Grace K. Shim is the author of the new young adult novel Not Your Average Jo. She also has written the YA novel The Noh Family. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Q: What inspired you to write Not Your Average Jo, and how did you create your character Riley?
A: The book was inspired by my own experience growing up as one of the few Asian Americans in the Midwest. Like Riley, in high school, I had wanted to be in a more diverse community, so I asked my parents to send me to a boarding school in Los Angeles.
Navigating the culture shock from my old school to my new one made me explore what it meant to me to be an Asian American. Since the coming of age experience with my cultural identity still feels very relevant in teens today, I felt like it was an important story to write about.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, “This enjoyable coming-of-age story explores a number of powerful themes connected to the music industry, nepotism, race, discrimination, and speaking up against prejudice...” What do you think of that description?
A: Because I wanted to write a book that addressed societal issues from the perspective of teenagers, the challenge for me was to write a story that was as engaging as it was meaningful. So it was a relief to me to read the Kirkus Review describe the book as "enjoyable" while also exploring "powerful themes."
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: There were many, many changes along the way. And while I didn't know the specific details of how the ending would turn out for Riley until the final draft, I always knew what sentiment I wanted to end with.
The idea of coming up with a "solution" for a large-scale issue like racism, bias, and prejudice, especially in a notoriously biased industry like the music industry, seemed too unrealistic. But I wanted to be optimistic and leave readers feeling hopeful.
Q: How did you research the book, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?
A: Most of my understanding of bias in the entertainment industry came from things I'd learned and observed as a teenager.
Since I didn't have first-hand experience with the present-day climate of the industry, I spoke with several professionals about bias and prejudice in the music industry and I was surprised to learn that bias and prejudice in the industry is still as prevalent as I suspected it was.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I have another young adult novel coming out, slated for February 2026. It hasn't been announced yet, but I am excited to share it with readers soon.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Not Your Average Jo is available in select Barnes & Noble and online, where books are sold along with my first novel, The Noh Family, which is about a girl who takes a DNA test and discovers she is related to an ultra-rich family in Korea.
You can find me online at gkshimwrites.com or on IG: @gkshimwrites
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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