Ed Lin champions the small press
If New York novelist Ed Lin weren’t such a good writer, he’d probably be a punk rocker. Filled with raw yet tender emotions, Lin’s books are populated by troubled characters in grim worlds. Waylaid, which came out in 2002 and was later adapted into the movie The Motel, followed a 12-year-old boy growing up in a sleazy New Jersey motel. Praised widely from Booklist to Playboy, Lin (who used to write for AsianWeek) became a hero for Kaya Press, the small publishing house dedicated to Asian American literature. His new book, This is a Bust, which Kaya released in December, offers a rare view into New York’s Chinatown circa 1976. The book’s strengths lie in its rhythmic, quick prose and colorful characters, such as a midget who’s a board-game champion and cops with names like Peepshow, English and the Brow.
Like the sex-starved narrator of Waylaid, Lin’s latest protagonist is far from being a model immigrant. Robert Chow, a 25-year-old policeman, is loud, drunk and fat. He’s the first to throw a punch, the first to hurl an insult. Nevertheless, he’s a deep-down good guy, and you can’t help but cheer him on as he clashes with other officers in his precinct or as he picks a fight with a group of firemen.
The author himself has the appearance of a boxer, posing with the words “Drop Dead” scrawled on his knuckles for his latest publicity photo. But Lin, who is actually an editor for Barron’s Online, is a nice tough guy. If he’s fighting for anything, it’s the right to stay true to one’s stories.
What inspired you to write about Chinatown?
Ed Lin: People always see Chinatown as one big place with Chinese people, but the truth is that there are so many subdivisions among the people — political, regional, class — that aren’t portrayed in a realistic way. It’s a very un-homogenized place.
How did your family react when your first novel came out, considering that it was based on your actual experiences of renting out rooms to hookers?
EL: I like to think of all writing as being based on one’s life. If I wrote a book on gardening, it would still be autobiographical. But my parents have never said anything about it. They would pass along comments from their friends’ kids, but had none of their own. It’s hard for them to come to terms with what they had to do to get by in this country. My sister loves the book, of course.
How did you get your first book published?
EL: I first sent my manuscript to several agencies, and I got this typical response: “You’re a good writer, but you’re crazy if you think anybody’s going to publish this!” One Asian agent even told me I had to take all the sex out of it. Then I happened to meet Sunyoung Lee, editor of Kaya, at a panel called “How to Get Your Book Published” and told her I had this crazy manuscript. The rest is history.
Major houses want something tried, true, and easily categorized or favorably compared with a prior “hit” book. On the other hand, indie presses are helping to preserve artistic integrity. If it weren’t for indie presses, American readers wouldn’t have had a shot at Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Tropic of Cancer or Naked Lunch.
Ed Lin will read from This is a Bust at Modern Times Bookstore, 888 Valencia St., on Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. Lisa Chen will also read from Mouth, her debut collection of poetry. The event is co-sponsored by San Francisco-based Asian American magazine Hyphen.