To kick off week two of A-spec April, we have the lovely Akemi Dawn Bowman here for an interview! Akemi is the author of our second group read, Summer Bird Blue, which features a multiracial Asian teen who is questioning identities on the asexual and aromantic spectrums. I am so thrilled that so many of us will be reading her book this week and that she is here for an interview!
You can read more about Summer Bird Blue on Goodreads
You can read more about Summer Bird Blue on Goodreads
Akemi Dawn Bowman is the award-winning author of Starfish, Summer Bird Blue, Harley in the Sky (March 2020), The Infinity Courts series (Spring 2021), and Generation Misfits (Winter 2021). She’s a proud Ravenclaw and Star Wars enthusiast who served in the US Navy for five years and has a BA in social sciences from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She currently lives in Scotland with her husband, two children, and their Pekingese mix.
1. Thank you so much for joining me for A-spec April! Your latest novel has a main character who is questioning asexual and aromantic identities. At what point in the planning of Summer Bird Blue did you realize you were going to write an a-spec character? What influenced this decision?
Thanks so much for having me! I knew Rumi was going to be questioning where she fit on the asexual and aromantic spectrums long before I’d even finalized the plot. I tend to think up characters first—who they are, what they want, what they’re feeling—and then I usually build the world and plot around them. I think I’m always putting pieces of myself into my stories, so Rumi’s feelings on identity were very much feelings I had, too. I always say it’s impossible to write a perfect book for everyone, and it’s equally impossible to fit every human experience into one book. So I write the books I needed as a teen. They’re influenced by experiences I’ve lived through, which I guess is the short answer to the question!
Thanks so much for having me! I knew Rumi was going to be questioning where she fit on the asexual and aromantic spectrums long before I’d even finalized the plot. I tend to think up characters first—who they are, what they want, what they’re feeling—and then I usually build the world and plot around them. I think I’m always putting pieces of myself into my stories, so Rumi’s feelings on identity were very much feelings I had, too. I always say it’s impossible to write a perfect book for everyone, and it’s equally impossible to fit every human experience into one book. So I write the books I needed as a teen. They’re influenced by experiences I’ve lived through, which I guess is the short answer to the question!
2. What did you find most challenging and most rewarding about writing an a-spec character? Do you think it was more difficult to write a questioning character instead of one who was already confident in her identity?
Marginalized writers who write about their own experiences are often told their stories are “too quiet,” “too niche,” or “too hard to sell.” But we need windows and mirrors in books, so these stories are so important. I’m very grateful all the stars aligned and I had the support to tell this story. The most rewarding part by far is when readers tell me they feel seen for the first time. As far as questioning rep being more difficult to write, I don’t think that’s the case. At least for me! I always try to write with honesty, and for Rumi, questioning labels and where she fits is just her truth. So in that sense, it felt natural to write. It’s possible for someone to be questioning and still feel confident about their identity. They can be confident about questioning, and that’s okay! This is a big message in SUMMER BIRD BLUE—that it’s okay to be confused, and it’s okay to not be confused. Both are valid, and not having all the answers or labels doesn’t mean you’re “missing” anything.
3. How did you identify Rumi’s orientation on the page? Did you use the terms “aromantic” and “asexual” in the text and how did you come to that decision?
Ultimately Rumi decides she’d identify as asexual and somewhere on the aromantic spectrum, but also acknowledges she has mixed feelings about using labels. I think this is true to Rumi. For anyone who has read the book, you probably already know Rumi likes to make up her own rules! But the terminology is absolutely in the book. I think it was important to acknowledge how varied the asexual and aromantic spectrums are, because not everyone who identities as a-spec shares the exact same experience. I didn’t want anyone to think Rumi’s thoughts were representative of anyone other than herself. Because at the end of the day, the way someone identifies is incredibly personal, even if many of us still use the same labels.
4. In writing an a-spec character, did you do research and consult sensitivity readers or did you rely on your prior knowledge or experiences?
I relied quite heavily on my own experiences, definitely.
5. Summer Bird Blue has an aroace MC but is still very much a story about love. How did you approach this in the planning and writing process?
Love comes in so many different forms. I think sometimes society puts such a huge importance on romantic love that other forms of love get looked at as “lesser.” I wanted to show how full of love Rumi’s life actually is, regardless of whether she’s interested in dating or not. At its core, SUMMER BIRD BLUE is a love story—it’s a love story between sisters, and a love story between a mother and daughter who are trying to find their way back to one another.
6. You publish traditionally with a large publishing house. Did you ever worry about whether they would want to acquire a book with a main character like Rumi who is aroace, multiracial, and struggles with mental health?
I am very lucky to have a fabulous editor and wonderful support from the Simon Pulse team. They’ve always been so encouraging about the stories I want to tell, and I think it’s clear from their incredible list how much they care about publishing diverse stories. (Sandhya Menon, Cindy Pon, and Gloria Chao are just a few of my editor siblings, and their books are FABULOUS. Add them to your reading piles if you haven’t already!) So yes, I feel very lucky, because I know many authors who are told their books are too “issue driven,” when really, they’re just about real people. Sexuality, romantic orientation, race, mental health… For me, these are not boxes to check off a list. They just make up who I am as a person, but I’m also more than my labels. And I write my characters that way, too. So yes, I’m very grateful to have a supportive publisher who understands this.
7. What was your first experience with seeing asexual or aromantic characters in fiction and media?
Truthfully, I can’t even remember. I’m not sure there has ever really been a moment where I felt “seen” in this way, which is a huge part of why I wanted to write SUMMER BIRD BLUE. I grew up in the nineties which was practically the decade of rom coms, really. And I’m not saying some of those movies weren’t super fun, but it was also sort of the same boy-meets-girl story over and over. It felt like more of an expectation than a story, if that makes sense. I didn’t feel like there was a space for what I was feeling, which is why I’m so glad a-spec YA books are having a good year. I hope it continues to improve going forward!
Marginalized writers who write about their own experiences are often told their stories are “too quiet,” “too niche,” or “too hard to sell.” But we need windows and mirrors in books, so these stories are so important. I’m very grateful all the stars aligned and I had the support to tell this story. The most rewarding part by far is when readers tell me they feel seen for the first time. As far as questioning rep being more difficult to write, I don’t think that’s the case. At least for me! I always try to write with honesty, and for Rumi, questioning labels and where she fits is just her truth. So in that sense, it felt natural to write. It’s possible for someone to be questioning and still feel confident about their identity. They can be confident about questioning, and that’s okay! This is a big message in SUMMER BIRD BLUE—that it’s okay to be confused, and it’s okay to not be confused. Both are valid, and not having all the answers or labels doesn’t mean you’re “missing” anything.
3. How did you identify Rumi’s orientation on the page? Did you use the terms “aromantic” and “asexual” in the text and how did you come to that decision?
Ultimately Rumi decides she’d identify as asexual and somewhere on the aromantic spectrum, but also acknowledges she has mixed feelings about using labels. I think this is true to Rumi. For anyone who has read the book, you probably already know Rumi likes to make up her own rules! But the terminology is absolutely in the book. I think it was important to acknowledge how varied the asexual and aromantic spectrums are, because not everyone who identities as a-spec shares the exact same experience. I didn’t want anyone to think Rumi’s thoughts were representative of anyone other than herself. Because at the end of the day, the way someone identifies is incredibly personal, even if many of us still use the same labels.
4. In writing an a-spec character, did you do research and consult sensitivity readers or did you rely on your prior knowledge or experiences?
I relied quite heavily on my own experiences, definitely.
5. Summer Bird Blue has an aroace MC but is still very much a story about love. How did you approach this in the planning and writing process?
Love comes in so many different forms. I think sometimes society puts such a huge importance on romantic love that other forms of love get looked at as “lesser.” I wanted to show how full of love Rumi’s life actually is, regardless of whether she’s interested in dating or not. At its core, SUMMER BIRD BLUE is a love story—it’s a love story between sisters, and a love story between a mother and daughter who are trying to find their way back to one another.
