The T stands for 桐。

My journey as a writer started when my mother (partially) named me after a fictional character in a novel. 桐 (Tóng) is a kind of tree (Chinese parasol), as well as the name of an ancient kingdom in modern day Ānhuī, roughly 1,200 km north of my hometown.

Aside from a slew of unfinished fanfics and a Bachelor’s degree in biology under my belt, I’ve also got a Master’s in journalism and communication. Grad school took me to my short stint at CBC News.

Today, I write contemporary novels about Chinese-Canadian women who are doing their best to make sense of their lives.

More facts: I (successfully) learned to swim when I was 23, I speak 3 different Chinese dialects, and my first-ever fanfic was posted to none other than Quizilla.

Photo by Jason Leung