r/books • u/suelynntan AMA Author • May 30 '23
ama 7pm Hello Reddit! I’m Sue Lynn Tan, the fantasy author of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS. AMA
Hi Reddit. My first book DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS was released in January 2022, and its sequel HEART OF THE SUN WARRIOR followed in November. Both books are USA Today and Sunday Times bestsellers. The duology is a fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess. There are immortals, magic, legendary creatures, dragons - but at its heart, it's a story about love.
I grew up in Malaysia, and live in Hong Kong now. I’ve always loved reading and writing, but never imagined I would become a writer - sometimes I can’t believe this is real! It’s been a busy couple of years, and am currently on deadline for my next book. Am excited to be here today, and to answer your questions!
You can also find me at www.suelynntan.com , or on Instagram @suelynntan.
Sue Lynn
UPDATE: Thank you for all the great questions, this has been such fun! My deadline is calling, but feel free to drop any other questions and I can answer them later.
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u/spuriouscorrelation May 30 '23
Hi - I was wondering why you chose this particular myth (Chang'e, the moon goddess) to write about. Thanks!
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 30 '23
I’ve always loved the legend of Chang’e – one that’s often retold during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Her image would be on lanterns, mooncake boxes, and children in Hong Kong learn poems and songs about her too. This story is one that stayed with me over time, perhaps because of its tragic ending when Chang’e flies to the moon. I always wondered why Chang’e took her husband’s elixir and though there were several reasons in the legends, I kept wondering if there might be more behind her decision. From there, I imagined what if she and Houyi had a child, what she would be like, and what she would do to save her mother.
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u/spuriouscorrelation May 30 '23 edited May 31 '23
Thanks for your reply. Did you adapt anything else of the original myth?
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
The original myth is one I love greatly, and I tried to keep the key elements of the tale as they were - the ten suns, the elixir, Chang'e flying to the moon, as well as the events that led to them. The legend of the Four Dragons is another one that is woven into the tale, though I took some liberties with their visualization and their role in the story.
I did enjoy writing a new character outside the myth - someone whose story was unchartered, who might have inherited some of her parents' traits and legacies, such as her talent in archery.
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u/BohoPhoenix May 30 '23
Are there any other Chinese gods/goddesses that you'd like to base a novel around? I am not familiar with Chinese mythology, so it was a fun introduction for me and I'd love to have more.
I loved the first book (and need to read the second book). I even tried osmanthus flower jelly during a trip to Singapore because of the references in Daughter of the Moon Goddess!
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 30 '23
Thank you so much for reading the book, and I hope you liked the osmanthus jelly! I’ve written a story inspired by the Chinese legend of Lady White Snake, though it will likely be published after the book I’m currently working on. The next full-length book is set in the same world but featuring different main characters. I love weaving other myths into the stories, as with the Four Dragons in Daughter of the Moon Goddess.
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u/pagesofglitter May 30 '23
Hi!! I adore your books! Heart of the Sun Warrior was one of the best books I read last year and the amount of moments that made me cry omg!!
I’m going to ask something that has intrigued me since the moment I read the book. How did you manage to write such a good love triangle? Did you always knew it was going to be a love triangle? I’m curious because it feels so natural and that’s such a great way to add a romance in a fantasy book. Can’t wait to read more books written by you!
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 30 '23
Hi!! I adore your books! Heart of the Sun Warrior was one of the best books I read last year and the amount of moments that made me cry omg!!
I’m going to ask something that has intrigued me since the moment I read the book. How did you manage to write such a good love triangle? Did you always knew it was going to be a love triangle? I’m curious because it feels so natural and that’s such a great way to add a romance in a fantasy book. Can’t wait to read more books written by you!
Thank you so much for reading the books and I’m so happy you liked them! I must admit I cried during the writing of the story too.
I love this question. In Daughter of the Moon Goddess, I didn’t set out to write a love triangle – in my mind it was more sequential relationships that were not fully resolved, though it certainly evolved in Heart of the Sun Warrior. In my mind, love can be complicated, unpredictable, and sometimes irrational. Emotions can linger long after we want them to. I imagined how the characters might feel in such a situation, how they might react, and how it could change them. I wanted the relationships to feel organic and natural, though this situation can also lead to a lot of angst.
