Marissa chats with Loan Le about her debut YA contemporary romance - A PHO LOVE STORY - as well as developing character arcs for teen protagonists who don't start off with a life plan; writing about food, and all the joy, meaning, and history it can encompass; some great advice from Loan's editorial background, including how rejections are actually a good thing; how trusting in your plan and outline can lead to greater freedom during the writing process; plus some gushing over BTS!
Books discussed in this episode can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or buy them online from the Happy Writer bookshop.org store (that benefits indie bookstores) at https://bookshop.org/shop/marissameyer
Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/
Marissa chats with Loan Le about her debut YA contemporary romance - A PHO LOVE STORY - as well as developing character arcs for teen protagonists who don't start off with a life plan; writing about food, and all the joy, meaning, and history it can encompass; some great advice from Loan's editorial background, including how rejections are actually a good thing; how trusting in your plan and outline can lead to greater freedom during the writing process; plus some gushing over BTS!
Books discussed in this episode can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or buy them online from the Happy Writer bookshop.org store (that benefits indie bookstores) at https://bookshop.org/shop/marissameyer
Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/
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Speaker 2:Hello and welcome to the happy writer. This is a podcast that aims to bring readers, more books, to enjoy and to help authors find more joy in their writing. I'm your host, Marissa Meyer. Thanks so much for joining me. One thing that's been making me happy this week is that our Snowdrop drop flowers have started to arrive and they are starting to bloom. Uh, if you're not familiar with snowdrops, they are just these teeny tiny, adorable little white flowers. They're usually the first, one of the first things to start blooming this time of year. Uh, and we happen to have some planted right by our front door. So they're impossible to miss. And I was walking by yesterday and saw that they had poked up their tiny little heads and it may be really happy to see them. And it feels like, you know, okay, spring is on the way. I'm always just really excited to see that. And to know that flowers are coming, they will be here soon. Uh, so it is truly one of those, just little simple joys that every year around this time just brings me a lot of happiness. I am also so happy to be talking to today's guest. She's had short stories featured in craft, literary mud season review and angel city review. And in addition to writing, she also works as an editor in Manhattan, her debut novel, a fun love story came out on February 9th, please. Welcome lonely. Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. I was so excited to have you to thank you for joining me and congratulations on the launch of your book. How are you feeling? Oh gosh, I'm just so nervous. Um, but it's a good nerve. It's great to have to have had something forward and to have it arrive now it's just really describe it, but I'm really happy. Yeah, no, I will say I don't know that that nervousness ever fully goes away. I still am a nervous wreck every time I have a new book coming out. Um, and I can also remember being way back the very first book and it's totally bizarre feeling to know that you're going into the world and it's going to have readers, how striking no haters, strangers, but also my family members. Um, and that is, uh, thinking about that. Wow. I should probably stop thinking about, so why don't we start with you telling listeners, what is this book, a fun love story about? Yes, of course I'd be happy to. Um, so follow-up story is an adorable story about first love, family drama and food. Um, a lot of food, plenty of food. We need food, especially, um,
Speaker 3:These two Vietnamese teens living in California, they have such different personalities and dreams, and they've been told to stay away from each other is their family's own neighboring rival restaurants. They're literally like they could spy on each other if they want it to. Um, but in a counter sort of just brings them together. And, and then our school project also partners with them up and it allows them to almost demystify what they've been told their entire lives, um, and learn they start their parents, their, their own parents feud. Um, but I, what I had fun, uh, doing in this novel is that, um, these two characters, Lynn and bow, um, they really grow together. Uh, Lynn is this artist, but she doesn't really know how to tell her parents how like their parents, her parents won't understand this. And bow is, he doesn't really know what to do in his life. And he sort of feels guilty about it, but together learn along the way about themselves, really compliment each other and grow. So there's a lot of man's family history and food. There's like a bit of everything for all sorts of readers here.
