Q&A with Dominic Lim

 

 

 

Dominic Lim is the author of the new novel Karaoke Queen. He also has written the novel All the Right Notes. He lives in Oakland.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Karaoke Queen, and how did you create your character Rex?

 

A: I've always been a huge fan of drag, having done it in college and during my years working as an actor in New York City. I'm also friends with Dwayne Cooper, aka "Milan" from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 (the inspiration for the character of Ujima, who shows up in both of my books).

 

For my second novel, I really wanted to lean into the circumstantial humor inherent in romantic comedies, and the dual identity of a drag queen is such a natural fit for comedy (as we've all seen from Bosom Buddies to Tootsie to Mrs. Doubtfire).

 

On a more political note, I was getting concerned about what was going on with all the anti-drag legislation that different jurisdictions in the US were trying to pass. It seemed ridiculous to me that this joyous art form was suddenly being so vilified that drag artists were fearing for their safety.

 

I wanted to write a story where the message was: drag is not something to be scared of or hidden away, it's something to be lifted up and celebrated. And also, karaoke is very near and dear to me!

 

Shake them all up in a fabulous cocktail tumbler and out flies Rex, Regina (Rex's secret drag alter ego), and Karaoke Queen.

 

Q: The writer Ali Hazelwood called the novel a “beautiful love letter to the importance of being unapologetically ourselves.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: First of all, let me just say that Ali Hazelwood is as kind as she is talented. To get any sort of mention from an icon like her is incredible, let alone to get the wonderful blurb she wrote for Karaoke Queen.

 

I absolutely squealed when I saw what she had written. Not only because it was so generous, but because it deeply resonated with me; she absolutely got the core message of what Karaoke Queen is all about!

 

We authors often have a difficult time describing our own work, so when someone else can do it in such a succinct and beautiful way, it is truly a gift. 

 

Q: Did you know how the story would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: I consider myself a "plotter;" outlines are very important to me and Karaoke Queen was no exception. But that initial outline and draft underwent many changes along the way. 

 

Mostly because of my editor at Forever—Alex Logan—who I trust 100 percent. She suggested a few big changes, including putting more joy into the story (the first draft had a lot more angst in it) and in particular, taking out most of the initial love triangle.

 

Turns out, most readers are not big fans of love triangles. I had to come up with a way to still have that initial motivation for Rex to want to get back together with his ex-boyfriend yet not alienate the reader so much when another, better option comes along.

 

We went through about four major rewrites, but we eventually got the story into exactly the place it needed to be.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the novel?

 

A: Joy, hope, a better understanding and appreciation of drag, Filipino, and queer cultures, maybe a few tears shed, and definitely a lot of laughs!

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I'm currently working on a contemporary fiction novel about an immigrant couple in Richmond, Virginia, in the early ‘80s, a queer comic book illustrator in NYC in the early 2000s, and a social media "unreality" celebrity living in Manila Bay in the 2030s.

 

The stories are connected, though it's not immediately apparent how. The connections, along with a few twists, are revealed slowly over the course of the book. It's the first time I've ever not worked from an outline, so we'll see how it turns out! So far, I'm surprisingly happy with it. 

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: If you're a fan of audiobooks, be sure to check out Karaoke Queen's! We had the mind-boggling luck to get none other than drag legend Manila Luzon (RuPaul's Drag Race finalist and All Star) as our narrator. It's her first audiobook ever but let me tell you: she blows it out of the water. You do not want to miss her performance on it!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb