Author Interview: Malinda Lo

Malinda Lo was kind enough to let me interview her. I met Malinda at ALA and thought she was amazing, so I wanted to learn more about her and especially about her amazing book Ash. If you haven't read my review of her novel, read it here.

A little bit about Malinda before we get to the questions:
Malinda Lo was born in China and moved to the United States as a child. She grew up in Colorado and has since lived in Boston, New York, London, Beijing, Los Angeles and San Francisco. She is the former managing editor of AfterEllen.com, the largest entertainment news website for lesbians and bisexual women. In 2006, Malinda was awarded the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Journalism by the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and has master’s degrees from Harvard and Stanford universities. Malinda now lives in Northern California with her partner and their dog. Ash is her first novel.

Being a former entertainment reporter, how do you feel that has affected your writing?

I learned how to write day in and day out, whether I'm interested in the story I'm writing or not. So even when I hit a difficult part of the book I'm working on, I do understand that I have to stay there and get through it.

What inspired you to retell the fairy tale of Cinderella?

Cinderella was always my favorite fairy tale when I was a kid. I also really enjoyed Robin McKinley's fairy tale retellings, and I always wished she would write a version of Cinderella. Since she didn't (or hasn't yet!), I decided to write the book I wanted to read.

What do you want your readers to take away from your novel Ash?

I hope they'll find an enjoyable and engrossing story that entertains them and makes them feel hopeful.

What did you learn while writing Ash?

Grief and depression will come to an end. Love is life-changing, and you'll know it when you see it.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Don't give up! And believe in yourself.

Is there anything else you want your readers to know about you or your novel?
Ash falls in love with another woman, but you don't have to be lesbian or gay to understand the book. I hope that non-LGBT readers will see that falling in love with someone of the same sex is as natural as falling in love with someone of the opposite sex.

Thanks Malinda for letting me interview!

You can learn more about Malinda and her amazing book Ash over at her website.

Also, I am currently giving away a signed ARC of her book Ash as well as a cool poster. Check it out here. It ends tomorrow at noon, so check it out!