Greetings Younglings,

For this month's edition, we had the chance to talk Cassandra Mae with about her featured Asian Pacific stories!

About the Author

Cass/clumatic is a sometimes oblivious window-seat snatcher who has a dramatic (honestly, it's kind of boring) love affair with food and books. She is a Wattpad writer who was lucky enough to win the Wattys 2021 in the Filipino ChickLit category for her story entitled, . You can find her trying her best to complete all her ongoing works on , and occasionally posting snippets of her works and random selfies on her writer account on.

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About the Book of the Month - Write Me A Letter

"Brie... I'm sorry. You're a great person and all, but I just don't-"
"Stop," Brie said, a slight quiver to her voice. "Write it down. I'd rather read it than hear the person I love break my heart. If you're going to hurt me, write me a letter. At least then, you wouldn't get to see me cry."
A story told through and between fifteen letters, and though individually different, they pretty much hurt the same.
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1. How did your journey as a writer begin on Wattpad? What aspects of writing on the platform do you find most appealing?

My journey began in high school. I was a curious teenager who found the concept of reading a "screen" confusing. There was a rave among my peers back then about how addicting Wattpad stories were. As someone who wanted to see if online writing could be as interesting as traditional books, I began reading on Wattpad Web.

After reading a couple of One Direction fan fics and stories about quarterbacks that made me giggle at night, I decided to write my very first story on the platform.

I think Wattpad's selling point for writers like myself is the countless opportunities it can provide you – writer-reader interaction, unlimited editing, a huge platform, the lack of restriction when it comes to reinventing yourself as a writer, and my favorite: the loving community.

2. The heartbreak in your story is a captivating concept that will undoubtedly resonate with readers. What inspired you to delve into this theme, and what sets your portrayal of heartbreak apart?

That was my sad girl era, honestly lol. Kidding aside, I feel like Write Me a Letter features heartbreak in a very melancholy way. It was written with the intention of showing what it's like to move on and try and fail. It's also a lot more personal since there are letters and we get to read the POV of Brie directly from her. I wouldn't say that it's highly unique and creative, but if you're a reader looking for a story that can put into words the feelings that you never got the chance to fully grasp or say, this might be for you.

3. If Xander had refused Bre's request for a letter, do you think the rest of the story would have played out differently? Or would Bre have persisted in her attempts to reconcile with Xander?

Brie's character is stubborn so I believe she would've had to embarrass herself in a way that would be a little too much for most of Write Me a Letter's readers before she gives up lol. But she's young, and aside from being someone she loved, Xander was a friend.

4. How did you ensure that the representation of your Asian character was authentic and empowering in your story, and what challenges did you encounter while developing this character? How did you overcome those challenges to create a character who was both relatable and inspiring for readers of all backgrounds?

I'm Filipino so it matters to me that Asian characters or any ethnicity for that matter are represented properly. Although this story is yet to be thoroughly edited and I've grown so much since writing this, I feel like I did an okay job of representing Xander.

I guess what made my characters relatable for all backgrounds is the fact that a good majority of us felt what it was like to feel for someone.

5. Are there any particular romantic tropes you would like to explore in future young adult novels? What draws you to these tropes?

Oh, definitely! I'd love to write the classic boy-next-door love story with a twist. Or maybe a summer romance. Ever since I was a teenager, novels and stories like this have always been my comfort read. It excites me every time two stubborn people find love and rediscover themselves.

6. For aspiring writers looking to incorporate romance into their young adult novels, what advice would you offer to help them craft a compelling story and create believable characters? Can you draw on your own experiences to provide examples?

Don't be afraid to draw inspiration from your environment. This held me back when I was younger, I was too conscious about making sure that none of my characters sound ANY bit similar to the people I know, celebrities, or any person who could read my work. It reached the point wherein I don't know who my characters are anymore. Although it's true that we must be conscious of what we write and we have to make sure we don't (in most cases) put any identifying information or "actual" people in our works, we must also acknowledge that a lot of people are similar in one way or another.

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Thank you for having a chat with us!

Check out the authors' works in the profile account @clumatic!

Have you read their works? Any author to suggest to us for next month?