Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Ep. 143 Betty C. Tang on Parachute Kids, Identity, and Growing Up Immigrant
0 Playsin 1 day
In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant Betty C. Tang—author and illustrator of the powerful graphic novel Parachute Kids. We talk about her childhood, the real-life inspirations behind her work, and how identity, immigration, and family shaped the heart of her storytelling. Betty opens up about the emotional roots of Parachute Kids and what it means to tell stories that matter. This one’s full of heart, art, and personal truth.
📚 Parachute Kids is available wherever books are sold!
Follow Betty C. Tang:
📸 Instagram: @bettyctang
🐦 Twitter/X: @bettyctang
🌐 Website: www.bettytang.com
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Betty C. Tang
00:00:00
Speaker
Awesome. Yes. All right. Welcome back everyone to another episode of It's Personal. I always say this and again, selfishly, I can pick whoever I want to come on the podcast. I am super excited for my guest today. I want to share my love for her writing, but I'll do that later.
00:00:17
Speaker
But first, I'm going allow her to introduce herself. Hello, everyone. I'm Betty C. Tang. So I'm an author and an illustrator. i started as an animator and then I became an illustrator. And now I have um a my first graphic novel called Parish for Kids.
00:00:33
Speaker
And soon book two is coming out in April. So um yeah, so that's who I am. I love you in Los Angeles. Awesome. Betty, your work is so inspirational, um so beautiful. And as an educator, I'm so thankful for the work that you do um for children, for teachers, for parents, for the community.
00:00:54
Speaker
um I have been a fan for a very, very long time. I teach second and third grade. So it's right in that age group where they can read um some books that are relatively like grade six or middle school, et cetera.
00:01:07
Speaker
um And they've been a huge influence in my classroom. So again, I appreciate you. I just want to share that now because sometimes, you know, it's nice to share, give someone their flowers, right?
00:01:18
Speaker
Right now in here while we're here. So I want to just thank you so much for um for the work that you do.
Influence of Childhood and Family on Art
00:01:23
Speaker
Oh, thank you so much, Gary. mean, it's just great that this is a great service you're doing. And you're an educator. You know, you are the beacon of light for these young minds.
00:01:33
Speaker
You know, so thank you. Thank you. So I always ask this question to start off, and I think it's always so interesting to hear different points of view. So if you don't mind, can you tell me how, what was it like to be Little Betty?
00:01:47
Speaker
growing up um in a community with family, et cetera, what did it look like for you? Well, I grew up in Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan.
00:01:59
Speaker
So, um ah you know, to tell you the truth, I'm one of those people, unfortunately, don't have very clear memories of their childhood.
00:02:11
Speaker
You know, some people are very lucky, they remember they were very little. I actually have a, I have spots of great memories and of course, scary ones. um But I think I was overall a kind of a naive kid who just loved reading mangas.
00:02:29
Speaker
yeah I would give my, my Lunar New Year money and and my allowances. I would spend it all mangas and that's what ignited my love for drawing.
00:02:40
Speaker
Wow. So, and I was bookworm in that sense and ruined my eyes. um So I wore like and six years old, first grade. And I remember being made fun of because i was spending evenings in at night when light's supposed to go out, I was like reading mangas under my covers with a flashlight.
00:03:06
Speaker
It totally ruined my eyes. Oh, wow. That's the kind of Bae, how did your upbringing influence your artistic style and, like, themes and
Immigrant Challenges and Inspirations for Parachute Kids
00:03:19
Speaker
illustrations? Like, did you have people in your family that were artistic?
00:03:23
Speaker
How did that happen? Yeah, my mom actually is a great Chinese ah brush ah chinese painting artist. And unfortunately, she didn't pursue it because, you know, she brought us to the United States and that kind of ended hurt her and you know inspiration and aspiration to become a a um Chinese painting artist.
00:03:44
Speaker
And so um so I guess I got it from her. And I have two sisters and one of my sister was also very good at drawing.
00:03:54
Speaker
um I remember we used to get together and and create little mangas ourselves. So they were all kind of artistic. o I love that.
00:04:05
Speaker
I love that. And would you say, you know, growing up at a young age, you often face like so many sets of challenges, especially you saying that like you moved from Taiwan, which we love.
00:04:15
Speaker
My wife and I have traveled to Taipei few times, which we really enjoyed. um What are some of the obstacles that you had that you faced early on? And not necessarily through like the art, but just like moving from a place like Taiwan to America?
00:04:31
Speaker
Well, I think any immigrant would tell you it's a language barrier. think that is the hardest thing because um I mean, I touched upon a little bit in in my book, Parachute Kids, and in the beginning, the book is fiction because I sometimes, I think what my life is wasn't that interesting.
00:04:47
Speaker
And so I wanted to embellish a little bit, and include a lot of other people's experiences, other immigrants' experiences. no so on So it's it's ah it's fiction. But there is definitely a piece of me in there, especially at the beginning the of of the main character, that the family, the 10-year-old,
00:05:06
Speaker
And um her experience of of starting school in America, right? Not knowing a word of English. And it is it was absolutely my experience where was in I was, we we went to Thousand Oaks for Tura County, which is a a a a more, a a predominantly white community, I think.
00:05:26
Speaker
And so, so, I was sat next to this this one Chinese girl. I think the only Chinese girl. They put me next to her because you know I didn't know English and so they thought they she would take care of me. but then But then I was popular for about maybe you know five minutes.
00:05:43
Speaker
And I remember inching up to the the the the the kids who are sharing ah showing each other like new stickers and looked down and they're kind of like, you let go away.
00:05:54
Speaker
but think So that's the hardest thing, right, for any kid, not just immigrant kids, you know, moving from so state to state, just city to city, to go just go to a new school. It's always our scary, horrible first day experience now. and so I think that was the hardest part, just making friends.
00:06:13
Speaker
Yeah, and you know what's so interesting, like making friends at a young age is so, it can be so difficult. I think I teach second grade right now and um you know there so i feel like it's a little bit easier when you're little.
00:06:27
Speaker
um If you come from a different place outside of like the rest of your community at that school, can be a little bit different. But as you get to middle school and high school, I find with students, you know they become a little bit more self-conscious.
00:06:41
Speaker
a little bit more anxiety driven. um and it's so hard to connect. It's so hard to connect with people because you don't want to be judged. You want to come off with the first impression.
00:06:52
Speaker
So i hear you when it's when you say going into like that new space and how it can be so difficult to just make a connection. but around even i don't know, but did you find there were people that looked like you in those schools?
00:07:06
Speaker
Probably not, right? Probably not very many. um And I felt like that as well. So I totally get it. ah totally get it. Yeah. I totally get it. i mean, granted, there are people who are more, their kids are very welcoming now. But then the problem is, is that they they weren't Ming. And I don't think they were Ming. It was just that they didn't know any better.
00:07:27
Speaker
it's like, because I couldn't communicate. And so, of course, you know you if you're 10 years old, right? And you don't know. you're not going to like go out of your way and try to make someone understand you. And so you go off to your own thing. So you run off.
00:07:43
Speaker
So you're left. So, so as a newcomer, you're left behind. You don't understand what's happening and you don't know how to, break that um barrier in making friends.
Storytelling Process and Cultural Representation
00:07:54
Speaker
and it And it's not really their fault either.
00:07:58
Speaker
They just have nothing to say to you because you can't communicate. Yeah, I totally agree. Betty, I want to ask you a question about how you, because I think you do this so well. How do you incorporate like your background into your work and specifically like the elements of like your stories that feel like essential to like your identity?
00:08:18
Speaker
How are they like, if i think Parachute Kids is such a great example of that. How do you take your culture, your background and incorporate that into the work that you do? That is such a good question.
00:08:34
Speaker
It is kind of interesting when I'm asked questions like this, because because to me, um It just came naturally because a process of storytelling. I think what it is is that I really have to, um i mean, I have a general idea of of the of the story plot and the storyline, right? But every it's like this main direction, but then you've got to fill in the pieces to make the story interesting, to carry it from the beginning to the end.
00:09:08
Speaker
And as I write and these ideas, little pieces, I want to make sure that they are off authentic to my or or like other people that I've talked with who have, who are kind enough to share their experiences with me. want make sure those experiences that I'm fictionalizing is, is authentic and honest. Right. And so from there,
00:09:33
Speaker
um From there, it's like a springboard to events that happen that carry the story through. I don't know if I'm making sense. You are. No, you you are. And I love that that their first response about like you just, because it's your lived experience and it feels like, well, I,
00:09:52
Speaker
I don't know your whole story, but I've read Parachute Kids. Like I can tell that it's rooted in stories or experiences from yourself or from other people because it's so specific and the images really put you in. Like, I feel like I'm right along with the characters, which is not easy to do um for illustrators or authors. So.
00:10:12
Speaker
i can I can just tell like those are experiences that have happened that have that that you've either experienced yourself or someone else has experienced um as well. So I think you do that so well.
00:10:23
Speaker
Oh, thank you much. You do that so, so well. Yeah, yeah. Betty, what do you like to do for fun? Because I know that as an illustrator, you guys work so hard.
00:10:36
Speaker
worked so hard and on top of that author illustrator like it takes so long to create stuff art in general what do you do to not necessarily balance that because I think it's okay that people have different types of balance in their life and that may look different for different people ah what do you do for fun outside of the drawing the reading etc Oh,
Book Production Journey
00:10:59
Speaker
yeah. Well, first of all, I want to thank you for acknowledging and and for for pointing out how long it takes.
00:11:05
Speaker
And this can probably, if there are little readers out there who's like, why book two taking so long to come out? That is why it took about over a year to make Parachute Kids. And so every, it it takes, and then it takes about another six to nine months for publishers to to crank it out onto and and distribute it onto the books. shelves that's why and and and so um so and then segue in front that um i so busy drawing and writing i don't have any time for fun i used to play the piano to help me be relax but then but then now i've kind of given that up because because um it uh because when you draw so much it gives my hand sometimes cramps up and then
00:11:55
Speaker
and playing piano, supposed to maybe you loosen it up, but on the contrary, actually strings it even more. So I kind of gave that up, unfortunately. Oh, that's not what you want to hear. um I read. Sometimes I play a little of video game, which is actually probably not very good either because I need to give my eyes some rest, which I don't do that either.
00:12:16
Speaker
ah that that question is a dud.
00:12:22
Speaker
but but What video games do you play? Oh, i at I was, my brother got me turned on to this Genshin Impact. that' Oh, that's awesome. One of those games, the online games that people either love or hate.
00:12:35
Speaker
And so I just thought it's the world, the world that the game created, the creators created are just, it's just so vast. And I was just kind impressed by it. You know, anyways, but I lately haven't had time to play that either.
00:12:49
Speaker
So it's just been kind of busy. Do you get inspiration from playing those games or is it more of just for you to numb out, kind of relax a little bit? I'm a very competitive person, so it's not numb out. It's just like...
00:13:05
Speaker
So the games that have a goal, and they need to reach it. I love that. i love that. Vidi, I want to talk a little bit more about Parachute Kids. and Just looking in the back. i I knew this because I watched, um but you have a nice shiny sticker on Parachute Kids.
00:13:21
Speaker
Yes, this one. This one. Yes. ah Can you tell us about it? Tell us about Parachute Kids. Tell us about the sticker. um And how did this story like come about?