Speaker 2:I like romance history and food, I think really sums up the novel. Really awesome. Um, yeah. So let's start with food because I was hungry the entire time I was reading this book and so good. Thank you. Thank you very much. Have you considered including like a companion recipe book? Well, not a full recipe,
Speaker 3:But I know my team's doing, um, the, my team had asked for a recipe card for, uh, for, for beef. Um, and for those who are unfamiliar with fi it's like the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup, like that's one of our popular dishes and for us is actually it refers to the actual noodles. Um, but the noodles are in this like really brothy, um, stock flavorful it's it has such has like cinnamon and cardamon and, um, like, uh, Jen, there's some ginger in there as well. And it's so earthy and it's the perfect thing that you can have during the day
Speaker 2:And your time, or like when you're hung over.
Speaker 3:And, um, and it's just paired with a bunch of herbs that really, um, bring up the flavor. So, uh, so my team, Oh, that was a long story, but my team had asked for a recipe card, so my mom had given it, but I don't have a separate recipe book, but maybe I can put it on my website. Actually. That's a good idea.
Speaker 2:Maybe. Cause it's obviously the book you talk about fun, but it's not, I mean, you talk about so many different recipes and it's not even just like the restaurant scenes, like it really felt like food was yeah. Inherent, like every scene, every chapter of the book you were talking about something that was just making my mouth water.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Yeah. Um, I think for me, food is stress. It's, it's a huge part of my life. Um, and I think because it's B because I was, you know, my parents, my parents are immigrant. My whole entire family are immigrants and food is significant notches because it's not just because it's tied to family, but I think it's like, it was almost like a reminder of the homes that my, my family had lost as they settled in America. So it reminds me of, it reminds me and my family about like history and, and how much I had taken to get us all here. Um, it's just how you hear a lot about memory being tied to food, but food is just stability, home and family to me. Uh, and my life is just so intertwined with it that, you know, even if I was writing the things that I would want to write in the future, like they don't have to be about food, but food just has to make a special appearance. For sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And it's fun to write about too. I found like I love it when I have a feast just look forward to, are we going to have, and how has this meat been prepared? I just want to leave it open to every detail and then usually have to edit half of it out. Cause it doesn't actually change anything in this life. You're like you like
Speaker 3:Go on a tangent. Um, yeah.
Speaker 2:But how do you, how do you,
Speaker 3:Um, right about like what, how do you conjure it up or do you need the food in front of you or do you do it from memory or
Speaker 2:Usually memory? Um, we also, like, it depends on the, the setting and you have, so a lot of my books are take place in, you know, settings inspired by places around the world. Um, and so, you know, my first book cinder is like in a futuristic China. So then I was researching a ton of Chinese cuisine and traditional dishes and trying to, you know, make use of that. Um, the book that I'm working on now is in kind of a fantasy version of medieval Germany. So now I'm researching, like what did they, what did the peasants eat in medieval Germany? And, but even then like even taking peasant food, you still want it to sound good. Like anything more delicious than like a hunk of, you know, hard salty cheese that you have to pack into your travel bag. Ooh, yes. Yeah. Details. I love that
Speaker 3:For me. Like when I was writing about through, like I was either like sitting there and close my eyes and just drooling. Um, as I was thinking about the food or I was actually, there was some times when I, I, you know, I'd go home and like my mom, like, can you make
Speaker 2:That's for me? So then, so I would like, you know,
Speaker 3:Enjoy it obviously, but then also take notes inside my head as I was, um, writing about food. Yeah,
Speaker 2:No, it really, I mean, it's special when things are passed down. Um, and I know, so, you know, my grandma passed away recently and something that I didn't want here, um, leading up to Christmas was I sat down and asked her like, grandma, okay, I need your recipe for deviled eggs. I need your recipe, Dean soup that you've been making since I, since I can remember, I need your recipe, Smith's cookies. And I wrote down, you know, the, the recipes that to me are like the things that I know of hers that she cooks, um, and made a little recipe, booklet that I gave out to some family around Christmas time. And I'm glad that I did it, you know that now. And of course we had no idea she was going to pass away. So suddenly now and then this year, um, and like, if I had waited to do that, if I hadn't done it, I would be really, really myself. Um, so yeah, I mean, it just, it gets passed down. It's so cultural, like you say, it has so many memories built around it. Like it's it's
Speaker 3:Yeah. I
Speaker 2:Also want to talk about, so the book is a romance, of course. Um, and there's lots of folks focus on Lynn and bow as they're getting to know each other and coming together and kind of overcoming this feud between their families. But there's also kind of surprisingly turns out to be a little bit of a mystery, sorry. Um, as we're trying to figure out why do these families despise each other so much and love that? I love watching these characters kind of start trying to piece together the clues. And I was curious for you in conceptualizing this book, at what point did you know the backstory between?
