Episode 20: Pride Month, Blind Spots, and Bookselling!
This episode kicks off with Grace delivering some exciting news about her latest novel! She was asked by Disney to create a prequel to the new Mulan movie that will be out in March of 2020. She mentions how the original Mulan movie was the first time she recalls an Asian American character was mainstreamed and widely embraced. This project will be fun for her to bring Asian culture to those who perhaps don’t think of it very often.
Alvina mentions she was recently at a writer’s conference and gave a talk about goal setting. She brought up the epiphany she once had in South Africa about HOPE. It was inspired by a quote from Brene Brown:
“ “Hope is not a way of feeling. Hope is a way of thinking. ...And it’s 100% teachable.””
Pride month is still upon us! Grace and Alvina discuss their connections to the LGBQTIA community and some of their own blind spots. Grace talks about the Kidlitwomen* podcast and some of the debates that arose during the creation of that.
As a trip down memory lane, Grace and Alvina talk about their early jobs as booksellers and the experience they had with diversity. Grace recalls recommending diverse books to shoppers and was always surprised by their reactions. Alvina would like to think we live in a Diversity 2.0 world as opposed to Diversity 1.0.
What they’re grateful for:
Alvina is so thankful or her nights at Karaoke. She enjoys how it brings music into her life in a new way and believes it has helped her with public speaking!
Grace is grateful for Rebecca Sherman at Writer’s House for seeing that the contract went through for her Mulan novel as it was very tricky process.
Books and media mentioned in this podcast:
