When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I didn’t so much decide to be a writer as make up my mind to write my memoir. I no longer lived in China, where, as I grew up, I learned to keep my thoughts to myself and never put opinions on paper. When I became a Canadian citizen, I realized I had the freedom to write without fear. I wanted to put down an account of my life up to the day I left China for Canada. The memoir was published, and that began my writing career.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My latest book is called Mountain Girl, River Girl. It’s set in present-day China and tells the story of two young teens who decide to leave their respective homes--one in a rural Guizhou village and the other on a river boat in Sichuan--and head for a big city to find work. The girls have many idealized notions of what their futures will be. Their individual journeys are difficult, and after they meet and become friends they face even greater challenges. Buy the book because it’s a realistic story about hardship, friendship, and courage.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
Of course, My Name is Number 4 is a true story, and I wrote it for my daughter. What inspires my novels--Throwaway Daughter and Mountain Girl, River Girl--is the desire to tell an interesting tale in a realistic way.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Noodle soup, made by myself with real noodles--not the tinned stuff.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Hug my husband, Bill; get up and say Hello to our Shitzu, Blackie; read with a cup of coffee.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
There is nothing in our attic; our basement is much like anyone else’s, but you might be surprised to see the supply of Chinese foods and spices stored on shelves. We live in a small town and buy these items in quantity when we’re in the city.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
I would be yellow, because it’s bright.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
I would go to ancient Egypt. As a kid I was always fascinated by the land of the pyramids.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to?
Chinese music, of course--the old fashioned kind, like Suzhou opera, and orchestrated folk songs.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
My favourite TV show is a British series called As Time Goes By. Last theatre movie seen: Fahrenheit 9/11. (We don’t go out to the movies much; we prefer to watch movies on DVD at home.)
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Don’t try to be somebody else; be yourself.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
I’m not sure what my next story will be. I’m working on something, but it’s too early to talk about it.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at http://www.teensreadtoo.com/!
You’re welcome!
1 comments:
Have just finished 'Leaf in the Bitter Wind' for the 2nd time...Ting-Xing Ye you are an inspiration and I do hope you have been reconciled with your daughter by now. Your ex-husband is a complete control freak, and you are well rid of him but girle do need their mum...I'm sure Qi-ming will return to you when she is old enough to make he own choices.
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