Interview with Kyle Casey Chu, Author of The Queen Bees of Tybee County

Welcome to Smack Dab,Kyle! Tell us a bit about The Queen Bees of Tybee County.

Thanks so much for the invite andpleasure to be here! 

The Queen Bees of Tybee County followsChinese American seventh grade basketball superstar, Derrick Chan, who findshimself boarding with his eccentric Grandma Claudia in rural Heritage, Georgiaone summer. As Derrick unearths more about his family history, his Chineseheritage, and his queer identity, he gathers the nerve to compete in Heritage’slocal Queen Bees pageant… in drag.

This story gets to the heart of what Iwanted and gravitated toward as a kid- compasses in the form of elder rolemodels to navigate uncharted terrain, dramatic, soul-moving creative arts andan entourage of fast friends that really had my back. It’s all of the thingsthat saved me when I came out in the seventh grade and my whole world changed.When being Chinese American and being queer felt like irreconcilable blemishesthat I once felt desperate to hide. I wrote this book for any middle grader outthere also grappling with concepts of identity that feel too mountainous,overwhelming and complex to process alone. I hope they find solace (and fun!)in this book!  

To start, I have to tackleit: drag has been politicized to such a great extent in recent years. Why didyou decide to tackle the subject? 

Queer and Trans people are often askedand expected to minimize ourselves to survive. If we are not careful,minimizing ourselves becomes a way of living. It is an empty life. 

Tackling drag wasn't a decision forme, as much as a question of if I've had enough. And as it turns out, I refuseto make myself or my writing smaller just because the irrational right spun thewheel and randomly decided I'm today's boogie man.  

I've realized in my life that I've farmore often regretted not doing what I wanted, as opposed to doing what Iwanted. Wouldn't it be so sad to pour your entire heart and soul into a storyonly to pump the brakes and self-censor because you're afraid it’s a badmoment? To decide, once again, that because I'm not palatable or mild enoughfor myopic transphobes who have never met a drag queen, who time and again, areincapable of providing any facts or figures to support bold, unfounded, staleand reheated Anita Bryant crusade-era claims, that I should halt everything thatI love doing? My life work, and in a way, my life itself?

I write the worlds I want and thelessons I've learned. It's a special shade of sad to limit my craft because themisinformed have psyched themselves into imagining I'm someone and somethingI'm obviously not. That’s just another closet that I refuse to stuff myselfinto.

What’s been the receptionamong young readers specifically? I loved that the theme of finding “joy” ranthroughout the novel. I would have been all over that feeling as a youngreader.

I’m not sure yet, and the suspense is killing me! The book just came outon April 15th, and most of the middle graders I’ve met through school visitshave only just started reading it. I know some good reviews have come in onGoodReads, but I reckon they are mostly coming from adults. I’m still waitingto see what the reception is like amongst middle graders.

And the “queer joy” focus came directly from middle schoolers! I met withmiddle school GSA members and queer and trans seventh graders from SanFrancisco and Atlanta as research for the book, and all of them, totallyindependent of each other, professed wanting to read a happy story. I feel likethis tracks with shows like “Heartstopper” making such a splash. 

But hot take: I’ll admit that, at first, Heartstopper didn’t resonatewith me. And I realized it’s because a lot of the queer media I consumedgrowing up (as a millennial) was rather tragic and angsty. And I believe thereare many reasons such sad queer and trans stories predominated. Queer and transpeople have had to justify ourselves and our identities for decades. In manycases, audiences have learned to expect queer and trans personhoods, storiesand identities to be neatly packaged in triumph formulas, i.e. being suchdetermined and resilient queens that we overcome the prejudices and hardships,so we can live out and proud as our true selves. There is, and should be roomfor these stories. They’re important. I once needed them. And also, this shouldn’tconstitute all queer and trans stories out there. Like, I love themovie, “Moonlight.” But I also love “But I’m a Cheerleader.” And like, “M3gan.”Let there be variety. Let there be fun. 

So anyway, I leaned into the joy aspect for this reason. Also, becausethere is so much queer rumination around “push” factors. Like, what will failor go wrong? What about what will go right? What about going toward somethingbecause you love it so much, you can’t imagine your life without it? There’s somuch richness and momentum in that. It’s how I felt about art as a middlegrader. And it’s a refuge I know a lot of queer and trans kids still seek out,today. 

We need hopeful, joyful stories so we can imagine these outcomes forourselves!

I was fascinated bydualities all through the book: Derrick struggles with balancing differentsides of himself (his love for basketball and his interest in drag). Also, thebook explores several instances of prejudice: both racial discrimination andanti-LGBTQ+ attitudes. How much was purposeful and how much just naturallypoured into the book? 

This is a great question, and my answer would be: a little of both! Atthat age, I remember everything felt so starkly black and white, life anddeath. Either I would be popular, or completely alone. Either cool, or a totalloser. A successful, straight-A student, or a failure. (Then again, I’m a dragqueen, so maybe I’m just a touch dramatic, haha). But life is, of course, morecomplicated than that. A series of grays on a spectrum, as opposed to an on/offof a switch. Because we are a sum of parts, contradictions, and weird littleinterests that make us the odd mosaics we are. 

