Parisian author Ann Mah will be speaking at the American Library on March 10th. Check out her novel Kitchen Chinese and her blog http://annmah.net/index.php, where she talks about the challenges and rewards of writing and living in Paris.

What brought you to Paris?
My husband is a diplomat, so we move a lot. But I always dreamed of living Paris, with unlimited access to unpasteurized cheese, red wine, and beauty. It hasn’t disappointed me yet!

What keeps you in Paris?
Alas, we move every three or four years, so I won’t be able to live in Paris forever. But it will always remain a spiritual home for me, especially as the city and I share a passion for good food and wine, eating fruits and vegetables in season, and a more sedate pace of life.

What books have changed your life?
Woman in White by Wilkie Collins — My heart almost leapt out of my chest the first time I read this Victorian thriller. A brilliant example of  meticulous plotting that looks effortless.
 
The Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald — witty and super sharp, with Fitzgerald’s genius development of characters, and his ruthless depiction of 1920s mores. My favorite stories are “Bernice Bobs her Hair,” “The Ice Palace,” and “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz.”
 
Many cookbooks — too many to pick just one — which have opened up the world for me through different spices and flavors.

What books are on your nightstand?
I’ve felt a little stressed out lately, so I’m indulging in some comfort reading (like comfort food but in book form): The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, and lots of cookbooks.

What advice would you give to struggling writers?
Start a blog — it keeps you disciplined, and the feedback from readers can be incredibly heartening.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
Always buy quality — that’s been good advice for me as a young expat and traveller.

How does living in a foreign country affect your writing? What does it add to your writing?
When I first moved overseas — to Beijing for four years — there were a lot of expectations that I would discover my Chinese ethnic roots, or cultural heritage. What I gained instead was a chance to realize a dream. Living in China made me start thinking about so many different issues: cultural vs ethnic identity, food as metaphor, the experience of being a fish out of water — all things that inspired my first novel, Kitchen Chinese. I think as expats, we are more sensitive to our surroundings, more thoughtful about our experiences. I hope this improves my writing.

At what hour of the day does inspiration strike? (Or what time of the day do you feel the most productive?)
 I wish I could say morning, because then I could write productively for a few hours and enjoy the rest of the day guilt-free. Unfortunately, it’s the hours between 4-7 pm, as the work day is ending and I start to feel panicked that I haven’t gotten anything done.

What is your favorite Parisian café?
I have cafés for many different moods and times of day. But probably Le Mistral in the 20th at rue des Pyrénées (métro: Pyrénées). The owners are two brothers who have been friends with my husband for over twenty years, so going there is a bit like going home.

What’s next?
Launching my first novel, I’ve felt like a mother duck teaching her duckling to fly — hoping the the book will stay aloft, and not plummet to the ground. As a result, it’s hard for me to think ahead to the next project right now. But I’ve had the idea for a while that I’d like to write something about Paris and wine — and I hope I’ll have the chance.

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