Subtle Asian Book Club is proud to present our first ever virtual conference, ✨ Subtle Asian Book Con! ✨ Mark your calendars and get excited.

The conference is completely ~free~, but we are hosting an auction fundraiser for The Very Asian Foundation and We Need Diverse Books's May Book Project which helps schools and libraries maintain robust Asian literature collections. Check out what's for auction on our Instagram! Special thank you to Illumicrate, DOMI, and Emme Essentials for kindly donating items to auction.

When? Saturday, May 28th

Where? Our YouTube Channel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2S-qSKaOX4&

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

OPENING KEYNOTE

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM PT / 12:00 PM - 12:10 PM ET

Jason Chu from #HateIsAVirus

Jason Chu is the Director of Communications at #HateIsAVirus, a non-profit organization which aims to combat hate and racism against communities of color by engaging, educating and mobilizing our AAPI community across generations to stand up for our own community and communities beyond. Outside of his non-profit work, Jason is also an Asian-American hip-hop and spoken word artist based in LA.

PANEL 1: It's Your World, and We're Just Living in It

Dive into the art of fantasy world-building with masters of the craft

9:10 AM - 10:00 AM PT / 12:10 PM - 1:00 PM ET

Moderated by: Tiffany @readbytiffany

Tiffany a Taiwanese-American book blogger and Bookstagrammer. She had the idea of creating Subtle Asian Book Club in December of 2019 and ~~dragged~~ encouraged Alexandra to join in launching the project. She manages the logistical side of the club. Some of her favorite books include The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan, and Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen. She can be found reading webtoons and brainstorming new ideas.

Nghi Vo

Nghi Vo is the author of the novels Siren Queen and The Chosen and the Beautiful, as well as the acclaimed novellas When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain and The Empress of Salt and Fortune, a Locus and Ignyte Award finalist and the winner of the Crawford Award and the Hugo Award. Born in Illinois, she now lives on the shores of Lake Michigan. She believes in the ritual of lipstick, the power of stories, and the right to change your mind.

Vaishnavi Patel

Vaishnavi Patel is a law student focusing on constitutional law and civil rights. She likes to write at the intersection of Indian myth, feminism, and anti-colonialism. Her short stories can be found in The Dark and 87 Bedford’s Historical Fantasy Anthology along with a forthcoming story in Helios Quarterly. She was also a Pitch Wars class of 2019 mentee. Vaishnavi grew up in and around Chicago, and in her spare time, enjoys activities that are almost stereotypically Midwestern: knitting, ice skating, drinking hot chocolate, and making hotdish.

F. C. Yee

F. C. Yee grew up in New Jersey and went to school in New England, but has called the San Francisco Bay Area home ever since he beat a friend at a board game and shouted “That’s how we do it in NorCal, baby!” Outside of writing, he practices capoeira, a Brazilian form of martial arts, and has a day job mostly involving spreadsheets. He is also the author of The Kyoshi Novels and The Epic Crush of Genie Lo novels.

PANEL 2: Writing 101: Tips for Aspiring Authors

Embark on the journey of an author throughout various stages of their writing career

10:00 AM - 10:55 AM PT / 1:00 PM - 1:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Lilian Lai

Lilian Lai is a Taiwanese diaspora born and raised in Europe. A Pitch Wars 2021 alum, she was selected for her first YA novel After Emmy, which explores themes of diaspora and identity. Lilian is a former book blogger with a focus on diverse literature, and graduated summa cum laude from university, where she studied in the medical field. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found playing the piano and dreaming of fostering a puppy.

Axie Oh

Axie Oh is a first generation Korean American, born in NYC and raised in New Jersey. She studied Korean history and creative writing as an undergrad at the University of California – San Diego and holds an MFA from Lesley University in Writing for Young People. Her passions include K-pop, anime, stationery supplies, and milk tea. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her puppy, Toro.

Em X. Liu

Em X. Liu, author of The Death I Gave Him, is a writer and recent biochemistry graduate, which means they are fascinated by stories of artificial intelligence and Shakespeare in equal measure. Their work takes inspiration from a myriad of sources, from their current studies in medical school to the latest releases from their favourite K-pop idols. They are chronically cold-blooded but nonetheless resides in Ontario, Canada.

Trinity Nguyen

Trinity Nguyen is a Vietnamese American writer and a recent graduate from Franklin & Marshall College. Her stories center around chaotic immigrant families, the expansive diaspora, and queer girls with big smiles and big hearts. She is an Avengers of Color Mentorship 2021 alum and is represented by BookEnds Literary Agency.

Judy I. Lin

Judy I. Lin, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of the Book of Tea duology (A Magic Steeped in Poison and A Venom Dark and Sweet), was born in Taiwan and immigrated to Canada with her family at a young age. She grew up with her nose in a book and loved to escape to imaginary worlds. She now works as an occupational therapist and still spends her nights dreaming up imaginary worlds of her own. She lives on the Canadian prairies with her husband and daughters.

Michelle Quach

Michelle Quach is a graphic designer and writer living in Los Angeles. She’s Chinese Vietnamese American and a graduate of Harvard University, where she studied history and literature. She loves rom-coms, characters who don't always do the right thing, and any dog that kind of looks like her dog. Her debut novel, Not Here to Be Liked, was a NYTimes new and upcoming YA book to watch for, as well as an NPR, Kirkus, and Parents Magazine best book of the year. It was also shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 3: Lunch Break!

Grab a snack as we explore the role of food in literature and Asian culture

11:00 AM - 11:55 AM PT / 2:00 PM - 2:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Alyxandria @alyxandriaang

Alyxandria Ang is a Taiwanese and Chinese-American content creator who moved from NYC to Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is graduating from Macalester College with a dual degree in Environmental Studies and Creative Writing. Alyx has a passion for storytelling, acappella and researching phytoplankton under a microscope. Her content focused on diverse books from BIPOC authors, mental health awareness and underrated stories and voices.

Jennifer Yen

Jennifer Yen is a Taiwanese American author of A Taste For Love and Love, Decoded. She draws much of her inspiration from her Chinese and Japanese heritage. Jennifer lives in Houston, Texas with her adorable rescue dog. She spends her days healing the hearts of others, and her nights writing about love, family, and the power of acceptance. She believes in the magic of one's imagination, and hopes her stories will bring joy and inspiration to readers.

Mia P. Manansala

Mia P. Manansala is a writer and book coach from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her millennial love for pop culture. She is the winner of the 2022 RUSA Reading List for Mystery, 2021 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, 2018 Hugh Holton Award, the 2018 Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award, the 2017 William F. Deeck - Malice Domestic Grant for Unpublished Writers, and the 2016 Mystery Writers of America/Helen McCloy Scholarship. She was shortlisted for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery/Thriller and the 2021 CHIRBy Award for Fiction by the Chicago Review of Books. She's also a 2017 Pitch Wars alum and 2018-2020 mentor.

Loan Le

Loan Le is the author of A Phở Love Story, a YA rom-com that earned praise from NPR, POPSUGAR, Bustle, Bon Appetit, USA TODAY, and Buzzfeed and upcoming novel, Solving for the Unknown. Her speculative short story will appear in Firsts & Lasts, a YA anthology that Penguin Workshop is publishing in Fall 2023. She is an editor at Atria Books, a Simon & Schuster adult imprint, where she acquires dark fiction. When Loan isn’t writing young adult novels, she’s writing ghostly, dark adult fiction, watching slow-burn K-Dramas, and listening to BTS.

Kat Lieu
Subtle Asian Baking

Kat Lieu, formerly a doctor of physical therapy, is the founder of the popular Subtle Asian Baking and the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home. Radii China has dubbed her the doyenne of Asian-style home baking. She is currently a full-time author and recipe developer at modernasianbaking.com. Originally from New York City, she now calls Washington state her home. Lieu is also the founder of a popular online baking group called Subtle Asian Baking (SAB).

Clarissa Wei
Climate Cuisine

Clarissa Wei is an American Taiwanese freelance journalist based in Taipei. Her writing has been published in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, VICE, National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Monocle, Eater, Bon Appetit, Nikkei Asian Review, CNN, NPR, among others. Video clients include VICE News Tonight, Vox, and SBS Dateline. She is the host and producer of Climate Cuisine, a podcast part of the Whetstone Radio Collective that explores how sustainable crops are used in similar climate zones around the world.

