Head Back to School with Maria Wen Adcock!

Hi, parents, librarians, book fanatics, writers, and readers of all sorts! It's officially the start of Back-to-School season and #SeasonsOfKidLit is thrilled to celebrate with the incredibly-talented, multi-published author Maria Wen Adcock and her new book, My Name Is Ai Lin. When Ai Lin starts school, none of her classmates can say her name. The children make several attempts, but they still cannot pronounce it. They ask Ai Lin if they can just call her by another name. It’s not that important, right? But Ai Lin knows the significance of her Chinese name. No, it can’t be changed. Want to know about Maria, her new book with Sleeping Bear Press, PLUS want a chance to win a signed copy of your own? Read on...

Q: Hi, Maria! Thanks so much for joining us and welcome back! We’re thrilled to hear what you’ve been up to and hear all about your new book. 

PS, Readers, if you'd like to check out Maria's other interview with #SeasonsOfKidLit, celebrating the Chinese New Year, click here!

Can you share more about your new book, My Name Is Ai Lin, and the inspiration behind it? 

A: My Name Is Ai Lin was inspired by my daughters, whose Chinese names were unique in American culture but held much meaning in Chinese culture. Before my oldest daughter was born, in keeping with tradition, my husband and I consulted with my parents to choose a Chinese name for her. The name was chosen not only for how it sounded, but also for what it meant. We chose Ai Lin, where “Ai” meant “love,” and “Lin” meant “gem.” Together, her name meant “lovely gem.” 

When my youngest daughter was born, we went through the same process for her Chinese name. We chose Ai Lin, where “Ai” was the same first part as her older sister’s name. This tied them together in love, which was what we hoped would flow between them. The second part of her name, “Mei,” meant “rose.” Together, her name Ai Mei meant “lovely rose.”

I also wanted to write about how making an effort to pronounce someone’s name correctly was a way to show respect for someone and their culture. Throughout my life, I’ve known people with culture-based names who often encountered issues with people mispronouncing their names or trying to change them to make the names “easier” to say. In My Name Is Ai Lin, I wanted to reflect this experience that so many people encounter is real life.

Thanks so much for sharing that with us - that's such a sweet inspiration!

Q: I love My Name Is Ai Lin and how your main character, Ai Lin, stands firm on her name and pronunciation. What do you feel young readers and those heading to school can take away from your story? 

A: When I was a child, I did not want to tell anyone about my Chinese middle name, Ying-Hsing. It was a name no one had heard of, could not read it when they saw its spelling, and could not pronounce it easily. My last name, Wen, was simpler, but because it was not a common surname in America, even that was mispronounced. I was shy and wanted to fit in, so I didn’t correct people. 

In My Name Is Ai Lin, I wanted a different outcome. As such, I had her stand up for her name. I hope this will inspire young readers in similar circumstances to feel empowered to do the same. It’s also a way for other children to be aware that classmates they may meet in school may have unique names, and trying to say them correctly is important. It’s okay to ask someone how they pronounce their names.

Q: Sleeping Bear Press is such an amazing publishing company! What was it like working with them on your manuscript? And what was the illustration process like? 

A: My editor at Sleeping Bear Press, Barb McNally, was great with guiding me with editing a few items on the original manuscript. She also kept me in the loop with the illustration process, showing me sketches by the talented illustrator Yu Ting Cheng for me to provide general input. These sketches became full-colored illustrations, which Barb shared with me. It was amazing to see my story come to life in pictures. Yu Ting Cheng did an amazing job creating illustrations to fit the tone of the book and capture readers’ attention.

Q: What’s surprised you most about being a kidlit author and what advice do you have for anyone who’s in the query trenches/trying to sell their first book?

A: Before I had attended any workshops about writing children’s books or attended any critique groups, I naively thought my manuscript was great and it would be picked up right away by a publisher. Looking back at my old manuscripts, there was a reason my manuscripts didn’t sell. I had blindly gone in, thinking it wasn’t hard to write a children’s book, without understanding the industry and expectations.

Once I started attending conferences, joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and joined a critique group, I learned the craft of writing children’s books. I still attend workshops now, as there’s always room to learn and grow. I would suggest to a new author that they do the same - attend workshops to learn about the industry and how to write a book, and join a critique group.

Q: What’s one question you wish we would have asked you?

A: Social media! Though managing social media is like a second job, in today’s world, having a presence on social media is a must for an author. If you’re traditionally published, your publisher will be expecting you to do a lot of your own social media promotions. If you’re self-published, one of the best ways for people to find you is through social media. 

You don’t have to have an account on every social media platform out there, but developing at least a couple, interacting, and growing your following is important. I personally focus on Facebook and Instagram which are what I’m comfortable with. I also have a Bluesky account, but it’s quite new so I’m still trying to figure out how to best utilize it. Some authors who are adept with video use Tik Tok which seems to be a good platform for many books. However, don’t “put all your eggs in one basket” by only focusing on one social media platform just in case it no longer exists in the future.

Excellent advice! Thanks for sharing!

Q: BONUS QUESTION: What was your favorite part of heading back to school as a kid?

A: My favorite park of heading back to school was that everything felt fresh and new. I had new school supplies, a new classroom and teacher, and also the opportunity to make new friends!

Q: Would you like to leave a tip or a treat for our readers?

A: A treat! I'd love to offer one signed copy of my book to a lucky reader.

Thanks again for joining us, Maria, and for such a generous treat! It was so much fun getting a closer look at your new book that received a Starred Review from Kirkus. Congrats again!

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter to win Maria's signed book giveaway, 1) share this post on social media and 2) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by. Back-to-School Gifs or pics are appreciated, too!

Giveaway winners will be drawn and announced on or about 08/20!

Books will be shipped in the US only.

About Maria Wen Adcock: 

Maria Wen Adcock is a first-generation Chinese American writer and is also the author of It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George. She is the founder of the award-winning Bicultural Mama blog, and has appeared in Bloomberg News, HuffPost, and Newsday, and on The Dr. Oz Show. Maria is a board member of Multicultural Kid Blogs, an organization supporting diverse parenting bloggers, and the cohost of the annual event Read Your World Day. She lives on Long Island in New York.

For more about Maria, visit her at www.MariaWenAdcock.com and follow her on Facebook (@MariaWenAdcockAuthor) and Instagram (@BiculturalMama). 

To Purchase a copy of Maria's books on Amazon, or to leave a review for them, click here.

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