The Behind Story of "Shall We Dance?"

I wrote Shall We Dance? right after my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, proposed to me. When he became my fiancé, I was so full of love that I wanted to share even a little of it with my readers. I kept thinking about that famous line from Love Actually, the one that says love is all around us. It sounds cheesy, but it has a truth to it, and I felt it so strongly then.

My husband changed me in the best way. Or maybe it is more accurate to say he helped me see the parts of myself that were already good but buried under my own high standards. I have always been hard on myself. I always thought I had to be better, do better, fix more, improve more. I rarely allowed myself to feel satisfied with who I was. But he saw me in a way I had never seen myself. He loved me as I was, without asking me to be different, and because of that, he opened my eyes to the person I already was. A person who didn’t need to climb endlessly upward to feel worthy. A person who was already valuable.

When I realized that, I wanted to give him the same thing in return. I wanted him to see himself the way I saw him. I wanted to embrace his flaws, help him grow in a healthy way, and grow alongside him too. Because becoming better does not have to come from self-criticism. It can come from love. It can come from support. It can come from being on the same team.

So when I said yes to his proposal, it wasn’t just I love you and you love me. It was deeper than that. It was a promise that we would grow together for the rest of our lives, that we were choosing to be one unbreakable team, that we would live, love, and laugh our way through everything. Saying yes felt like eternity opening up for the both of us.

I wrote this book to capture that moment and to manifest that kind of love on the page. I wanted to sprinkle even a little bit of what I felt that night into a story. I hope it reaches as many people as possible, the same way love reaches everywhere around us. It really does. We just need the eyes to see it. And sometimes we need a little help, a small nudge, to recognize it. I hope my book can offer that nudge to someone who needs it.

The Story Behind the Story: Seen at Last

The story behind Seen at Last goes back to my college years, which feels like a long time ago now (and it actually is!). Even back then, my mind was full of ideas, much like it is today. I was constantly thinking about stories but struggling with how to put them down on paper in a way that felt right. At the time, I wanted to write something romantic, but not the kind of romance that follows the usual patterns. 

While I was brainstorming, I asked my best friend to join me. I thought it would be fun to work on a story together, and it felt natural to share ideas with someone who knew me well. We wrote the opening part of the story, but life got busy. School took over, and the project was put on hold without either of us meaning for that to happen.

Recently, I came across this document on Google Drive. Reading it again brought back the feeling I had when we first started writing it. With Christmas approaching, and it being my favorite time of year, I decided to revisit the story and finish what we never did back then. I kept the original spirit of the opening but shaped it into a short story with a holiday setting.

I’m now putting the final touches on Seen at Last, and my plan is to release it on Wattpad about a week before Christmas so anyone can read it for free. It feels good to return to a story that waited patiently for its ending. I hope you enjoy reading it, and I wish you all an early Merry Christmas.

The Behind Story of "Starlight from the Deep Blue"

Starlight from the Deep Blue became a poetry collection because I wanted these stories to be told in a shorter form, but with more care in the language. I wanted them to feel closer to lyrics, like verses set to a melody. I wanted each piece to have its own rhythm and tone, like a song with its own sound.

I was always imaginative and creative, even as a kid. Someone could hand me a single pencil, and I would immediately imagine its life. Where it came from, what the marks and scratches on it meant, what it had been through, and what it might feel like as it reached the end of its use. That way of seeing things has always been natural to me.

As I got older, those ideas didn’t slow down. If anything, they multiplied. Sometimes (like when the idea of this poetry collection first came to me), it felt like too many thoughts were circling at once, overlapping and competing for space. So writing became a way to sort through them. I began untangling those thoughts and choosing the ones that felt strongest. From that process, I pulled out seven stories. I wrote them first as short narratives, then reshaped them into poems, thinking of each one as music than prose. Then the stories became lyrical, each with its own movement.

