I was in high school the first time I ever saw an Asian woman play a lead role in a major TV show. And it was not until I was well into my 30s before I came across a female Asian main character in a fantasy book. In the books, shows and films of my youth, Asian characters were rare; if one was present, they were almost always the unattractive, nerdy sidekick.
It wasn’t always like that, though. When I wrote my very first novel, a speculative sci-fi thriller, it had an entirely white cast, because that’s what I thought I was “supposed” to do if I ever wanted to be published. And at the time that belief was probably true. Back then there was a distinct lack of diversity in literature, and even authors of colour – such as the incredible Tahereh Mafi, who wrote the wildly popular Shatter Me series – stuck to writing predominantly white main characters. I’m so grateful to the aforementioned Asian authors who paved the way and showed me that, yes, stories about people like me do matter.
