Tag: Coming of age

Never have we ever connected to a book as well as we did with My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser by Jamie Jo Hoang! We admit we’ve been hooked on her writing ever since her last book, My Father, the Panda Killer, which released two years ago.

So for our latest author interview, we had the honor of chatting with Jamie Jo Hoang about her new book, the writing journey, Vietnamese superstitions, and so much more! Dare we say that it’s one of our favorite interviews all year?

Be sure to check out our in-depth book review of My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser. Until then, let’s get right into our exclusive Jamie Jo Hoang interview! (We kept the number of questions to lucky number eight, of course.)

Welcome to The Honey POP! We want to start by sharing what an inspiration it is to read books with Vietnamese American representation, of which we can always use more. Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring AAPI authors or any lessons that have stuck with you thus far?
Hi, hi! First off, thank you so much for having me. Second, I love this question. I know the goal is to get published (of course it is. I spent more than a decade dreaming of the day I’d find my book on a bookstore shelf), but take stock of this moment, right now where you get to write without judgment or competition. This is where you find your voice and it’s a place you’ll return to when self-doubt or imposter syndrome attack.
I wrote My Father, The Panda Killer, in this free space, edited it with my peers, my agent and my publishing house editor. Before its release, I was told a well-known Vietnamese author named Minh Lê, yes, the Minh Lê was reading it for a blurb consideration. Panic set in, my hands were shaking – every day I opened emails wondering if I’d be dropped and my book deal pulled. Minh Lê, as it turns out, is the nicest human on earth, and he gave me a wonderful blurb. BUT—and this is key—had it gone the other way, had I not gotten that blurb, I needed to learn to stand tall behind my work. The heart, the voice, the story—it formed long before anyone else read it—it’s mine. And if I don’t believe in it, why should anyone else?
So yes, celebrate the publication when it comes, but don’t forget this part of the journey—the part where it’s just your ideas and the page. That’s the well you’ll keep drawing from because it’s where your truest voice lives.

My Mother, The Mermaid Chaser

Congratulations on the release of your new book, My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser! This novel is a companion to My Father, the Panda Killer, which we also absolutely loved. Can you describe your writing/publishing journey with your new book compared to previous ones?
The writing part hasn’t changed. I still write from a quiet place unhindered by worry of critique. I know what my process is, what works for me, and I trust it. I will say that outwardly, the biggest change is that when people ask me what I do, I now answer, “I’m an author,” with my full voice. Before, I kind of just mumbled it after my name or quickly added my day job out of fear that a drink would be thrown at me and I’d be chased down the street by someone yelling, “fraud, fraud!” Imposter syndrome is real, y’all. LOL.
The most unbelievable aspect of publishing for me is that my heroes have become my friends. I recall being told at my first major conference that I’d have a signing. My first thought was how cool, then the thought that cut off that microsecond of joy, what if no one comes? When I saw that I would be signing next to a famous author (who claims not to be famous, but she is, I promise you), I nearly peed my pants with joy. If you’re unfamiliar with these dual signing lines, here’s how it works: if you like one author, you come and you get both books. Brilliant! There was no way our line would be empty—phew, relief. But then I had to sit next to said author whose stories opened up my eyes, whose characters I’ve had imaginary conversations with, and pretend like I had not Google-stalked and watched every interview she’d ever done. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions! On the real, though, many authors have been super generous with advice and friendship, it’s healing for someone who is unaccustomed to fitting in.

