I track my writing hours and "things accomplished" in a spreadsheet every year. Here's my roundup for 2025.

Updated author photos! (Credit: @ButaliaMedia)

I spent the first five years of my life in Taiwan, and my Popo (my maternal grandmother), spent a lot of time taking care of me. She would say to me, “bei bei xin, bei bei gan.” Literally, that translates to “baby heart, baby liver.” A better translation would be “My baby, my heart.”

A lovely review of Bing's Cherries from School Library Journal. @juliakuo #KnopfBooksForYoungReaders #books #childernsbooks

The elves are starting to get their own opinions. 😆 Thank you @knopfyoungreaders for this Christmas gift! @juliakuo @randomhousekids.bsky.social #picturebooks #authorlife #bookstagram

How did @JuliaKuo and I end up collaborating to write the story of Ah Bing, the Chinese immigrant who gave his name to the popular Bing Cherry? Here's how it all started: youtu.be/jaurtikXNI8?...

In my latest newsletter, you can find out how a request for media contacts from my publicist ended up with me debugging visual basic code on Black Friday. Also, some thoughts about deciding whether to write a story as MG or adult.

I am beyond honored to share that Dreams to Ashes has been named an Orbis Pictus Honor book by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Thank you @KirkusReviews for the lovely review of Bing's Cherries! @juliakuo

LAist featured Nainai's Mountain in their holiday gift guide, citing its vibrant illustrations and wide emotional range. Check out the article here: laist.com/news/los-ang...

Thank you, @sljournal for including DREAMS TO ASHES in your list of top books in 2025!

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of spending three days in a writing residency at The Perch At Twin Peaks. It was gorgeous up there, and I immediately made it my personal mission to write in as many scenic places as possible. Thank you so much to the Perch for this little bit of artist heaven.

Thank you, Junior Library Guild, for naming Bing's Cherries a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

In my latest newsletter, I share some tweaks I've introduced in my routine to help me be more creative. (Photo taken at The Perch at Twin Peaks.) You can read my newsletter here: preview.mailerlite.io/preview/6800...

I’ve been sitting on this news forever! ECHOES ACROSS THE WATER is unlike any book I’ve ever written and likely ever will write again. It’s inspired by my family history.

Dreams to Ashes is a Eureka Children’s Nonfiction Award Gold winner! This award is given by the California Reading Association, and I’m hopeful that this will mean more California students will learn about this piece of their state history.

Last Friday, I attended a memorial service at @camlaorg for the 18 Chinese men who were killed in the 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre. There were speakers and spoken word artists, floral arrangements in honor of each of the deceased, a reading of names, and a bowing ceremony.

In my latest newsletter, I reflect on my high school reunion and talk about how I blossomed from a socially awkward teenager to a slightly less socially awkward middle aged person. You can read my newsletter here: preview.mailerlite.io/preview/6800...

Did you know that you can get signed copies of my books from Once Upon a Time bookstore? Just go to the signed books section of their website, under Shop. www.shoponceuponatime.com/signed-books...

I'm thrilled to be talking YA this coming Sunday at the Next Chapter Writer's Summit in West Hollywood! You can reserve a seat at our panel and others at their website. It'll be a great lineup! Register for the event here: visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/14499502

I'm thrilled to announce my new collaboration with Julia Kuo! This time we're making a new folktale about Chrysanthemums, a flower that originated in China but is now as American as apple pie.

In my latest newsletter, I share the trailer for Bing's Cherries and do some navel gazing about why I have trouble believing compliments and the types of compliments I might actually believe. Read my newsletter here: preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...

Barnes and Noble is having a preorder sale! Get Bing's Cherries for 25% off with the code PREORDER25. www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bings-cher...

Thank you @mocanyc for hosting me at storytime. I had a great time sharing Nainai’s Mountain with everyone. (and telling people about how toilets helped me become an author, see second slide). This was my first time at the museum. #mocanyc #picturebooks #authorlife

In my most recent newsletter, I talk about how I switched up my writing reward system for extra motivation. I also talk about a few recent trips I took, and a graphic memoir that I greatly enjoyed. Click here to read my newsletter: preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...

Hope to see you at The Museum of Chinese in America for a storytime and signing! July 19, 2025 at 2:30pm

Barnes and Noble is having a preorder sale! Get Bing's Cherries for 25% off with the code PREORDER25.

In my latest newsletter, I talk about intuitive vs. logical writing approaches, Daughters of Shandong by @EveChung, and my new system for rewarding myself upon reaching writing milestones. Read here: preview.mailerlite.io/preview/6800...

