As one of the few Asian American children where she grew up in upstate New York, Grace Lin dismissed her roots, choosing instead to ignore her heritage because it seemed easier to do so. As a child, she had no interest in her Chinese heritage (only later learning that her family is actually from Taiwan), and her first experiences with Chinese myth came through translated stories that she found to be simplistic and boring. Later, when she traveled to China as an adult, seeing the places that those stories described sparked a new, intense interest in the culture she had grown up hearing about. This interest led her to write nearly autobiographical fiction about her experiences as an Asian American person. Her interests leaned toward fantasy after her first husband was diagnosed with cancer, and he suggested that she try writing something new. This advice inspired Lin to dive into the expansive world of Chinese folklore, incorporating existing tales and making up her own based on stories of the culture’s many gods and spirits.

Through her fiction, Lin brings ancient stories to a modern audience with emotionally accessible books that resonate with all readers, particularly those who also have a Chinese heritage.