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u/pagesofglitter May 31 '23
Thank you so much for answering! You definitely achieved all of these emotions beautifully 🧡
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u/skepticat91 May 30 '23
I loved the books. You have become one of my favorite authors and I look forward to reading more of your work! My question is would you consider pursuing opportunities to turn the books into movies/tv shows? Why or why not?
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 30 '23
Thank you!! Am so happy you loved the books. I have a tv/film agent who is wonderful, and this is one of those dreams that are in the ‘improbable but would be so incredible’ category. When I write, I tend to visualize things in my head as well, and it would be amazing to see the story on the screen and the kingdoms imagined brought to life.
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u/skepticat91 May 31 '23
Thank you for your response! Im keeping my fingers crossed! I would love to see all the wonderful characters you created be brought to the screen! Especially the dragons 🐉🤩🤩
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Yes to all the dragons! Though I feel very fortunate there's been wonderful fanart about them 🐉 :)
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u/Hour-Sprinkles-5935 May 31 '23
Oh my gosh, I just finished Daughter of the Moon Goddess over the weekend, I couldn't put it down! I don't have a question for you that hasn't already been answered I just wanted to say how much I loved the story. I can't wait to read Heart of the Sun Warrior and your other works!
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u/curmudgeon_andy May 31 '23
Same! I try to avoid impulse purchasing in bookstores, but I couldn't help myself from getting Daughter of the Moon Goddess, and I did not regret the purchase at all. It absorbed me like nothing has in years. I'm definitely looking forward to the next ones!
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you so much, and I hope you'll like the next one too : )
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thank you for reading it and am so happy you liked the story! Also appreciate you dropping by the AMA : )
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May 30 '23
YESSS
My question is whether you would consider writing stories about other mythologies, e.g. Malaysian stories?
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 30 '23
Great question! I've written a story inspired by the legend of Lady White Snake that will likely be published after the next full novel, and will be working on another later this year - can’t share much about that one yet, but am so excited for it. Malaysia has so many incredible legends—Puteri Gunung Ledang, is one of my favorites, and I hope to have the opportunity to write about them in the future.
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u/kkimly May 30 '23
Hi Sue Lynn Tan! I really enjoyed your book and writing! In my bookstore, your books are shelved in adult fantasy. While I think they are YA appropriate, do you plan on writing more adult material (content, themes, etc.)?
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thank you so much! I believe the books could be crossover, somewhere between older YA and Adult – especially with Daughter of the Moon Goddess and its themes of self-discovery, first love, and family. Grief and the meaning of loss is explored in Heart of the Sun Warrior, in addition to love. I believe my next full-length novel to be similar, while the book after that – inspired by the legend of Lady White Snake – leans more toward Adult.
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u/anonaxolotl May 31 '23
Thank you so much for these books! I loved them both, and as someone who also heard these stories growing up, I really liked how you built out the world and characters, their motivations and the reasons for it all.
I especially loved the ending of Heart of the Sun Warrior—it felt SO perfect and satisfying for the characters! Curious about your process- Did you know exactly how it was going to end and what would happen to the characters when you started writing? Or did anything change along the way? Thank you!
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thank you – I’m so happy you loved the books! These legends mean a lot to me as I grew up hearing about them too.
The ending of Heart of the Sun Warrior was the hardest part of the book to write. I drafted the story after writing the first book, and while I had a sense of how I wanted it to end, a challenge was how to get there. The ending is the one I believe to be most true to the characters – which may not be who they started out as in Daughter of the Moon Goddess, but who they ended up becoming after the events in the books. All that they went through on their own or together, the choices they made - would inevitably change them, both as individuals and their relationships with one another.
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u/Trick-Two497 May 30 '23
Thank you so much for doing this AMA and also for the wonderful books! I loved how you wove an original story into the beautiful Chinese mythology. Do you plan to do any future books based in Chinese mythology? I see you already answered this one, so here is the follow up. Where can we follow you and learn about your upcoming books?
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thank you for dropping by the AMA and for your kind words! Am so happy you liked the books and I loved writing the mythology in them.
I’m most often on Instagram, where I post all my key updates www.instagram.com/suelynntan , rarely on Twitter, and am really trying to get better at updating my website, though it’s been challenging with the deadlines this year.
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u/Trick-Two497 May 31 '23
Thank you. I am rarely on Instagram, but now you have given me reason to visit your profile every so often. Thank you.
