Author Interview: Cherry Lou Sy
Debut author Cherry Lou Sy (she/her) has arrived in the Rambling Realm. During her stay, she kindly agreed to chat with me about herself, her debut novel Love Can’t Feed You, and the secrets of her writing process.
About Cherry Lou Sy
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am originally from the Philippines. I studied Playwriting for my MFA, but found myself gravitating towards fiction especially during the pandemic. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York with my family, which includes a human baby and a cat.
What inspired you to start writing?
I think it’s reflexive. I was reading a lot of books when I was a child and I started creating imaginary worlds on paper.
About Love Can’t Feed You
What can you tell us about your debut?
It’s about the story of a family who immigrates to the United States as seen through the eyes of the eldest daughter, Queenie. She watches her Filipino mother, a nurse, assimilate to an independent American self, as her Chinese elderly father, her younger brother Junior, and herself break apart as they find that who they were in the Philippines isn’t who they become in the United States. It’s a story about the price of assimilation, and how the American Dream is just the underbelly of the American Nightmare.
What was the inspiration for Love Can’t Feed You?
I read Marguerite Duras’s The Lover and it haunted me as I was reading it. I had never read a book before that talked about a taboo interracial romance in a colonial setting and that the “leading man” was a Chinese man. It reminded me of my father, who is Chinese, and my mom, who is Filipina. I wondered if I could superimpose their dynamic into the Duras world.
About Writing
What was the most challenging part of writing your book?
The most challenging part writing this book was not to lose heart and to keep going. There were many times I wanted to give up. I had to learn that writing is rewriting.
Cherry Lou Sy’s Advice
What do you think is the most important thing for debut authors to know?
Own your creative process.
What is the strangest thing you had to research for your book?
I had to research about snakes for one part of the book.
Sy’s Plans for the Future
What are you working on next?
A speculative novel about a father whose next trip is to the underworld and the family he leaves behind
Where can readers find your book and connect with you?
Available where books, e-books, audiobooks are sold. I’m in IG @sy.cherry
Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
Thanks for reading!
Unfortunately, the time has come for Cherry Lou Sy’s to continue her journey. But if you wish to find her outside of the Rambling Realm you can do so by visiting her website or by following her on Twitter or Instagram.
You can get your copy of Love Can’t Feed You by following this link.