Speaker 3:Well, um, I, I think from the very beginning, I knew that it would be something beyond, uh, the restaurant itself. Uh, I think on the surface, the restaurant it's conceivable, but some somewhat ridiculous. So I think I needed to kind of have in my back of my mind that there's something deeper than that, but yeah, I, from the very beginning, I think I just love secrets secrets in mystery together. Um, especially family secrets, uh, I think to just like narrative, narrative bombs almost, they're just there. And then they're, they're going to explode at any point and they just had so much tension to the plot too. So yeah, from the very beginning,
Speaker 2:Right. And it worked so well here because at the outset, like the reader is led to believe that it is just simply a, a competition between the restaurant right then as you, and it does have a little, a vibe of ridiculousness to it. That's all it is. Um, but then as you start to uncover that there's more here, it really just upped the tension and it felt like it was upping the tension on the family side at the same time that the, you know, the couple is falling in love. And so you kind of, you're not so much worried about their feelings. Like clearly they're into each other at the same time now you're learning. Oh, but there's more keeping them apart than just this silly little petty fight. Uh, and so really just balanced it out so well. Was that something you were kind of intentionally trying to develop or was it just kind of the way that the story flowed together?
Speaker 3:I couldn't ever, I couldn't really ever separate the relationship from the family. It was like part of the deal. Like, I don't think I could have written a novel that had justice ropes alone or versus like just, just this family mystery alone, I think maybe because I'm from like immigrant background, like everything you do involves your family, so you can't really detach yourself from it. But I guess my intention, I think I didn't have that like, Oh, I have to do this and that. I think it was just natural.
Speaker 2:And what about writing? You have the two main characters. You have Lynn and you have bow and written a book in alternating perspectives. So what chapter from each one, did you, was there one that you preferred writing over the other or one that you felt came more naturally?
Speaker 3:I think, um, well that's good. Good question. I joined both. I think I might've enjoyed riding Lynn a little bit more because Lynn, um, she kind of just knew her creative passion. She wants to be an artist and the way that I saw her, she was just so passionate about art, that she can talk about it forever and ever, like, it was, it's just a part and I was able to, because of my own creative interests, um, but for bow, like he was a little lost, um, at first and, and I think that was hard for me cause I, I wasn't necessarily Austin and the way that I became, um, uh, like a writer, um, but I also enjoyed writing him because he's a little like, adorkable,
Speaker 2:He's
Speaker 3:Someone I could pocket. Like, um, I just, uh, he's really sensitive sometimes, but then he he's could be clueless at some points. Um, but I loved both of them, but I think I was a little bit closer to Lynn.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I love that you say that about bow because I totally saw him as like that really shy, quiet guy that has no idea how hot he is, all the other girls, like, he's so cute, but he's totally clueless.
Speaker 3:He's the type of boy who kind of grows into himself. Um, and he doesn't really, I don't think he was ever really that, um, he's one of those kids in high school who's, you know, neither popular, but, but, but neither like unpopular, I think he knows he has like a certain group around him. Well, for this one, he has one best friend, but he's, he feels secure in that. Um, he's not really looking to be popular. It's more of like going along with the flow. Um, but yeah, he, he, he was just, I loved, I love him for sure.
Speaker 2:Great characters. I will say I found it incredibly refreshing to see a character in this case about who doesn't know what he wants at the start of the day. And I feel like as writers, you know, there's that, that common advice that the very beginning you have to give, you know, your characters, something to want and motivate them. Um, and I think of that very often, at least for me as a writer translates into, you know, I need my characters to have a dream for their future. And you see that so much in, in why a fiction, but the reality is that so many teenagers don't know what they want, what their passions are. And so it was really great to read a character who started out kind of like a normal teenager. He isn't big dream, but he's willing to figure it out as you go. And I loved reading that. Yeah. He's just such a character and
Speaker 3:More stories where it's not apparent what you want in the very beginning. It's just, I think that he went through a really wonderful journey of, of not knowing what he wanted at first and then through the help of Lynn and like other characters, he was kind of encouraged to find way. And, and he, he, he almost had it all he had added within himself the whole entire time. I think a lot of teenagers, a lot of adults, they have stuff just, just locked away for a little while and it might take them longer to figure it out. But I think it's really a, an important journey that a lot of people have to go on to know that it's like, okay, it's good. It's okay. It's, it's going to be perfectly fine if you don't know what you want, but you can get there eventually.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I agree. I totally agree. And I think that why I could use more of that now that I've read your book, I'm like, yeah, this is what we've been missing. Thank you.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I think teens, the teens just have so much on them now these days, um, especially these days, like teens are forced to grow up even quicker in a way. I know it goes against this. Like, I feel like a lot of people in the past have said, Oh, young people just do anything these days, or they're a little coddled or thing, but no teens, these days are, are exposed to the hardest parts of the world, like really quickly. And they have to just grow up quickly. So I think from bam, I wanted him to have that safe journey where it, he didn't have to know at first, but he eventually got there.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I am really curious on your website. You have, uh, this really succinct and handy timeline of the journey that this book took, um, from, to publication. And like for starters, I'm just going to encourage any aspiring writers who are curious to know what is the editorial process like and how long does it take, go check it out? Cause it's like a really great summary. It takes forever is the answer. Um, yes. Am I interpreting correctly that you sold the book on spec before you'd actually written it? Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So my editor had approached me with this idea that was basically a log line. Um, Jennifer Ong is my word or she's just brilliant and she she's already taking over the world. Um, and so she had this idea, uh, you know, Vietnamese, American teens, kind of Romeo Juliet kind of, um, set up. But then I came in just kind of building it, um, or to the characters and then coming up with my own plot, um, all along the way. So, but yeah, so it was sold, um, with, you know, the full outline Opsis and then a few chapters that haven't actually changed that haven't changed really from, from the first round.
Speaker 2:Oh, interesting. That's that whole story is very rare.
Speaker 3:Um, yeah, I think I got really lucky. It was like very much luck, um, good timing and of course hard work, but I don't think I would have gone this far without my editor, Jen. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And clearly she knew enough about you and your skills and your work and who trust you with this. And I'm sure that didn't just come out of nowhere,
Speaker 3:Right? Yeah. I was already, you know, I was already publishing online and, um, a few of my more recent stories had dealt, had had dived into the music American experience. So yeah, I think she needed because she knew that this, um, that, you know, I guess, yeah, I had never actually really asked her like, why exactly me, but that's what my guess is. I mean, I'm just thankful. I'm thankful that she found me and she read stuff online.
Speaker 2:I am so curious because okay. You know, usually a writer and aspiring writer, they have an idea and they might spend a year or two or 10 writing this book before then submit it to agents or editors and try to get it published. And I'm really curious about you writing your debut novel already having a contract in hand and a deadline set for you. What was that like?
Speaker 3:It was actually the pressure itself. The deadline was the pressure, but the writing process was, was very freeing. Um, it was really, I think Jen had planted right seed. Um, but the right process kind of, it felt as if I was writing it just to write it and eventually submitted the writing process was just the same. I was, you know, putting my heart into it, putting my, um, family background into it. And then after that I would, you know, edit a way, but it was definitely a whirlwind of a lot of heart, a lot of hard work to, to write it. Um, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm, I'm just so impressed because I think I would have been just so completely freaked out. Um, but you seem so, so calm and like, yeah, I got the book deal and then I wrote the book. No biggie.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I feel like, I feel like, um, I think for me, I, I, as a writer or at least focus on the basics, like the foundation, the plot, um, the plot pacing and things like that. I feel like if I didn't have that already underneath me, I feel like I would've been lost, but I think I really considered it. I, I am definitely a Potter. Um, so I, you know, I had it in front of me. I had a vision in mind then, um, I also had like the, the grade too to just like write it out. And then Jen came in later to, to kind of shape it and point out the things that weren't in. But, um, I was lucky enough to have a lot of freedom with this.
Speaker 2:No, no, it sounds like you had a lot of confidence in the plan, in the outline and the structure that you'd kind of set for yourself. Um, and I also have a planner and so I know what you mean, how once you feel like, you know, the, the outline feels good, then that gives you a lot of security and feeling like, okay, the book will turn out. I just have to follow the plan.
Speaker 3:Right, right. It was more of like, for me, I think the worry and the part that was the pressure in the writing process, the deadline, um, I really pushed my deadlines a lot and I feel like I could be annoyed, Jen, but it worked out in the end.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I, I know me too, every and every record listening to this was like, yep. Mr. Deadlines.
Speaker 3:So in addition to
Speaker 2:Writing, you are also an editor. Um, how have you gone about balancing your editing work with, with writing over this past couple of years?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So, um, yeah, so I'm an editor at atria books and I edit adult books, adult very, uh, atmospheric literary and market novels. And, uh, I think I was able to bounce it because I think these are two different things that I'm doing almost. Um, I think if they they're, they're similar, but they're not the same thing. So I think that's how it was balancing it. Um, I think writing for me was sort of like a retreat. Um, it was kind of a palate cleanser from everything I was reading inquiring thing. Uh, it was an adventure and it kind of tapped that side of my brain. That was, um, that's a little tame when I'm editing. Like it's the creativity, I think editors have to be creative, but they can't really take over the process. But when I was writing, I was able to control everything that I was doing. Um, I think at first I was, of course, as an editor, I was judging everything that I was doing. I was really trying to, I didn't, I was the most, a lot of logic, but eventually creativity took over. Um, but when you're, when you're like, when you're reading, um, it's like, you're building like a house from foundation to rooftop and your count, you're using your creativity, you're doing like intensive labor and you're creating so much out of nothing, but then the editing is entirely different because you're not building it from ground up and have a house or any, um, it's almost like you're visiting a house. So for the, I was getting out, I was merely visiting. Like it was created at another point in time from someone else's creativity and genius. And, and now as an airdrop going inside as if like it goes to an outside designer, it was like there to like spruce things up and you're just making it look a bit more appealing so that people will want to eventually visit the house. Does that make sense?
Speaker 2:It does. I absolutely am enamored with this analogy of it being a good house. I am curious if you ever, like, if you're visiting a house and you see like, Oh, I really love these curtains that they have hanging out. And then do you go back to the house that you were building and think I'm going to use similar curtains, which is really like random way of saying like, do you, do you feel like the things that you're editing inspires things that you're doing in your own?
Speaker 3:Yeah. Oh yeah, absolutely. I think that, that goes with, um, that I think writers are always inspired by other writers. Um, and for me with the writer, because I'm fortunate to work on like, there's like techniques that they use, like for like for secrets and how they build secrets and that their story, or some of them also use like these narrative devices. And, and I, you know, basically I would just look at how they used it and then, and then sometimes I would incorporate into my writing, but, um, content wise, of course you have to like keep a separate, he that's plagiarism, um, content that they say are not, you know, I would never do that. But the technique of the use, of course, I'm always inspired.
Speaker 2:No, I agree. I think that it's yeah, it's part of the creative brain is that you're kind of always looking around you and taking ideas and inspiration. And even if it's just, Oh, I love the feel that this chapter created, or I love how funny this character was. I really want to try to capture that in my story. You know, we're always kind of picking and choosing from things around it.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Like, yeah, like there's one author I've worked with who I admire. I admire this person for how they end chapters, um, then done just the right emotional note and it just lands every single time. And I was just like, God, I just, I remember the ending was like, like chapter endings, like specifically chapter endings. So, so yeah, there's, there's a lot to, to, to kind of admire and my authors, yeah.
Speaker 2:Authors that are listening to this. Would you give any, like your what's your like top number one piece of advice for someone who's wanting to catch the eye of an editor?
Speaker 3:Oh, I, I kept on saying this fit well to catch the eye. Well, well, for like my number one is definitely to be rejected all the time. I mean, not be reject, but to try to shoot your shot no matter what. Uh, and even if that leads to rejection, celebrate it, it's totally good to be projected and writers always be, will be rejected over and over again. And why not just get it over with and become numb to it? I think eventually if you keep on writing and keep on improving, the rejections will become nicer and nicer. I believe that for sure. Um, it becomes less, you know, Oh, I'm just like, this is not the right fit, but then there's going to be an editor eventually when you submit over and over again, like, and you, you, you take their, you reconsider your piece every single time. Whenever you're submitting. I really do think rejections will become personal and targeted and, and really help you. So collect those rejections all the time and early on, I think submitting and allowing your work to be read by a lot of people. It says a lot because if you publish online or with a publication, you've worked with an editor before on a smaller scale. And I think it helps acquiring editors to know that you can work with someone else. And you're not really precious with, with your writing. You allow them to come into your house. That's great. So I would also, I would say, read, um, read pretty recently. I think there, you know, you do when you write and you, you think about the books that you love when you were younger and you want to be that per that author, who would publish that book, but there's so many books and there's no real reason why you shouldn't read your contemporaries. And if you, if you do read and you don't find that, Oh, this this book, isn't things that comp, but there is an element that, that you, um, you feel as if it's the right comp, then you have to specify it. I think in, in query, like when you're creating agents, I think it's perfectly fine to, to say, um, for example, instead of saying like this, my manuscript is like this book and that you can say something like my manuscript has the atmosphere writing of this book, um, with meets the intricate plotting of this or something like that. Like you identify, you identify as that part of the comp that you're really looking at. And this really helps when this is how you kind of avoid that, like that comparison to do that great work. You know, there's a lot of people who say Ernest Hemingway and whatever, whatever, you know, things like that, but this is a way to be very humble and, and, and really consider why this agent should read your work. Um,
Speaker 2:I mean, I particularly like the, how you talked about rejections and how it's obviously rejections are talked about as a negative thing, but I, you put a positive spin on it. And it's funny how it does seem like one of the biggest milestones, you know, leading up to getting an agent and getting published is that moment where you get your first non form rejection, like that first time that someone actually comments on what you've written and has advice. And like, it's still a rejection, but that's huge when you get to that point, right?
Speaker 3:It's that person? No, like they see you as
Speaker 2:A human, like,
Speaker 3:That's, that's just, it just means so much. And I honestly feel as if, if you get rejected, but you still work really hard on that piece, you'll get that, that nice rejection or that acceptance. So you never really know. Um, yeah. I, I try, I try to, like, I always say, like when I first started out, like to give advice, I would just take projection to get rejected. And then I'm like, okay, I have to actually explain this a little bit more. It can be really positive thing for sure.
Speaker 2:Here on this podcast, we love putting the positive spins on things. That's all we have to claim to it, you know? Okay. We're going to wrap this up with our happy writer bonus round first step. What book makes you happy?
Speaker 3:Happy, happy, happy. So there's this book coming out in April, I think called dally for on teams by, um, Jessie's a Tonto and it's just a great, funny mystery about this, um, this woman who actually kills her blind date with, okay. So that's that that's, that sounds dark, but it's in a funny way. Um, but then she enlisted the help of her aunties to hide the body and they have a plan, but then plan goes wrong. And eventually she's just went into different scenarios that, you know, the heart is in there. You're laughing. It's about family and the characters. Yeah. It's just the whole time, your whole entire time. You're just laughing. I'm really excited about that. Dial eight for aunties in the cover. It's just brilliant. It's so bright. You just look at it and you're like, Oh, I feel better. I feel so much better.
Speaker 2:Um, so
Speaker 3:You need that. Um, I am actually reading, reading happily ever afters by lease, um, Brian,
Speaker 2:That cast recently. Oh, perfect. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So, you know, I'm really enjoying it so far. I think the main character is so delightful. Um, so that's just giving me a lot of serotonin. Um, yeah.
Speaker 2:What is your personal mantra?
Speaker 3:Um, I think, uh, it's been take up space recently. Um, and that mantra comes from my, one of my mentors at work. Um, and it was, work-related like, I, you know, I think editing being, becoming an editor is really tough. And there are moments where you feel really small in this industry, but, um, but my, my, my, my mentor, and now my friend, she, she told me to take space and I've been having that kind of go through my mind and the reason days of, um, if he really loves things, this is going to apply to not just your editing job or your, whatever. It could be anything, but if you love something and you want to share it with the world, do it, do it far and wide. Um, you know, you never know if there's someone out there who wants to hear the same thing, wants to hear what you are passionate about and it might make them happy too. So, um, yeah. Take up space writers. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Take up space too. So what is one small thing that brings you a lot of
Speaker 3:Recently? It's been a BTS.
