Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Lauren Ho (Bite Me, Royce Taslim)!
Meet the Author: Lauren Ho
Lauren Ho, author of adult romcoms Last Tang Standing and Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic, is a reformed legal counsel who now prefers to write for pleasure. Hailing from Malaysia, she is currently based in Singapore, where she’s ostensibly working on her next novel while attempting to parent. Bite Me, Royce Taslim is her YA debut. Find her on Instagram and Twitter @HelloLaurenHo.
About the Book: Bite Me, Royce Taslim
Acclaimed author of Last Tang Standing and Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic in her YA debut: a sharp yet sweet rivals-to-romance romp through Kuala Lumpur—perfect for fans of Emiko Jean, Abigail Hing Wen, and Kat Cho.
Agnes Chan never expected to be the punchline of her own life… But how else do you explain getting accidentally run over and seeing a lifetime of careful preparation, endless training, and all your hopes of a track scholarship to college destroyed in a split second? Not to mention the only witness to your humiliation being your #1 archnemesis, Royce Taslim.
So, when Agnes finds a new answer to her scholarship predicament in the form of an international stand-up comedy contest for teens, the last person she expects to be up against is also the last person she wants to see: Royce. Because for years Royce has represented everything Agnes loathes: extreme privilege, popularity, and physical perfection (ok maybe she doesn’t hate that part so much).
Behind the scenes, though, Royce’s flawless façade fades away, revealing someone Agnes never expected—someone who shows her that perhaps the best parts of life are the ones you aren’t prepared for—and as the competition heats up, so do things between these two rivals. But will the pressure to win be too much for them to handle—or will Agnes (and Royce) get the last laugh?
Amazon * B&N * IndieBound
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write Bite Me, Royce Taslim?
I think I’m a humorous writer (I performed weekly as an amateur stand-up comic in Singapore for two years from 2016-2018, bombing often and spectacularly). In the end I got a lot of material for my books, especially this YA novel, but it’s possible that the scene never recovered.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
It’s hard to pick a scene. I love all of the stand-up jokes in the book and just the humor in general. There’s considerable skill going into crafting jokes on page and I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve built a reputation for crafting books with humour and heart.
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
Keep your eyes on the prize and just keep writing. Don’t get distracted by all the noise that comes with publishing, it’s a time and energy drain. The only thing you have control over is your writing.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’m working on my second Disney book which is going to be really fun and set in Paris, and another couple of adult fiction books I can’t talk about yet.
YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?
Vern, because I have for the longest time wanted to write a ‘subtly toxic friend’ character and I think his motivations were so interesting to delve into, but I had to keep certain genre conventions in mind so there was some compromise with how dark his narrative could go.
YABC: What is the main message (or lesson) you would like your reader to remember from this book?
You make your own destiny.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
I used to work with Doctors Without Borders and I believe that they are an amazing medical humanitarian aid organisation that deserves your support.
I’m also a big supporter of mental health awareness and the need for suicide prevention programs, and I would like to highlight the admirable work done in this space by The JED Foundation, which works with young adults in the United States.
YABC: What advice do you have for writers changing what age group they are writing for?
Always pay attention to the voice of your characters and read widely in that genre!
Title: Bite Me, Royce Taslim
Author: Lauren Ho
Release Date: May 7, 2024
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Age Range: 12+ (YA)