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 4: A Heart Is A Heavy Burden

Prepare some tissues as we discuss the importance of themes of mental health, familial bonds, and queer identity in fiction

12:00 PM - 12:55 PM PT / 3:00 PM - 3:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Breana @milkyboos

Breana is a Vietnamese-American content creator with a deep love of adventure stories and any book that will make her ugly cry. When she's not reading another soul-crushing novel, you can find her binge watching the latest episode of her favorite shounen anime, listening to TWICE's greatest hits, or playing with her demon puppy Tofu.

Adib Khorram

Adib Khorram is the author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay, which earned the William C. Morris Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, and a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor, as well as a multitude of other honors and accolades. His followup, Darius the Great Deserves Better, received three starred reviews, was an Indie Bestseller, and received a Stonewall Honor. His debut picture book, Seven Special Somethings: A Nowruz Story was released in 2021. When he isn’t writing, you can find him learning to do a Lutz jump, practicing his handstands, or steeping a cup of oolong. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where people don’t usually talk about themselves in the third person.

Lyla Lee

Lyla Lee is the author of young adult novels like I'll Be the One and the upcoming Flip the Script (May 2022). She also writes the Mindy Kim series for younger readers. Born in South Korea, she’s since then lived in various cities throughout the United States. Inspired by her English teacher, she started writing her own stories in fourth grade and finished her first novel at the age of fourteen. After working various jobs in Hollywood and studying Psychology and Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, she now lives in Dallas, Texas. When she’s not writing, she likes to look for cute cafes and play with her dog, Eiva the Siberian Husky.

Trung Le Nguyen

Trung Le Capecchi-Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American comic book artist and writer from Minnesota. He was born in a refugee camp somewhere in the Philippine province of Palawan. Trung’s first original graphic novel, The Magic Fish, was published in 2020 through Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It won two Harvey Awards. Trung has also contributed work for DC Comics, Oni Press, Boom! Studios, and Image Comics. He currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raises three very spoiled hens. He is fond of fairy tales, kids' cartoons, and rom-coms of all stripes.

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 5: So You Want To Work In Publishing?

Let's chat about everything you wanted to know about working in the publishing industry and more!

1:00 PM - 1:55 PM PT / 4:00 PM - 4:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Jananie @thisstoryaintover

Jananie K. Velu is a Tamil diaspora online content creator born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Between her YouTube channel and her book club, Read in Colour, Jananie’s objective has always been to help readers expand their horizons to the wonderful shades of our world and read more diversely. After starting her career in book publishing, Jananie has now moved on to product marketing for eReaders and works on her own writing in the evenings when she isn’t editing her next video.

Jessica Yang

Jessica Yang is an Assistant Editor at Quirk Books, windowsill gardener, and SFF writer. In years part, she crafted absolutely terrible puns as a game writer, but now she works in publishing where she hardly makes puns at all. She can be found on Instagram and Twitter @jamteayang.

DJ DeSmyter

DJ DeSmyter is a professional bookworm in pursuit of magic. He is currently an Associate Director of Marketing for William Morrow and Avon Books at HarperCollins and is responsible for title-specific marketing campaigns as well overseeing the Avon Books brand at large. When he’s not reading, he can be found wandering with his camera in hand, or making friends with cats. You can follow him at @lifeinfiction on Instagram and Twitter.

Elizabeth Lee

Elizabeth Lee is an editor acquiring middle grade, young adult, and the select picture book at Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. She is honored to have edited books by New York Times-bestselling and award-winning authors such as Libba Bray, Rex Ogle, Joshua Davis, and Reyna Grande. She is currently hungry for emotionally nuanced, character-driven contemporary and light fantasy stories that make you weep or giggle with joy. When she is not editing, she writes children's books under the pen name, E.L. Shen. Her debut middle grade novel, The Comeback (Macmillan), earned two starred reviews and was praised in The New York Times for its "fast-paced prose, authentic dialogue, and big emotions." Her young adult debut, The Queens of New York (HarperCollins), will be published in Summer 2023. Find Elizabeth on Twitter at @eleereads.

Jane Lee

Jane Lee leads with curiosity and a burning desire to analyze her favorite things to death. She’s easily obsessed—don’t get her started on design + branding, content creation, why cover letters matter, or home decor trends—and loves to share why over a delicious meal. She is currently the senior manager of membership development at Reese’s Book Club, where she will literally talk your ear off about the craft of storytelling and character building, while dreaming up new ways to bring people together, and has previously worked on young adult books and communities in publishing.