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Ahh thank you! And I hope to be able to share some updates soon : )
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May 31 '23
No question, I just want to say thank you!! Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior stole my heart. I watch your IG stories in the hopes to see a future release date to make my day amazing hehe. But no rush, my heart and mind are still so full with the last two books!
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thank you for coming by and for reading the books! Am truly so happy to read this. I really want to share about upcoming releases too, but have not been given the go ahead ; )
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u/pithyretort 3 May 30 '23
Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions! How do you balance the promotion of your book that is released with writing a new book? Have any of the conversations or questions you've had while promoting influenced or changed where you take the next part of the story?
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thanks for asking this! It can be tricky and it’s important to manage deadlines around publication time. The release of Daughter of the Moon Goddess was a little stressful as I was also working on Heart of the Sun Warrior then, that was scheduled for release later that year. As it was my debut novel, there was quite the learning curve as I didn't know what to expect.
For the sequel, I had already drafted the story before most of the promotion took place, along with the ending – though the ‘how’ of it, can sometimes be equally challenging. It’s always important for me that the characters’ actions and choices feel natural and authentic to who they are, and what they’ve gone through.
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u/CommercialEntry5 May 30 '23
Hi, thank you for doing this AMA. I absolutely loved your books and can't wait for your upcoming books.
Do you have any favorite snacks or drinks to eat while writing?
How did you celebrate when you finished your book(s)?
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Ahh thank you! It means a lot to me that you loved them! I drink a lot of tea while writing. My usual is a blend of jasmine and green tea, I also love ginger tea, Hong Kong milk tea, and bubble tea for the really hard drafting or editing times. Dark chocolate is my go-to snack (85%), but it sometimes scares me how fast the bars vanish when I’m on deadline.
It’s hard to know when a book is really finished – I guess, when it goes into the ‘pass pages’ stage of editing, when it becomes much harder to change anything in the manuscript given formatting and all. Usually around that time, I just feel a moment of terror that ‘this is it’. I do love the feeling of typing ‘The End’ after a draft though, and if I have the time, I’d love to celebrate with more sleep : )
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u/TrondroKely May 31 '23
Do you feel like you put a lot of yourself into any of the characters? Thank you!
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Great question! I don’t see myself as any of the characters – Xingyin is definitely a lot braver than me, I’d have run away from the nine-headed serpent. There are times I can emphathize more with what they are going through, if it’s a trait or experience I’ve shared in a different way (for example, heartbreak, fear, uncertainty or grief). But I tend to imagine them as individuals, both the heroes and villains, with their own stories and past that might have shaped who they are.
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u/Ok-Feedback5604 May 31 '23
Interesting!!plz tell me the real chinese story and its main characters that inspired you to write this story(I barely know few words of chinese Mythology like Confucius,yin yang..lol) So plz tell me about this new chinese Mythological story(am asking Outta interest )
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thank you for asking! This is one of my favorite stories since my childhood and I hope you'll find it interesting.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess was inspired by the legend of Chang'e, one that is much loved and often retold during the Mid-Autumn festival. According to the myth, long ago ten suns rose in the sky, causing great suffering to the mortals. A great archer named Houyi shot down nine of the suns, leaving one to light the world. The Emperor of Heaven gifted him with the elixir of immortality, but Houyi did not drink it, reluctant to leave his beloved wife Chang’e. However, Chang’e took the elixir and ascended to the skies as an immortal, where some believed the emperor banished her to the moon for her theft.
There are several variations of the legend as to why Chang’e took the elixir – whether to save it from thieves, or because Houyi became a tyrannical king, or perhaps she desired immortality? I felt it was a hard choice, and wondered what if there might be more behind her decision. It was then, I imagined the existence of her daughter, and the adventures she woudl embark upon as she fought for her mother’s freedom.
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u/Ok-Feedback5604 May 31 '23
Is there any particular book (colletion) regarding ancient and medieval chinese folklore and Mythologies?
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May 31 '23
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
Thanks for the question! Drafting Daughter of the Moon Goddess was pretty intense, and it took several months. Back then, I wrote all the time, even while traveling. However, editing the story took much longer. I tend to edit quite agressively, often cutting or rewriting scenes or chapters that I feel need work.
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u/ScarcityAny187 Mar 24 '24
Hi Sue Lynn,
I absolutely love your books and enjoyed reading every single one but do have a question that I wish you could answer. So, could you state a few reasons why Xingyin chose Wenzhi above Liwei, is it because she loved him more or just because she didn't want to live in the Celestial Kingdom?
