Christina Chiu 'Beauty' Interview | Respect The Author
Where are you from?
New York City, NY.
Tell us the story of how you got into writing
I experienced a “racist incident” during college. A guy called me a derogatory name, loudly and in public. The idiot thought he was going to make me feel ashamed. Instead, I thought, Oh, yeah? I wrote a piece for her school paper, which started a campuswide discussion about race. I didn't mention the guy's name in the article. I didn't need to. From that point on, I swore I would always speak my truth.
What was your favorite book growing up?
The Pigman by Paul Zindel was one of my favorites, but so was The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
What is your favorite book as an adult?
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
What is the name of your new book?
Beauty
What inspired you to write the book?
"Beauty" was a short story from my first book, Troublemaker and Other Saints. After the collection came out, I started to write a new novel. The only problem was Amy Wong, the protagonist from "Beauty" insisted her story wasn't done.. It was as if she were on my shoulder, and anything I tried to write, she would be there tsking and whispering in my ear: "You know my story is so much more interesting that that." I finally gave in. I put that novel aside and started Beauty.
Tell us more about your new book
Amy Wong is an up-and-coming designer in the New York fashion industry — she is young, beautiful, and has it all. But she finds herself at odds with rival designers in a world rife with chauvinism and prejudice. In her personal life, she struggles with marriage and motherhood, finding that her choices often fall short of her traditional family’s expectations. Derailed again and again, Amy must confront her own limitations to succeed as the designer and person she wants to be.
Fast–paced and sexy, the backdrop of Beauty offers a peek into a Project Runway-lifestyle as we follow Amy’s journey of defiance, ambition, and self-discovery. About Beauty, Mat Johnson, author of Pym and Loving Day, had this to say: "I can’t think of novel more unflinching in its portrayal of lust, love, and parenthood ... epic in emotional proportion. I was captured by Beauty and gleefully held there through to the last page.”
Where do you go to get into writing mode?
I write late at night when there are no disruptions. It's a different kind of quiet. The city is still awake, but most everyone else is sleeping. I can be still and focus, and if I need to, "see" the whole book in my head. Sometimes, I'm at the computer when the kids go to sleep and I'm still there when they wake up for breakfast.
Who needs to read this book?
Women. The #MeToo movement made us realize the pervasive nature of sexual harassment and sexual violence toward women. Just about every woman I knew had a story to share. It happens because there's a lot of shame around sex. Violence gets blamed on the victim in part because woman participate in the general belief that sex and sexuality should remain discrete or private. Beauty is an exploration of the Asian fetish, so it became appropriate and Necessary to include graphic sex scenes. Right now, sex in literature is written by men--and women wonder why they can't get it right? It's either good or bad. But that's not what sex is about. There's a whole range between, and women need to fill in the language that goes between. What has been interesting is that men are responding so positively about Beauty. One male reader said it made him realize all kinds of things women have to deal with that he'd never thought of before. He was grateful and took the time to email me a long and beautiful response..
Who inspires you?
My late Grandmother (we called her "Sky"), who always told me "think of a way" whenever there was an obstacle in my path; My friend Miriam Cohen, who started her writing career after having children at the age of 40 and who went on to write over 200 books; Ruth Bader Ginsburg, because, well, she's Ruth Bader Ginsburg the Great, Michelle Obama who shines even when bombarded with hatred; Maxine Hong Kingston, because she forged a path in the literary world for other Asian American women like myself.
How important is reading and literacy for youth in this world?
Art and literature are a reflection of where we are as a society. It tells us who we are at any given place or moment in time. Reading gives a chance to see who we are, what we can be; it gives us a chance to consider existential questions like "Why are we here?" Reading makes us feel less lonely. Like great people and events, great books can transcend time, which is important for young people to know. What they do in the world has potential to last beyond them. Also, while books open a window into unique experiences--expanding what we know--they resonate in universal ways. They transcend race, gender, class, and our particular moments in history to emphasize our humanity. We need that now more than ever. Knowledge is power. It reaches for the truth. One's love for reading starts during youth, a time when developing brains show more neuroplasticity, so it's crucial that they be nurtured so they can grow not just physically and intellectually, but mentally and emotionally.
What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream to create something they dream of?
Never give up. When you feel discouraged, stop and do something to help others. If your dream or goal seems bigger than you, break it down into smaller steps. Just put one foot in front of the other. Don't look at the end line, look at the steps in front of you. Don't wait to celebrate only at the end of the journey, but appreciate your progress along the way.
Where can people find your new book?: https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-2040-Books-Awards-Christina/dp/173377775X
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