As a kid, I was a collection of contradictions. An honor roll student whogot into fights in the playground. A bombastic extrovert who spent hourspracticing saxophone alone in a practice room. A Chinese American kid who wasterrible at math (the media told me this combination was impossible!) Both/and,vs. either/or thinking: the idea that multiple seemingly contradictory truthscan coexist at once, is a therapeutic concept that has given me a lot of reliefin the messy journey of life. It’s something many adults struggle with, even.And it’s a concept worth familiarizing kids with. Because it can bring themcloser to reaching that quiet peace in being who they are meant to be.

And regarding racial discrimination and homophobia/transphobia, it’sinteresting, because sixth and seventh grade is when I became very aware of myidentity and social context. That there were parts of my being that some wouldfind unacceptable. So, summoning back that age to write Queen Bees, thesetopics naturally poured into the story. 

When I came out in the seventh grade, my friends turned their backs onme. Feeling like a pariah and having to find new friends was earth-shattering.Because developmentally, social belonging is the highest survival need for thisage. There was, of course, homophobia. But more than that, there was also the anticipationof it in every interaction I had. A veil of hurt and mistrust, a fearfulhesitation before meeting anyone, that they could turn violent or hostile atany moment, that haunted me. This was the biggest scar, and I did my best tocapture that as Derrick reflects, in the book.

Around the same time, I also started to come into my own understanding ofrace. I was fortunate to go to school in San Francisco, where there were a lotof Chinese American students, but still, I found many fellow Chinese Americanstudents (and myself included), romanticized whiteness, some even yearning tobe white or half-white. Some girls went to the mall to buy blue contact lensestogether. The ones with older sisters talked wistfully about getting eyelidsurgeries… “one day.” Some Chinese girls didn’t even date Chinese guys. A girlonce told me “You’re kinda cute…for an Asian” (I am so grateful to the movieDiDi for shining a light on this very real dynamic). I was left feeling like myrace was something to be “fixed.” As if my race (mis)spoke for me, and I wouldspend my whole life correcting it, arguing against it.

It probably goes without saying that processing queer and racial identityas a 12 year old was a wild undertaking. It opened an ache in me. I hadquestions. And years later, after studying race and ethnicity in college, therewere a lot of things I wish I knew then. Conversations I wish I could’ve hadand reassurances I wish I could’ve given to my younger self. In a way, thisbook is a collection of those conversations and reassurances.

Speaking of naturallypouring in: how did your own experience as a Chinese American influence thecultural elements in the book, like the references to cheongsams and Chinesecuisine?

I’m fourth generation, which means I was raised pretty American.Cantonese wasn’t spoken in my household, I watched a lot of television. Neitherof my parents are lawyers or doctors. So growing up, my strongest connection tomy Chinese heritage was through my grandpa. He insisted on eating Chinese foodfor every meal, celebrating Lunar New Year with red envelopes, and alwayswearing jade (no matter how egregiously it clashed with his outfit). Visits tohis house became a touchstone for who I was, and where I came from. 

As a kid, I developed a sort of shame around my race. And it wasn’t untilI went to college and studied race and ethnicity as an adult, that I discoveredand fostered a pride and appreciation in my heritage, and really leaned intolearning more about my people. 

As a kid, I assumed that my Grandpa was from China. The kids in theplayground told me I must be from China, so I assumed Grandpa was too. Andbesides, everything my Grandpa did and liked was Chinese. But it turns out thatmy Grandpa was born and raised in Oakland and he had the exact same journey asme. He felt racially alienated in school and sought out Chinese history, taughthimself Cantonese and started collecting Chinese artifacts, as a way to reclaimwho he was. To rewire. I think there’s something deeply profound about ourparallel journeys- both turning back and taking the same path, thoughgenerations apart. I wanted to include this in Derrick’s own journey, in hopesit will facilitate some movement or critical reflection in young Asian Americanreaders.

And as for the cheongsams, my mom is a hobby seamstress, and when Istarted doing drag more seriously, we connected over making a cheongsamtogether. And for what it’s worth, they are HARD to make! That wasn’t thecutest “first sewing project” idea, but with some patience and persistence, wefinished it together. Just like in the book! 

I also loved the familythemes throughout. The relationship between Derrick and his grandmother Claudiais central to the story. Also, Derrick’s father initially resists his son’sinterest in drag but eventually comes to accept them. What made you decide tohave this intergenerational connection be so important to Derrick'sjourney? 

Grandparents are divine shepherds of middle grade stories! Feistygrandmas get away with so much! 

Haha, but in all seriousness, I couldn’t imagine this story without theintergenerational element. In my 12-year-old-on-the-brink-of-teens brain, therewas no way that any adult would have anything thought-provoking orgame-changing to offer me. But as I was navigating racial shame and homophobia,I realized that that was kind of exactly what I needed. An adult- a cool adult-to show and teach me about all of the paths available to me. And to model thatall of these parts can come together in a way that makes me whole and stilllovable. 

I definitely pushed my parents away at that age, as one does. But Imodeled Claudia’s character after my mom, who has grown into embracing who Iam. It was a practice in appreciating all of the elements of her that made me,me, those special things we share. 

