Defining America - Authors Explain Their Creative Processes

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Nov 11, 2014
by Jonathan Elbaz
Defining America - Authors Explain Their Creative Processes

Susan Straight and Karen Tei Yamashita speak to Salzburg Global about their work

Susan Straight (right) and Karen Tei Yamashita (left) speak during the "Defining America" session

While in Salzburg for the "Defining America" session in September, authors Susan Straight and Karen Tei Yamashita spoke to Salzburg Global about their creative processes and their experiences at Schloss Leopoldskron.

Straight, who writes "mixed-race novels" and teaches creative writing at UC Riverside, spoke about the importance of storytelling for any profession. She teaches her students that if you're a writer, lawyer or entrepreneur, you must know how to engage your audience with a compelling narrative.

She also mentioned the two biggest compliments you could ever give a writer: "I stayed up all night to finish your book and I had to call in sick to work... Or, you made me cry and I looked like crap at work the next day."

Watch the full interview with Susan Straight:

Yamashita, an author and professor at UC Santa Cruz, elaborated on an idea from her lecture at the session. Thinking back to the internment of her parents during World War II, portrayals of Asians in Star Trek, and predictions about China's hegemonic role in the 21st century, Yamashita presents a widespread, subconscious fear that our future will be dominated by emotionless Asian cyborgs.

Yamashita pulls references from history, her personal story, politics and pop culture to reveal this growing stereotype of Asian culture. Watch the full interview with Karen Tei Yamashita: