Special Guest Author, Camy Tang!

Today I have the privilege of welcoming fellow author Camy Tang whose Blog Book Tour is well under way and making a splash, I'm sure. Camy writes Christian Asian chick lit, aka: "Romance With a Kick of Wasabi!" Being somewhat dense in the cultural food department, I really don't know what the heck wasabi is, but it sure sounds fun! And spicy! Which is exactly what you'll get when you meet Camy and her characters.

Being the fiction junkie that I am, I made sure to snag myself a copy of Camy's new release, Sushi for One? as soon as possible. And then I inhaled it in about 2 days.

Publishers Weekly describes Tang's new release as "perky, sassy, humorous," I'd like to add "fun" and "spicy!" Kind of like wasabi, I think. Tang has done a great job with characterization in her debut novel, providing a fun peek into American Asian culture as well as the Christian singles scene. Bottom line? I loved it, had a blast reading it and can't wait for book #2: Only Uni slated for release February 2008.

I met Camy at the Mount Hermon Writers' Conference a couple years ago and knew right away we were kindred spirits. Camy is funny, authentic, and laughs even louder than me (never thought that was possible). I caught up with her recently and asked her some questions about her new book.

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Talk to us about Lex, your way cool protagonist. Did you base her on someone you know, a combo, or is she more like you?

I deliberately try not to base my characters off of people I know. I start with a general archetype and then add traits--sometimes the traits and interests come from people I know.

Lex is the volleyball player I always wished I could be. LOL I've watched girls play who are as good as I've made Lex, and they're AMAZING.

I also gave Lex more courage than I have. She says things I would never say outside my house to anyone, which was really fun to write. I mean, how often can a person tell off a nosy relative???

What's your ethnic background? Do your family events rival that of Lexi's?

I'm fourth generation Japanese American. And my family is nowhere near as dysfunctional as Lex's extended family, but I did use a few stories from my friends about their weirder relatives. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

The one thing my family events have in common with Lex's is the FOOD! All that yummy stuff served at family parties and gatherings is what I get to eat! Woohoo!

I read somewhere that you were originally a biologist (a biologist?!). I'm clearly impressed but must know why/how you decided to become a novelist?

I always wanted to be a novelist, but I was more interested in my name on a book than in giving glory to God. Yeah, not a good place to be. So God told me to lay my writing down.

I wanted to cry. Heck, I did cry. I tried to ignore Him. But with God, ignoring just doesn't work.

So I did it, put all my writing away. Originally I wanted to be a physicist (probably the FARTHEST I could go from writing), but I was soooo not smart enough (figured that out in my first year in college). Then I wanted to be a psychologist, then I wanted to be a doctor and took lots of biology classes, but it was too late to double major in bio and psych, so I got my degree in psychology with a focus on neuropsychology. Then God told me not to be a doctor (yeah, wasn't going to ignore Him again), so I became a biology researcher.

Then I got laid off from my job, and God said I could write again. I was shocked--I really hadn't thought God would let me write ever again.

Now that I'm writing fiction, I'm actually using that psychology degree I earned in college. Funny how things come full circle, huh?

Who are some of your favorite chick lit authors?

Jane Austen.

Seriously, you can NOT make me start listing them. It would go on and on, and I'd end up forgetting someone. [short aside from Jenn: word on the street is that Camy hangs with the likes of Kristen Billerbeck. I have friend envy.]

Who is your favorite funny mom writer (wink, wink, hint, hint). Okay, real question: What's been the most difficult part of getting published? The most fun?

Most difficult--realizing I'm not ready to submit to publishers. I was stupid and thought I was all that, when in reality the manuscript I was shopping around sucked eggs. When my writing got better, I'm lucky no one remembered that Bad Book and kept a bad feeling in the back of their subconscious about me.

Most fun--Talking writing with writers! Heck, I could talk about writing all day, except then people would get annoyed and avoid me.

And that Velveteen Mommy chick holds a special place in my heart, too. J

When does the next delightful installment of the Sushi Series release? I can't wait!!!

Only Uni is Trish's story, and it comes out February 2008. Here's a blurb:

Will Trish Sakai be able to follow her three simple rules and hold out against two gorgeous guys?

Trish Sakai is ready for a change from her wild, flirtatious behavior. And her three cousins are anxious for her to change, too. Trish is always knocking something over, knocking herself out, and taking hard knocks in her perpetual confusion about men.

When Trish's ex-boyfriend, Kazuo the artist, keeps popping up at all the wrong moments, Trish decides to be firm with herself. She creates three simple rules from First and Second Corinthians and plans to follow them to the letter. No more looking at men! No more dating non-Christians! She will persevere in hardship by relying on God.

Except now Kazuo is claiming Trish is his muse, and he can't complete his major work of art without her. And a gorgeous coworker is reassigned, bringing him in daily contact with Trish. But her cousins are determined to hold her accountable to her plan. She thought three rules would be a cinch, but suddenly Trish's simple rules don't seem so simple after all.

Last one, I promise. Okay, favorite Asian recipe - can you share it with us?

This is my favorite: Hawaiian fried rice

Start with bacon or, my favorite, Hawaiian Portuguese sausage. Or be like my dad and use both. Chop and fry in a wok or pan. Throw in a diced onion if you've got it, or chopped green onion.

Then throw in all kinds of leftovers from the fridge. Be adventurous. Especially if each type of leftover doesn't have too much left of it, so the flavors get diluted throughout the rice. You can throw in some chopped veggies, too, if you want to be healthy. My mom adds celery and carrots. I add beans, broccoli, carrots--whatever veggies I happen to have in the fridge.

Toss in cooked rice. I usually use about 6 cups cooked, but you can use less or more. Continue to stir fry.

My dad adds oyster sauce and sometimes soy sauce, but you don't have to, especially if you added flavorful leftovers. Taste it and see. Sometimes you just need salt. I also like to add a teaspoon of sesame oil, but that's optional. I just happen to love sesame oil

Camy, I'm so proud of you - thanks for joining me on Chatter Matters!

Aw, thanks, Jenn! Can I add one more thing? I'm running a huge website contest right now where I'm giving away baskets of books and an iPod Nano! It's exclusively for my YahooGroup members, so people need to join today!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Camys_Loft/join

Thanks for having me here!
Camy

tags: chick  lit  author  writing  writer  romance  publishing  camy  tang  asian  novelist  

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