91: Xiran Jay Zhao Interview

The Fantasy Inn Podcast

Travis interviews author Xiran Jay Zhao about their debut novel, Iron Widow. Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this science fantasy reimagining of the only female emperor in Chinese history. Iron Widow releases September 21 from Penguin Teen!

Xiran and Travis discuss the book's anime inspiration, Chinese history and mythology, and Batman's dietary preferences.

Xiran Jay Zhao Recommends:

• The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis
• Jade Fire Gold by June CL Tan
• Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
• She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

About Xiran Jay Zhao:

Xiran Jay Zhao is a first-gen immigrant from small-town China who was raised by the Internet. A recent graduate of Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University, they wrote science fiction and fantasy while they probably should have been studying more about biochemical pathways. You can find them on Twitter for memes, Instagram for cosplays and fancy outfits, and YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture. Iron Widow is their first novel. Their website is xiranjayzhao.com.

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Music:

• Intro: "The Legend of Iya" courtesy of https://philter.no
• Outro: "A Quest Unfolds" courtesy of https://philter.no

This episode of The Fantasy Inn podcast was recorded in the unceded territory of the S’atsoyaha (Yuchi) and ᏣᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Eastern Cherokee Band) peoples.

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The blog post accompanying this episode can be found at https://thefantasyinn.com, along with fantasy book reviews, author interviews, and more fantasy content.