I will include some dialogue, or answer questions I've received from authors and readers here.

Feel free to submit questions in the comments below or through PM or [email protected]

More to come!

A question about Espresso Love's title and cover:
The title, I honestly think, is misleading for the content within, playing itself as a simple romance. It was actually suggested by readers of mine long ago before I had started posting the novel, and it stuck because intuitively it felt like the right title. In a way, it has been a funnel, bringing in unsuspecting readers and slowly pushing them through layers of ideas and philosophies - and it seems to have worked well, even for those who were a bit surprised. Ultimately, it is an enjoyable surprise and a good change for some.
I think the concept of the title and the cover goes after the pursuit of minimalism and enigma to start with. It captures an essence of the novel which is the juxtaposition and convoluted paradoxes of life it confronts: things aren't as it seems, and there's more beneath a deceptive surface. The cup is also a very important recurring symbol in the novel, and harkens to Zen Buddhism and the empty cup, the idea presented at the end that the characters (or people) are intended to be vessels for something (beautiful or not), and also Jesus Christ in Gethsemane asking for the cup of wrath to be taken away. The contents in the cup to me personally represents the soul inside the shell of the body or our lives.
ESP in the title is for ESP (Extra-Sensory Perception)! Love, also an important theme addressed, to me, is about a metaphysical, unconditional, determined connection between two people and not something based on pure emotions or erotic lust. One day you may feel happy, the next, sad; one day in love, the next tempted with others. Such weak emotional connections are not all there is to the story. Resso ended up being fit in as a name of the coffee franchise and the plantation facility. In a sense, this company is something to be interpreted, but it stands in the middle so to speak, intrinsically neutral like technology, and up to the parties involved to influence its direction or implications. But some of these thoughts are in retrospect; most of the time, the creation process for me is subconscious, intuitive and a journey of discovery for the creator too!

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(Audio Transcript) MaajaWentz: I've been reading a couple of your novels and there's this repeating theme of conformity and routine - I was wondering if there are any autobiographical reasons for that?
T: I think there is. We all go through school for so many years of our lives and repeat the same schedules over and over again. And it continues on throughout work as well - nine-to-fives; that's sort of the life I really don't want to live. I'm an artist first and foremost. I love to be creative, and to be free. I guess it's the creative spirit in me. I think I have my values set on the more metaphysical aspects rather than materialism and trying to conform to the capitalist system. I feel there's the system that expects us to be workers in society for corporations, to earn money and you know, owning a house, having food on the table. All of which feeds the perpetual cycle. For me, my art and my personal journey is probably my first priority.
[I had once worked as a graphic and web designer, for about a year, which was a huge turning point in life. I felt like I was under the pressurized nozzle of the capitalist system channeling its force into a small start up business. I felt confined and used like a machine or a tool and was drained of life and soul. I would return home and soak in TV dramas and anime, trying to de-numb or numb myself. I would pick up my guitar and it would be silent. I would pick up my pen and it would be still. I always had been that good kid that would comply and respect authority and keep silent as much as I could. I would try to cooperate and collaborate with whatever situations I was in. But things were bottled up inside and the spirit of a rebel was there. And so through this work experience, I had learned to speak up, stand up firmly and then in the end, throw out a resignation letter and quit. It was the most liberating moment. From the depths of a valley and suddenly, I wrote five original J-pop rock songs and recorded them within a month to create my first EP album. And I went to Japan which I write about in my travel memoir. That work experience, ultimately fuelled Espresso Love, two years later, once I had gained enough distance from it.]

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(Excerpt) LuvSailorMercury : The first sentence of the work stated "They say your order reveals the depths of your being." What is your coffee order?
Taka: This is such a great question and I'm surprised no one has asked me that before! Honestly, this is a phrase that I've always pondered over and researched widely about. But there are many opinions as to what order represents what. I'm actually going to confess: I'm personally not a coffee drinker! I'm a tea drinker - maybe hence, Shizuka's order. If I was ordering at a coffee shop, it would likely be a simple green tea, or a kind black tea. No sugar, no spices, no milk, just straight. I love the clear pure aroma and taste of tea. I'm Asian like that. It wakes me up and feels real good inside. I'm a health-nut so strong caffeine or thick sugary drinks don't go down well for me. But more lately, I've been coming to enjoy ordering Shizuka's drink - which many people all over the world have been trying as well! "It tastes like Christmas." It's real sweet and real cozy.

