Interview with Jeffrey Mao
Featured Author for September 2001

Would you introduce yourself and give a little personal background?

"Well, a name's as good an introduction as any other, so we'll start with that and go from there. My name's Jeffrey Mao, currently residing in the state of South Carolina in the United States, although that will hopefully change next year when I begin the bold frontier of college. My parents moved into the foothills of South Carolina about 10 or 12 years back with my brother and I in tow, and with the occasional excursion to Taiwan to see my grandparents (and aunts, and uncles, and cousins, etc), we've been pretty stationary ever since.

I've grown up going to the local schools in my city, where I daresay has probably had a profound impact on my life and personality, second only to family. Was it a normal childhood? Well, I took piano lessons, read everything that struck my fancy whether fact book or fiction, and had advanced math courses stuck in there as well. You decide. High school has probably brought the most change and growth for me- my freshman and sophomore years were in a Pre-International Baccalaureate-style education, with lots of focus on math and science, alongside with violin and piano (yeah, I kept up with piano) lessons outside of school. Now I'm in my second year at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities majoring in Piano (yeah, I reiterate, I kept up with it). It's quite an experience, the whole high school thing.

Anyway, I digress- the short of it is that I'm just an American Born Chinese (ABC!) in the bible belt of the South (although I'm not religious), who used to be a shy bookworm and is now just trying to find his way along with everyone else in life. I fancy myself various things, but I don't quite think I'm talented enough to verbally claim them though. That's what dreams and wishes and hopes are for."

How long have you been writing? When did you start writing fantasy and science-fiction?

"Although I've read fantasy and science fiction ever since I can remember, I didn't really write anything until about 4 years ago. I wrote my first piece of poetry in 8th grade, and I really ended up liking it, so I suppose that was my first inkling of attraction. In my freshman high school year, my newfound friends started what was called simply 'The Notebook'- we would write notes to each other inside of it, and just do silly stuff. I then decided to start a spin-off of it- called (yes, simply)- 'The Fantasy Notebook'. I got together some of my friends and so began a primitive passaround of a story, each of us taking turns writing sections. Honestly, it was a great experience, although it eventually just became too busy to do. My fusion of poetry and fantasy just came this past summer (of 2001)- I decided to stop procrastinating and daydreaming (and playing staggering amounts of the time-leech called Diablo II) and write some fantasy themed poetry... for the purpose of submission to Epilogue. [chuckle]"

What are your inspirations and influences?

"That's a tough one...best stated, I guess it's like a distortion or exaggeration of reality in my head- I'll look at something in life (like wallpaper) and then it'll trigger something and leave me running for paper or a computer. Nature is another thing that inspires me as well- there's something raw and beautiful about it and all one really needs to do is pause for a moment and take a look [sighs wistfully and then continues]. In addition, of course, I am thoroughly influenced by other works and authors- I find subjects and implementations and execution of ideas so fascinating, whether it's a character or a setting or a special event- and really it doesn't have to be fantasy or sci-fi either. Anything goes for inspiration, because I believe it's not one of those things I can actually control. And lastly, family and my upbringing- I have wonderful parents and a wonderful brother, and the different traditional values of a culture displaced and beginning to merge.. anything that catches my eye, disparities and similarities are equally enchanting."

Who are your favorite authors? Why?

"Wow, from the masses it's hard to discern a favorite face- there are so many talented ones out there, and it's always prone to change because there are so many that I have not read. The traditional bunch of Piers Anthony, Raymond E. Feist (along with Wurtz), and Terry Brooks are there.. Their works are so varied in style and settings, etc, and I found them to be a good read. I also remember two authors from my middle school days- Tamora Pierce and Patricia Wrede- I think their works are refreshing for a quick read, although by now it might be considered a little bit too pre-teen. I guess those are just some of the names I remember from my past, there are bunches of others I've dabbled in- Williams, Lackey, Jordan (yeah, but only one book and it's his latest, which is a sacrilege to some), just a varied assortment. Then there are the other traditional authors who don't write fantasy, etc."

What do you want the reader to get from your work?

"Enjoyment and maybe a little something extra, whether it's a pensive moment or a bit of humor. To make the moments spent in reading seem alive and possible, and to draw the reader into something deeper or farther away than the lines and words themselves- that's the best I can hope for."

What makes a good story, in your opinion?

"A good story? I'd have to say interesting characters and dialogue, and a breathing variety of settings. The people and the place make the difference, I think, and there should be sort of a reader interaction or investment in both. Dialogue and communication are also very important- they're a vital part of the characters themselves and can make or break interest. Of course, this is just from my point of view. Another small blurb while on the topic- descriptions of setting can do wonders for the atmosphere. At times it's just icing on the cake, but at others it makes a big difference. In the end, a good story will make me lose touch with reality and make me feel. The things mentioned above are just several stepping stones on my path to reaching it."

Can you describe your writing process? How do you develop and refine your ideas?

"Poetry just starts out as a random seed of an idea somewhere- something that strikes my imagination or a situation that I find interesting. I then jot down some lines on the paper- any lines, any order. If I think of a good final line, or a line that I think should be found in the poem, I write it down and then afterwards I begin to piece together those lines and help establish a sort of framework for the poem. After most of the poem is finished, I read through it again (sometimes out loud), and maybe even again; in this part I look for word repetitions, awkward sounds and flow, and any insertions of situation that occur to me. After that, well, it's basically finished for enjoyment and such, but I don't truly consider most poems 'done' for a while. I like to carry around a convenient notebook to scribble down thoughts in- a recent practice actually, but it's a convenient one and I think it'll serve me well. Quite comforting, in a way, to have it handy. I also keep a thesaurus and an encyclopedia in my room, but it pays to be able to pull words out of air into normal vocabulary as well- I only use the thesaurus if I'm really at odds with how something sounds. Otherwise, I really don't have any other habits than taking a break from a piece and switching gears now and then- whether it's from a poem to another poem or even to simply doodling around- sometimes it's just good to let it settle for a while."

If you could be a character from a fantasy novel, movie or game, who would you be?

"Lol, wow. I have no idea. I've often had yearnings to be able to meet a character from a fantasy world, but never actually wished to be one that was already made. Were I to be a character in a fantasy setting, I'd love to be one of those dependable heroes, with an affinity for water and also to have wings."

Finally, what cartoons did you watch as a kid?

"Hrm, that really wasn't too long ago...my house didn't/doesn't/probably will never have cable so I got stuck with the traditional kiddie fare- Power Rangers, Where is Carmen Sandiego, and a whole slew of other TV shows long forgotten and never really watched religiously. I'm still a big fan of Sailor Moon (in Japanese, none of the American mishmash) and Buffy, but if you're looking for the most recent favorite cartoon, I'd have to say The Weekenders. It's really nothing special in its animation, but I adore its dialogue and the way its delivered. It makes me feel good."