I am absolutely thrilled to share the cover for Bing’s Cherries, coming March 10th, 2026. I had SUCH a great time making this book with @juliaskuo, @spanishbroom , and the rest of the @knopfyoungreaders team. Can’t wait to share it with you all! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #picturebooks #bookstagram #bingcherry

Got to spend four days camping in the Sierra Nevada last week. My favorite thing was doing morning pages by the creek next to our campsite. #writersofinstagram #monolake #inyonationalforest

I met @tuisutherland over ten years ago while waiting in line to get our books signed at @porter_square_books. I remember her telling me about writing for the Warriors series. It was so cool to take my daughter to FanWing fest San Diego last weekend! #wingsoffire #bookstagram

My friend and publicist, Emily Terry and Open Book Publicity, helped me prepare for my first NPR interview. I talk about what we did in my latest newsletter here: preview.mailerlite.io/preview/6800... #publicspeaking #bookstagram #NPR

Grateful for the chance to talk Dreams to Ashes, immigration, and book banning on NPR’s @hereandnowradio Full interview here: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2... #picturebooks #bannedbooks #bookstagram

www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2... #greatauthorinterview #kidlit @lkblackburne.bsky.social #AAPIheritagemonth

I forgot to post last month’s newsletter, where I talk about cutting down my manuscript in the Currently Writing section. preview.mailerlite.io/preview/6800...

My latest newsletter has a recommendation for an older high fantasy with fantastic characters and worldbuilding. Also, I share my theory that I’m under an amusement park curse. Check out my newsletter here: preview.mailerlite.io/preview/6800...

The MIDNIGHT THIEF audiobook is on sale for $9.99 at Libro.fm. That’s 61% off the cover price through the end of April. I adore this audiobook. It got a star review from School Library Journal, and Bianca Amato does an amazing job with accents for different social classes. Grab this while you can!

It’s Nainai’s Mountain’s launch day, and I’m celebrating with a silly stop motion video here: www.instagram.com/p/DIN0CpnRzf9/ So glad this beautiful book is out in the world. You can still get book plates and postcard prints from @onceuponatimebkstore

Los Angeles folks, join me at Once an Upon a Time on April 26th. I’ll be signing Nainai’s Mountain! #booksigning

Dinner last night at the Taiwanese American #awp2025 dinner filled a creative hole in me that I didn’t know existed. I’m so used to explaining my stories to people outside my culture, presenting my stories as a guide into a foreign world. And don’t get me wrong. I love sharing and educating.

Okay, all. I have a call to action for all CA residents. If you're not a CA resident, please help share and boost? 1. Most of you know what happened to me last month. If not, my @calmatters.org op-ed was posted this morning. I'm working on changing the penal code.

When MIDNIGHT THIEF pops up in your kid’s pretend play. She’s also given me some writing tips, which I talk about in my latest newsletter. #bookstagram #yabooks #midnightthief My latest newsletter: preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...

Nainai’s Mountain comes out April 8th! Whereas I Dream of Popo was about a little girl leaving Taiwan, Nainai’s Mountain is about a half-Chinese girl visiting Taiwan with her Nainai (paternal grandmother) for the first time.

Getting an agent is only 1/2 the battle in publishing! We have 13 Mentors accepting apps from agented PB creators who haven't sold a PB! APPLY HERE: www.pbrisingstars.com/mentors #kidlit #kidlitmegafeed #kidlitcommunity #kidlitart #kidlitartchat #kidlitpostcard #kidlitartpostcard #pbrisingstars

Dreams to Ashes goes out into the world today! This book is dedicated to the eighteen Chinese men who were brutally murdered on October 24, 1871, men with families who loved them, who traveled to the new world like so many others in hope of a better life. shorturl.at/ayqz8

The #PBRisingStars Mentee apps are OPEN! Calling all illustrators, unagented OR agented without agent-repped PB deals, these are the Mentors you can apply to! www.pbrisingstars.com/mentors #kidlit #kidlitart #kidlitpostcard #kidlitartpostcard #kidlitartist #kidlitillustrator #amquerying #pbparty

Hey, this auction is for someone I consider to be part of Romancelandia, who I am hoping will be able to get some real help. www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-bel...

Hey friends! This is for an author who can’t be named publicly for safety reasons but I can personally vouch for them—this is someone who has helped a whole lot of us in this industry and has been incredibly generous with their time and advice over many years. Please consider donating! 👇