Eight

Summary

• The author reflects on the difficultly of handling negative reviews and online criticism, underscored by a barrage of comments regarding her latest book, ‘The Last Front’, published under her pseudonym, Juniper Song.
• She frequently seeks advice and support from her industry friends Marnie Kimball and Jen Walker in a group chat, aptly named “Eden’s Angels”. They advise her to not read reviews and not to engage with negative online comments.
• Still, the author finds herself continuously drawn to these negative comments and tweets, feeling it necessary to shape her own perception of herself based on what the world is saying about her.
• A notable critic, Adele Sparks-Sato, publishes a critique on the author's work, slamming it for underplaying the suffering of Chinese laborers and focusing instead on what she calls "white redemption". The author dismisses the critique, asserting her personal right to authenticity.
• Another critic, Xiao Chen, publishes an essay arguing that "The Last Front" should never have been published. This critic seems to be a significant nuisance for the author, particularly due to his emotional and angry rhetoric.
• Her critics primarily focus on a controversial scene where an underage white girl is ogled by Chinese laborers and agrees to let one of them kiss her. The author defends her decision to include the scene, aiming to depict potential for interracial love in challenging situations.
• The author articulates her belief that as a writer, she should be permitted to explore any subject matter regardless of racial or cultural background, if she has done the work to understand and portray it accurately.
• She also highlights the concept of profiting from someone's suffering as controversial in nature, while maintaining her stand that writing about tragic events is essential in forwarding untold stories.
• The chapter concludes with the author reflecting on her complicated relationship with another successful author, Athena. She sees Athena’s method of translating real-life encounters of pain and suffering into award-winning fiction as exploitative while acknowledging the authenticity Athena brings in exploring histories.