Aimee

Phan

Young Adult Author

Short Story Writer & Novelist

Travels from: Oakland, CA

“Phan charts [these] journeys with acuity, sensitivity, [and] wisdom.” ― Los Angeles Times

Aimee Phan was born and raised in Orange County, California. She received her BA in English from UCLA and her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She is the author of The Lost Queen, a young adult fantasy duology, as well as two books for adults, We Should Never Meet: Stories and the novel The Reeducation of Cherry Truong. She has received fellowships and residencies from the NEA, MacDowell Colony, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center, Djerassi and Hedgebrook. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Time, USA Today and CNN.com among other publications. Aimee teaches as a professor in writing and literature at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco and resides in Berkeley, California with her family.

Aimee's Featured Titles

Why Young Adult Literature Matters

For most people, the books they remember most are the ones they read during adolescence. These books often are young people’s best friends and places of refuge, offering escape, compassion and advice to help better understand who they are and what they want to be.
When I first started teaching at art school, I realized the key to getting my reluctant readers to read was with YA. From urban realism to sci fi and fantasy, YA Lit allowed my students to see themselves in words. I’d tapped into the source that unleashed their imaginations. These are the nonjudgmental companions that help us through the painful transition to adulthood, offering different worlds where we can find identity and community. In this talk, I discuss how important YA Lit can help people figure out who they are, how to feel less lonely, and how to find their voices.

Seeing Yourself in Books

I grew up learning about the wold through the library boks my mother brought home for me every day. As a young Asian American girl growing up in southern California, I rarely saw anyone who looked like me in these books. When I did, it felt like a revelation. I devoured these books, eager to participate (even vicariously) through these adventures I’d admired for so long.
Now that I am a writer, I recognize even more the importance for young readers to see themselves in books.
In this talk, I will discuss the importance of diversity in literature, especially in children and young adult books, so that people can develop more empathy, compassion and community.

The Rise of Asian American Literature

When I first started writing, there was only one Vietnamese American novel published in the United States (Monkey Bridge, by Lan Cao.) I longed for more diverse stories and representations of my heritage. Now the field is abundant with a diversity of genres, from literary fiction (Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer) to graphic novels (Thi Bui’s The Best We Could Do) to young adult (Dustin Thao’s You’ve Reached Sam.”)
In this talk, I’ll discuss how this genre has flourished, following the timelines of other diverse literature in the United States.

Mythology in Contemporary Books

More writers are using mythology and folklore in their writing, even if the stories are set in the modern world. In this talk, I’ll discuss the enduring appeal of origin mythologies and how they help people feel both connected to traditions and heritage, and also inspired to discover new meanings and interpretations in these classic tales.

Sisterhood and Friendship in Literature

In The Lost Queen, I wanted to explore sisterhood, friendship, and the struggles young girls face to find their inner warriors. It didn’t take me long to realize sisterhood is much more complex than the fun fantasy I initially imagined. That there could also be jealousy, insecurity, disagreements and betrayal. I loved pursuing all of those themes in this duology, and surprising myself with the twists and turns a seemingly simple myth of two powerful sisters can take.

“Phan paces the action and information reveals impeccably, keeping the suspense going without losing the emotional weight of the story. Give this to anyone who likes isekai, myth-in-modern-times novels, or just stories with a protagonist who has to pick through layers of memory, love, and hate to figure out how to act on the right thing.”— BCCB, STARRED REVIEW

“Phan blends contemporary and historical settings with just enough magic (and dragons) to reach numerous readers.” — Booklist

“Blending true Vietnamese history and folklore with an enchanting dose of magic and mystery, The Lost Queen is a contemporary fantasy that is not to be missed! Aimee Phan has woven a wonderfully inventive and beautifully heartfelt story that centers family, friendship and legacy—one that will leave readers entranced.” — Amber Chen, author of Of Jade and Dragons and the forthcoming The Blood Phoenix

“Lyrical, magical, and haunting, with a compelling protagonist full of determination and heart, THE LOST QUEEN had me from the first line. Phan is an astounding new talent.” — Marie Lu, author of the Legend series, the Young Elites series, and the Warcross series

“Filled with potent beauty and exhilarating magic and myth, The Lost Queen is a fearlessly told epic tale with a gleaming modern edge. Aimee Phan brings an enthralling legend to brilliant life, exposes and explores the tangled bonds of sisterhood, and does it all with the mesmerizing power of her sharply honed prose. I am now impatiently awaiting the sequel.” — Nova Ren Suma, New York Times bestselling author of The Walls Around Us and Wake the Wild Creatures

“Inspired by Vietnamese folklore, culture and history, The Lost Queen is full of spells and magic, wonders and adventures. A captivating new book from one of my favorite authors, Aimee Phan.” — Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, global best-selling author of The Mountains Sing and Dust Child

Aimee’s Events Link

Aimee’s Writing Link

Honors, Awards & Recognition

2024 Writing Between the Vines Writing Residency, February 5-9
2019 Djerassi Artists/DVAN Writing Residency, January 12-18
2018 Djerassi Artists/DVAN Writing Residency, June 5-11
2016 The Headlands Center for the Arts, Affiliate Artist Residency, 2016-17
2014 The Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center Writing Residency, October
2012 Hedgebrook Writing Residency, February
2010 National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship, $25,000

Media clips

KQED | Aimee Phan: A New Chapter

Berkeleyside | Berkeley author’s YA novel tells story of Vietnam’s national heroines with magic and time travel

SF Chronicle Datebook | Berkeley author breathes life into Vietnamese legends with audacious young adult novel

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.