How does it feel to have She Is a Haunting out in the world, labelled as a New York Times bestseller and being read by so many people?

TRANG: Joy, shock, and gratitude all at once. I never expected this kind of response, so I’m thankful to every bookseller, librarian, and reader who shares She Is a Haunting with someone who might enjoy it. It’s always been a dream to share my stories, and to see this one about a queer, angry, and Vietnamese American girl and an unhinged haunted house reach people makes me so happy.

As someone who loves a good gothic read, this ticks all the boxes and the themes are more complex than a traditional horror story. What elements do you think makes a brilliant horror book?

TRANG: I truly think there is a horror book for every kind of reader. Even for myself, what I pick off a shelf depends on mood. The core pieces that sing for me in horror are: a character voice I want to follow, an atmosphere to get lost in, and the occasional line that cuts me in real life. I really like stories that relate horror to some kind of personal shortcoming or fear. (Okay it doesn’t hurt if there’s a gorgeous ghost or monster, too.)

Vietnamese culture plays a huge part in the novel, from food to family and the language. Being a Vietnamese American author yourself, how important is it for you to showcase this aspect in your writing?

TRANG: Every story I write is influenced, however subtly, by my Vietnamese upbringing. It can’t be helped, I think, for my experiences of food, family, and belonging to naturally work itself into the nuances. But I’m proud to be writing Vietnamese characters in a variety of stories, because there’s not a singular experience. It’s important to me for my characters to be both emotional and complex, reflecting the world I and/or they live in.

You've shared a great playlist of songs that you listened to while writing She Is a Haunting. Did this help with determining the atmosphere and tone of the novel?

TRANG: I had an atmosphere and tone in my vision for She Is a Haunting, but music helps coax it out. When you listen to a song during a scene or mood enough, your mind associates the two things together and then the next time you play it, it puts you in the zone!

If you had to pick one song that sums up Jade Nguyen as a character, what would it be?

TRANG: Talking to Myself by Madalen Duke sums up how Jade starts in the novel and the way the beat picks up aligns itself well with the escalation of her character through the story. The lyrics are about the duality of pretending to be enough while not being too much.

With a successful debut and lots of new fans, can we expect anything new that you would like to bring to paper?

TRANG: I’m working on another YA horror novel that I’m pitching as: A monster learns to love herself. It’s got all the things I love from my debut—family dynamics, how we present ourselves to the world, and an unlikely romance–but throw in a generous helping of body horror! I’m also eager to write the adult horror stories that have been brewing in the background.