Emiko Jean: On Writing Across Genres, Creating Personable Characters, the Rollercoaster of the Writing Process, and Her New Novel “Mika in Real Life”
Emiko Jean’s new novel, Mika in Real Life, follows thirty-five-year-old Mika after she was just fired from her job, and while she is recovering from a long-term relationship that ended on bad terms, and was consistently disappointing her Japanese American parents. One day, Mike receives a life changing call from the baby girl she gave up for adoption sixteen years ago, Penny. Penny is bright and fun and determined to meet Mika who is now scrambling to make her life appear more picture perfect than it truly is. This is a heartwarming exploration of motherhood, the danger of secrets, and a hopeful tale about finding ourselves in our closest relationships.
I spoke with Emiko about her transition from YA to adult fiction, creating personable characters, and her writing process.
I know Mika In Real Life is your first non-YA piece, when in the writing process did you know it would be aimed at adults? Did you know at the beginning, or did it evolve over time?
I’ve always wanted to write adult fiction and was just waiting for the right story to present itself. I knew Mika in Real Life would be an adult novel because I wanted to explore themes better suited for an older audience, such as intergenerational trauma, transracial adoption, and motherhood.
How did Mika come to be and do aspects of your own personality ever manifest in your characters?
I heard Ocean Vuong once say something like: you start with truth and end with art. I find this applies broadly to most of my work. Mika, her family, and her history are fictional. Still, there are places where you might find me in her personality—the self-deprecating humor and the struggle with living up to expectations, for example.
You have experience in multiple genres from thriller to fantasy to contemporary, does genre drive your writing, or the other way around?
Writing drives the genre. In that, it depends on what I want to explore. What question I’m asking. I did write a fantasy, but I wouldn’t again. Ancient Japan loosely inspired the fantasy, and at the time, I was reconnecting with my Japanese roots, and that story reflects that. I’m enjoying writing contemporary now and believe I’ll stay here for a long time.
Your bio also boasts multiple interests and hobbies, do you believe these help you as a writer? I find the most interested people make the best writers.
My different interests and hobbies have shaped my writing, and I find myself tapping into these experiences and using them on the page.
As a successful writer, what would you say is your writing process? Has it changed from book to book and evolved?
The writing process is constantly evolving for me. I drafted my first book without an outline or much intent regarding character arc, theme, or plot. Since then, I’ve honed the craft and work from a pretty tight outline where I’ve established the major milestones in the story. I think this helps in terms of being able to draft quickly, but I still usually need multiple rounds of revisions.
Is there anything you are reading right now that you would like to recommend?
I am halfway through Jamie Ford’s The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, and it’s a beautiful intergenerational story. I highly recommend it!
Emiko Jean is the author of Tokyo Ever After, Empress of all Seasons, and We'll Never be Apart. When Emiko is not writing, she is reading. Most of her friends are imaginary. Before she became a writer she was an entomologist (fancy name for bug catcher), a candle maker, a florist, and most recently a teacher. She lives in Washington with her husband and children (unruly twins). She loves the rain. You may find her at emikojean.com or on Instagram at emikojeanbooks.
About the Interviewer
Katie Iser is a project manager and writer living in Baltimore, Maryland. She recently received her Masters in writing from Towson University. She has been published in Ligeia Magazine, Next Page Ink Magazine, and enjoys writing creative nonfiction. In her free time enjoys watching birds, playing video games, and petting her cats.
