Hey everyone,
Ian Tan here, lead editor and project coordinator of UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology, set to release this October 29. Here is the UnCensored Ink interview series to introduce you all to the incredible writers, as well as the local bookstores and libraries that gave them safe, creative spaces. Hopefully, you can put these incredible places on your to-visit list and feel inspired to support your own local bookstore, library, and indie authors.
Today, I am with Helen Z. Dong from Washington. She is a Chinese-American author, product manager, and game writer. In 2018, she received a Silver Key for her writing portfolio in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and her debut game, Wake Up, was released in May 2023. Since 2022, she has been sharing her writing journey on social media with over 12,000 followers.
1. You’ve written a fine piece for UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology. Can you give us a synopsis? How did the idea for this piece come about?
Sure! In my sci-fi story, BURN, a climate research scientist living on a near-uninhabitable planet presents her invention for reversing climate change at a conference. This is everything that she has dreamed of, people are congratulating her left and right on her success, but she’s unable to celebrate because she knows that her invention will never see the light of day. The planet is dying, and she can’t do a single thing about it.
This piece is very obviously inspired by the climate crisis that we’re facing right now, but the concept first started with a scene from the animated series Arcane: Jayce’s speech in season one, episode four, where he has to decide between revealing a new invention to the world or hiding it. While I’ve cut Maia’s actual speech from my story, there are still some parallels between her and Jayce…although they are very different people.
2. Now, we would love to know you more! What do you enjoy doing in your free time, what is your favorite book quote, and how did you get into reading and writing?
Aside from reading and writing, I love playing video games, watching shows like The Boys and House of the Dragon, and hanging out with my cat. I got into reading and writing around the same time, in kindergarten — the first “book” I ever wrote was a picture book about animals and their movements (inspired by the picture books I was consuming at the time, I’m sure).
At the moment, I’d say my favorite book quote is from a book that I fell in love with recently, BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN by M. L. Wang: “The worthwhile run is never the short one. You know we’re not running from oblivion…We’re running towards hope.”
This quote hit me hard in the context of the story, but even out of context, I think it can apply to a lot of us in our daily lives and struggles.
3. Do you have a favorite local library or bookstore? Also can you remember bookstores and libraries from your childhood, if they are not the same as the ones now?
My current favorite bookstore has to be Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, WA! But the Newton Free Library in Newton, MA, is where I used to go with my parents all the time as a child. It’s where I first developed a love for reading, and I still remember it fondly today even though I haven’t been there in years and years.
4. Tell us more about this bookstore/library. What do you love most about it?
I love Elliott Bay for the atmosphere. Since moving to Seattle, it’s been a central location for me to hang out with friends to either browse the shelves together or to grab a coffee and settle in for a cozy writing session in the attached cafe. The people who work there are so friendly — I filmed a YouTube video once where I went to Elliot Bay to look for a book and I must have spent twenty minutes searching for it before I gave in and asked someone for help. She not only helped me look up the book in their system, but also walked me to the right shelf herself. From this and other interactions, I can tell that the people there really care about and love books, and something about that energy just makes me so happy.
5. What do you have to say on the importance of sustaining bookstores and libraries?
Bookstores and libraries are both important (reading in general is important), but I can’t emphasize enough how invaluable libraries are in society. Anyone can go to a library and borrow any book they want to read. Anyone can stay in a library to read or study or just browse the shelves. These are such important resources for us, and it pains me every time when I see cities pinching their budgets and forcing libraries to close earlier, or on Sundays, or just for the whole weekend. Libraries used to be my favorite places to go as a child, and they’re where I developed my love for reading. They’re absolutely something that deserves to be advocated for.
6. Do you have any projects that your current and future readers can look forward to?
I am currently querying literary agents with a YA Chinese fantasy and am working on an NA dark academia horror that I plan on querying starting this fall. I’m also always working on new short stories and looking for homes for them. I’m decently active on my socials, so any updates will end up posted there!
7. Lastly, what platforms can we find you?
I’m @helenzdong on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X.
Well, that’s Helen Z. Dong from Washington, everyone! Now, we do have one last American writer in New York, so stick with us as we fly over there!
Wild Ink Publishing 