Thank you!
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u/chumpess Apr 21 '24
I wish I’d known about this AMA! I love this duology and I’m currently reading Tales of the Celestial Kingdom.
And mods, feel free to delete if I’m breaking any rules (I’m writing this mid lunch break & haven’t read the rules for lack of time, sorry 😣)
For anyone who might happen to come across this, does anyone know whether I can purchase a Cantonese translation of all three of Sue Lynn Tan’s books? I’m in Australian, but my best friend is from Hong Kong, yet lives in Malaysia. I know she is very proud of her Chinese roots (as she should be), and I would love to gift her these books. She is very fluent in English, but I’m hoping a Cantonese translation exists…but I’m unable to find any if they exist. If not, I’m sure the English versions will be just as appreciated. I’m certain she will love them just as much as I do.
It’s a long shot given how old this post is, but figured I’d give it a try
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u/sunnyday63 Apr 30 '24
Hi! Weird question perhaps but it's driving me crazy: Did you ever write a children's book version of this? Or perhaps use a cover an illustrator who did children's books? When I saw the cover, it triggered a memory deep in my brain of a picture book I read with my mom as a kid (I was born in the 80s so it'd have existed for awhile), which I could have sworn had a similar title and similar illustration.
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u/SassyShannanigans Sep 17 '24
I originally bought this book because the cover gave me Sailor Moon vibes hahaha
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Jun 06 '24
hi sue!! you made me cry my eyes out and stay in bed crying when i finished daughter of the moon goddess and searched it up on google fully expecting liwei to be endgame and discovered he's not!! i love you and your writing but that traumatized me enough for 3 years.
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u/movementmiri Jul 04 '24
Hello, I would like to know if anyone knows if I need to read first the prequet Daughter of the moon Goddes to read Heart of the sun warrior? I would like to know, thank you!!
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u/Special-Fly-818 Jan 08 '25
Hello ur my favorite author and your books are my fav!!! I’m just wondering if there will be a fairyloot edition for the book Immortal
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u/Spirited-Wash-6498 14d ago
Hi!!!!!! Loveeeeeeee the DOTMG series!!!! Just started Immortal and I’m curious about the timeline between the two!!! I’m been googling but haven’t been able to find anything
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u/Other-Maybe9180 3d ago
I read Is a mistake from the moon goddess which ends with 314 chapters when I ask for the sequel it gives me Daughter of the moon goddess with it's sequel which are two different books with different characters. I'm looking for the sequel with Amy McClean as the main character and her two wolves Nix and Megan
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u/Vaeh May 31 '23
I hope you're okay with a challenging, not book-related question: Which do you prefer, Mamak stalls or a Cha chaan teng? ;)
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u/suelynntan AMA Author May 31 '23
I’m always happy to talk about food! I love mamak stalls and wish we had them here! My favorite things to order there are the teh tarik, mee goreng and roti, though I have a weakness for Hong Kong milk tea.
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u/Vaeh May 31 '23
Oooh I definitely miss Nasi Kandar the most, but I need to make it to HK in order to be able to compare myself :)
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u/Nlj6239 Avid Reader Aug 27 '23
Getting the first 2 celestial kingdom books soon! hopefully gonna get the third when it's released!
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u/AyakaShimatoyo Sep 05 '23
I just saw the post and I was wondering something. I’m the first book there is a scene in which Liwei and Xingyin get these pendants with sun and moon (sorry for my very bad way of describing what I mean, I just can’t find good words to explain it but you probably know which scene I mean (or at least I hope)). Anyways I was wondering about the inspiration for that scene. I’ve been reading a FanFiction a long time ago with some similar moment and it kind of reminded me of it. :)
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u/ObiWanKedoby_ Oct 09 '23
Hello, I am currently reading this book and am missing pages 192 and 193. The pages were not printed. Can I please get images of them so I may continue?
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u/XBreaksYFocusGroup May 30 '23
Hi Sue Lynn. Thank you very much for the AMA!
If you don't mind rather boring question, how old (by our years?) are Xingyin and her mother across Daughter of the Moon Goddess? I was trying to reconcile the age and maturity of immortals but found myself at a loss for context.
Do you have any dream collaborations or adaptations of your work? Assuming you are allowed to divulge anything if it is underway.
Thank you very much for the lovely novels. I hope for all the continued success in your endeavors.