CT: When we first met, you mentioned that your background is in copywriting. How did you come into writing a children’s book?

SC: There’s something to the significance of poetry and copywriting where there’s an overlap. That very minimalist, poetic approach is what led me to picture books. The Ugly Dumpling is actually poem, and I had this phase where I was experimenting with a new, minimalist way of writing. It was very different from my, sort of, overblown, very purple prose short stories and novels I was working on earlier. It was either a maturity thing, shift in perspective, or even an attempt to try a new direction with my writing.

CT: Do you have other stories that are published or are they all in raw manuscripts?

SC: I published quite a few stories when I was in university, and a “flip-book” novella called Above/Below that I co-wrote with my friend, Ben Peek. I wrote Above and he wrote Below – two very different perspectives of the same society, published in Australia with Twelfth Planet Press.

CT: There are so many artists out there, too scared to put themselves – their work – out there.

SC: You should see my rejection list! I think there’s something in working as a copywriter; you can’t be precious about your work. I think it’s helped my fiction as well because it comes back where I’m not attached to it in the same way. You have to keep writing or else it’ll be in back of your mind.

CT: Rejection letters give you a closure; they’re very important

SC: Exactly! This whole industry is one of limbo, honestly.

CT: I would probably call it sadistic…

SC: I figure it like a timeline; by the time I’m dead, I should be pretty solid.

CT: Wouldn’t it be great if we could all have access to THE poisonous apple? That way your work could be recognized, you wouldn’t have aged a day, and you’ll have a handsome prince waiting for you when you wake?

SC: Oh that would be wonderful, wouldn’t it? That’s the dream.

CT: I’m sure you’ve been asked this before, but why a dumpling? Why did you choose to write this particular story?

SC: I love puns, and that’s the starting point of the story- there’s a wacky context that had played into it. I grew up in Melbourne, which is a very multicultural city and part of the Asia-Pacific region, so there’s a very strong Chinese food culture there. I think being around that foodie context meant that it was in the forefront of my mind. Like I stated earlier, I couldn’t resist a pun, so I definitely started with the title and then went from there.

CT: Ever make your food sing, or talk?

SC: Only in the story… I think that would be a sign of mental instability. In the story, I guess he wears pleated pants so there’s a little bit of silliness going on there.

CT: I loved his pants!

SC: Professional dumpling!

CT: When we first met in person, I mentioned that the dumpling reminded me of someone. After mulling it over, I finally figured it out! He actually looks like my uncle: A round man with the same pleated pants, curly auburn hair and freckles – who loves to bounce his stomach up and down while he dances…

SC: Oh my goodness, you have to put a photo of them both in your blog post. Tweedledum and Tweedle Dumpling!

CT: Yes! The Ugly Dumpling Part Two

SC: Exactly, I’m going to pitch that to my editor

CT: I’ve had so much fun with this. I think that’s what attracted me to The Ugly Dumpling. Sure, it’s a children’s story, but it’s witty, a bit dark, and to the point. Do you follow that as a rule with all your work?

SC: And evocative! It’s interesting going from a minimalist like Hemingway to a maximalist like Nabakov, and the huge schism in styles that can be so fascinating. There are so many ways to tell a story, and many ways to appeal to an audience that changes over time. I especially love reading fiction in translation because it’s so different reading fiction from China or Japan…or say, Western Europe. There are vastly different ways of telling a story where, at times, it can feel so alien and almost unfamiliar that it can feel wrong. So much of what we think about, of what we think is extraordinary, can be influenced by culture – what we’ve been exposed to, and how we’ve been told a story should be. So it’s really fascinating to uncover these ways of hearing and telling stories.

CT: Which foreign fiction is closest to the English-speaking world, or culture, and which is the most diverse? Do you have a favorite?

SC: Chinese literature is an example of a type of literature that can feel very different. Obviously I’ve still only read very narrowly because we only get whatever is available in translation. I enjoyed Sky Burial by Xinran. It’s wonderful – this spare narrative- and it unfolds in an unusual way. I found it to be very beautiful, but in a very unfamiliar way that I love. I really enjoy Orhan Pamuk, who is a Turkish writer, and I love the magic realism that comes out of South America. I also love the Russians! I studied Russian literature at my university because I’ve always enjoyed their strange, quirky sense of humor. Off subject, I actually have a short picture book that I’m trying to sell called: The Mustache. It’s a hipster retelling of Gogol’s The Nose.

