This A-Profiler we bring you Lac Su, author of I Love Yours Are for White People. Find out what inspired him to share his memoir, how he went about becoming published, and find out how he is adding his voice to advocating for the Asian American voice.

Your site URL:
www.myspace.com/LacDSu

Have you always had a love for writing, even as a child?  What inspired you to write I Love Yous Are for White People?
I did write a lot as a kid; and drew a lot, too. I wouldn't say that I had a "love" for writing. Writing served as a survival mechanism for me. The adversities that I had to deal with inside my home and outside in the streets, in a new country, were overwhelming. I wrote about what I didn't understand. I wrote because I had nobody to talk to about the confusion and frustration I felt inside. I wrote things that I wished I could have told my father. I had the best pen pal growing up. :)

I didn't expect to write I Love Yous Are for White People so early in my life. I mean, I have so much more to live to have more life stories to write a memoir, right? That's what I thought, too. A huge part of my decision was inspiration—I was about to welcome my newborn daughter around the time I decided to write my memoir. The inspiration was to preserve the rich stories for the Su family's next generations. Plus, it was time to empty the trash can, the way you do on your computer. The experiences I have going forward will be organized neatly in new folders.

What was the process of getting published like for you?  Was it a long and difficult process?
Book publishing is a long process, especially for a first-time author. There was a lot of "selling your story and ideas" that went on. First, to book agents who would represent you and have you in his/her best interest. Then the selling continued when we took the story and ideas to the publishing market. The worse part about this phase was the rejection letters. If you have a weak will or thin skin, the process will smash you pretty bad. My mentality was, "Somebody will freaking pick up this story." I already had Plan B in mind just in case none of the publishers picked up my story. I swear I was going to slang my Kinko's-copied manuscripts from the trunk of my car. This story had to get out there.

What has been the most rewarding experience as an author so far?  What has surprised you the most since your book has been available?
The kind words I've received. I don't think I'll ever get used to them partly because I was so used to the unkind words spoken to me while I was growing up. "You are a talented writer" is a world apart from "You are so retarded." I remember my high school Spanish teacher refused to write me a college recommendation letter because she didn't think I would get into a U.C. school. Thank you, U.C. Irvine, for telling her differently. So when people read my book and offer me their most sincere gratitude and congratulations (even pride), it makes me feel good about who I've become.

The most surprising result of my book's publication is that my stories transcend different cultures, ages, generations, sex, and social economic statuses. A reader in the fifth grade passed my book along to his father—he emailed me to let me know, and then passed it along to his wife, and then she to her father. To a writer, this is the ultimate compliment.

This is probably one of the most asked questions of you. Does your father know about your book and, if so, what has his reaction been to the book?
My father does know about the book but not the details. All he knows about it is that I've written stories about our family's struggles as Vietnamese refugees in America and what he had to do as a father to see me succeed.

Has there been any interest in your story as a movie?
There has been some interest in making my stories into a documentary or a feature film. My agent Gillian Mackenzie has been working on that. They can either produce a movie about my book as a whole or choose a chapter from the book and expand on it. I mean, if they can run a sitcom about the things that happen within 24 hours for years, they can expand the "Five and Nine" chapter from my book into a two-hour feature film, right?

What are your plans for the future?  Will we see more books in the future?  Will there be more memoirs or will you delve into other areas, such as fiction?
I continue to write in my down time. I'd like to enrich and share my voice more. Writing is still a hobby. There could be another memoir in the making. I've thought about writing a children's book. Fiction? Maybe.

Lately, I've been advocating for the Asian American voice. As you know, Nelson, my comrade Steve Nguyen and I recently founded and hosted the first-ever Asian American bloggers colloquium called BANANA at USC. Also, I'm raising funds to donate to the Asian American Network of Indiana's ImaginAsian art fundraiser and Giant Robot Magazine by selling "I Love Yous Are for White People" t-shirts. Donnytello Tran from Neaato drew an awesome illustration for the t-shirt—pro bono, and Ryan Suda from Black Lava made the t-shirts; he threw in a discount as a contribution. Made by us, for us.

Outside of writing, what do you like to do in your free time?  What is one of your guilty pleasures?
Most of my free time is dedicated to my family. Sometimes, there's not even enough time for that. My guilty pleasure? Ha! I will share the answer to this question from what I wrote for 8Asians' 8 questions for Lac Su.

What?! Well, if you must ask, I like to drink a 40 oz. of Old English from time to time. I'm alone in my garage with a box full of old family picture albums. I look at each picture and try to bring the moment back—how I felt, what I was thinking, where I was. It's nostalgic and bittersweet to reminisce about the days of my childhood. I reflect on how far I've come. I often shed tears. But by the time I dust off the corner of my 40 oz., I smile and tell myself that it's okay now—I can let go. Billy Holiday, The Carpenters, The Smiths, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Stevie Wonder, Tupac, Common, or Mag Flux usually blares from my speakers. And I sit there and think...until my eyes grow heavy and I fall asleep. So much pleasure...

What advice do you have for other aspiring authors out there?
You know how Nike's slogan is "Just do it"? My advice to aspiring authors is "Just write it." Write about the things that have touched you the most. Write thank-you letters to your friends and family. Write a poem while sitting on your throne. Write a grocery list. Write a check. Just write it. You can't call yourself a writer if you don't write. That's what writers do—they write. The rest will fall into place.

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This issue of A-Profiler is brought to you by Nelson Wong.
Special thanks to Lac Su.

Photos used with permission.
Copyright retained by original copyright holder(s).