Rebecca Kuss

Rebecca Kuss (she/her) is a senior editor at Rick Riordan Presents & Disney Hyperion, specializing in middle grade and young adult fiction. Previously, she was an editor with HarperCollins and also worked as a Netflix's book-to-film scout for their children's division. She was raised by a hard working immigrant mom in the icy suburbs of Wisconsin, where she spent her time finding cozy spots to read in her public library. With a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, where she studied issues of representation in children's literature, she then came to New York City to champion stories that provide mirrors, windows, and doors for marginalized and underrepresented voices. In 2021, she joined DiverseVoices, Inc. as the #DVpit and #DVart co-manager. Follow her on twitter @reebsthereader for daily thoughts on Claudia Kishi, the perfect french fry, and of course, books.

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 6: Let's Hit the (Book) Clubs!

What is the value of book clubs, and how do they help foster a love for reading? Let's discuss!

2:00 PM - 2:55 PM PT / 5:00 PM - 5:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Alexandra @twirlingpages

Alexandra is a Chinese-American digital creator. She spearheads the design (including this site!), branding, and expansion of the club. Some of her favorite books include The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang, Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang, and Turtles All the Way Down, by John Green. She can be found working after work, studying films, and eating bread.

Ellias
The Late Night Book Club

Ellias is a Vietnamese-American YouTuber based in Los Angeles, California. He's often found surrounded by many books, getting boba, or being creative. He's one of the co-hosts of The Late Night Book Club, a book club that talks about books late into the night.

Jananie
Read in Colour Book Club

Reera
Books
and Boba

Reera is one of the podcast co-host of Books and Boba, a book club podcast dedicated to reading books by Asian and Asian American authors. When she's not reading or working on the pod, she can be found writing, discovering new reads, and listening to BTS.

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 7: A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

Screaming, crying, throwing up...let's talk about all your favorite manga, graphic novels, & webcomics

3:00 PM - 3:55 PM PT / 6:00 PM - 6:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Nina @tendercuriosity

Nina Le is a Vietnamese-American bookstagrammer with a love for compelling narratives and morally bankrupt characters. She's especially fond of stories that hurt, but swears she's not a masochist. Her favorite feeling is the tender curiosity of starting a book that will become her next favorite. You can find her in quiet coffee corners, at the manga section of bookstores, or serving her overlord (cat) Winston.

Breana
@milkyboos

Trinh
@trinhsformerz

Trinh is a Vietnamese-American creator who loves sharing her favorite books and discovering new reads. She also enjoys journaling and making beautiful bujo spreads. When she's not shopping for a new book, she can be found talking walks and playing with her adorable dog Miko.

Blake @blakebookeater

Blake is a Booktuber and Bookstagrammer based in sunny Southern California. As noted in his name, Blake loves to devour books with some of his favorites being Heartstopper and anything written by Brandon Sanderson. Blake can also be found listening to K-Pop and discovering new shows.

Tiffany @readbytiffany

Tiffany @quilltreefox

Tiffany is a Taiwanese-American reader who loves books, manga, and webcomics. She's also an avid fan of anime, K-Pop, and K-Dramas. When she's not reading her favorite series or watching her favorite shows, you can find her drawing art and lettering for her Redbubble shop. Tiffany is active on Instagram, Twitter, and her blog where she shares her book reviews and recommendations.

PANEL 8: No Thoughts...Just Vibes

The title speaks for itself 🤡

4:00 PM - 4:55 PM PT / 7:00 PM - 7:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Alexandra @twirlingpages & Tiffany @readbytiffany

Chloe Gong

Chloe Gong is the New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights duology and Foul Lady Fortune. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York pretending to be a real adult.

Dustin Thao

Dustin Thao is a Vietnamese American writer based in New York City. He graduated from Amherst College with a B.A. in Political Science, and is currently in a PhD program at Northwestern University where he studies critical media literacy. He writes contemporary fiction, and his debut novel You’ve Reached Sam is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller.

Tashie Bhuiyan

Tashie Bhuiyan is the author of Counting Down with You, and a New Yorker through and through. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Public Relations, and hopes to change the world, one book at a time. She loves writing stories about girls with wild hearts, boys who wear rings, and gaining agency through growth. She can be found in a Chipotle or bookstore, insisting 2010 is the best year in cinematic history. (Read: Tangled and Inception.)

