Sher Lee writes young adult novels with Asian characters. She lives in Singapore and has an abiding love for local street food (including an incredible weakness for xiao long bao). She has two adorable corgis, Clover and Spade. Find her on Instagram @sherleeauthor.

I had the opportunity to interview Sher, which you can read below.

First of all, welcome back to Geeks OUT! For readers who might not be as familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself? 

Hi! I write young adult novels with Asian characters. I was born and raised in Singapore and have an abiding love for local street food (including an incredible weakness for xiao long bao). My debut YA rom-com, FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES, has been translated in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

What can you tell us about your latest book, Legend of the White Snake? What was the inspiration for this story?

LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE is a queer romantic fantasy retelling of a Chinese folktale that will appeal to fans of Six Crimson Cranes and A Magic Steeped in Poison.

Prince Xian has never stopped hunting for a white snake to create an antidote to cure his dying mother, who was bitten by one. Zhen, a white snake spirit, transforms into a teen boy and meets Prince Xian—they fall in love, but will the truth about Zhen’s identity tear them apart? 

The book will be published in October 2024 by HarperCollins (US) and Macmillan (UK), and will be translated in Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Brazil. As an international author, I’m especially excited for the foreign language editions.

Did any media inspire you before or during writing the book, i.e. movies/shows, books, music?

I watched lots of Chinese fantasy and historical dramas, which really helped me ground the story and fact-check some elements of the plot. My favorites with a queer angle are Word of Honor (the Netflix adaption of danmei novel Tiān Yá Kè / Faraway Wanderers), The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity, and Killer and Healer. I also enjoyed The Legend of Anle and Love Between Fairy and Devil.

As a writer, what drew you to the art of storytelling, especially speculative fiction and romance?

I’ve always been a fan of fantasy, especially stories with a queer romance, and reading Captive Prince by C. S. Pacat was a game changer for me because it showed that such deftly written, intricately plotted, and unapologetically queer stories had an enthusiastic worldwide audience. I wanted to tell similar stories inspired by my Asian heritage, and that has been my author brand since.

How would you describe your writing process as it has evolved through your career so far? What seems to have changed or stayed the same since writing your first book?

FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES was my first attempt at writing in first person POV, and I really had fun. For LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE, I’ve reverted back to my default third person POV, but it’s the first time I’ve written a dual POV romance. Telling the story through the eyes of both main characters really enriched this story, and I’m glad that I’ve been able to experiment with different kinds of writing styles. 

Aside from your work, what are some things you would want others to know about you?

My favorite Winnie the Pooh character is Eeyore, and Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White is one of my favorite books since childhood.

What’s a question you haven’t been asked yet but that you wish you were asked (as well as the answer to that question)?

“Would you want to see a TV adaptation of your work?” – and the answer is YES! My debut, FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES, would fit right in with shows like Heartstopper and Red White and Royal Blue, and LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE would be brilliant on Netflix for fans of Word of Honor and The Untamed.

What advice might you have to give for aspiring authors?

The path to finally seeing my debut on shelves wasn’t easy—there were times where setbacks made me want to give up, but I’m glad I never did. In retrospect, the detours and heartaches taught me to be a better writer, as well as prepared me for more inevitable challenges ahead. 

Are there any other projects you are working on and at liberty to speak about?

I have a second YA fantasy in the works, scheduled for publication in 2026 from Quill Tree/HarperCollins.

Finally, what books/authors would you recommend to the readers of Geeks OUT? 

The DARK RISE series by C. S. Pacat is phenomenal, and I also love the YA fantasy titles by Vanessa Len, F.T. Lukens, and Aiden Thomas. On the adult side, I love Sarah Rees Brennan’s LONG LIVE EVIL and Ehigbor Okosun’s FORGED BY BLOOD, and I cannot wait for the next instalments in these series.

Find me on social media:

Instagram: @sherleeauthor

Preorder links: https://sherleeauthor.carrd.co/

Website: https://sherleeauthor.com