Speaker 2:Yes. My, one of my happy things here recently was BTS. Really? Yeah. I've actually personally don't know a lot about them, but my mom become obsessed with them. Like it was like her happiness at BTS has made me really happy.
Speaker 3:I, well, yes. I mean, I am your mom then because I am unapologetically obsessed with. And I think at first I was very, before I think I was hiding it. I was very spirited about it. I didn't want to post about it, but since then, I've just done so much for us, for, for people like me to make me happy that I just want to share their joy. Some of them are just brilliant. The music they put out is even though I'm not like, I don't know a Korean, but the sound of it, the translation, the lyrics meaningful. And I've been watching, they do this like really fun, um, thing called a run run BTS episode where they do these different challenges. And it's so ridiculous sometimes, but you can kind of can see there nowadays off, like outside of the music industry, that the very fun and joyful and, um, yeah. You know, connect with your mom. Maybe we can form our own fan base.
Speaker 2:So she's desperate to have someone in her life that she can brush over. Literally have, have sat on the phone with her for hours while she's taught. She has no one else to talk to about that.
Speaker 3:She mentioned has she mentioned who her biases.
Speaker 2:Um, Oh gosh. Yeah, but I couldn't tell you off the top
Speaker 3:Is yours mine? Well, mine changes. There's a lot of quote unquote bikers these days where, where there's like, you love this person, but then there's someone else. There's a part of another member who kind of takes over. And for me, it just goes in between like three. I mean, I love adore all of them, but I think the rotating ones, I really love to show God who is kind of this more introverted. Um, he writes all the lyrics and, and I mean, mostly he, he, he does the, all the members contribute lyrics. A lot of them and produces a lot of music. And he's very, it seems like he's very introverted, which is like, I kind of played it to him the most, but then there's also Jim[inaudible] and John Cook who the two of them are just so dynamic and they're, they're really performers. I mean, all the BTS people are performance for sure. But for some reason I always love these, um, three, uh, I kind of feel like it's almost like I'm like, I kind of feel bad saying just three because I'm kind of worried, like people listening and being like, you know, you should live off because there's, there's a whole lot, a part of a whole lot. Yeah. There's a whole lot to read until like this whole BTSV thing, because people are like, Oh, you can't love certain people and, or you have to love all of them. And I do love all of them, but yeah, you, do
Speaker 2:You have your favorites? I think. Yeah. No, I think that's totally normal. Um, yeah, you have one view you connect with in a different way. I know that's my mom has said that she, you know, she has, I think two that are kind of her top favorites, but she will times that like, they they're a group that you can't, they just absolutely they're so well, and that's part of absolute where the love they've been together for like, I think, um, so maybe like eight years, eight years almost. I think they actually just did their seven and it was their recent seven 30 year anniversary. But, but yeah, they've been together for so long and they sort of seemed to become a family and yeah. And they generally seem to like each other. So that's why also can I appreciate them because they, they, they put this, they seem very like real, a real family. Yeah. Now there is, they do come across as just so genuine. And like you say, just every one of them is so talented. It's mind boggling. Yes. Yeah. Okay. That was a long answer for our one small whoever's listening. I'm sorry. But also if you want to talk about BTS contact, a number of people who listen to this are also hugely into BTS. Oh yeah. Yes, yes. Okay. Lastly, where can people find you, um, on I'm always online? Um, I, uh, um, uh, loan loan is my handle and then Instagram it's lone lonely. So you really just want to search, can just reveal everything about me. So I should be, I should actually be careful about that, but I am online. And, um, I I'd love to hear from anyone who is listening. Thank you so much for joining me today. Just so much for having me. It was so much fun. I had a lot of fun to readers, be sure to check out a fall love story, which is available. Now, of course, we always encourage you to support your local indie bookstore if you can. But if you don't have a local indie, you can also check out our affiliate store at bookshop.org/shop/marissa Meyer. If you're enjoying these conversations, I would so love it. If you subscribed and please leave us a review on Google or Apple podcasts, you can follow us on Instagram at Marissa Meyer author and at happy writer podcast until next time stay healthy and cozy and your bunkers and whatever life throws at you today. I do hope that now you're feeling a little bit
Speaker 1:[inaudible].