A Chat With Kai Cheng Thom

What is one book you think everyone should read?
“A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K Le Guin—or, if I may so bold as to “cheat” a little bit on this question, I’d suggest the whole Earthsea series. The Earthsea books are absolutely captivating, full of all the adventure and magic you could want in classic fantasy, and they also make the reader reflect on life, human society, and a lot of other important ideas. What I most love about Le Guin is that she makes you think without telling you what to think. It’s reading that’s “good” for you without being preachy or boring! A Wizard of Earthsea is also one of those children’s books that has something different for every age category. I first read it when I was about eight years old, and I still re-read it about once every five years.”  

What is your favourite part of writing kids’ books? 
“What I love most about writing kids’ books is that it forces me to look at the world from a kid’s point of view, which helps me remember how silly most ‘adult’ ways of thinking about things are! Kids are naturally curious about the world, and they think and feel things deeply. Shouldn’t we all want to be that way?” 

What was your favourite book as a child?
“There were so many beloved books in my childhood, but I have to say that I think Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness fantasy quartet (I know, I’m cheating again!) about Alanna the Lioness, a girl who disguises herself as a boy to train as knight was my very favorite. Alanna taught me to be brave, and that girls can be anything they want to be.” 

What is your favourite word to use in prose? 
“Luminous. It’s such a gorgeous word with a gorgeous meaning. I try to slip it into every book I write.” 

Where do you most like to write?
“I think I’m odd among writers in that I do most of my writing at home on my couch! I find it very hard to concentrate in a café, or even a library. Most public settings are hard for me to write in.” 

What moment in your life felt straight out of a novel?
“When my first novel, Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir (Young Adult Coming-of-Age), was published in 2016, it was with a very small (and much beloved) publishing company that had just started putting out books. I expected to sell a few hundred copies at most, but shortly after it came out, I found out that Emma Watson, who plays Hermione in the original Harry Potter movies, had chosen it for her book club! So that translated to many more sales and much more attention, and I became a much higher profile author overnight. It was wild!”