After working as a journalist I went to a writing program at Johns Hopkins. It was interesting because it was neither journalistic nor historical, but it emphasized writing style, and afterwards I was asked to write my first book. |
Almost all people have this potential for evil, which would be unleashed only under certain dangerous social circumstances. |
As the Chinese grew in numbers, the immigrant population grew to the extent that it became a huge economic threat, there were efforts among white workers to organize among themselves politically, and what was unfortunate was that both major parties adopted anti-Chinese platforms. |
California, where the anti-Chinese racism was greatest, became a very crucial swing state during presidential elections, and therefore both parties had to court California. |
Congressman David Woo, when he wanted to give a speech at the Department of Energy-ironically to celebrate Asian History month-they stopped him. They wouldn't let him in. This was shortly after the Wen Ho Lee scandal. |
Even if you wanted to be a hermit, people come out looking for you. I don't want to cloister myself away, but it is important for me to write about issues that have universal significance. One of them that have resonated with me all my life has been the theme of injustice. |
For some reason, I seem to be bothered whenever I see acts of injustice and assaults on people's civil liberties. I imagine what I write in the future will follow in that vein. Whether it's fiction or non-fiction. |
General histories-there have been a few that have served as pioneering books. |
I certainly didn't have a three-book plan or a 10-year plan when I worked on the first book. |
I don't mind solitude. I love talking to other people, but I do need my space. |
I have certainly amassed many historical research gathering skills. |
I have friends who are Caucasian who have pitched ideas for a Chinese-American show, and there is great resistance in Hollywood and the networks to support that. |
I have to finish this book tour of almost 30 cities. |
I may attempt a novel. I think that no matter what you write, it requires being honest with oneself, and you have to pull yourself out of the whirlwind of daily life. |
I started off majoring in math and computer science and then majored in journalism because I knew I wanted to become a writer one day. |