CT: That would be amazing; I would be first in line

SC: Come on! Before mustaches go out of style again

CT: Have Russian literature in a children’s book with mustaches!

SC: Yes! I’m so sorry to all these cultures that I’m destroying with my terrible sense of humor…

CT: As long as it’s all in good fun. I think the entire world is annoyed with excessive political correctness. I’m not condoning malicious racism, but the fact that we have censored ourselves so much as artists, to the point where our individuality is threatened, is a real problem.

SC: It’s a really interesting point actually. I think something that’s very challenging for an author is that line they have to walk because it’s so easy to appropriate and exploit culture. As an author, you don’t want to censor yourself in what you write, but you need to be aware of what you’re writing and what that means to yourself and the rest of the world.

CT: Have you ever had someone from the Asian culture come up to you to express their concerns about finding the material offensive?

SC: Not yet, but I’m sure someone will. I’ve had a few friends from the Chinese community that do joke about it, but realistically this will probably be a very real discussion that has to be had. I’m happy to have that exchange when it arises, and more than willing to take people’s feedback because I’m very conscious about the fact that I’m writing about a culture that isn’t my own.

CT: I read “The Ugly Duckling” when I was younger, and my perspective was that the duckling turned into the most beautiful swan by a sheer chance of fate. In your story, the cockroach was there to help the dumpling develop as he was going through his crisis, and thus began a life-long friendship. Why did you choose to bring on a friend?

SC: I object to the same thing about this inherent beauty that needs to be recognized, and I wanted my dumpling to do something worthy of being beautiful. The cockroach helps the dumpling develop itself, and toward the end of the book, the dumpling performs the same act of friendship toward the cockroach. That’s what makes the story beautiful, as opposed to The Ugly Duckling. It’s not counting on its physicality for acceptance. With them, it’s this small group of two, which I think is perfect since I don’t think you need to be loved by everybody. I don’t know if you noticed, but the restaurant at the end of he book is called The Golden Swan (Shahar’s idea by the way). It was so perfect on the final page where they both made the transition to developing into these beautiful creatures.

CT: I did notice! I thought it was very clever. Speaking of friendship, how much influence does a support system play in our lives?

SC: You can only grow so much as an individual in a vacuum. No one is in a vacuum, as much as I like to be a hermit. It’s only through interactions with other people, and challenges that force you to change, where you become more empathetic. Having the support of people who have either been through something similar, or are willing to be there on your side as you go through something difficult, is so important. It’s surprising how quickly you can change as a person, especially with added, positive support.

CT: Do you relate to the Ugly Dumpling?

SC: Absolutely! Everything I’ve written touches on ideas about being an outsider, a loner, or being unwanted. At least at some point in everyone’s life, including mine, they’ve felt a little bit that way. You’ve seen me from the outside. I don’t know if it’s necessarily true, but I’ve always felt that way.

CT: I didn’t notice, actually...

SC: The shy, mole-like author who hides in the back of the room…

CT: My people! I think that’s why I enjoy my work so much. All authors are that way, in one way or another, and they turn that feeling into art. There’s something deep that we’ve all carried around with us – I don’t think it goes away.

SC: There’s a motion called the Anthropologists dilemma- as an Anthropologist, you’re able to study a particular human society. You need to be on the inside and the out, and that’s what authors struggle with- this natural inclination not to be a part of things, but at the same time having to have these experiences in order to write about them.

CT: A great example is Truman Capote and his exploitation of the High Society in NY. Would you say that a person has to cross their own boundaries to get what they want?

SC: Absolutely, yes, you almost have to be an actor

CT: Do you think that people will ever fully change? Or is it something that another will bring to light, that was stagnant?

SC: I think it’s a journey. I don’t think there’s ever a state, or finished product of a person because we’re always a work in progress, but I do think you’re working with elements you’ve begun with. There’s a recognizable element of that person because we’re a product of our environment, and of our genetics as well, but we’re shaped by our interactions. Furthermore, even those interactions are shaped by our backgrounds. The world geographically is very large, yet socially very small.

