From the author of If You Still Recognise Me comes a delicious story of two people brought together by a shared love of food as they figure out themselves and each other.
Auden is finding different ways to be themself. The first – using their new chosen name, which feels most authentically them. The second – starting a food blog where they can share their passion for food, through family recipes and the stories behind them. And when the blog brings them Valerie, they discover more than they’d ever expected.
It’s been over a year since Valerie lost her mum – her beautiful, vibrant mum who loved cooking. Since her mum’s death, Valerie and her dad have drifted further and further apart, the kitchen left cold and empty, until Valerie finds Auden’s blog. The blog (and its writer) spark something in Valerie. Could she have found a recipe for happiness?
I interviewed Cynthia when their first novel IF YOU STILL RECOGNISE ME came out, so was very keen to read their next offering and pleased to see that the premise was completely different while still focusing on young people reflecting on their identities and exploring relationships (friendships, romances, and family). I asked a few new questions:
The parents played a significant role in this story. I really appreciated that they weren’t perfect but also weren’t awful, they felt very real. Did you consider making Auden’s parents more or less supportive?
I did think about making them less supportive, but I know that there’s a desire for something a bit more upbeat when it comes to narratives around trans/nonbinary characters. And I didn’t want dealing with unsupportive parents to be a big focus of the book – and if the parents were less supportive, I felt like that would have to take up too much space within the narrative. That wasn’t the story I was trying to tell.
So I did also consider making them more supportive, but I personally don’t find it very satisfying or easy to write about parents who are wholly supportive – maybe because I don’t actually know anyone whose parents are like that. (If your parents are, then I’m thrilled for you!)
That’s why they ended up more in the middle, and I’m glad they seem real!
I *love* all the food references in THIS FEAST OF A LIFE, do you cook yourself?
Yes, I do! Although I don’t think of myself as a great cook, I can follow a recipe well enough and I cooked for myself for years. My wife Olivia now does the majority of the cooking in our household (she’s incredible at it) but I still cook regularly.
When I asked you about the reaction from teens to IF YOU STILL RECOGNISE ME you hadn’t really had any as it was still brand new…what response from readers has the last couple of years brought you?
Readers who have messaged me about how the book helped them through a tough time, how it felt like a warm hug or made them feel less alone – these are the responses I treasure the most. One teen reader I met in a signing queue said they found me inspirational as a person from a different background discovering their identity, which is something I wrote down word for word in my diary because it moved me so much! I’m really glad my books can be there for queer teens who don’t always feel seen.
Have you started working on a fantasy novel yet or can we expect more beautiful contemporary characters?
Yes, I have started working on a fantasy novel – very slowly! It’s a contemporary fantasy though and I’m especially interested in trying to balance a contemporary narrative that includes my usual elements of queer romance and identity – understanding yourself and figuring out who you want to be in the world – with the fantastical aspects.
Cynthia So was born in Hong Kong and lives in London. Their work has been published in speculative fiction magazines such as Uncanny, Strange Horizons and Anathema. They are also one of the new voices in PROUD, an anthology of LGBTQ+ YA stories, poems and art by LGBTQ+ creators, published by Little Tiger in March 2019. When they’re not writing, they can often be found at the theatre, entranced by a play or a musical. They’re also extremely enthusiastic about board games and tabletop role-playing. If You Still Recognise Me – shortlisted for the Waterstones Prize, the YA Prize and the Diverse Book Awards – was their first novel.
THIS FEAST OF A LIFE is out now in the UK, published by Little Tiger. Thanks to Jade for sending me a review copy and co-ordinating interview questions.
