Van Hoang
Author Interview - Van Hoang
Author of The Monstrous Misses Mai
Los Angeles brims with opportunity in 1959—though not for aspiring fashion designer Cordelia Mai Yin, the first-generation child of Vietnamese immigrants, who finds the city unkind to outsiders and as dispirited as her own family. When Cordi rents a cheap loft in an old apartment building, she quickly warms to kindred souls Tessa, Audrey, and Silly. They also want better things and have pasts they’d rather forget. That they all share the same middle name makes their friendship seem like destiny.
As supportive as they are of each other, it’s a struggle just to eke out a living, let alone hope to see their wishes for success come true. Until an ever-present and uncannily charming acquaintance of the landlord’s offers a solution to their problems. He promises to fulfill their every dream. All it takes is a little magic. And a small sacrifice.
As one surprisingly effective spell leads to another, their wishes get bigger. But so does the price they must pay. Amid the damaged seams of her life so far, Cordi must realize her own power in order to rip free, without losing everything she’s worked so hard to achieve.
Author Interview - Van Hoang
Author I draw inspiration from:
There’s something about Tana French’s ability to make me root so deeply for her characters even though they are so completely different from me and her books are different from anything I would write. I especially loved The Likeness and The Witch Elm. I’m also so inspired by authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia who aren’t afraid to break their own molds. Kate DiCamillo’s The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane wrecks me every time I re-read it, which is about once a year. Patrick Ness’s A Monster Calls is one of the most important books I’ve read, and reminds me that storytelling is a type of miracle.
Author Interview - Van Hoang | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
At the park next to a lake, but with plenty of bug repellent.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
The Skull from Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co. series. He’s basically like the British deceased version of the Monkey King. I think we would both annoy each other but in a begrudgingly respectful way.
Author Interview - Van Hoang | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but as a kid, was told to pursue a more reliable career path. So I went for a technical writing education because I still wanted to work with words, and for a while, I thought I wanted to work in journalism. My first few years out of college at a marketing firm were tough for many reasons, but in escaping the dreariness of a fluorescent-lighted 9 to 5, I rediscovered my love for fiction and books. It felt like an epiphany because I’d been made to believe that authors are magical, starry beings and that the dream was impossible but I decided to go after it anyway and am so thankful for everything that’s worked out.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I love the tactility of reading print books–there’s something about them that makes the story feel so tangible, and the reading experience so ritualistic–but my wrist tendonitis makes it hard to hold them for long periods, so e-books all the way! I have a Meebook E-Reader, which is a tablet that uses e-ink that delivers a similar tactile experience and is compatible with most digital book formats, and I love to prop it up on my tablet holder and use a bluetooth remote to turn the pages.
The last book I read:
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. This book was so ambitious and smart and heartbreaking and I did not expect to be so wrecked upon finishing it. It’s got all the fascinating components of an epic science-fiction novel while dealing with actual social problems we’re dealing with in real life, yet it’s funny and powerful and even wholesome–as wholesome as you can be for a story about a modern-day prison gladiator reality show.
Author Interview - Van Hoang | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I used to write my books completely with pen and paper (my favorite notebook is the Mnemosyne A4 dot grid–the paper is so smooth and doesn’t bleed or ghost when used with fountain pens). There was something about having to slow down that unlocked a different area in my brain, and knowing I’d still have to type it gave me distance from the trap of perfectionism.
But due to my wrist pain, I had to switch to an ergonomic keyboard. So now I try to keep the monitor at eye level and I use a split keyboard called the Ergodox-EZ because it’s keys are easily programmable and I can tilt it so it hurts less to write for longer periods, and I also have a foot pedal spacebar to avoid using my thumbs. The new setup looks a bit ridiculous but has actually been life-changing.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Jess Teoh from Zen Cho’s Black Water Sister. She’s so reluctantly bad-ass.
Author Interview - Van Hoang | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I’m a librarian in my other life and wouldn’t want to do anything else!
Favorite decade in fashion history:
A tie between 1920s and 1950s.
Place I’d most like to travel:
Scotland–it looks so beautiful and scenic and old.
My signature drink:
I just love sparkling water in a chilled wine glass, but it’s safe to say I’m made of 60% jasmine tea at any given moment.
Favorite artist:
I’m obsessed with Anna Akana, who is an actress, comedienne, and author among other roles, but she’s most famous for reframing mental health into accessible and entertaining video segments on YouTube.
Number one on my bucket list:
One day, I’m going to spend a whole year on a writing sabbatical while I do a tour of Southeast Asia’s resorts.
About Van Hoang:
Van Hoang’s first name is pronounced like the van in minivan. Her last name is pronounced “hah-wawng.” She is the author of Girl Giant and the Monkey King, Girl Giant and the Jade War, and the forthcoming Hidden Tails for middle grade readers. Her adult debut novel The Monstrous Misses Mai will publish in spring 2024. Van was born in Vietnam, grew in up Orange County, California, and now resides in Los Angeles with her husband, kid, and dog. When she is not writing, she spends her days force-feeding books to small children (and adults!) at the Huntington Beach library in Southern California.
