March's Local Author, Tony Chin

Questions for Tony

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your book?

A: I want the reader to know how much some people had to sacrifice to get the opportunity to live in a country that was free from so many tragedies of this world. So many immigrants including my mother risked their lives to be able to come to Canada to work hard, provide for their family and to be upstanding citizens. This book is a testament to those values and to those sacrifices. 

Q: Why did you become a writer?

A: I initially never intended to be a writer, and creating a true story based on my mothers escape as my first novel was probably the hardest task I have ever undertaken. The reason I did it is because I felt that the story needed to be told and to allow people to read about the untold horrors and tragedies that may have never been written. I felt that I had the passion for it and the drive to bring the story to life and that it would be a worthwhile adventure. I wanted to make sure that my mother's story would be given the respect that it deserved, to bring into light our history and her achievements. I wanted my daughters to understand and admire their grandmother and never forget her story.

Q: Do you have any advise for new and upcoming authors and illustrators?

A: I Think the only advice I can give to any new writer is to do it for the love of the story, have passion for your project, and to work hard . So many people do things for the wrong reason and it will show through to the work that you put out. If you don't love what you do, you will end up not putting the attention, the research and the details that the story needs to make your project successful. If you don't express passion in the work , your story will end up being emotionless and uninteresting.  Last of all, put in the hard work, If you don't understand something, research it. Search for people with knowledge and don't hesitate to ask them. The results that you want to achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you put in.