Each poem explores a different genre and a different message. When I gathered them into a single collection, I felt a sense of completion. What once felt scattered and overwhelming in my head finally had structure on the page.

This collection feels a bit like a story buffet. Each piece offers something different, and each one has a message meant to reach readers in its own way. I hope those who read Starlight from the Deep Blue find something that speaks to them, just as writing it gave me a way to give shape to the ideas that had been waiting for a place to land.

A Little About My Next Book

So here’s a little tease about what I’m working on: my new book has an Asian American main character. I don’t want to spill too many details yet, but I will say this feels important to me. Growing up, I didn’t see many Asian Americans at the center of the stories I loved. Even now, it still feels rare. So putting an Asian American voice at the heart of my story feels personal and long overdue.

Thinking about this has made me reflect on how important it is for Asian Americans to support each other, especially in storytelling and media. Over the years, I’ve seen Asian American creators break barriers on different platforms, and honestly, it’s inspiring.

On YouTube, Ryan Higa showed the world that people did want to watch Asian Americans. Wong Fu Productions created short films and series that captured love and friendship in ways Hollywood wasn’t giving us at the time. Jubilee came along and built a whole platform where people from all walks of life, including Asian Americans, could debate and share perspectives. Those creators made space for voices like mine.

When I think about movies and books, The Joy Luck Club and Crazy Rich Asians stand out because both were based on novels and both featured all–Asian American casts that broke barriers in Hollywood. Then there’s Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, which gave us an Asian American teen lead in a rom-com that reached global audiences, and Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, a family saga that shows the depth and resilience of Korean history. Now with projects like K-Pop: Demon Hunters on the horizon, it feels like Asian American stories are branching out into new genres and proving again and again that we belong everywhere.

All of this ties into something I think we should keep raising awareness about: AAPI Heritage Month. It’s more than a celebration. It’s a reminder to notice the voices, stories, and creators who have often been overlooked. It’s a chance to say, “We’re here, and our stories matter.” For me, writing this book is part of that. It’s a way of adding one more voice, one more character, one more story into the mix.

So here’s to Asian American creators in every space. Whether you’re making YouTube videos, writing novels, producing films, or just beginning your creative journey, your work matters. And if you’re supporting by reading, watching, and sharing, that matters just as much. We need each other.

I’ll share more about my book in the future, but for now I’ll just say this: I’m proud to be adding another Asian American character to the shelves, and I can’t wait for you to meet them.

​Meet the Character: Mr. Monkey

When I first created Mr. Monkey from my book "Mr. Monkey Loves You," I wanted to explore something deeply meaningful: how we show love and why it often misses the mark. Mr. Monkey isn't just a playful, charming character; he's a teacher in disguise, showing readers how love is not just about giving but understanding.Too often, we think expressing love is straightforward. You like flowers, you give flowers. It’s simple, right? But what if the person you're giving those flowers to is allergic? What if the gift you thought would bring joy ends up causing discomfort instead? That's exactly what Mr. Monkey teaches us. Loving someone isn't about doing what's easiest or most obvious for you; it's about genuinely knowing the other person. What makes them smile, what they appreciate, and, importantly, what they don't.

Mr. Monkey is special to me because of his resilience. He doesn't simply figure this out overnight. He stumbles, makes mistakes, and yes, he has moments when things feel heavy and overwhelming. But he never stays down for long. Each setback is a chance for him to learn more, grow stronger, and become wiser in how he shares his love with others. His journey embodies the beauty of persistence, the courage to keep trying even when it feels risky.

I poured my heart into crafting Mr. Monkey's story because this message resonates deeply with me. We all know the sting of love misunderstood, of efforts gone unnoticed, or worse, hurting the very people we intended to please. But the solution isn’t to retreat, but to pause, reflect, and try again with newfound understanding and sensitivity. If we embrace this, just like Mr. Monkey does, the worst that can happen is we stumble again, and if we do, we rise and try once more.

