Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with ML East
Book Title: Trick of the Spotlight & Face the Music
Released: 05/05/20 & 06/06/22
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance/Kpop
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Trick of the Spotlight”?
East: The source of my inspiration was simple: I like K-Pop and I like J-Pop so I wrote a book about idols from three different countries! That said, the industry can be problematic, and I really wanted to spotlight :) some of the issues prevalent both in our global society–conflicted by generational gaps and rapid globalization–and in the pop music industry–rife with corruption, abuse, and inhuman standards. When my editor and I decided to take this project on, we put together a set of strict rules that grew as the series progressed. Don't sugarcoat the negative underbelly of the industry. Don't romanticize toxicity or abuse. Address real issues head on. Shy away from nothing. Give the readers what they need, not what they want. Avoid any and all overused tropes. And then there's my own personal sadistic rule–be as tricky as possible!
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
East: Funny story–I came up with most of my characters' names while hanging out with my editor and best friend, Marge. We both vividly remember brainstorming over cider slushies at an apple barn in the middle of a Midwestern corn field, scribbling on napkins and cooing over our brand new fictional babies. There's only one name that escaped us at the time, and it came to us later that evening halfway through the back of a Walmart on a cheap wine run–Bae Namgi!
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
East: I want readers to know the same thing that most creators want their audience to appreciate: how much time, research, and passion went into the crafting of this series and its universe. How many sleepless nights were spent polishing each paragraph. And as much as I studied the writing process, editing, formatting, cover design, website design, marketing, et cetera, I also dove down a million hyper-specific bizarro rabbit holes–leather repair, aerial silks, paint toxicity, cinnabar lacquer styles, wine stain tints, holograms, fishing laws... I circled the globe conducting interviews and location research, and when Covid-19 shut that down, I tore apart the internet. Documentaries, vlogs, propaganda, advertisements, Google maps, variety shows, concert footage; you name it, I've consumed it frame-by-frame in my pursuit of accuracy. And don't get me started on my habit of sitting through traumatizing experiences, like major surgeries, injuries, and accidents, and calmly absorbing every detail for the sake of writing a realistic scene later. I've shed literal blood, sweat, and tears. Now it's out of my hands and in yours. Consume it as you will. Whether you want to squeal at it as fan fiction, or vent at its social, racial, and cultural issues, or clutch your pearls at its offensive rhetoric, or just flip through it uninvested, I'm just glad you picked it up
If "Trick of the Spotlight" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
East: Ohh, my goodness. I would just die to see "Trick" on the big screen. My readers and I like to call this series a literary K-drama, so it's just about perfect for that medium. My only request would be that the characters are played by open-minded individuals from Korea, Japan, and the U.S., where my characters are from. And while I am aware that certain embellishments and alterations are necessitated by the adaptation into a new medium, I would ask that the screenplay stick to the core storyline and not pull any punches.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
East: I don't force it. If it's not happening today, it's not happening. I'll go work on some other project, or some other aspect of the book. If it's something that really needs to be written to advance the book, then I'll stop and analyze why the scene is giving me trouble. It's often because I'm trying to get characters to do or say something they don't want, so I'll usually let them have their way and rethink the scene to make all the descriptions and interactions come more naturally.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
East: Just don't stop. A little bit of writing every day goes a long way, and any words are better than none. Above all, write for you, not for anyone else. Writing is hard no matter how much you love it, so do yourself the favor of writing the story you want to write, not whatever the trends demand. That's the only way to churn out a piece of art truly original, unique, and compelling, and that's what this world needs more of.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
East: Actually, my favorite genre has always been fantasy! I started reading Tolkien way, way too young, and to this day, I still enjoy anything with magic, otherworldly creatures, fantastic worlds, and strong gutsy women! It's not fantasy but my favorite book in recent times was "Where the Crawdads Sing." The prose absolutely stole my breath away. Lately, I've been delving into self-help books to try and better myself and achieve more balance as an entrepreneur. I can't recommend "Atomic Habits" enough. Also, I have to say that being a part of the indie author community has been a true gift. Indies take risks, pour their souls into their work, and spread their arms wide in welcome to all budding creators. Reading indie books, and getting to know each of the personalities behind them, has been a life-changing and perspective-altering experience over these past few years, and I feel so blessed and honored to have friends and supporters among my fellow indie authors.
What are you working on next?
East: As you may know, Book 2 for this series, "Face the Music," is already out! So now I'm working on both Book 3, and Book .5! I'm not sure which will be finished first nor when they'll be published, but I'm enjoying the process of getting to know the characters better in the back number, and upping the stakes in Book 3!
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