Frequently Asked Questions

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

When I finished the first draft of Dove Arising as a teen. I'd always loved to read and write, but this book was bigger and better and more alive than anything I'd written before.

I'm an educator. Will you visit our school?

I'd love to! Interacting with students is my favorite thing to do as an author. Shoot an email to my contact page to set up a visit. All other information you may need is here.

What's a typical working day like for you?

No such thing. Most days, I’m doing science and can squeeze in a couple of hours of writing in the early morning or evening. Sometimes I’ll write for an entire morning on the weekends or when I’m on “vacation.”

My brain gets tired after ~4 hours. This is long time to be staring at a blank Word document and hallucinating vividly. When I hit a wall, I shut down my computer for the day.

Sometimes I don’t write for several months at a time. If I’m not feeling it, and I’m not on a deadline, it will not and should not happen. Rest is important for all human beings.

What are you working on now?

My adult sci-fi debut, a contemporary thriller, and my Ph.D in neuroscience.

Do you have any writing advice?

Read and write a lot -- but don't forget to go outside! Your own experiences could provide your next inspiration.

Make writer friends. Exchange manuscripts with them. Love them.

I wrote a story and want to get published. Would you read my manuscript/critique my work/refer me to an agent?

I wish I had the time to help everyone who asks. Events like #PitchWars are a great opportunity to get your foot in the publishing door, and you might even end up with a published author as a mentor. There are also plenty of writers seeking critique partners on Twitter and Facebook; I highly recommend finding someone you click with for your first few rounds of revisions.

Here are some great resources that I used when I was starting out: Nathan Bransford's publishing blog (for advice on the publishing process), Steph Sinkhorn's writing blog (she's hilarious, and amazing!), and Christopher Paolini's website (scifi and fantasy GOLD).

If you have a really specific question, don’t hesitate to email me or DM me on Twitter/Instagram.

Why did you set the Dove Chronicles on the Moon?

 Because getting food, water, and air up there seemed like a cool challenge!

Also, since I'm Chinese, I grew up celebrating holidays based on the lunar calendar and hearing stories about the Moon. I wondered what it would be like to actually live there.

Phaet? Umbriel? How do you come up with these otherworldly character names?

Everyone in the Dove Chronicles has an astronomical name, since Lunar society is so fixated on space exploration and other scientific fields. (A couple of people are named after famous researchers.) My favorite character name, Yinha, is derived from the Chinese words for “Milky Way.” Literally translated, “yin he” (银河) means “silver river.” Isn’t that pretty?

What's the coolest thing you learned while doing research for Dove Arising?

You can use a super-strong electromagnet to levitate a frog. (Look!!) Secret: the magnet repels the water in the frog's body. This video inspired the Lunar Bases' ceiling magnets, which create the illusion of greater gravity on the Moon.

How did your studies influence Dove Arising?

High school physics, which I took while writing Dove Arising, helped me write fight scenes and spaceship chases! Chemistry 101 in college led me to write a lot of corny puns. But it wasn’t only science that inspired me; political science courses helped me construct the future Earth’s power regime, with its two powerful alliances, in a way that felt believable.