00:13:31
Speaker
Yeah. but First of all, let me show you. So this sticker is American Library Association. Let me see a little shiny sticker. So it's given to me by the American Library Association. It's like Children's Literature Award Honor Book.
00:13:49
Speaker
And it's the Asian Pacific American Library Association. I want to make sure that I don't misspoke of what what the award is. So hope that's your name.
00:14:04
Speaker
um So, um so yeah, it came as an utter surprise. So it's it's such an honor to to to be recognized this way because, as you know, American Library Association is huge and they're like the the the the gatekeeper to to all the brilliant little minds that are eager to to learn, right? And so so to be recognized by them is is really such a such a honor. Yeah.
00:14:29
Speaker
um um So you were asking how the book came about? Yeah, how did the book come about? Oh, okay. um so um So the book just came out ah by a conversation I had with someone. I was just telling ah someone about about my my experience as a parachute kid, no?
00:14:49
Speaker
um Because I came also when I was about 10 years old and you know my my my parents brought us. and And so um I was just telling the story and then the person said, oh, you should write a book.
00:15:01
Speaker
a There must be stories about parachute kids. and And it's like, and who wants to know about my, my experience, right? It's just any, kind to me, it's just a common experience.
00:15:13
Speaker
It's just a experience, right? And experience. And, and so I didn't think much of it. And, but then I started doing a little bit of research and and I realized that other than Kelly Yen's book,
00:15:29
Speaker
Parachutes, I don't think there was another book about parachute kits. But then that is for, yeah, that's for for young adults. So it goes more with a more serious topic, but for middle grade and lower, there there's nothing.
00:15:42
Speaker
So I'm like, well, well. And then I think I was meant to write this book. Because the whole process was so smooth.
00:15:53
Speaker
I wrote the manuscript within like three months. Wow. And then you really got acquired by Scholastic. it was and and And everybody was excited about it And then the whole process it was just like it was, don't know, blessed.
00:16:09
Speaker
who And that's how it came about. Wow. wow do you feel like you Do you feel like you are like Jackie when you were younger or someone else?
00:16:22
Speaker
Um, no, Jackie is like, uh, so we're talking about Jackie, haha, which is, um, ah this book, Jackie, haha. And it's written by, um, James Patterson and, and, uh, Chris Grabenstein.
00:16:36
Speaker
And, um, originally it's a middle grade novel, but they decided to turn it into a graphic novel. And so, so this will work out, but, but Jackie is such a, a outgoing, um,
00:16:52
Speaker
comedic and and and sharp-witted kid. he definitely not um And
00:17:05
Speaker
not me. the other question that we had, and I just asked some people online, they were asking about Bryden, and what was the inspiration behind him? Bryden is actually, the inspiration is Bryden himself, actually. Bryden Harrington.
00:17:21
Speaker
Braden is a um a young boy who had, um I guess, ah hit his mom calls it a bumpy speech. So he stutters.
00:17:35
Speaker
So he's it's it's always been a something, a source of his embarrassment and and frustration and anger. and difficulty and and one day he met um President Biden.
00:17:48
Speaker
a you know And then um President Biden pulled him aside and gave him a lot of encouragement and tips. And so that was his experience. And then he was actually um im invited to make a speech a during the the inauguration. Wow.
00:18:09
Speaker
And so i think, i mean, there's like a Yeah. this I thought there was a photo in here. I guess not, but it was, um, it was really really, really cool. So, so, um, they, they wanted to do a picture book about it.
00:18:22
Speaker
So the kids who may have the, the, the same puppy speech. Yeah. Wow. Do you find like you office picture books, novels, do you have a preference?
00:18:36
Speaker
Um, not really. picture books is i Picture books are much faster to make for me.
00:18:47
Speaker
who So in that sense, it's it's a little bit easier to work on.
00:18:54
Speaker
Graphic novel, I love graphic novel because you can really get into the nitty gritty and work on the expression and and you can really tell a story.