The thread about Derrick’s father also comes from a real place for me. Iremember when I came out to my parents, one of the first things my dad said wasthat he was worried my life would be harder. First responses to kid’s comingout are seldom graceful or ideal, and I definitely didn’t receive that well atthe time. But I think there’s so much love hiding in those imperfect words.That his first thought wasn’t how wrong I was, or how he didn’t accept me orwish I was different, but it actually came from protective worry. He wanted meto live a happy life, and knowing how the world is, he was afraid this mightcomplicate that. 

It just struck me as real. And so I followed that thread, and wove in alot of my own dad into Carson’s character. How he’s always pushed me to be thebest, and that it all comes from a place of protection, of wanting me to beokay. I didn’t love it as a kid, but now, I look back on this  with neweyes and appreciation.  

What do you hope youngreaders, especially those questioning their identity, will take away fromDerrick's journey?

I hope young readers understand the vast, oceanic multitudes theycontain. That they are  limitless. They can be basketball players. Dragqueens. Astronauts. Concert pianists. Queer, trans, straight, ace, aro, all ofthese things at once. Ask for the world. It is never too much.

I hope young readers take away that their uncertainty and pain can feellike a cell, shuttering you off from everything else. But I promise that many,many people have moved through these things before. This heartbreak has allbeen felt. All you need is the exact right friend, book or movie, to see andunderstand that. Look out for your reflections.

I hope young readers understand how powerful it is to follow what makesyou come alive, to listen to what makes your heart flutter and reach for itwith your everything, than to cower to the voices projecting their ownmisguided fears onto you. That when you follow that path, you will find yourpeople, and you will find who you’re meant to be.  

Was there a particularscene or moment in the book that was especially meaningful for you to write?

When Derrick recalls watching movies with his dad late at night, and hisdad mutters the words to the actors onscreen, in perfect time. I once wanted tobe an actor, and yearned to be seen in that way. 

And when Claudia talks about why she competed in the Queen Bees pageant-how the girls wouldn’t look her in the eye. I’ve often felt this way, and manytimes, in queer spaces. It’s what led me to drag.

Where can we find you?

@pandadulce on IG!

What’s next?

I am blessed to have many irons in thefire!

“After What Happened at the Library”:A Debut Feature Film (for adults)

The short film, “After What Happenedat the Library,” is a character introduction and proof-of-concept for theeponymous surrealist drama feature film (Comps: “Everything EverywhereAll At Once,” “I May Destroy You,” “May December,” “Eternal Sunshine of theSpotless Mind”). The short film has been accepted to four AcademyAward-qualifying festivals so far in 2025, and won a Special Jury Award atFlorida Film Festival. 

The feature (currently in script form)expands on the world of the short film in the days and weeks post-virality,when everyone — friends, authorities, politicians, bad actors — want a piece ofAkita.

You’ll meet Akita’s absurdist dragsister Tonya; outspoken, neuroatypical leftist work wifey Eve; and charming,anime-obsessed, autistic twin brother Mikey, as Akita’s mind bends aroundreality in her struggle to reclaim authorship of her viral story.

Catch the short film at Provincetown Film Festival and PalmSprings ShortsFest (both in June 2025)!

 

“Betty”: A Short Film (for adults)

            Thanksto a short film production grant from NewFest and ConcordMusic Originals, we are producing a grimy, heartwarming, absurdistdrag queen comedy with the same director of “After What Happened at theLibrary,” SyraMcCarthy (“Grey’s Anatomy”, “The Dropout,” “Josephine”).  

            “Betty”follows Betty St. Clair, mother of an all-Asian American drag family (based onmy all-Asian American drag family, the Rice Rockettes), as they perform for anall-Cantonese-speaking senior center (also based on a real-life performance atSan Francisco’s On-Lok Senior Center). Betty soon discovers her Yeh Yeh(paternal grandfather), who isn’t aware of Betty’s drag persona, is in theaudience! Gulp!  

            WillBetty overcome her debilitating self-doubt and her sisters’ poorly-timedbackstage hijinks to come out to Yeh Yeh through an epic drag performance??

            Thisshort film premieres at NewFest Pride on June 1st in NYC!

 

“What Kind of Queen?”: A Picture Bookon José Sarria” (for kids)

My friend, an LGBTQ+ Historian and I,are releasing a historical children’s picture book on San Francisco drag legendand activist José Sarria, an opera-singing WWII veteranand the founder of the Imperial Court System, a network ofregional royal drag courts raising money for charitable LGBTQ+ causes.

Abrams Kids is putting it out in 2026!

 

Book 2 of “The Queen Bees of TybeeCounty”: A Companion Book (for kids)

Derrick and JJ’s adventure continuesin a forthcoming soft sequel/companion book that I am currently drafting! Nosneak peeks to speak of yet, but on the foundation of self-reflection anddiscovery built in the first book, you can expect more light-hearted adventure,as well as developments on JJ and Derrick’s relationship in this second novel.

The sequel is expected to hit shelvesin Fall 2026!

            

 Snag a copy of The Queen Bees of Tybee County