Joan He's Blog
August 7, 2021
about the TOWMTF ending
originally posted on the FAQ section of my website
What actually happens at the end/to the characters of THE ONES WE’RE MEANT TO FIND? Will there be a sequel?
First off, thank you so much for picking up the book, for reading the book, and for clearly being invested in the book.
Here is the question that I can answer: there is no sequel. There is no story left for me to tell in this particular world, with these particular characters. Their arcs are fulfilled, their themes belabored upon. The publisher could offer me a contract for the sequel and I’d turn it down. That’s how strongly I feel about TOWMTF being a standalone, as a creator.
As for the other question—what happens at the end/after—that, unfortunately, is one that I’ve decided I can no longer answer. I’m sorry :( I’ve given this a lot of thought. In the beginning, I would try to answer for the people who asked. Most of them came to me out of discomfort, and so based on their questions I’d tell them what they wanted to hear because I figured I’d assuage worries wherever I can. But doing so would then make me uncomfortable, and after sitting down with myself to examine why, I realized it goes against what I believe is the magic of reading—and of art in general. So if your question is about what happens at the end or after, I will now direct you here. I would ask you to ask yourself why you’re asking the particular set of questions that you are. Is it because you want XYZ to happen? If so, the good news is that there’s likely nothing in the book that will 100% disprove what you want. That’s the beauty of the open ending. Are there some endings that I personally think are 90% substantiated by the text vs 50%? Absolutely. But that’s based on my read of the characters. If you read them differently, who am I to force you to arrive at my destination, to make something canon when it isn’t even on the page?
Reading is an interactive experience. We might have different ways of viewing the world and people around us; I hope the book shows you that that’s okay, and that two (or more) things can be equally valid even if we don’t personally connect with one of them. So the ending is—forgive me—the one that you’re meant to find.
What actually happens at the end/to the characters of THE ONES WE’RE MEANT TO FIND? Will there be a sequel?
First off, thank you so much for picking up the book, for reading the book, and for clearly being invested in the book.
Here is the question that I can answer: there is no sequel. There is no story left for me to tell in this particular world, with these particular characters. Their arcs are fulfilled, their themes belabored upon. The publisher could offer me a contract for the sequel and I’d turn it down. That’s how strongly I feel about TOWMTF being a standalone, as a creator.
As for the other question—what happens at the end/after—that, unfortunately, is one that I’ve decided I can no longer answer. I’m sorry :( I’ve given this a lot of thought. In the beginning, I would try to answer for the people who asked. Most of them came to me out of discomfort, and so based on their questions I’d tell them what they wanted to hear because I figured I’d assuage worries wherever I can. But doing so would then make me uncomfortable, and after sitting down with myself to examine why, I realized it goes against what I believe is the magic of reading—and of art in general. So if your question is about what happens at the end or after, I will now direct you here. I would ask you to ask yourself why you’re asking the particular set of questions that you are. Is it because you want XYZ to happen? If so, the good news is that there’s likely nothing in the book that will 100% disprove what you want. That’s the beauty of the open ending. Are there some endings that I personally think are 90% substantiated by the text vs 50%? Absolutely. But that’s based on my read of the characters. If you read them differently, who am I to force you to arrive at my destination, to make something canon when it isn’t even on the page?
Reading is an interactive experience. We might have different ways of viewing the world and people around us; I hope the book shows you that that’s okay, and that two (or more) things can be equally valid even if we don’t personally connect with one of them. So the ending is—forgive me—the one that you’re meant to find.
August 16, 2020
blogger and reviewer appreciation post
Given recent going-ons, I figured that this needs to be said: bloggers and reviewers, thank you for all that you do. Your work is truly so important in this community and industry, I should add, especially for the books that fall through the publisher's cracks when it comes to marketing/publicity. All the time that you spend writing reviews, sharing your opinion, good or bad--ALL of that makes a real difference in how many readers a book reaches. I know this, because I experienced it firsthand with my debut. I can't see all of your work (and purposefully avoid some of it since this is your space!), but I remember it every single day. So, thank you. Thank you.
October 1, 2019
audiobook now available for DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE!
Many of you asked whether or not DESCENDANT would be available in an audiobook format and I'm so happy to announce that the answer is YES! I worked really closely with the narrator, Nancy Wu, to ensure that all the mandarin terms and names are as accurate as possible. The audiobook is currently available at most retailers, such as amazon and B&N.
