by Carol Van Den Hende

Happy Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month!

As a Chinese American author, I was excited to be invited to speak on multiple panels for AAPI Month. Each panel started by exploring what might seem different, from customs and holidays to foods.

But ultimately, I felt most comfortable when each panel concluded that what’s most powerful are the things that bind us together – our shared experiences, emotions and humanness.

This is what I aim to convey in my fiction – our connectedness and the capacity to love no matter what.

I’m proud that my upcoming novel, ALWAYS ORCHID, shines a light on interracial relationships and disability awareness. It’s just been shortlisted for the Hawthorne Prize and included in this list of fiction by Asian American authors:

https://hastybooklist.com/home/book-roundup-books-by-asian-american-and-pacific-islanders-out-this-year