Above are some sweet memories from my author/artist talk at Chopsticks Alley Art Gallery during the First Friday San Jose Art Walk. I shared about the process of writing and illustrating this book, read my favorite story from the book, and wove in some spoken word poetry. The best part of the evening was hearing my dad share in response to me reading our story (the chickpea page) which brought many of us to tears. Friends from all chapters of my life traveled great distances to celebrate with me. This was an evening I will fondly remember for the rest of my life.

Every April during junior high to high school, and even when I returned home from college for Easter break, my mom would take me to the annual Children’s Book Illustrator show at Sun Gallery. I loved meeting the authors and seeing their original art displayed in the gallery. Each year my mom would let me pick out one book and I’d get the author’s autograph. I have a stack of all these precious books in my bookcase now. My mom recalls in college I got back into the car, buckled my seatbelt, and proclaimed, “One day, I am going to write and illustrate my own book, too.”

Decades later, here we are. To showcase some original art from my book and have an intimate conversation about my creative process with loved ones was a surreal, full-circle moment. I am deeply grateful for everyone who helped me get to this place, who watered these seeds of curiosity, and encouraged me to keep creating and believing in this dream.