CT: Did you/do you have a “cockroach” in your life? Someone who led you through difficult times?

SC: I’m very bad at dating, haha! Honestly though, aside from my long-time friends through high school/university, I would say that person is my now ex-husband because we were together through most of my 20s. We definitely grew together, and so much as individuals – because you spend so much time together when you’re in a relationship, and marriage. I’m so different than who I was when we first met, and he definitely played a huge role in helping me grow over those eight years in a way we probably all hopefully do.

CT: I’d like to think I have a few “cockroaches” lying around…

SC: I can’t believe you just called them cockroaches!

CT: I think we should start a cockroach club

SC: Right? They’re bigger in Australia!

CT: If the world were to end, the cockroaches will be the only living things roam the earth. That’s a scary thought!

SC: We should be grateful for the dumplings, not so good for everyone else. Radiated dumplings!

CT: Supersonic dumplings!

SC: Hey, there’s a third installment!

CT: Did you have imaginary friends growing up?

SC: No, but little sister had one. I was content living in my head, living vicariously through books. I watched her have her imaginary friend. That was really interesting! They would have proper conversations, and you felt that presence in the room.

CT: What do you hope will come from kids reading this book?

SC: It’s all relative. I don’t think, as an author, you can prescribe a reading experience because it’s like a conversation – you put something out there and the reader interprets their version of the book.

I hope they feel less alone – that’s my main motivation for writing. I think people will ask things like, “What’s a dim sum restaurant? That’s interesting!” or some will notice that the dumpling and cockroach don’t have names or genders. If what they take from it are anti-bullying messages of friendship, or at the very least, adoration of the pretty pictures, I’d be content.

CT: How did you meet the illustrator, Shahar Kober?

SC: Shahar was commissioned through Mighty Media. He’s an award-winning illustrator and I was very lucky to have him on board. There are so many clever jokes in his work that play off of my own humor, and that brings additional richness to the story. For example: there’s a docket in the back of the book where the blurb goes. It looks like a tab and says, “I, the undersigned, agree to be myself “ with a line for a signature. It’s a cute, little whimsical extra that shows this understanding of the story. Picture books are a wonderful collaborative effort, and it’s nice to work with like-minded people who have the same, silly sense of humor.

CT: Is it difficult to find someone who shares the same vision?

SC: I think I got lucky, honestly. The illustrator and the author go in 50/50 with creating a book, so Shahar had free reign to interpret the story and create the other half. Finally, when it came back, it was the perfect compliment to the text. I’ve tried to collaborate before, and I haven’t been able to do so because I’m very particular about my prose and my ideas – I don’t plot things out. In result, they can go in so many directions.

CT: Where do you go from here?

SC: I have another picture book that my publisher is interested in! It’s called Pebble Without a Cause.

CT: Oh! Tell me more!

SC: It’s about a delinquent boulder that pretends to be a moon rock and gets found out when a moon rock lands right next to it.

I also have the novel called Doppelgang about a group of disconnected youth who have imaginary friends and doppelgangers. I think that’s going to be a challenge in itself. Although, truthfully, I’m afraid to keep writing it just in case my doppelganger shows up and introduces herself, hah. So, to answer your question, the picture book and Dopplegang (a middle grade novel). It’s been quite a long, and interesting journey.

Did you know that I have a doppelganger? Her name is Sam and she follows me around the world. Wherever I go, people keep calling me Sam and the creepier thing is that my mom was going to call me Sam, but then changed my name to Stephanie.

CT: Wow! Have you met her?

SC: I don’t want to meet her, I’m too afraid. This happens all the time. I’ll go into cafes and people will turn and say “oh, hey Sam!” and I’ll think, “ I don’t know who you are! my name isn’t Sam!”

CT: That’s amazing. I’m curious: what is your creative process?

SC: Depends on whether I’m working on a novel or picture book. I often begin with a title, which is why I have silly titles. I edit a lot while I write, and then build things back up. The great thing about writing is that your readers don’t get to see your first draft. As an author though, you’ll always see it; you’ll always see the cut outs and the mistakes. It’s like that shadow story that was there for me. The reader doesn’t see that. Thank goodness for editors!