Blog Tour: “Chopstix” by A. T. Raydan
Title: Chopstix
Author: A. T. Raydan
Published: 15 April 2015
Publisher: Unique Inspiration
Find the Author: Goodreads
“My heart was pounding and I was in a state of shock. I couldn’t believe what I had just done. My actions went against everything I had been taught. I arrived home and quietly made my way to my room. I locked the door to my bedroom and just collapsed into a heap next to it.”
Wendy Wu is an ordinary teenager, with a secure home and caring parents who worked hard running the family’s successful Chinese restaurant. Other than the occasional encounter with the bullies at her new college, Wendy could honestly say that life was good.
When out of the blue fate delivers Wendy a cruel blow, her life is turned upside down. Shaken by grief Wendy retreats in to her room, struggling to come to terms with terrible events that destroyed all she held dear. With her parents gone, it is her Aunt Daiyu who she turns to for support.
Why could Wendy always sense when danger was near? Why did she suddenly feel she had to save people under threat? Aided by her aunt, Wendy uncovers a mystical side to herself she never knew she had, and an ancestral secret that will change her life for ever…
How did you discover you had superpowers?
I was alone in my room one evening, carving chopsticks for the House of Wu, my parent’s restaurant that is no more. It was burnt down in what police initially described as an accident, only, it wasn’t an accident. My parents were inside the building when it caught fire. They never made it out. Part of me fails to accept that this was a mere coincidence. In one painful night, I lost my parents, together with my family home. The chopsticks were my way of keeping my parents close to me. But, the more I thought about my parents and what has happened, the angrier I became. In the end, my anger got the better of me and the results took me by surprise. Over the days and weeks that followed I started to become more aware of myself and started to trust my instincts. The more I began to trust myself, the more I discovered about my abilities.
Do your friends and family know about your powers?! How did they react when they found out?
Aunt Daiyu is the only one that knows of my true identity. She has been a pillar of strength in my life and to my amazement has been very supportive. I can’t tell anyone else because I fear that in would endanger them. I don’t have many close friends. Those that I do may not approve of the path that I am choosing to follow. Maybe one day I can share my secret with them, but not today.
You use chopsticks to fight your enemies! What makes them so perfect for fighting crime?
Why Chopsticks? Well, for a start, they can double up as a hair accessory! I have a strong heartfelt connection with my parents each time I handle a pair of chopsticks. It’s something that I can’t explain. I guess in time I will learn more about my destiny, about who I am and why I am the person that I am…
Tackling bad guys is terrifying! Do you ever get scared?
Always. It’s the fear of the unknown. What if they are armed? What if there are too many of them? I am young and am still learning to deal with my powers. My mother and I often started each morning with a Tai Chi session, which provided skills for defence training. Some of these were serving me well during challenging circumstances. My father always told me to believe in myself and to stand tall, that I should never show fear in anything that I do in life.
When you were growing up were you into superheroes? If so who inspired you the most?
Yes. When you’re young you let your imagination run wild and always aspire to be someone else. When I was growing up, the superhero I looked up to the most was Wonder Woman. In fairness, it was all we really had! She was always fighting for justice, love, peace and equality. An inspiration to females everywhere.
What do you do when you’re not fighting crime? Are you into music? Fashion?
I enjoy just watching the world go by, preferably over a slice of cake and a mug of hot chocolate. I’m curious about people, behaviours and enjoy people-watching. I also love shopping. As for fashion, I’m always on the lookout for something that’s uniquely me. I’m not one for following trends. I’m a simple girl in many aspects. My mother always said, simplicity is elegance…
If you could give girls your age one piece of advice, what would it be?
Be yourself. Believe in yourself. Stand tall and be counted. Above all, follow your dreams and destiny will find you.