I hope readers find in Mr. Monkey a reminder that love requires empathy and patience. If his story inspires just one person to thoughtfully reconsider how they show love, then my heart is full. If you haven’t yet met Mr. Monkey, his story is available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback. I truly hope you give it a chance and fall in love with him as much as I have.

The Behind Story on "Dear Kim"

I wrote Dear Kim when my little doggie Spring was still with me. He was the love of my life in a way only animals can be. We moved through our days together, even though he bonded more deeply with my mom than with me. He came to us as a baby. But not from a shop. My family has never bought pets from shops, and I hope no one else does either because those puppies usually come from inhumane mills. There are many documentaries that explain this clearly, and once you understand the reality, it changes everything.

Spring came from a mother dog that belonged to someone we knew. They knew we had always hoped for a puppy, so they offered him to us. He arrived in my life like a present. Literally. 

Before Spring, another acquaintance gave us their dog. It was a married couple with a child. They believed their child wasn’t focusing on school because of the dog, so while the child was away at a weekend camp, they gave the dog to us without telling him. I remember that dog clearly. He had an injured hind leg, so he limped, but to me he was perfect. I bonded with him instantly, and we grew close in only a few days.

Three days later, the parents called us. Their child had come home, realized the dog was gone, and threw such intense tantrums the parents couldn’t handle. They told us they needed him back. I was devastated. If they couldn’t manage their child, they should never have given the dog away. The next morning, the family came to our house with the child and took him from me. I cried so much because they handed me something precious when I never asked for it and then took him away right after I began to love him. It was my birthday. We never spoke to that family again.

My parents felt awful afterward, so they started asking around to see if anyone had a dog they were willing to give away. That is how Spring came into my life, during a moment when my heart was already bruised. At first, Spring and I didn’t bond easily. I wasn’t unkind, but I wasn’t affectionate either. I was simply too sad to let him into the space I had just lost.

A few days later, when I came home from work, I found the entire place a mess. Spring had knocked over the trash can and scattered everything across the floor. I was so upset. That night I told my family I couldn’t keep him. I didn’t even want to see him. So my mom took him to a family friend who wanted a dog. They liked him and decided to keep him. I genuinely thought that I'd never see him again.

The next morning, we received a call very early. Our friend said no one in the house slept at all because Spring cried through the entire night. The moment I heard that, I felt guilt wash over me. We brought him home that morning as soon as possible, and he stayed with us for sixteen years. My mom went to pick him up, and in his mind she became his rescuer. Throughout all sixteen years, she remained his favorite.

I carried the regret of giving him away that night for the rest of his life. I loved him deeply every single day, but he never loved me as much. I accepted that because I believed it was my fault. Even with that, my love for him never faded. If anything, it grew.

A few years before he passed away, I became sick. I caught a severe case of covid that turned into long covid with symptoms doctors couldn’t explain. My health declined to the point where I had to quit teaching, which I loved more than anything. I went from doctor to doctor trying to find a cure. During that time, I couldn’t care for Spring the way I used to. I couldn’t play with him or be as present with him as I wanted to, but he stayed in my heart. I kept telling myself that once I got better, I’d give him all the time I had missed.

But before I recovered, Spring became sick first. It started with his teeth. We had to extract a few because they were infected and rotten. After the first surgery, the teeth next to them became infected too, so he needed a second surgery. Even after that, the oral issues continued. A third surgery wasn’t possible because he was too old. The doctor told us he might not wake up from anesthesia. Our family agreed not to put him through that risk. We didn’t want the last thing he saw to be strangers in surgical outfits.

We brought him home and watched him slowly slip away, all while doing our best to love him and care for him every moment we had left. When he passed away, he passed in my arms. I felt his heartbeat stop. Even now, I still think I’m the one to blame for the way he passed. I feel like it was my fault he didn’t receive more treatment because I was sick too. 

