Goodreads asked Gloria Chao:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Gloria Chao I felt very alone in high school dealing with the cultural gap between my parents and me, and I wrote AMERICAN PANDA with the hope that it would tell at least one reader that they’re not alone. It also took me more than twenty years to find the humor in my struggles, and I hope to pass that coping mechanism along.

I like to think of my story as an Asian version of My Big Fat Greek Wedding in book form. I hope the struggle to find oneself and accept one’s roots is something many can relate to regardless of race and family situations.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have child of immigrant readers from Asian and non-Asian families, and many of them have said they have had similar experiences to my protagonist. Many people straddle two cultures without quite fitting in either, have different expectations and values than their parents, and struggle with language barriers.

In my experience, some traits are more common among Asian-American families. The stereotype of being pressured to be a doctor or marry within the culture is there for a reason. But many non-Asians experience this pressure as well. My manuscript tells the story of one Taiwanese-American experience, not every Asian-American.

Writing this story also helped me survive my parents’ initial disapproval of my decision to put aside my dental career to pursue writing. They have come around since, but it has been a long journey.

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