Hello, disciples!

This month, we have picked "The Cantonesia Caper" by kth_disneyfanatic for our monthly interview. If you'd like to read this story, we encourage you to check it out.

✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧

Logline:

Amelia Yeung, who belongs to a triad family called the Bauhinias, must undertake a precarious mission to regain her freedom after being captured by the Governor's daughter and her best friend. She must keep secrets and unearth scandals, all while evading the law and helping them at the same time.

Blurb:

It's easy to get away with crime in a packed, unruly and newly built city--Cantonesia: The Jewel of the Orient. That's what Amelia Yeung's family has been doing for decades. She's part of Cantonesia's most notorious and elusive mafia family, the Bauhinias.

On Amelia's next mission, which involves the Governor of Cantonesia and his family, she makes a dangerous mistake that takes away her freedom. Thus, she is forced to make a deal with two formidable forces.

But scandals and secrets await her wherever she goes, and Amelia unearths one that could damage the Governor's reputation. She begins to question the moral integrity of those around her as the situation unfolds.

To make matters worse, government agents are on Amelia's trail. She knows if she's captured, it could be the end of the Bauhinias. Now Amelia has to evade the law and help them at the same time.

Will Amelia be able to solve her Cantonesia caper? Or will the government get to her first?

About the Author:

Faith is a teen writer from a small city in Asia that seems insanely enormous. She adores using the concept of storytelling to discover the world, and has learned to respect and immerse herself into her Chinese heritage through reading and writing stories. She loves writing short stories and dabbles in many different genres, including Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical Fiction, and more. She joined Wattpad in late 2021, and has since been daydreaming, creating, and spreading awareness about global issues like pollution and discrimination through her writing. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2023 Open Novella Contest for her entry 'The Cantonesia Caper.' When she's not writing, you can find her belting Disney showtunes or spending time with her family.

Interview:

1. What is your writing process? Do you outline everything or write as things come to mind? Why?

I have a special notebook that I use to outline my books - it's a little worn around the edges, and I'm filling up the pages at an alarming speed, but it's my most coveted treasure that helps me organize my stories and little plot ideas. I write around three sentences to describe the major events I envision happening in each chapter until I have a full-fledged plot! Outlining everything makes everything much clearer in my head, and I can refer back to my written outline to fix up any plot holes or major inconsistencies in my story. 

2. What are some things that influenced your story?

My culture is a major influence of 'The Cantonesia Caper.' I knew I wanted to write about something that mattered to me and motivated me throughout the ONC, so I decided on an Asian, urban setting. I added many elements of my hometown into my story, from street delicacies like curry fishballs to slang terms and idioms in Chinese. I also introduced elements of the 'Asian parenting culture' into my story - we're no stranger to the 'tiger moms' and 'helicopter dads,' and I wanted to show how this concept of tough love can help and harm a child's growth at the same time.

3. Tell us about the main character of one of your stories. What inspired their creation?

Amelia, the protagonist of 'The Cantonesia Caper,' was inspired by two things: my friend by the same name, and my culture. I asked my friends if they wanted to be in a book, and they agreed - I think this is one of the only times where I haven't had to mull for days on what to name my characters! I mixed in my own experiences of exploring my city and other elements of local life, like enjoying street food and traveling to tourist destinations, into Amelia's life, all in hopes of making her character more well-rounded and concrete.

Amelia is an ambiguous protagonist - she isn't exactly an anti-heroine; throughout the course of the novella, she continuously develops her morals and understanding of the world. Being the heiress to a mafia family, she's been taught to manipulate, cheat, and steal all her life. However, upon embarking on her mission, Amelia learns that the 'right' thing to do isn't as clear-cut as it seems. That doesn't mean she gives up on reshaping her identity though!

Amelia desperately wants to carve her own path in life instead of constantly living up to her father's expectations. Even so, Amelia is constantly reminded of her Ah Ba's (dad's) life lessons and tips, and they are often instrumental in making her plans succeed. I wanted to include this into her character development to show the ambiguity in pressure from parents.

4. What were some challenges you experienced while writing the story?

Time management was definitely a major obstacle. Balancing school life with writing was tough, so oftentimes I got up early in the morning in order to meet the deadlines I'd set for myself to finish a chapter. My writing calendar and notebook both helped me set goals and word count marks that I'd have to hit by a certain date and time.

5. What message do you hope to convey to your readers with your story?

I hope that readers understand that the world isn't a clear-cut place of rights and wrongs. Even the most innocent-looking and harmless people can possess ulterior motives. The most important thing you can do is use unexpected experiences to shape your perceptions of the world, understand different perspectives, and define your morals and values to be the best version of yourself. Furthermore, I want readers to know that everyone is free to create their own legacy, and nobody is obligated to follow in the shadow of the ones who came before you.

6. If you had the choice to transmigrate into another time or place, where would you like to go?

I'd love to see what's going to happen in the far future. What technological and scientific breakthroughs have we made? What incredible feats have humans achieved? The future holds so many possibilities in store for us all, and I think it'll be amazing to see the products of generations yet to come.

7. If there was something you could learn (i.e., a specific spell, martial arts, etc.) like the main character in your book, what would it be?

I'd really want to learn how Amelia trained to be such an elusive and high-profile mafia agent, and how she defends herself in sticky situations. In this reality, it's quite common that girls in big cities carry pepper spray or other tools to defend themselves, and it's also sickening to have to always be overly cautious about dangers that can be prevented. I wish that all girls can be as equipped as Amelia is with her self-defense techniques in order to shield ourselves from harm. 

8. Would you rather go through a lifetime of never finding love or be willing to go through several lifetimes of hardships just to save your love? Why?

I'll risk anything for the ones I love, that's for sure. Though I'm not inclined to finding a significant other, I'd definitely go through eons of hardships and challenges for my family and friends.

9. What is your favorite creature from Asian or Pacific Islander mythology or folklore? Why?

I know this answer is basic, but I simply love dragons. They're versatile, elegant, and mysterious, and they're seen in many Asian myths. I also love modern interpretations of dragons in TV shows, books, and movies - one of my favorites is Mushu from Disney's animated movie 'Mulan' released in 1998.

10. What is your favorite Asian or Pacific Islander myth? Why?

The legend of Mulan has always been one of my favorites - we were taught to memorize the ancient text of the saga in Chinese class when I was in middle school. Although it has been adapted into various shows and movies for a modern, widespread audience, I still think that its message of devotion and righteousness remains at heart. Mulan risked her life for her ailing father to join the war in order to protect him. Although some might find this ambiguous - why would she squander her own life and potentially make her father mourn over her death in order to repay him? - it's a touching way of showing your family how much you love them, and I admire her bravery and devotion.

✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧

Thank you kth_disneyfanatic for giving us the opportunity to interview you and chat more about your book!

We'll see you all in the next interview.