00:19:07
Speaker
and with emotion, full impact of emotion and and and with dialogue though. But it just takes so long to make. And in America and in US, they are putting out graphic novel in full color because okay yeah they're expecting full color and that just takes so much longer. I think i think the the mangas and and the Asian ones where the no with was black and white, it's easier.
00:19:37
Speaker
It makes much sense and less less expensive to make. I wish they would consider it, but they, they for the most part, won't color. its it's it Yeah, it takes, I can't even imagine how long, how many hours illustrating. And my style is very,
00:19:54
Speaker
Very simple in comparison because I as i had a background in animation. And so my drawing tends to be a little bit more cartoony and and simple color shapes and some shading. But I've seen graphic novels that was like, every panel is like masterpiece. It's a lot.
00:20:16
Speaker
It's a lot lot that's a lot. And I guess I kind of assume that as well. I just know that amazing though with picture books, yes, there's obviously x amount of pages. where of Whereas if it's a graphic novel,
00:20:28
Speaker
it's so many pages and it's word placement. It's all these different things that you have to really intentionally think about. And I know there's a team that helps with, with those things as well, but like, it just takes so much effort and time.
00:20:42
Speaker
I can't remember who I was talking to. I think it might've been Jerry craft a long time ago. just said he spent, he just would spend days just sitting home editing and just trying to like complete certain chapters. And I can only imagine how, you know, how difficult that could be because life is still but happening as well. Right. But at the same time you have deadlines, you have other projects, et cetera. So um i appreciate you.
00:21:07
Speaker
I really do. I appreciate but appreciate you. appreciate you. ah good yeah I mean, the, um I guess the only thing I wanted to add is, is that, um,
00:21:22
Speaker
Oh, I guess I lost the train of thought. Oh, that's right, let's continue. It's okay, was it about the process or maybe about um how ah effort how much effort had to be put in? so I think oh I came back to it now because it takes so long, right? And so when when I, because Jackie Haha was my first graphic novel.
00:21:42
Speaker
And um I remember right after it came out, I had kids who who approached me and says, Oh, I loved it so much. I read it in day. I'm thinking, it took me one year to make it.
00:21:56
Speaker
You read it in one day. At first, i I was kind of like upset about it. And then was like, please slow down. And then I realized that they do read it over and and over and over and over again.
Collaboration and Feedback in Creative Writing
00:22:07
Speaker
I have one kid who told me that he's read it like parachute kiss 10 times. see And it's And then, and then I do realize later, it's like, that's a compliment because the book is engaging enough that they just keep turning the pages and wanting to get to the end. So, so I, I, I'm grateful. So that's not a complaint. So please read on.
00:22:28
Speaker
I hope book two is just as engaging for you. And that's the thing with kids, right? Like they, you know, when they love something, they love it deeply. So like that's such a testament to who you are as a writer, where this kid has already read it once, goes back and reads it nine more times.
00:22:45
Speaker
Like that's what you want kids to do. Read it, read it again, pass it to a friend, that friend reads it, pass it to a friend. Like that's what we we want kids to be doing in the classroom at home, et cetera.
00:22:56
Speaker
Again, it's a testament to to the hard work that you put that you put in. Betty, what does your process look like? Because ah graphic novels, again, are very different than picture books. What does your process like process look like from beginning to end?
00:23:10
Speaker
um i Well, so so I start on the ones that I write myself. um Then it all begins with a script and an idea in the script. I would do a basic outline. I'm an outliner.
00:23:23
Speaker
So I know I want to begin. I know where I want it to, how I want it to end. It's always the journey in the middle part. That's ah that's very challenging because sometimes it just strips you up. And and sometimes as you start writing, it just completely derails you.
00:23:37
Speaker
It's kind of magical because once the characters start, start to appear on the pages as you write it just like takes over sometimes and the dialogue just pours out of their mouths and you're like what i think about that this is like magical and and then and then it takes you to a complete different direction so it's like it's like it's very it's i keep saying the word magical but it is kind of like that because it has a mind of its own and then sometimes you don't quite know what may come up to to give you more ideas. So it it's really fun that way.
00:24:12
Speaker
And so after I complete the script, it goes to and the editor. The editor, i have a great editor. Her name is Tracy Mack, and she works so well with me, and she will come back with.
00:24:23
Speaker
She never dictates what she wants, but she always suggests and makes me think deeper and harder to to get more nuances out of the characters and the plot line. So that's what going do.
00:24:34
Speaker
great partnership. So if you will ever, any aspiring writers out there, you want to find people who, who compliments you um and not, not ones who tell you what to do, but the ones who can help you um bounce back ideas to, to allow you to, to, to expand more.
00:24:53
Speaker
And so after the script is green lit, um I get into like the rough sketches, um the rough sketches. do a um what I call my vomit stage. I i don't go very much on the very, very rough. It's like this, it's from my animation days that we used to use like a blue pencil and then we sketch out, you know, the the roughs and then that's why I do It's just like, this is my blue vomit. And I would just take maybe five, 10 minutes on each, each,
00:25:25
Speaker
page panel and um and i was just like quickly doodle out the the the um the panels the the placement the direction and rough bubbles and and most i will throw in hard is the um uh the the dialogue Everything else was super, super rough. Because I don't want to spend so much time and effort on this stage, right? I want to make sure that... And I would do a scene by scene, a sequence by sequence.
00:25:53
Speaker
And I want to make sure that it flows. and And if i go back and it's like, okay, it makes sense, then I will go in and do a clean up pencil version of it.
00:26:04
Speaker
a oh so And I will repeat this um ah for the entire book. Wow. And and i because... of the, of the ones that I wrote myself, I, when I write, I, I pretty much have it all visualized.
00:26:20
Speaker
So every panel is already my head. So I'm actually sometimes finding it difficult to find the worst to describe what I have in my mind. So the editors can read it to to understand what I'm trying to convey.
00:26:36
Speaker
and then after that, um, um, goes back to the publisher again and they they approve the roughs. And of course there's always changes, which is good because change is always an an opportunity to improve, right? but if um But if if it it gets approved, then I start inking and then coloring.
00:27:03
Speaker
Sometimes certain certain publishers, depending on the publisher, they may want to see an inking pass too before you go on to color to make sure everything's fine. Because you know once it's all colored, it just takes so much effort to change it. So you want to make sure every stage, there is an approval stage and everybody is on the same page before you move on to the next. Because changing things is just expensive and time consuming.
00:27:27
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And after that, and then the the the the the publisher has designers who design the covers and they design the the inserts and the whole package. And so after I hand in the interior art, they're still working on it.
00:27:43
Speaker
So it's an incredible process. That is, I mean, it's so interesting because you, i i so i for me, um I saw the back end a little bit of,
00:27:56
Speaker
Oge Mora's pictures for my book. and then i actually then I saw like the actual copy of the book. And then I went into the office and I got to see her actual paintings.
00:28:08
Speaker
So it's so interesting that it's like you finish the work and then it still goes off and there's more work that needs to be done on the back end, whether it's like you're publishing your publisher to make it into a book. Like it's still, you feel like you're done, but then it's like, oh, just wait, there's way more, there's lots of other steps left.
00:28:28
Speaker
And I think that's what I try to explain to my kids a lot in the classroom. It's like the book in itself takes so long because there's so many different steps And I try to use that as much as possible when we're talking about like publishing their own writing or publishing a piece of art in the classroom. Like it's okay to revise all the time. Like revising is such a metaphor for life in general.
00:28:49
Speaker
Just like the more you revise, the better, hopefully something will become. um And it sounds like you've kind of mastered that. What do you feel? And I was going to ask you, like, what are some of the challenges that you faced along that journey? And it sounds like you talked about, it sounds like you've kind of figured out a way to to deal with those things. But is there anything specifically along your journey challenge-wise that has like been not difficult, but has influenced your your journey when it comes to to creating art?
