Straight from the Library: Straight Chatting from the Library: A.Y. Chan

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READ THE INTERVIEW

What are you reading now?

I'm currently reading Lia Park and the Missing Jewel by Jenna Yoon. I have a special place in my heart for middle grade stories featuring Asian female protagonists who embark on exciting adventures. Growing up, I couldn't find many books like this, so I crave them now. These stories not only fill that gap from my childhood but also teach me new things about different cultures and experiences. It's a joy to see diverse characters taking the lead in such captivating tales.

Share your dream cast for your book.

If The Legendary Mo Seto were to be made into a movie, it would be a dream come true to see these actors bring the characters to life:

• Mo's Mom: Gemma Chan would be perfect as Mo’s stern but loving mother, who has a rich backstory of her own.
• Mo's Dad: Daniel Wu could portray Mo’s dad, a man full of mystery and a secret family history.
• Cody Kwok: Simu Liu would be fantastic as Cody Kwok, the over-the-top, hilarious martial arts movie star.
• Mo Seto: I’d love to find a new actor to play Mo through an open casting call, just like what Mo goes through in the book!

Who is your favorite author and why?

I have two favorite authors who have profoundly influenced my love of reading and writing. First is L.M. Montgomery, the brilliant mind behind Anne of Green Gables and other stories. Her ability to create vivid, heartwarming characters and bring the landscapes of Prince Edward Island to life has always captivated me.

The second author is Gordon Korman, whose books I also discovered during my middle school years. What I particularly love about Korman’s writing is his talent for balancing humor with heart and creating outrageous yet loveable characters. These two authors, both coincidentally Canadian, have shown me the power of words and the joy of losing oneself in a wonderfully imagined tale.

Describe your writing space.

Early in my writing journey, I loved writing in coffee shops filled with an ambient hum of people. It felt creative and energizing. Lately, however, I’m finding that I enjoy a more calm, quiet environment. I rarely listen to music, and if I do, it absolutely cannot have lyrics. Despite appreciating a calm environment my writing space itself is far from tidy (I call it ‘organized chaos’) but it doesn’t bother me as I’m able to focus just on my laptop and my cup of coffee.

READ THE BLURB

Mo Seto, martial arts movie star! Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? Too bad there's a height restriction to audition. But 12-year-old Modesty (Mo) Seto has never let her height get in the way before, not when she became a black belt, or when she fought the meanest boy in her class, and she’s not going to let it stop her this time! Now if only she can figure out a way to grow five inches and fool everyone at the auditions…and find time to search for her missing father (who just might be harboring a dangerous secret of his own). Join Mo on an adventure (and audition) of a lifetime and find out if powerful things really do come in small packages!

Publishers Weekly calls THE LEGENDARY MO SETO “Adrenaline pumping”, Kirkus Reviews says it “Packs a punch”, and Booklist calls it “Remarkably relatable.” Leap in and join the fun!

READ AN EXCERPT

“You’re so gonna lose,” he says, low enough that only I can hear. “’Cause . . .”

He bends his knees so he’s several inches shorter—though even in this position, he towers over me.

I feel a tiny rip in my chest, like when a balloon is pinched but doesn’t pop, that slow leak of air—hisss.

Dax knows how to hit where it hurts. Junior-level sparring is based on age and belt level, not on size. Even after vitamins, and broccoli, and jumping jacks for a year, I’m still only four-foot-six-and-a-half. Mom says the women in her family are late bloomers, but she’s barely four-foot-nine, so I’m not holding my breath.

Why do I have to be so small? The familiar thought bursts through like a weed after a rainstorm. I used to destroy Dax all the time, but ever since his growth spurt at the end of last summer, he’s beat me in the fall, winter, and spring tournaments.

That’s three. Three tourneys.

Silver is great too. Variety is the spice of life, Dad would say, as if losing gold isn’t a big deal. But in the days and weeks after, he’d be more subdued and make me train twice as long every day. Kick harder, Mouse. You must beat him next time, Mouse. Because being the best really does matter to him. A lot.

It matters to me, too. Today’s tourney, the Dost Valley Cali-wide Mid-Year Tae Kwon Do Championship, takes place right at the start of summer, and it is the biggest one of the year. I’ll show Dax.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR