- Liana Tang Yan-tung and Kylie Wang Yu-xin never felt represented in young adult novels, so they decided to write their own
- Every week, Talking Points gives you a worksheet to practise your reading comprehension with exercises about the story we’ve written
“Stuck in Her Head”, by Liana Tang Yan-tung and Kylie Wang Yu-xin, was published in October. Photo: HandoutGrowing up in Hong Kong as avid readers of English-language young adult novels, Liana Tang Yan-tung and Kylie Wang Yu-xin never felt represented in these stories.
“I never connected to [them] as much emotionally, because they always felt so dramatic and so out of my reach ... especially since our upbringing and environment [in Hong Kong] are so different,” said 17-year-old Liana, who was born and raised in the city.
Three years ago, she decided to write a story that would reflect her experiences and reached out to her primary school friend, Kylie, to attempt this together. Together, they spent about two years co-writing Stuck in Her Head, which was published last month.
Set in Hong Kong, this coming-of-age novel follows the seven-year friendship of two teens, Emma and Naomi, whose talents are in music, and it delves into the challenges of growing up in a stifling environment.
“It is about two girls trying to find themselves in a lonely world of expectations and uncertainty. And we felt like this [is] a theme a lot of teenagers can relate to,” said Liana, who studies English literature at the University of Toronto.
“In Hong Kong, you have to do a lot of comparison. You always struggle with ... feeling good enough. And it’s the book’s question: how do you feel ‘enough’ in a world that constantly demands more of you?”
Her co-author, Kylie – who is from Taiwan, was raised in Hong Kong, and moved to the US at the age of 12 – added: “An important theme in the book is hope and self-worth ... and not letting external things like grades or achievements define you.”
Empowering, relatable story
The authors, who both play the piano, explained that the book’s title referred to the way music gets stuck in your head, while also representing how the characters get “stuck in their heads” as they face uncertainty, external expectations and mental health issues.
Instead of focusing on popular teen book topics like romance, the authors hoped to tell an encouraging, relatable story of overcoming personal challenges.
“One thing I relate to is the fact that even Naomi is uncertain and a bit fearful of the future,” Kylie, 17, explained of the protagonist who is a musical prodigy.
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“She does not exactly know what she wants to do. And even if she does, she does not exactly know that she can get there. I think that is a fear ... other teens share,” noted Kylie, who is in high school in the US.
For Liana, who has struggled with depression and thoughts of suicide, writing the book was a healing experience: “These topics are relatively taboo ... A lot of people struggle with mental health issues, and I think when you see yourself in the pages, it ... empowers you.”
She added: “I want to tell a story ... that talks about hope and [how] life, despite so much of what’s going on, can still be worth living.”
How they persevered through setbacks
Trying to write a book together across a 15-hour time difference, while also balancing their studies was a challenging task for the two novice writers.
But Kylie and Liana were determined to craft a story that would resonate with young people. They even created surveys to get feedback from their peers and used it to improve their writing.
Once they were satisfied with their work, they sent it to publishers – only to receive more than 100 rejections and many unanswered queries.
Despite the setbacks, their perseverance paid off when a Hong Kong publisher, Earnshaw Books, made them an offer last December.
“We did not know how much of an impact it would have on our lives ... I’ve seen [the publisher’s] books in the bookstores and that’s just wild,” the teens noted.
“If I read the book when I was younger, I would have felt comfort ... and I hope someone else [reading the book] can feel that,” Kylie said.
Liana added: “When you grow up in an Asian community, you’re drawn ... to be the best or succeed. So it [the book] wants to show it’s OK if you fall because, in life, that happens ... Pick yourself back up.”
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One month after publishing their debut novel, the two authors are already brainstorming their second book, which will be a fantasy story.
“I am excited about it, especially because of this [book] – we have learned a lot, and we can probably finish so much quicker,” the duo shared.
“We want to see what we can do ... and just expand our writing experience.”
If you have suicidal thoughts or know someone who is having them, help is available. In Hong Kong, dial +852 2896-0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382-0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.
To test your understanding of this story, download our printable worksheet or answer the questions in the quiz below.