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(Excerpt) LuvSailorMercury : Can you relate to any of the characters featured in personality or their way of thinking.
Taka: The characters in Espresso Love like in all of my work are probably all parts or aspects of me. I also slip in my own voice into all of them. In fact, sometimes I prefer if they sound real ambiguous in their conversations, like they almost sound the same or are on the same wavelength. They definitely reflect me especially in that way I think. Naoki who is the narrator of the story for example has many philosophical tangents throughout the novel, which are essentially my own commentary of the world that he sees. Naoki with his "obstructed" emotions or memories are kind of like me these days. I've been much more involved with the intellectual side of life and my perception seems to lean towards something akin to maybe an ancient Greek philosopher as I get older (LOL). That's not to say I'm emotionless, or don't laugh or cry, I'm still a hopeless romantic at times, but that no longer is my first priority, so Naoki reflects that. The female characters probably also contain other parts of me, but I'll leave that up to reader interpretation.

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(Audio Transcript) MaajaWentz: Personal question here, when I see how many thousands of words you've written already at your tender age, I really do admire your discipline. Where do you see that discipline coming from?
T: It's the drive or the creative spirit. I want to pursue my dream, I want to create art that will touch people, the same way that Japanese entertainment that I grew up on touched me and changed my life. Or inspiring teachers, inspiring works I've read, they really speak on a deep level. I really want to do that for other people. I want to inspire people, I want to change lives and help people to grow. It's my core value that drives every move I make. I think discipline didn't come til I was more mature. When I was younger, I was always scatter-brained - doing this and that. As I grew up - the first cell phone novel for example - was when I stepped out of my comfort zone and committed to something and I saw the whole thing through. It sort of comes naturally as well with age, I felt I could handle more and commit more.
[There's a message that had to come through with Espresso Love - well, multiple messages. It was in a sense divinely-inspired, and fully formed and it simply flowed through me. It was a little more difficult than putting it that way, but in retrospect, it wasn't something I could just do any time. I can't do it again now that the novel is done. At least not til I find the next big thing. But with that much energy and a large vision like that, it was something that had to come out and I couldn't contain it within me. So it was constant writing until it's done. It is finished.]

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(Excerpt) outaprintwriter Tell us a little about how you are going beyond the traditional book and fusing art, media and music with your novel Espresso Love ...
[...] the roots of the novel for me is beyond the novel itself, therefore, it is naturally necessary for other arts to come into play. I've always had a lot of friends and contacts locally and internationally, who are extremely talented and multi-talented, yet many seem to develop their own paths independently. So I am taking this as an opportunity to meld some likeminded artistic souls, old and new friends together and add to the whole idea of this mosaic of subjective perceptions, different interpretations and personal responses to the themes, concepts (or other actual narrative and descriptive details) presented.
I have mentioned the project to a variety of illustrators, painters and artists for a visual art collaboration. Artwork could then be compiled into an art book or perhaps reproduced as t-shirts, phone cases, mugs - merchandise that I have experimented with in the past. A friend of mine who creates handmade crafts already joined in with her coffee bean charms which were part of the first free giveaway I launched for readers, to celebrate a few milestones and give back to the community. Coffee beans are discussed in the novel and play a huge symbolic role, and it feels like it's taking on a physical form, crossing the boundaries of perception, text on a page or screen into reality, from world to world.
Secondly, the dystopian content of the novel is also planned to manifest itself physically, through a social experiment / art installation campaign of large minimalist posters with vague, mysterious, thought-provoking and potentially jarring statements - which are things that actually appear in the novel. These would be posted all over Toronto in public and hopefully will garner some interest or solicit reactions as they present existential questions, offer social criticism or challenge the system. Meanwhile, a few volunteers would be filming and documenting the process.
Thirdly, music, references to music, and discussion of music plays a significant part in the novel, as I am a musician myself and have once tried to plan my life around music making. I've always wanted to create original music soundtracks for my novels and involve various media in projects (for example, manga/graphic novel adaptations, independent film and so on), but this novel in particular is even more suitable! Along with other interested independent musicians, we will strive to create a mini-album with classical, jazz, ambient, blues, indie, acoustic influences that flow with the sentiments and abstract concepts involved. Each song will be the musician's own interpretation of ideas in the novel.
The art and music projects are planned to be released if/when the novel is published, to spawn some sort of a small scale movement. I am passionate about sharing and inspiring, and I wouldn't want the release of the novel to be an independent solitary occasion; I would take it as a chance to promote my peers and contribute to the artistic landscape. For example - just some wishful thinking here - book release or signing events would be coupled with live coffee house style acoustic performances of the songs in the original album.

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More to come!