Thursday, February 16, 2012

Interview with Charong Chow author of Random


Random by Charong Chow (paperback, open internationally)

After falling for the new guy at school, sixteen-year-old Tierney uncovers the truth surrounding the drug-fueled death of her best friend, Jeremy. Random, a contemporary expose of teenage life in Los Angeles, begins with a not-so-innocent truancy and builds - through complex, interwoven relationships - to a shock ending that sets Tierney up as a young female noir protagonist.



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Check out our interview below!

My PhotoBased in California, Charong Chow is an internationally exhibited artist, author and mother of two. Her debut novel Random, was inspired by her best friend’s death. A food lover, she writes a recipe and lifestyle blog with her children, www.EatingWithHudson.com. She also writes for various publications when not caring for her family and menagerie of animals.

Our interview:

--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
Inspired on my BFF's death at 26, Random is about three friends skipping school with the new guy. Romance and noir thriller rolled into one.

--How did you get the idea for the story?
My best friend died, surrounded by suspicious circumstances from an overdose of sleeping pills a week before my wedding. We had been friends since elementary school, and we had traveled the world together. His death in 2001 was a shock that I still find hard to believe. Writing Random has been a way for me to deal with the loss.
--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?
I would love to have dinner with my main character, Tierney. She’s a smart and strong 16-year-old girl that I would have liked to be friends with when I was a teenager.
I love all my characters, so I don’t have one that I wouldn’t want to meet in real life.

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
Reading has always been my favorite pastime. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace and Alexander Stuart’s The War Zone are a few of my favorite books

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
I am working on a sequel to Random. The second book resumes after the end of the first book, and readers find out what happens between Tierney and Tom, who is her love interest in Random.

--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I love the sweets and the songs from the Roald Dahl classic children’s book.

--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?
I like to drink green tea while writing. I listen to music only on occasion when writing. There are a few sections of Random where the characters are listening to specific songs, so I listened to those songs while writing. They bands included, The Horrors, Bat for Lashes and Lykke Li.

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Granting wishes. It would be nice to make everyone’s dream come true.

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?
I just learned to knit hat, and I’m on my fifth knitted hat. I also like making art, since I have a visual arts background.

--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
My book, Random, was a release for me, and I hope my readers enjoy reading it.
Lightning round: this or that?
Vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate, the darker the better.
Edward or Jacob?  Edward. I’ve always had a thing for vampires.
Hockey or soccer? Soccer
Ebook or paper? Both
Salty or sweet? Sweet!
Beach or mountains? Beach for vacation and the mountains to live.
Phone call or email? Email
Early bird or night owl? Night owl for as long as I can remember.
Dog or cat? Dog
Messy or neat? I imagine neat, but in reality it’s messy.
Ninjas or pirates? Pirates because they have large parrots on their shoulder.

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2 comments:

  1. Another great interview, thanks. It always amazes me the number of authors and dedicated readers who also find the time to be creative as well.

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  2. Wonderful interview! Interesting reading it was a 'release'for the author this book.

    MIchelle

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