. Patti is WAY smarter than me, especially in math. Any references to Calculus are strictly things I found on google because I suffer post traumatic shock syndrome with my experience in AP Calc and can't remember a darn thing from that class. As for our parents - sure, my parents pressured me to get good grades and work hard and not talk to boys and study all the time and practice my violin constantly, but the difference is that my parents always wanted me to be happy. Patti's parents LEARN that there is a difference between success and happiness, and they realize that pressuring Patti all the time isn't a good thing. MY parents fortunately already knew the difference. At least, that's what they're asking me to tell people in these interviews. LOL! (just kidding)
There’s an incredibly poignant scene in GOOD ENOUGH where Patti’s father has to endure an onslaught by an uncouth ignorant racist (actually, what other kind of bigots are there?) Patti is humiliated as she watches her father quietly suck it up. Was this a difficult scene to write? It was very uncomfortable to read. Was writing the scene cathartic for you in any way? What do you hope your readers will take away from it?
Thank you for your kind words about that scene. Yes, it was a difficult one to write because it did happen in real life, but to my mother. I remember standing there, silent, not knowing what to do. This scene was cathartic in the sense that I was able to find closure by writing this scene and creating an ending that never happened in real life. I hope readers will learn not to keep quiet when witnessing a racial incident - that it's okay to speak up, rock the boat, and not be afraid to defend themselves and/or their loved ones in an unfortunate situation like this. I also believe the best writing always makes us uncomfortable - because in writing, we are seeking the truth, and the truth is never easy.
Who would you say is the target audience for GOOD ENOUGH?
I wrote GOOD ENOUGH with no real audience in mind. I just wrote it. After I finished it, I realized I was probably subconsciously writing to teenagers because it definitely is a YA novel. But I think a lot of older readers have gravitated to the book as well because the themes are universal and timeless at any age. And this sounds corny, but it really means a lot to me when teen girls email me to say how they liked the book and identified with Patti, because it makes me feel as if I've helped them deal with their own real life pressures by learning to laugh and not take it all so seriously. I wished I had a book like this when I was growing up - I took everything so darn seriously as a teenager and only recently have I learned to just laugh and take it easy.
GOOD ENOUGH is very much a story about cultural issues. Still, it has several other concepts at its core. Patti falls for Ben Wheeler. He’s a great guy. He’s really cute. He’s a talented musician. He’s nice. He really likes Patti…..but only as a friend. Ouch! Also, Patti’s most difficult relationship is with her parents. She doesn’t know how to take command and figure her life on her own terms. These are issues that plenty of teens can relate to. Were these parts of the story autobiographical?
Thank you again for your kind words. Yes, these storylines were very autobiographical. Who hasn't had a crush on a boy or girl who only liked them as a friend? So many YA novels have happy endings where the couple falls in love. I wanted to explore the humiliating-yet-character-defining aftermath of when a person admits he/she is in love with someone else and gets rejected. How do you deal with seeing that person next day in class? How can you get past that rejection and learn to stay friends with him/her? And the stuff with the parents was autobiographical but I tried to make the moments universal - you can replace the chapter titles "How to Make Your Korean Parents Happy" with "How to Make Your Cuban Parents Happy" or whatever fill-in-the-blank demographic you want! It's really about "How to Make YOUR Parents Happy." And of course, in the end, it's about how to make YOURSELF happy!
Before good enough you wrote short stories with white protagonists. What made you finally write a story about a Korean-American girl? How was the experience and the story different from the ones with non-Asian characters? Will you be writing more Asian based stories in the future?
I wrote a lot of stories and novels and scripts from the perspective of a white main character because at the time, race didn't interest me. I just wanted to write a story and didn't want to dwell on racial issues. I didn't realize you could write a novel featuring a person of color and NOT have it be about racial issues - so when I wrote Good Enough and the main character was Korean American, it wasn't about race as much as it was about a young girl trying to learn how to stand up for herself finally. Race is a part of the story, but it's not the defining element. It was very freeing as a writer to learn not to be afraid of writing stories with a multicultural character. And given that I am Korean American, it was an interesting growth experience for me to explore what that has meant to me growing up and how that has shaped me as an adult and how it's influenced my perspective of the world. I have some Asian American characters in future book ideas, but not all my books will feature Asian American characters. I prefer to think of my characters as characters, and their racial background is not the main defining characteristic. But the main lesson I learned was that it's good to learn how to write from your own heritage because once you can write honestly from your own point of view, you can use that honesty to learn how to write authentically from another person's point of view.
How did GOOD ENOUGH happen? What was your process writing the book?
GOOD ENOUGH was inside me my whole life. I didn't write it until a TV show I was working on ended and I didn't have another job lined up. I knew I was facing several months of unemployment, so I took advantage of the "free" time to write this novel. It was a miracle the way the book was written - I literally just sat down and started writing and it flowed out of me. I wrote 300 pages in 5 weeks - I wrote from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. every single day for those five weeks. When I wrote the final sentence - which is the exact same last sentence in the final published version - I cried because I knew this book was special and that it would be the one to get published. I then spent two weeks revising it, and then sent it to my agent who sold it within a month. It was a surreal experience to say the least!
You said something very interesting in a recent interview about “left brain” and “right brain” writing. Will you please explain the difference between a “left brain” writing day and a “right brain” writing day?
Oh gosh, I can't remember which side of the brain controls what part of your intellect (one side is more artistic, the other side is supposed to control your logical thinking)... I better google this! LOL! But what I meant in general was that when I'm inspired by the creative muse to write, I take advantage of that time and write, write, write! On the days when I am stumped and have writer's block, I use that day to concentrate on the logical part of my brain. I will read books, analyze books I've already read to inspire me to write, and I will do research for a project and/or brainstorm fun new ideas or even just revise what I've written. That way, I never really feel like I've had writer's block because I'm always being productive, whether it's left or right brain (creative v. logical) writing!
What can we expect from you next?
I'm working on a new YA novel plus what I hope will be my first middle grade novel. My next published book will be another children's picture book biography. It will be published in spring 2009 by Lee & Low Books, the same publisher who published my debut children's picture book SIXTEEN YEARS IN SIXTEEN SECONDS: THE SAMMY LEE STORY (2005). My new picture book is called SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY and it's about the life of Hollywood's first Asian American female movie star who was born the daughter of a poor laundryman in Los Angeles' Chinatown. Lin Wang is the artist and the illustrations are exquisite, so I'm very excited for this book.
bouncy