A Unicorn Named Rin follows a Chinese unicorn on a mission to find the missing royal Phoenix before the Friendship Concert. What inspired you to write this beautiful children’s book?

We’re a family that loves unicorns but I couldn’t find a unicorn book that featured a protagonist which looked like my daughters. After conducting some research, I discovered unicorns were a part of Chinese history, and even Confucius himself wrote about them. Thus I set out to write an early readers book about a unicorn from ancient China, along with a Tang dynasty princess.

The art in this book is well drawn and vibrant. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Li (Lily) Liu?

Lily lives in France and I’m in the US, so we had numerous video chatting sessions to discuss the illustrations. We both have children so at times our virtual meetings were very chaotic from hilarious kid-related disruptions! I’m just in awe of Lily’s talent. She really brought every page to life! She is originally from China, and I had lived in Shanghai for years, so this book was a very meaningful project for the both of us.

What were some aspects of Chinese culture that were important for you to include in this book?

I’m a big fan of ancient Chinese poetry, so there some Tang dynasty poems included in the book. And although this is a fantastical story with mythical creatures, the geographical locations are real.

Will you write more children’s book of this type in the future?

Yes, my second children’s book will be released next year.

Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads