Ying loved to read when she was young but there weren't many books available during the Cultural Revolution. So she read books with missing pages. She loves Tolstoy, Pushkin, Margaret Mitchell and traditional Chinese poets, particularly the Tang Dynasty, Li Bai and a female poet, Li Ching Cao. Currently, Ying is the spokesperson for Nestle Maggi, Taste of Asia products and a national authority on Chinese cuisine and culture. She recently finished hosting 20 episodes of a cooking show sponsored by Nestle on Phoenix TV, the largest international Chinese TV station. Ying is also the author of three cookbooks for adults and eight picture books for children. She lives in Northern California. This is her first novel.

When did you start writing?

I published my first article when I was 9 years old. I never did think of writing as a career, especially writing in my second language. But after I lost both my parents, I felt I had lost touch with China. Writing was the only way I found to help me connect and to cope with my grief.

Why did you choose your particular genre? 

I first tried to write Revolution is Not a Dinner Party as a picture book because I had written picture books before, but editors kept asking me to write the story as a young adult novel. I resisted this for a year, afraid to take on such an enormous task. Then the voice of Ling became so strong, I had to give in. It took me six years and countless re-writes before I perfected the book. Ling and I have a lot in common. As in the story, both my parents were doctors, and I grew up in the hospital compound. Many of the characters in the book are similar to people I knew, and the events of the story are similar to events I experienced or witnessed.

What inspired you to choose your subject matter?

Even as a little girl, I wanted to write about my father. I watched him save peoples' lives and fight against the political system in China when it was dangerous to do so. He was put in jail for refusing to betray his friends and his beliefs. What's extraordinary to me is that he treated all his patients with compassion, even those who had persecuted him. Strangely, I often miss my childhood growing up during the Cultural Revolution. Relationships were put to the test, and I was forced to examine my feelings towards others and my own character. My experiences taught me not only about cruelty and betrayal but also about people's capacity for heroism and compassion.

How difficult / easy has your experience been as a published author?

In early drafts, Ling was much younger. Figuring out the time structure of the story became a challenge because I wanted to show Ling's character grow over several years against the backdrop of the significant historical events of the Cultural Revolution. With the help of my talented editor Christy Ottaviano, I was able to accomplish my goal. For over six years, this book became the center of my life. Once the book was sold to Holt I returned to Wuhan to visit my parents' graves, and stayed with friends and family for an extended visit. Going back to China helped me realize that writing Revolution is Not a Dinner Party was both highly personal and a public act. China taught me about life and will always occupy a special place in my heart.

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