00:29:17
Speaker
um I think the most challenging thing is to stay on schedule a because you have this deadline and then you, you, you wanted to put a goal for your target for yourself or how many pages you need to do per day in order to get to the end on time. um Because, because,
00:29:39
Speaker
because and publishing is such a a um and look ahead kind of a thing because they say, okay, this book is coming out two years. And so you got it delivered by year and a half into it, the latest. And so, because they need at least six months suit to to print it, right? And now they print it overseas. And then once it's printed, and they have to come back to the U.S. and it should be worldwide, right?
00:30:06
Speaker
And so, so that I think that's the hardest challenge. It's not a very, is not Maybe it's not a very interesting thing to talk about, but it is important. It's it's it's life, right? You have to figure out how to meet your deadlines and to deliver things, um being organized.
00:30:26
Speaker
But I really liked what you said um ah earlier about not fearing changes. Can I expand a little bit on that? I think I talked little bit about it. But I think that is so great you tell your students because I know that when I first started as artists, we're all insecure.
00:30:47
Speaker
No matter how successful you are, you have this imposter syndrome that's continuously following you. It doesn't matter if there's shiny stickers here or not. I still like i feel like I'm a fraud, right? And so it just maybe it's a good thing for...
00:31:05
Speaker
young readers do to to know that that, that insecurity will always be with you. But sometimes, you know, we can't do things alone. And so when when the team comes together, you have people who you trust to give you advice or give you tips, um take them.
00:31:24
Speaker
You know, the critiques is not a bad thing. Critique is, ah I mean, it's different when somebody gives you feedback and somebody, ah um actually, I take that back, not critique. Well, I guess critique too.
00:31:34
Speaker
I think there's a difference between feedback and and criticism. Criticism is the one I was using. Criticism sometimes is completely useless because somebody just want to like, you know, I don't like this color.
00:31:45
Speaker
But that is subjective, right? That's something that you don't like, but it's nothing wrong with the color I pick. I like red. You might like green, but there's nothing wrong with that. But it's the um the feedback what I love because feedback is also subjective, but feedback is something that is constructive feedback is something that you can work from. You can when the editor gives me something, ah usually would just really consider it as the direction that they're suggesting.
00:32:17
Speaker
And if I feel like it it will enhance and make the story better, well, you bet I'm going to grab it. Why not? It's free of advice. And then I would change my story too. but But if I strongly feel like it changes the essence of my drawing, of my story, where the direction of it, I would say no.
00:32:37
Speaker
Right? And so that is just a great... symbiotic and and partnership. love that. I love that so much. And goes back to, it it reminds me so much of my students and how,
00:32:50
Speaker
ah important it is for me as an educator to tell them exactly that. like There's a difference between criticism and feedback. like They're only seven years old, and I think feedback is something they're becoming used to.
00:33:04
Speaker
But if you can somehow help them understand that that feedback is there as an option, like you have ownership of your writing, yes, 100%. I am providing feedback to enhance that if you want to, but it is your choice ultimately because it belongs to you.
Exploring New Genres and Online Presence
00:33:22
Speaker
And I think it's, again, they're young. So that concept of feedback is still very hard for them, but just giving them opportunities to say yes or no. Right. I think that, that can be so, so powerful.
00:33:34
Speaker
um And in that means teachers, editors, um authors have to have some sort of relationship of trust. as well. yeah Right? So I think I feel like I don't know who your editor is, but I feel like because of the relationship, because of the trust involved, of course, you're going to consider it, right? Of course, you're going to think about it.
00:33:53
Speaker
Whereas if that relationship was not good, just so like also in the classroom, you you're already resistant before the feedback even comes in. Yeah. Right. You're already you're already resistant. Yeah.
