Hello, API Romance Authors!

This month, we have picked "Waves of Us" by smidorii for Book of the Month. If you'd like to read this story, we encourage you to check it out in our Whispers of the Heart reading list.

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Logline:

Alexandra Rivera, a young woman from Hawai'i, fights to connect with her culture as she struggles with her strained relationship with her best friend Emmie and confronts her feelings for Zach, the guy she wasn't supposed to fall for.

Excerpt:

"You know, for most of my life, I've felt like I've been living two versions of myself." I look back at him, my face somber as I admit something to him I haven't been able to admit to myself for the longest time. "I have this whole Chinese side of my family I used to see every other year for a family reunion. And they're all great and make me feel like one of them, even if I hardly ever see them. And then there's my dad's side of the family that's as Hawaiian as one can get, but they all live on the mainland now so I never get to see them. And I live in this beautiful place and feel so connected to this land like it's a part of me. But I never feel like I'm good enough for any of it. Like I'm not Chinese enough, or Hawaiian enough, or good enough for this island because I don't speak the native language, or because I don't know as much of the history of my people as I should."

Zachariah sits there and listens to me, not showing a sign that he's about to interrupt, but also not showing any sign that he's paying attention to anything else but me.

"Fighting against these people that have come to my home and taken so much from us makes me realize that I am who I am because of those that have come before me. That even though I can only listen to my dad speak our language and nod my head in return, the words still resonate with me. I am a result of all the things that have happened to my people, and I'm just doing my best to make them proud. And though there might be a hell of a lot of people that disagree, just being me is enough."

About the Author:

Stephanie Midorii is a bisexual Native Hawaiian & Chinese woman, born and raised in Hawai'i, whose stories predominantly feature Pacific Islander & Asian characters with a focus on women, family dynamics, LGBTQIA+ themes, and realistically flawed characters. During her time on Wattpad, she has become an Editors' Choice Pick, 2021 & 2022 Wattys shortlister, 2023 ONC shortlister, 2021 Ambys Award winner, former Wattpad Originals author, and Wattpad Creator. When she's not busy working on her many wips, you can find her listening to Holly Humberstone, rewatching Coraline, or planning her next vacation.

Interview:

1. What influenced your story? What inspired you to write it?

A friend and I were discussing our writing one day and realized how none of our stories featured characters from our own community, and how much we wanted to change that. Growing up, I had a plethora of stories and movies centered around white characters at my fingertips, so when I started writing and sharing my own, it felt like that was what I should also write. Once I realized how much it bothered me just how few or even non-existent the options were to enjoy stories that featured characters like me, I decided to take that step in carving out a space for myself. Writing Waves of Us, my first story which featured a Native Hawaiian/Chinese character, was a special step in my writing career and has allowed me to continue sharing stories that show off characters that reflect me, my culture, and the vibrant community around me.

2. What were some challenges you faced while writing your story?

The biggest challenge was the format as the story is told in a dual timeline. Since it wasn't written chronologically, I struggled at times to make sure that what was happening in one timeline lined up with the other, as well as to ensure the events from each timeline properly reflected any growth/development from the other. Plus, I'm a bit of an overwriter, so making sure I balanced each timeline well without dragging the entire story out for too long was definitely work for me. 

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

We're all human. People make mistakes, but it doesn't mean we're unworthy of forgiveness. One of the hardest things you'll have to do in life is learn to forgive yourself.

Story themes aside, I also hope readers come away from this story learning a little something about Hawai'i as well.  

4. Do you have any advice for other authors who are interested in writing Asian Fiction?

Research is obviously the most important. I also think it's important, especially if you're writing outside of your culture, to lead with empathy and not just include something because you think you must. That often leads to inaccurate representation. And if you're an Asian author writing about your own culture, please be as loud and proud as you want. Don't feel like you have to cater to a certain audience just because they might not "get it." Write as authentically as possible.

5. If you could write another story to be featured on the profile, which of our reading lists would you write it for?

I'd love to try to write a story for "My Heart Beats For You"! Pure romantic comedy is a tiny bit out of my comfort zone and I would love to challenge myself to write that kind of story.

6. If you are an author of Asian descent, what's one remarkable fact about your culture you can share with us?

While the biggest Chinese immigration to Hawai'i happened during the sugar plantation days in the nineteenth century, their earliest arrival dates all the way back to 1778. During the time of King Kamehameha I, he encouraged trade with China and began exporting sandalwood, earning Hawai'i the name "Tan Heung Shan" which roughly translates to "fragrant sandalwood hills" in Cantonese.

Due to the large Chinese population—almost a third of Hawai'i has some Chinese ancestry—Chinese culture has had a strong influence within the islands. Food culture is one of the best and most important facets of Hawai'i. The manapua, one of the beloved foods in Hawai'i, is an adopted, slightly larger version of the char siu bao, typically either baked or steamed. 

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

We'll see you all in the next Book of the Month.