April’s Featured Author: Jennifer J. Chow
Many writers grow into their roles; they don’t set out to become an author early, but Jennifer J. Chow is an exception. She knew she wanted to write since her elementary school days, and she continued working and perfecting her skill until that dream became a reality.
Chow grew up reading mystery novels and decided that’s where her heart belongs. She read the Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew series as a child and Agatha Christie novels. She recalls bonding with her mom over the words and feelings Christie described. These novels played a massive role in the writer she is today.
In addition, Chow was inspired by quite a few Asian-American writers, including Jean Kwok, Lisa, See, and Amy Tan. She found their storytelling and personal lives inspiring and found a way to use that to better her writing. Chow has been nominated for many awards throughout the last decade, with her Sassy Cat Mysteries making serious headlines. This month, Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, the first in the series, is featured in our Surprise Me! category.
Mimi Lees Gets a Clue was a finalist for the Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery in 2021, a Cozy Escape Award nominee for Own Voices Mystery the same year, and a Lefty Award finalist for Best Humorous Mystery in 2022. These awards and her growing popularity prove that “persevere and revise” really works. Those two words are her biggest piece of advice to any young writer. She encourages aspiring novelists to continue putting their best work out there and never compare themselves to others. Everyone has their voice and talents; she urges the next generation to discover what theirs are and never give up. We love her way of judging growth, “you can measure your milestones using an Olympics-style timeline - by looking back every four years.” We think this advice should be taken to heart and applied to many aspects of life, not just writing.
Usually, we wouldn’t ruin the surprise, but we’re thrilled to offer Mimi Lee Gets a Clue in April’s Surprise Me! box. So, if you’re looking for a funny mystery, sign up for our book subscription box service. We’ll send Mimi Lee Gets a Clue and another fiction novel to your door.