00:34:04
Speaker
I love that. But I think that is so amazing. And I love hearing authors talk about their process because ah everyone has a different process. Everyone talks about how they create differently. And I just appreciate that.
00:34:16
Speaker
um I really, really appreciate that. But I have one more question for you. and Okay. ah Just looking ahead, what are some messages or themes do you hope to explore with future projects?
00:34:30
Speaker
um And maybe you may not have an answer for that and it's totally okay. um But what are your thoughts around that and how do you envision your work, you know, contributing to like and identity, culture, et cetera?
00:34:45
Speaker
um Yeah, I've been there. So I'm not sure if I should say this, but why not? um So Parachute Kids actually is going to be a trilogy.
00:34:56
Speaker
So there is a book three that is currently. Oh my gosh. Really? Yeah. Well, the book is a book to Outsider Kids. It's called Outsider Kids. That's coming out in April.
00:35:10
Speaker
Tax day of American tax day, April 15th. and And I guess I can say it because in the back of the book, it says that, you know, book three is coming so because i guess ah You're the first to know. e And then, um and so, so after I'm wrapped, after I wrap up with, with parachute kit series, um I am will have to give it, I, I, you know, I would like to venture out a little bit. I don't want to be doing the same,
00:35:43
Speaker
um same type of story, i think. I would like to, I always aim story that had depth and layers and hidden messages. I don't like to be right hitting people right on the nail, excuse me.
00:36:00
Speaker
I don't like to um hit people over the head with with a certain message. you know I like it that that that when a reader reads, they discover those those messages themselves. So I like to put a lot of, stuff I would like to try a sci-fi.
00:36:14
Speaker
I love to do a sci-fi comedy, kind of a funny um fantasy world that that that has a lot of heart. a if But ah my biggest fear is is that after this, I hope I'm not pigeonholed.
00:36:33
Speaker
yeah Because now they look at me as um a writer of this genre, right? And series serious writing and immigration stories and stuff, which is all important, but I think we need some laughter in the life.
00:36:46
Speaker
i totally I totally agree with you. yeah Yeah. And I think it's, I had this conversation with my editor as well. And one of the things she said is like, you should be able to explore every bit of who you are as a creator in these spaces. And that like that is something that belongs to you. like you don't have You shouldn't have to write about one specific person theme your entire career. right like it's just it it It shouldn't be something that that authors or illustrators have to tie themselves down to. so
00:37:20
Speaker
i hope i I would love for you to do something with sci-fi. I think you would be so good. so good i think you Because in Parachute Kids, I think you build a world that is so real.
00:37:33
Speaker
um i mean With the words, with the images, sci-fi, can i mean you have no limits. You could do any anything. Right?
00:37:42
Speaker
I understand that I think because, um yeah, publishing has very limited um resources, right? and so they so i and And it's a business. they They want to be able to sell books. And so it's ah it's a big risk, I guess. So I understand it it's it's ah it's a hard sell, but we'll see. We will. After I'm done with Parachute Kids, I might just hop onto something, know.
00:38:09
Speaker
I love that. I love that. They, where can people find you online? My website is Betty C. Tang.com. ah So it's my full name, B T T Y C T A N G.com.
00:38:24
Speaker
And you can find me on Instagram as well. um That is also B T T C Betty C. Tang is
Conclusion and Gratitude
00:38:32
Speaker
my handle. So. Awesome. And can you remind those who don't know, when is the se what's the date for the second book?
00:38:40
Speaker
The second book is called Outsider Kids. Because at one time or another, all felt little bit like an outsider. How much you try to belong, you know, feel a little bit not quite belonging.
00:38:59
Speaker
you must do And Wow. That's soon. Yeah, something to look forward to on the podcast. Yes. Thank you, Benny. I want thank you so much for joining me today. i appreciate the conversation. this was awesome. Thank you.
00:39:12
Speaker
has been great. Thank you so much. Thank you. right. let's