Xiran Jay Zhao

Xiran Jay Zhao is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Widow series and Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. A first-gen Hui Chinese immigrant from small-town China to Vancouver, Canada, they were raised by the Internet and made the inexplicable decision to leave their biochem degree in the dust to write books and make educational content instead. You can find them on Twitter for memes, Instagram for cosplays and fancy outfits, TikTok for fun short videos, and YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture.

Grace Li

Grace D. Li grew up in Pearland, Texas, and is a graduate of Duke University, where she studied biology and creative writing. She currently attends medical school at Stanford University. Her debut novel, Portrait of a Thief, was an instant New York Times bestseller and is also in development at Netflix.

CLOSING

4:55 PM - 5:00 PM PT / 7:55 PM - 8:00 PM ET

We hope to see you there! 🤍

Team Subtle Asian Book Club

When? Saturday, May 28th

Where? Our YouTube Channel!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

OPENING KEYNOTE

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM PT / 12:00 PM - 12:10 PM ET

Jason Chu from #HateIsAVirus

PANEL 1: It's Your World, and We're Just Living in It

Dive into the art of fantasy world-building with masters of the craft

9:10 AM - 10:00 AM PT / 12:10 PM - 1:00 PM ET

Moderated by: Tiffany @readbytiffany

Nghi Vo

Vaishnavi Patel

F. C. Yee

PANEL 2: Writing 101: Tips for Aspiring Authors

Embark on the journey of an author throughout various stages of their writing career

10:00 AM - 10:55 AM PT / 1:00 PM - 1:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Lilian Lai

Axie Oh

Em X. Liu

Trinity Nguyen

Judy I. Lin

Michelle Quach

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 3: Lunch Break!

Grab a snack as we explore the role of food in literature and Asian culture

11:00 AM - 11:55 AM PT / 2:00 PM - 2:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Alyxandria @alyxandriaang

Jennifer Yen

Mia P. Manansala

Loan Le

Kat Lieu Subtle Asian Baking

Clarissa Wei Climate Cuisine

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 4: A Heart Is A Heavy Burden

Prepare some tissues as we discuss the importance of themes of mental health, familial bonds, and queer identity in fiction

12:00 PM - 12:55 PM PT / 3:00 PM - 3:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Breana @milkyboos

Adib Khorram

Lyla Lee

Trung Le Nguyen

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 5: So You Want To Work In Publishing?

Let's chat about everything you wanted to know about working in the publishing industry and more!

1:00 PM - 1:55 PM PT / 4:00 PM - 4:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Jananie @thisstoryaintover

Jessica Yang

DJ DeSmyter

Elizabeth Lee

Jane Lee

Rebecca Kuss

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 6: Let's Hit the (Book) Clubs!

What is the value of book clubs, and how do they help foster a love for reading? Let's discuss!

2:00 PM - 2:55 PM PT / 5:00 PM - 5:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Alexandra @twirlingpages

ElliasThe Late Night Book Club

Jananie Read in Colour Book Club

Reera Books and Boba

📖 5 minute break! 📖

PANEL 7: A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

Screaming, crying, throwing up...let's talk about all your favorite manga, graphic novels, & webcomics

3:00 PM - 3:55 PM PT / 6:00 PM - 6:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Nina @tendercuriosity

Breana @milkyboos

Trinh @trinhsformerz

Blake @blakebookeater

Tiffany @readbytiffany

Tiffany @quilltreefox

PANEL 8: No Thoughts...Just Vibes

The title speaks for itself 🤡

4:00 PM - 4:55 PM PT / 7:00 PM - 7:55 PM ET

Moderated by: Alexandra @twirlingpages & Tiffany @readbytiffany

Chloe Gong

Dustin Thao

Tashie Bhuiyan

Xiran Jay Zhao

Grace Li

CLOSING

4:55 PM - 5:00 PM PT / 7:55 PM - 8:00 PM ET

We hope to see you there! 🤍

Kat Lieu
Subtle Asian Baking

Clarissa Wei
Climate Cuisine

Ellias
The Late Night Book Club

Jananie
Read in Colour Book Club

Reera
Books
and Boba

Breana
@milkyboos

Trinh
@trinhsformerz