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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFantasy author Hemie Yao<\/a> is back to chat about her second release, the fantasy adventure, The Untold Truth of Club<\/em> Menshen: The Ancient Text.<\/em><\/p>\n Hemie chatted with me last year about her first novel, The Untold Truth of Club Menshen: The Mission.<\/em> You can read that interview here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bio:<\/strong> At a young age, she loved to write short stories she never got around finishing. One day she found a book series that inspired her to write-and finish-a story of her own that surrounded Chinese Mythology and started her goal to publish a book.<\/p>\n Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews, Hemie!<\/strong> Please tell us about your newest release.<\/strong> My sequel that recently came out has two intertwining plot lines. One is to solve a murder. Another plot is to find a stolen ancient book to save their school. It continues a seemingly small plot line in the first book, where the main characters solved a riddle. In this book, they figure out that this riddle might contain hidden information on how to find the ancient book. So they set out on a mission<\/p>\n But of course, it isn\u2019t easy. Cassidy is cursed with bad luck in a fight and now she has to overcome the feeling of every move she makes being a mistake. Then there\u2019s the added pressure of something else following them and trying to beat them to the ancient book. In the end, the two plots meet, reaching climax then leading to more mysteries.<\/p>\n Throughout this book, there\u2019ll be hints at the overall plot and goal of the series, which I plan to deepen as the series goes on.<\/p>\n What inspired you to write this book? Excerpt from The Untold Truth of Club<\/em><\/u><\/strong> Menshen: The Ancient Text:<\/u><\/em><\/strong> The fact sunk deep in my heart. A nurse was staring at an empty bed, struck in horror. There was nothing but a puddle of water where Pingye used to lie, slowly dripping onto the floor, drop by drop\u2026.<\/p>\n The nurse turned her head to me and murmured, \u201cI swear I tried to save her.\u201d Shock and misery flooded her face.<\/p>\n My feet were glued to the floor. We did everything we could to get the ingredients for her medicine. We got back in time. But we failed.<\/p>\n A voice cut into the silence. \u201cHer body?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWater. She turned into water.\u201d<\/p>\n Murmurs broke out. More footsteps pounded in the hallway. The crowd was getting bigger and bigger. Eventually, murmurs turned into sobbing.<\/p>\n A thousand pounds weighed on my shoulders. Pingye died at fourteen. <\/em>I knew being a Menshen was a dangerous job. I was reminded every time I walked by the wall of golden plaques, carved with the names of Menshens who died in service.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d It was Lu, frantically looking over shoulders.<\/p>\n I mumbled, \u201cPingye is gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean she\u2019s gone? Gone where?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s dead. The medicine didn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut they said it would! The medicine should reverse what happened to her!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey took a chance.\u201d My voice cracked. \u201cThe medicine was meant to treat similar symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere did they take her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHer body turned to water.\u201d<\/p>\n Lu froze, blood drained from his face instantly.<\/p>\n Hollowness crept all over me. I touched my cheeks. They were dry. I took a step back, and fell.<\/p>\n Cold water submerged me. No air. The white cloth wrapped around my wrist. It tugged me further and further into the depth of the pond. I struggled, fighting to reach the surface of the endless void. The grip from the white cloth was stronger than ever. I couldn\u2019t hold my breath any longer. My lungs burned. I opened my mouth knowing this would be the end of it.<\/p>\n I bolted upright in bed, covered in cold sweat. My breaths were ragged. Inhale. Exhale<\/em>. Inhale. Exhale<\/em>. I forced myself to finally calm down.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been three months since we brought back the dragon scale and lotus seeds. Three months since we failed Pingye. The same nightmare comes back to haunt me every time I thought I was over it.<\/p>\n I had avoided writing in my diary ever since what happened to Pingye. But considering what happened earlier today, I needed to start again.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the next writing project? What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book) If your novels require research \u2013 please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you\u2019re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?<\/p>\n Since my book takes place in China and everything is surrounded by Chinese Mythology, I felt that it was only necessary to do research first to make sure it stays accurate in general. I usually research when I want to find a god or myth to incorporate into my book, then I record it and format the source. I\u2019m putting the sources at the end of the 4th book.<\/p>\n What\u2019s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.<\/strong> What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?<\/strong> Anything additional you want to share with the readers today? You can check out more information on my books at hemieyao.com.<\/p>\n Links:<\/strong> Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Hemie Yao published her debut novel of the series, The Untold Truth of Club Menshen, at the age of twelve in 2023. Daughter of a Chinese immigrant, she lives in New Hampshire and grows up in a mixed culture background. She loves to immerse herself in nature, art, and fictional worlds.<\/p>\n
This overall series turns thousand-year-old Chinese mythology to life in modern day. It\u2019s about an Italian girl, Cassidy, a human growing up in China who has to navigate this school full of Menshens. Menshens are door gods, whose goal of their entire life is to serve the gods by protecting gates from evil.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>I was inspired by the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riodern. I was fascinated that all the Greek myths mentioned were based on stories told in ancient times!<\/p>\n
<\/u><\/strong>Pingye was gone.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>My next writing project is definitely going to be the third book in the series, The Untold Truth of Club Menshen: The Silk Road<\/em>. Cassidy and her friends head to Italy and dive deeper into Cassidy\u2019s backstory and the past of Club Menshen. The stakes are higher than ever. The gods\u2019 secrets and the final goal of the series is becoming clearer. This book is set to come out in late 2026.<\/p>\n![\"headshot](\"https:\/\/lisahaselton.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pic-150x150.jpeg\")
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<\/strong>My biggest challenge when writing a new book, is really the blank pages. It\u2019s daunting to open a document and only see a handful of pages, knowing that there\u2019s going to be hundreds in the end. It feels impossible at first, but I just ignore it and keep writing. Slowly, the story will build up.<\/p>\n
I usually write on the couch. It\u2019s probably not the best for my back, but I\u2019ve been using it for years at this point and don\u2019t feel a need to change it soon. Sometimes, I\u2019ll go outside to the patio to write. Almost always, I\u2019ll have music playing. Some say it distracts them, but for me, it helps me think.<\/p>\n
My favorite authors are probably Rick Rioden and Suzanne Collins. I love their style of writing and their characters. Like the genre I write in, I love reading fantasy and anything that alters the present world.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>I\u2019m running a free ebook sale for the sequel from June 13-June 15 on Amazon! Don\u2019t worry if you haven\u2019t read the first book, the second book stands as its own and is perfectly understandable as is. I hope you enjoy it!<\/p>\n
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