In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are highlighting stories written by Asian and Pacific Islander authors. Today's interview is with MiyaHikari whose story was a 2022 Wattys Shortlister.

About the Author: MiyaHikari is a farmhand by day, speculative fiction writer by night. As a fourth/third generation Japanese/Korean-American, she enjoys learning more about her own cultures and writing well-rounded female leads who overcome obstacles by drawing on the powerful connections of friends and family.

About 'Whisper of Blade': Whisper of Blade is a 2022 Wattys Shortlister following the story of Minerva, an assassin of royal blood who must separate her enemies from her allies before a vengeful goddess comes to collect. Expect enemies to lovers, elemental powers, and sassy kats with their many tails.

About 'Facing Fear': Facing Fear is a soft Sci-Fi in the LitRPG and VR realm, which follows the journey of Mori Fukutomi as she enters a self-help simulation gone rogue in order to rescue her younger sister. In the world of Valor, Mori will meet old friends, make new ones, and must face her greatest weaknesses if she is to beat the game's intelligent AI: FEAR.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself!

Hi, my name is Miya and I'm a Fantasy and Sci-Fi writer. Some of my hobbies include exercising and working outdoors, playing video and board games, and growing orchids. I also really enjoy listening to K-pop (Carat and Fearnot here!) and watching anime.

2. How do you identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and how has your heritage shaped the person you are today?

I'm half-Japanese, half-Korean, and fully American. While I wish I had better knowledge of the languages and traditions, the values my parents have taught me are rooted deep. Honoring my elders, striving to excel in learning, believing that anything is achievable if you work hard enough are all ways that my heritage has shaped me into who I am today. I hope to pass the same wisdom on to my children, but given that they'll be more racially diverse than I am, I want to teach them to be proud of their heritage but that skin color is secondary to character.

3. Does your family have any traditions that are important to you? Feel free to share at least one experience here!

My family isn't big on traditions, but I would say mealtimes are very important to us XD We always make sure to eat together if possible, and when we have guests over, they say it feels like eating is "an event" at our house. Food is very much a love language too!

4. If you could introduce something from your culture to someone else, what would it be and why? It can be a tradition/custom, food, music, or anything else that comes to mind!

There's so much from my culture that I love to share, whether that's music, anime recommendations (Violet Evergarden is my favorite), or snacks. Food is really important in my family so I'd have to pick that. One of my favorite dishes to cook and share is an easy steamed egg dish called Gyeran-jjim, which is cooked in a stone pot. It's the best with Korean bbq and rice.

5. What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you?

AAPI Heritage month to me is a time to come together and celebrate our different cultures and appreciate other people's stories and experiences. It's a month of sharing, learning, and enriching lives with what each of us has to offer.

6. How do your experiences as an AAPI author shape your stories? Do you take inspiration from your culture to tell your story? You may talk about 1-2 stories here.

I think the most notable example of inspiration from my culture is the kats who populate the world in my book 'Whisper of Blade'. They're many-tailed felines based on the mythological creatures called kitsune in Japanese, or gumiho in Korean, as well as drawing some inspiration from the lucky cat statues called maneki-neko. In terms of my personal experiences, my book Facing Fear pays more homage to my upbringing and culture. I relate a lot to Mori's journey in finding the difference between achieving success and doing what she's passionate about. I wanted to convey that while her more traditional parents can be hard on Mori to chase a perfect life or career, they have great moments of understanding and working together because they want what's best for her in the long-run.

7. What is your favorite myth or legend? Why?

I'd have to say I love the legend of Hachiko, the Akita dog who waited for years at the Shibuya train station when his master passed away and didn't come home. It's a beautiful story of loyalty and the love animals are able to show. 

8. If you could have the same powers as a creature and/or deity from mythology or legends, what would it be? Why?

A Kirin! I think it'd be amazing to walk on water and be known as a guardian of nature.

9. What is your advice for other writers who want to use mythology in their story?

Don't be afraid to use something new! There's so much in mythology to draw on, especially if you're writing fantasy works, and we've hardly scratched the surface. Do your research and you'll be golden! 

That's it for the month, it was fun getting to know about MiyaHikari. You can check her stories featured in our reading list as well as her other works. If you're interested in learning more about other AAPI authors, check out Myth & Legend's AAPIHM reading list here.

Until next time!