Interview with Multi-Genre Children’s Book Author Vicky Fang…and a Book Giveaway!

For those of you who follow our blog closely (and we love you for it), you may remember that I had Vicky Fang here this past fall to talk about her spooky and interactive picture book The Boo Crew Needs You! as well as her incredibly diverse and voluminous body of work. Vicky has written many, many children’s books in all different genres, from board books all the way through chapter books. To put it simply, she’s killing this whole children’s book author thing, and I am in awe of her! If you missed that interview, please feel free to check it out here.

Fortunately, I didn’t scare Vicky away with my probing questions (I’ll admit, I was fangirling a bit. Can you blame me?). In fact, we had so much fun that she decided to come back and do it again. So, here we are!

We have MUCH to discuss. In the past couple of months, Vicky has launched her third “Friendbots” early reader graphic novel Blink and Block Build a Fort, as well as her third “Best Buddies” early reader Rain is Wet. And next month, she launches her brand-new chapter book series “Ava Lin”, that she’s both written and illustrated!

Vicky and Candlewick Press were kind enough to let me read Ava Lin, Best Friend before its release, and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it…with Ava, I mean. I even emailed Vicky when I finished it to tell her that. I’ve never felt particularly passionate about chapter books, but this one is different from the others I’ve read in that it really captures the inner world of a 6-and-a-half-year-old girl. She’s endearing, authentic, and reminds me a bit of my own childhood heroine, Ramona Quimby.

Hilary Margitich: Vicky, welcome back! I’m thrilled to have you here with me again.

Vicky Fang: Aw, I’m so pleased to be back! And thank you for all of the kind words!

HM: As I mentioned, I’ve become quite obsessed with Ava Lin, Best Friend. How did the idea for Ava first come to you? And were there any mentor texts that inspired you to write it in the way that you did?

VF: Ava Lin is really inspired by books that I was reading with my little boys—the ones that made them laugh out loud and resonated in such relatable ways. Most of these books were also heavily illustrated, adding to the humor and accessibility. Some mentor text series were “Dory Fantasmagory” by Abby Hanlon, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney, “Planet Omar” by Zanib Mian, and “Olga” by Elisa Gravel. I set out wanting to write something very funny and relatable.

HM: You capture experiences that are widely universal to kids Ava’s age. She wants a best friend, but doesn’t fully understand yet what it entails. And she’s fascinated with collecting unique things she finds. I found her thought process and concerns very true-to-life and authentic. This is not easy to get as an adult writing for kids! How were you able to channel this so intricately?

VF: Ava is really formed from bits and pieces of my kids and myself. I started keeping track of the hilarious kid logic and the heart and enthusiasm that I saw in my kids, and Ava’s personality started to take shape! Some of the anecdotes in the story are quite closely tied to real events! But there’s a clear throughline in the way that Ava thinks, or misunderstands things, or wants to try things, that drives the overall story. Now, her personality has become so clear in my family that when something happens in real life that fits, my kids will say, “That should be in an Ava Lin book!”

HM: Ava Lin is Chinese American. I can’t say I remember reading (or even seeing) any chapter books with Asian American protagonists when I was a little kid in the 1980s, and that was unfortunate. What do you hope kids from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds learn from Ava?

VF: I really wanted to write something intensely funny that featured a Chinese American girl because I wanted my kids to enjoy a fun and relatable Chinese American character. I wanted to reflect my experience and also my kids’ experiences, which have cultural specificity in the details of home and family but universal themes that all kids can relate to. I wanted to reflect a broader American experience that felt true to my own. I hope that kids recognize themselves in Ava Lin, and that Chinese American and Asian American kids feel seen in a new and positive way.

HM: This is the first chapter book series that you’ve also illustrated. Did you create the illustrations as you wrote, or did you have a particular process for integrating the illustrations and the text?

VF: I am so proud of myself for illustrating this entire book! I am learning so much from every book that I illustrate, so I’m constantly getting better at it. For the first draft, I wrote and doodled to get the concept down. Now, I write the text first, leaving indications of where I think illustrations should go. Then my art director (the amazing Lisa Rudden at Candlewick) will do page layout, leaving me blank spaces to put sketches in. I think a lot about theatricality when I’m sketching (I’m a former long-lost actress). I try to make scenes as expressive as possible, capturing some key moments. As I’m sketching, if I feel like there’s not enough space, or I need different illustrations than I originally thought, I’ll re-jigger things in the layouts and send them back to Lisa. Then, it’s onto revised sketches and final art!

HM: You should feel proud of such an undertaking! It’s very impressive. I’d like to now ask you a question I’ve been making a habit of asking authors I talk to. What do you do to practice self-care in your writing and illustrating life?

VF: Ah, this is becoming such an important question for me. I love working, but it can produce a lot of stress and frustration, so I’m trying to get better about it. Unfortunately, it’s probably all the answers you know already and don’t want to do, haha! The biggest thing has been yoga. Yoga is saving me. Then I also try to eat better, drink more water, and maintain my social connections.

HM: Vicky, can you tell us about the exciting things you’re working on next? Because I know there are many.

VF: I am finalizing art for Ava Lin book 2 and starting sketches for book 3! I’m also starting sketches and layout for my next series, an early graphic novel called One Mad Cat that I’m very excited about.

HM: Where can our readers pre-order Ava Lin? And can you tell us about some of the fun giveaways you have in store for your young fans?

VF: You can pre-order anywhere books are sold, but if you pre-order from Linden Tree Books, I can sign it and it will come with a little pre-order swag! If you have your own local bookstore you’d like to support, you can fill out this form and I’ll send you a signed bookplate and goodies on launch day.

HM: Vicky, I love following your author journey and am inspired by your work. I know many of our Writers’ Rumpus readers feel the same. Please come back and visit us again. And good luck with your Ava Lin launch!

VF: Thank you so much for having me. I love being a part of such a wonderful kidlit community! For anyone in the San Francisco Bay area, save the date for my launch party on Sunday, June 9th at 11am at Linden Tree Books!

Vicky is offering a signed copy of her brand new book Ava Lin, Best Friend to a lucky reader! To enter, comment on this post. If you share on social media, please mention that in your comment and you’ll get another entry. Giveaway closes in one week. US and Canada only.

Vicky Fang is the author of the “Layla and the Bots” chapter books series, the “Best Buddies” early reader series, the “I Can Code” board book series, and the picture book INVENT-A-PET. She is the author-illustrator of the “Friendbots” series, ALPHABOT, and the forthcoming “Ava Lin” and “One Mad Cat” series. A former Google product designer, she now writes and illustrates children’s books full-time. Vicky Fang lives in California. You can learn more at vickyfang.com.