6. You publish traditionally with a large publishing house. Did you ever worry about whether they would want to acquire a book with a main character like Rumi who is aroace, multiracial, and struggles with mental health?
I am very lucky to have a fabulous editor and wonderful support from the Simon Pulse team. They’ve always been so encouraging about the stories I want to tell, and I think it’s clear from their incredible list how much they care about publishing diverse stories. (Sandhya Menon, Cindy Pon, and Gloria Chao are just a few of my editor siblings, and their books are FABULOUS. Add them to your reading piles if you haven’t already!) So yes, I feel very lucky, because I know many authors who are told their books are too “issue driven,” when really, they’re just about real people. Sexuality, romantic orientation, race, mental health… For me, these are not boxes to check off a list. They just make up who I am as a person, but I’m also more than my labels. And I write my characters that way, too. So yes, I’m very grateful to have a supportive publisher who understands this.
7. What was your first experience with seeing asexual or aromantic characters in fiction and media?
Truthfully, I can’t even remember. I’m not sure there has ever really been a moment where I felt “seen” in this way, which is a huge part of why I wanted to write SUMMER BIRD BLUE. I grew up in the nineties which was practically the decade of rom coms, really. And I’m not saying some of those movies weren’t super fun, but it was also sort of the same boy-meets-girl story over and over. It felt like more of an expectation than a story, if that makes sense. I didn’t feel like there was a space for what I was feeling, which is why I’m so glad a-spec YA books are having a good year. I hope it continues to improve going forward!
8. What is your favorite book (or books) with asexual or aromantic characters?
I have to admit I am massively behind on my reading. I’ve been jumping from deadline to deadline, and I feel like I barely have time to sleep let alone read a book. But I have heard nothing but incredible things about LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE by Claire Kann! It’s very high up on my reading pile, as soon as my schedule clears.
9. What books will we see from you next and do you think we see more ace and aro characters in your future stories?
My next YA contemporary is called HARLEY IN THE SKY and it releases in early 2020. It’s about a girl who dreams of being a trapeze artist in her parents’ Las Vegas circus show, against their wishes. After a disagreement, she runs away to join a rival circus. It started of as pure indulgence to write, because I think I needed to write something lighter after my last two novels, but it still deals with messy family dynamics. I think that’s just my “thing” at this point! I’m also working on my first sci-fi series called THE INFINITY COURTS, which is sort of like The Terminator meets Jane Austen. It’s about an AI who hacks into the afterlife and poses as a queen. I’m having so much fun world-building at the moment. And I’m also plotting my next YA contemporary which is still super secret but I can definitely say that yes, there will be more ace and aro characters in my future stories!
I have to admit I am massively behind on my reading. I’ve been jumping from deadline to deadline, and I feel like I barely have time to sleep let alone read a book. But I have heard nothing but incredible things about LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE by Claire Kann! It’s very high up on my reading pile, as soon as my schedule clears.
9. What books will we see from you next and do you think we see more ace and aro characters in your future stories?
My next YA contemporary is called HARLEY IN THE SKY and it releases in early 2020. It’s about a girl who dreams of being a trapeze artist in her parents’ Las Vegas circus show, against their wishes. After a disagreement, she runs away to join a rival circus. It started of as pure indulgence to write, because I think I needed to write something lighter after my last two novels, but it still deals with messy family dynamics. I think that’s just my “thing” at this point! I’m also working on my first sci-fi series called THE INFINITY COURTS, which is sort of like The Terminator meets Jane Austen. It’s about an AI who hacks into the afterlife and poses as a queen. I’m having so much fun world-building at the moment. And I’m also plotting my next YA contemporary which is still super secret but I can definitely say that yes, there will be more ace and aro characters in my future stories!
Thank you again to Akemi for answering all my questions about Summer Bird Blue! We will be hosting a Twitter chat at the end of the week about this book and I can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts.
Purchase links included in this post are affiliate links and purchases help support the Jellyfable blog.