More than a year and a half has passed, and I still tell him I love him every day. I still miss him every day. I hope he forgives me. I hope he wants to see me again someday. I want to believe he’s waiting somewhere else. If I didn’t believe that, the grief would feel impossible to hold. I also hope he wasn’t too sad that he passed in my arms instead of my mom’s. I hope he knows how much I loved him and how sorry I am.

When I wrote Dear Kim, Spring and I were both healthy. I wrote the book out of love for him, and I dedicated it to my mom because I know that’s what he would have wanted. He loved her the most. 

Thank you for reading this long story and letting me share a piece of my heart with you. I hope this book brings you closer to your dog. And if you’re reading it after your pet has passed, I hope you know they’re not gone forever. It’s only a goodbye for now. Just like me and Spring.

The Real-Life Inspiration Behind "Mr. Monkey Loves You"

When I first started writing Mr. Monkey Loves You, I had my dad in mind from the very beginning. I wanted to capture something about him in the story.

My dad is one of those larger-than-life people. He doesn’t always say the right thing or show love in the “right” ways, but you know deep down that he’d do absolutely anything for you. Growing up, I always knew he loved me to death. Still, I often felt like he loved me in the way he thought was best, not necessarily in the way I needed or wanted.

That difference stuck with me. I’ve always believed that the best way to love someone is to love them the way they want to be loved. That belief became the heart of the story.

When the book was done, I gave it to my dad and told him, "It’s kind of about you." He read it and guffawed, then said: "See? Because of me, you ended up writing a real good story. So being the way I am, it’s not all bad." And he was right. In his own way, he gave me the perfect inspiration.

So for anyone out there who’s in love or wants to be, here’s what I’ve learned: respect the person you love and ask how they want to be loved. Please don’t assume, but communicate because that’s love, too.

Which is what I'm doing with you all right now: communicating. I can't wait to come back and communicate with you more. Until then.

The Behind Story of "Once Upon Five Tales"

By the time I began working on Once Upon Five Tales, I had already written and self-published four illustrated short stories, or children’s books, depending on how they’re read. My husband suggested turning them into a single collection for readers who might want to read all the stories at once. It would make things simpler and more accessible, without requiring people to buy each book separately. I thought it was a practical and thoughtful idea.

At first, the plan was to include only the four existing stories. But four felt unfinished to me. Five felt more complete. So instead of leaving it as it was, I decided to write one additional story and turn the project into a short story collection. That choice shaped the final form of Once Upon Five Tales.

The fifth story, which works as a kind of bonus, is called Zoom Zoom Zolly. It’s about a sheep who is always in a rush. Everything she does feels urgent, and she rarely slows down. The story focuses on patience and what happens when someone learns to pause. The idea was inspired by my travels to Korea. I noticed the strong “ppal-li ppal-li” culture (which means "hurry hurry"), where speed and urgency are part of everyday life, and that observation became the starting point for Zolly’s character.

In the end, Zoom Zoom Zolly turned out to be my husband’s favorite story in the collection. I hope readers who pick up the book enjoy having all five stories collected in one place.

How I Came to Write My First Book

My journey to becoming a full-time author began in the classroom. For many years, I worked as an elementary school teacher, where creativity and storytelling were part of everyday life. Sharing stories and helping young minds grow showed me just how powerful words can be.

During a period of big changes, writing became something I leaned on more and more. It eventually led me to write my first book, Joy’s Joy, which marked the beginning of my path as an author and deepened my love for storytelling.

Today, I’m a self-published writer who enjoys creating stories that inspire imagination, curiosity, and joy. In many ways, writing still feels connected to teaching. Both are about sharing ideas, guiding readers through new experiences, and creating meaningful connections.

Most of my time now is spent writing and working on new stories. Being an independent author has its challenges, but it’s also incredibly fulfilling to bring new ideas to life and share them with readers.

Thank you for visiting my page and taking the time to learn a little about my work. I hope my stories bring you inspiration, comfort, and a bit of magic along the way.