In your letter to the reader at the beginning, you mentioned how My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser was inspired by your experience grappling and unpacking your own personal trauma. When did you notice this idea start to take shape? What was the timeline there?
If my timeline were a picture, it’d look like a Jackson Pollock—chaotic, random, and seemingly unconnected save for the fact that it’s all on one canvas. I have been writing different versions of this story my entire life. I wrote it as part of my college entrance essay, as a screenplay, and as a short story, each a completely different version. The thing about writing Phúc (the father) and Ngọc Lan (the mother) that I had a hard time wrapping my head around was authenticity. I’d done a ton of research, listening to audio through the UCI Archives and watching YouTube interviews, but the truth is, because of the nature of my relationship with my parents, I hadn’t ever had an in-depth conversation with them about what happened. Eventually, instead of fighting what I didn’t know, I leaned into what I did. As you can imagine, dinner after the release of My Father, the Panda Killer was…awkward! My family disowned me, and I haven’t spoken to them since.
I’m kidding! I’m kidding. Actually, something rather remarkable happened. I asked, in a roundabout way, about what they remembered, and they told me. This is why My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is a bit closer to my mom’s actual story. And in the process, I discovered something unexpected: despite the difficult light they were sometimes cast in, my parents were grateful that someone was honoring their struggles as boat people.

Superstitions & Storytelling

This novel mentions the unlucky number four representing death in Vietnamese culture. What are some other superstitions that you believe in, if any?
– On Tết (Vietnamese New Year), it’s believed that the aura of the first person who walks through your door sets the tone for the entire year. So, if an angry person walks through first, your house is doomed to conflict all year long. Which is why, every year, I wake up early, exit the back door, circle the house, and re-enter via the front door. If anyone is controlling the aura of my house, it’s going to be me! 😂
– A staircase in the home should never lead directly to the front door. It means that all your money will flow out. My husband loves this rule—it makes moving so much more fun. 🙃
– Nothing should obstruct the entrance of your home. It’s like blocking good luck.
– Whatever happens on Tết sets the pattern for your year. A joyful day means joy all year; a terrible day means sour luck all year. So no matter what, I make sure the day ends on a high note. Champagne helps.

Paul and Ngọc Lan’s alternating perspectives weave together so well in My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser. How did you balance these two unique voices and time periods while trying to piece together one cohesive story?
The poetic answer: Writing Paul and Ngọc Lan’s journeys was like guiding two rivers on opposite sides of the country. They moved at varying paces but were always headed toward one another.
The practical truth: Notecards. I have notecards on a pegboard with different scenes and arrange and rearrange them to connect at specific points in the book.

What’s Next

What advice would you give to readers who are also struggling in abusive or manipulative relationships with their parents?
Healing is an individual practice. I don’t mean that you have to do it alone. I mean that you have to decide, for yourself, what you are willing and unwilling to accept. And then set boundaries. Start with one. For me, I couldn’t control how I was spoken to or what was said about me, to me, but I could choose what I internalized.
After every corporal punishment I received, my dad would send me to the bathroom to “wash my face.” While there, I would wash myself with affirmations: I am smart. I am kind. I do not deserve this. I did not deserve this. I didn’t always believe myself at the time, but the repetition took root. Those words became the foundation of a place inside me that no one else could reach. Over time, they hardened into armor. And eventually, they transformed into the voice I believed the most.

We see that you’re celebrating the release of My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser with an event in Houston later this month! Do you plan on visiting other cities? Are there any places still on your bucket list?
Yes! My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser will launch at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, then I’ll be heading to Georgia for the Decatur Book Festival, South Carolina for YALLFEST, and Denver for the National Council of Teachers of English. Houston is my home; I’ve never been to Georgia or South Carolina, so those are bucket list items I’m stoked to get to check off, and Denver is where I was born, so it feels very “full circle!”

Are you working on any new projects at the moment? If so, what can you tell us about them? If not, what are some of your plans for the rest of 2025?
Vietnamese Americans are changing how we’re viewed. Our food has been upscaled, our coffee can be found in mainstream markets, our designers are making waves in the fashion industry, and our music is taking center stage at huge venues like SXSW. Vietnamese Americans like me are discovering or rediscovering a pride for our culture, and I’m working on a story that reflects this—one that honors the struggles of our parents while celebrating the creativity, resilience, and joy of a generation that refuses to be invisible.

You can order Jamie Jo Hoang’s My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser here!

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