April 15, 2019
the sequel is out of my control
Hi friends! Now that DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE is out in the world, I'd like to give the friendly reminder that yes, the book is a standalone in the sense that Hesina's character arc is 80% complete by the end of the book and the questions she set out to answer at the start are, for the most part, answered.
But of course, if you've read to the end, then you'll know that the BIG plot isn't wrapped up neatly with a bow. I always intended it to be this way because it's most true to the story. There was always something bigger than Hesina's personal journey to be told, and I didn't want to truncate that just because the book sold in a one book deal.
But that's the thing--the book sold in a one book deal. And no, I'm not secretly writing the companion books and waiting to spring them on you in a surprise announcement. I tweet about it here, how the possibility of companion books is out of my control. Truly, the book needs to do well enough for future books to be a possibility and also a sensible reality. Books take years to write, edit, and publish, and at this point in my life I have to consider some financial factors before committing myself to more books in this world. But that doesn't mean never. I do hope to return to this world at some point, and I thank you for your patience! Just remember that your support of the book actually does make a difference, and if you choose not to buy the book because you're waiting for the sequel, then that makes said-sequel much less likely to happen.
But of course, if you've read to the end, then you'll know that the BIG plot isn't wrapped up neatly with a bow. I always intended it to be this way because it's most true to the story. There was always something bigger than Hesina's personal journey to be told, and I didn't want to truncate that just because the book sold in a one book deal.
But that's the thing--the book sold in a one book deal. And no, I'm not secretly writing the companion books and waiting to spring them on you in a surprise announcement. I tweet about it here, how the possibility of companion books is out of my control. Truly, the book needs to do well enough for future books to be a possibility and also a sensible reality. Books take years to write, edit, and publish, and at this point in my life I have to consider some financial factors before committing myself to more books in this world. But that doesn't mean never. I do hope to return to this world at some point, and I thank you for your patience! Just remember that your support of the book actually does make a difference, and if you choose not to buy the book because you're waiting for the sequel, then that makes said-sequel much less likely to happen.
March 18, 2019
***important please read*** DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE has a new pub date: April 9th
Hey friends, I know many of you have been counting down to DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE’s release on April 2nd, and so I’m really sorry to be the messenger of bad news: the official publication date has been pushed to Tuesday, April 9th.*
The books have been stalled at the printers. My publisher and I have done everything we can to resolve the problem. To ensure that books will be on shelves by release day, we’ve made the decision to delay publication by ONE WEEK.
I understand how much it sucks to not receive purchases by the expected dates, and I feel terrible about this last minute update. If you’ve pre-ordered the book, please do not be alarmed when it does not ship on April 2nd. All preorders will ship on the new release day. Likewise, all books will appear on shelves on the new date, too.
Swag packs, meanwhile, will continue to be shipped up to the week of release. To accommodate, the preorder and library request campaign will now run to 4/8. If you have friends who've preordered, it would mean a lot to me if you shared the updated release date with them. The last thing I want is for people to think there was an issue with their individual order when books have been delayed across the board.
Hopefully, the extra week won’t feel like too much of an additional wait, but feel free to message me if you have any questions. As ever, I’m grateful for your understanding and patience, and I hope you enjoy your books come April 9th **
Hugs,
Joan
*Online retailers may still have the book listed for April 2nd, but the new date will be reflected soon.
**LAUNCH EVENT AT THE STRAND BOOKSTORE WILL ALSO BE MOVED TO APRIL 9TH. DIFFERENT DATE, SAME PLACE & TIME.
The books have been stalled at the printers. My publisher and I have done everything we can to resolve the problem. To ensure that books will be on shelves by release day, we’ve made the decision to delay publication by ONE WEEK.
I understand how much it sucks to not receive purchases by the expected dates, and I feel terrible about this last minute update. If you’ve pre-ordered the book, please do not be alarmed when it does not ship on April 2nd. All preorders will ship on the new release day. Likewise, all books will appear on shelves on the new date, too.
Swag packs, meanwhile, will continue to be shipped up to the week of release. To accommodate, the preorder and library request campaign will now run to 4/8. If you have friends who've preordered, it would mean a lot to me if you shared the updated release date with them. The last thing I want is for people to think there was an issue with their individual order when books have been delayed across the board.
Hopefully, the extra week won’t feel like too much of an additional wait, but feel free to message me if you have any questions. As ever, I’m grateful for your understanding and patience, and I hope you enjoy your books come April 9th **
Hugs,
Joan
*Online retailers may still have the book listed for April 2nd, but the new date will be reflected soon.
**LAUNCH EVENT AT THE STRAND BOOKSTORE WILL ALSO BE MOVED TO APRIL 9TH. DIFFERENT DATE, SAME PLACE & TIME.
January 21, 2019
some FAQ finally answered
I finally took the chance to open up conversation on some DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE questions I've been getting and have linked to my answers at the top of my review.
December 31, 2018
it's here! debut year is finally here!
First new years resolution: try this goodreads blogging thing out!
Okay so I really can't believe that 2019, the year DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE will hit shelves and arrive on doorsteps and be TOUCHED by real hands (and not just my fingers against a keyboard) is finally, finally here.
My agent and I sold this book back in September of 2017 and announced the deal in October, so it's been a long time! But also not enough time? In the last few hours of 2019, I was scrambling to get an email out to my street team. I still need to get some swag printed. And email some bookstores. Annnndddd plan my launch. Oh fudge...I was supposed to do that in 2018.
2018 was a bit of a whirlwind year, in which I tried to do a bit of everything and figure out the ropes of how to market my book. This sometimes involved poring over HTML to get a popup working on my author website and also figuring out whether or not I could embed a facebook group invite into my emails. I treated this whole year as a learning experience for future books while also er, trying to write said future books. Which was hard. There were times where I felt like I was going through what I have now dubbed the "meatgrinder" because of stress and the weird physiological effects of it. Looking back, some parts of the year are a haze. And some parts of the experience still feel too raw that I can't comfortably talk about them, though I plan to eventually because I've found that the publishing road gets increasingly opaque the further on you get.
Despite the stress, however, and the feeling that I'm woefully behind and haven't done enough, it's also been a year of dreams--small and big--coming true. I was lucky enough to get a wonderful cover and even more lucky to be able to share it with all of you. And speaking of sharing--I literally got to share my book with those of you who have requested on review sites! The fact that so many of you have read or are reading it still blows my mind in the best of ways--and I mean it. I am honestly so grateful to everyone who takes the time to read and even more time to write a review, good or bad. All publicity is good publicity, and it's finally hitting me that maybe, soon, I can sit back and watch my book fly the nest, lifted by so many of you. So thank you again. I'm nervous--naturally--but also excited for all the possibilities that 2019 may bring.
Hugs,
Joan
TO STAY UP TO DATE: subscribe to my newsletter
TO PREORDER Descendant of the Crane: find your favorite retailer
Okay so I really can't believe that 2019, the year DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE will hit shelves and arrive on doorsteps and be TOUCHED by real hands (and not just my fingers against a keyboard) is finally, finally here.
My agent and I sold this book back in September of 2017 and announced the deal in October, so it's been a long time! But also not enough time? In the last few hours of 2019, I was scrambling to get an email out to my street team. I still need to get some swag printed. And email some bookstores. Annnndddd plan my launch. Oh fudge...I was supposed to do that in 2018.
2018 was a bit of a whirlwind year, in which I tried to do a bit of everything and figure out the ropes of how to market my book. This sometimes involved poring over HTML to get a popup working on my author website and also figuring out whether or not I could embed a facebook group invite into my emails. I treated this whole year as a learning experience for future books while also er, trying to write said future books. Which was hard. There were times where I felt like I was going through what I have now dubbed the "meatgrinder" because of stress and the weird physiological effects of it. Looking back, some parts of the year are a haze. And some parts of the experience still feel too raw that I can't comfortably talk about them, though I plan to eventually because I've found that the publishing road gets increasingly opaque the further on you get.
Despite the stress, however, and the feeling that I'm woefully behind and haven't done enough, it's also been a year of dreams--small and big--coming true. I was lucky enough to get a wonderful cover and even more lucky to be able to share it with all of you. And speaking of sharing--I literally got to share my book with those of you who have requested on review sites! The fact that so many of you have read or are reading it still blows my mind in the best of ways--and I mean it. I am honestly so grateful to everyone who takes the time to read and even more time to write a review, good or bad. All publicity is good publicity, and it's finally hitting me that maybe, soon, I can sit back and watch my book fly the nest, lifted by so many of you. So thank you again. I'm nervous--naturally--but also excited for all the possibilities that 2019 may bring.
Hugs,
Joan
TO STAY UP TO DATE: subscribe to my newsletter
TO PREORDER Descendant of the Crane: find your favorite retailer
