Crown of the Crows by Amber XinTi Wang is shortlisted for the 2023 Author of Tomorrow, 11 & Under Category.
Amber's blog, ArWriLi can be found here.
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An Interview with Amber:
WNSF: What is your favourite book?
Amber: Well, there’s really no one book for me! All books are hidden gems, and even the ones which make the critic in me come out have at least some glittering detail to offer.
If I had to choose (at this moment), I would say Babel (by R.F. Kuang) - its plot line was deeply moving, and somehow I found myself thinking about the book every minute of every day, wanting to swallow the entire thing within the next second. A close second would be A Raisin In The Sun (Lorraine Hansberry) - more of a play than a novel!
WNSF: Who is your favourite author? Or one who has inspired you and why?
Amber: Certainly either John Green or R.F. Kuang. Each time I read one of their novels, I feel an indescribable sensation of both enjoyment and wonder. They vary their voices, something which I admire. In my opinion, a writer shouldn’t have one voice. As George R.R. Martin stated, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies”; I always feel that a writer should do the same, even when editing their own work. After a reading hour with Babel or perhaps The Fault in Our Stars, I start to feel ‘The World’ and everything is sharpened: trees leap out in deep pristine emeralds or amber lighting, clouds form stars or centaurs.
WNSF: What is your favourite subject at school?
Amber: Drama. You might wonder why I, a deeply passionate writer, would treasure Drama as a favourite school subject. Well, Drama helps me create. When acting or presenting a speech, I feel as if I am living a character of Shakespeare’s or Hansberry's. That life always seems to me a concrete version of the George R.R. Martin quote. Drama relaxes me, because I get to remind myself to not be perfect every time: the audience is waiting for an impression, not a perfection.
WNSF: What does ‘adventure writing’ mean to you? Why did you choose to try your hand at an adventure story?
Amber: Adventure writing means to me diving into emotion. Before any knight in shining armour or any hobbling creature emerges from the depths of my imagination, I have to feel. Adventure writing is the height of feeling, the peak of creativity where almost every moment is a mini-climax. I begin feeling my heart beating faster within the first few lines, and that’s when I know: this is going to be an adventure story. I chose to try my hand at adventure writing for that sense of belonging in a place of just that: adventure. If the reader wants to set off on a journey, then the writer wants it more. I wanted to explore without leaving my desk chair; what better way to do that than in writing?
WNSF: If you could ask an author anything, what would you want to know?
Amber: If I could ask an author anything, I would ask them what their idea of a good life might be and what their favourite brand of ice-cream is. You can tell a googillion details about a person from their favourite ice-cream brand.
From that century-old question about the keys of a good life, I might be able to sync myself with my writing better by following that advice. Or, I might just find out what flavour of ice cream works best!
WNSF: Who would you consider one of your heroes and why?
Amber: One of my heroes would be Jo March from Little Women (the novel and the film). She is so like me, with her dreams of writing and publishing, her confidence, her want of a better future. I would say that here, I identify with film-Jo better, as she actually publishes a book at the end of that film. This identification is also why I’m holding Little Women in my photo.
WNSF: What is the most adventurous thing you would like to do, or place you would like to visit and why?
Amber: If anyone were to offer me a ticket to the Andromeda galaxy, I would hop straight into an aircraft and skedaddle. Recently, the sky - its blueness, white clouds, dark mist, gentle moon, simplicity - has bewitched me. And so obviously I would wish to explore more into what has become one of my favourite natural details.
WNSF: Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
Amber: My stories come from dreams. They can be surreal, a glimpse of an idea, a wisp of cloud dancing out of my grasp, but yes, from my dreams. Landmarks or strangely familiar formations of cloud can trigger my memory to a dream or book, and either I will pick up that pen and start furiously scribbling, or I will start flipping through book-pages like a hyper-concentrated-maniac.
WNSF: If you could time travel, where would you go and why?
Amber: I would time travel to the time of Shakespeare, if given the chance. Perhaps I could dress up as a swash-bucking, pen-wielding pirate just to have a good laugh. Or maybe I would reveal to the playwright his impending fame and enquire where he was going to in those Dark years?
WNSF: What three words would you use to describe your story?
Amber: Sharp, philosophical, and dramatic.