Hello API Romance Authors!

This month, we have picked "Last Night at the Café" by joiehasnolimits for Book of the Month. If you'd like to read this story, we encourage you to check it out in our From Me to You reading list.

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Logline:

Seollal is an aspiring writer with a crush on the barista at the cafe she frequents. But when a misunderstanding and a rival threatens their budding romance, she and Kazu fight through uncertainty and difficult conversations for a chance with each other.

Excerpt from the Book:

" - get his number."

Her eyes grew wide.

"Why should I do that?" Seollal whispered from across the table.

At this hour, the lamps perched around the cafe were dimmed, throwing the space into a warm glow reminiscent of its name. Home. Tucked away beside a dance studio and a hanok restaurant, the cafe was composed of sets of mismatched tables and chairs to resemble a house. The interior changed according to the season, with pots of plants and flowers to contrast with the dark wood floor and the white walls.

She and Yu Ah currently occupied the living room setting. The red couch set against the wall was well-worn and covered with throw pillows while a coffee table with matching rattan chairs completed the rest of their corner. Stalks of pink muhly grass arranged in a vase gave the air a mellow scent, softening the intense smell of coffee that occasionally permeated the space.

About the Author:

Joie Y is born and bred in Singapore. She posted her first Asian protagonist fiction story onto Wattpad in 2014. Last Night at the Cafe, posted in 2021, is her first story featuring an all Asian cast, set in Asia. In her free time, she makes a mess of the kitchen to create baked goodies and ventures into nature trails with friends or by herself.

Interview:

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

Covid inspired my story! I wanted to write something that captured life during the pandemic. With masks on, it was difficult to know what new people we met looked like, or what they really sounded like. I felt this story would record memories of these strange times. I also spent some time in Seoul (pre-pandemic) for a summer exchange programme. During my time there, I enjoyed visiting their cafes. I wanted to write a story set in Seoul in a cafe of my own creation. Also, Seollal, my main character, was at a crossroads in her life, just like how I pretty much was. I was at a point where I considered leaving my first job, just like Seollal. For Seollal, the 'what to do next' was easier to answer. At the end of the story, she leaves her job to care for her mother and to complete her debut work. For myself, the question was more difficult to answer. Yet I wanted to add some of that uncertainty in the story, to mirror what young adults stepping into the working world or into adulthood are going through.

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

Conveying nuances and expressions through a masked face! That was pretty difficult. Also, I hoped I was able to get down Korea's cultural aspects accurately. My knowledge of the Korean culture was informed by the brief time I spent in Korea, and through watching Korean dramas and reality shows. 

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

Last Night at the Cafe was meant to be a simple, slice of life romance, featuring normal young adults going through difficult times in their life. I wanted to convey that despite the uncertainty and difficulty, one learns and grows through the journey. I hope that readers would be able to identify with Seollal and Kazu too!

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

Write from your own experience! I am thankful for the time I spent in Korea during my summer exchange as it enabled me to describe certain locations in the story from memory. Being immersed in the culture (despite not being a native) was helpful to learn about how they socialised with each other. Even if you have not spent time in a certain country but want to write about it, watching dramas, movies and reality shows help to inform you of how natives interact with each other or function in different settings. Doing research is also helpful, be it on the language, social life, cultural aspects etc. I have basic knowledge of the Korean language but I wanted to be accurate when I used Korean in the story. I made sure to research natural sounding translations. Personally I enjoy reading a well-researched story. I feel it demonstrates the effort that the writer is putting into the story and that they are not just playing around with a culture they like but know nothing much about. 

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

I would write for Never Forgotten. I have an Asian historical mystery romance in the works that I hope to publish one day.

6. If you are an author of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent, what's one cool fact about your culture you can share with us?

Singaporeans are quite creative when it comes to reserving tables at hawker centres/coffee shops (public eating places set within an F&B premise). Umbrellas, name cards, tissue paper packets, staff passes, grocery, even bags. There is this public trust that no one will take your table once you have placed some item on it. Also, your personal belongings are safe (no one bothers to steal them, majority of the time).

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Thank you joiehasnolimits 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.