Another Conversation with Jamie Jo Hoang, Author of the New Novel My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser

Welcome to Season 5, Episode 38! How time flies! Its been almost two years since we last spoke to this episode's guest, author Jamie Jo Hoang (S04E05). She's back to talk about her latest book, My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser, which releases on 23 September 2025 (so either pre-order it if you're listening to this episode right when it comes out or order it if you waited a few days). 

In a follow-up to her amazing novel My Father, the Panda Killer… My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is told through the eyes of Jane's younger brother Paul and their mother Ngọc Lan. Much like her previous novel, this one is a lyrical story that explores the ripples of war, intergenerational trauma, and discovering a fractured past. In this dual timeline story, Jamie wields her signature style of balancing heartbreaking moments and humor as we get a fuller picture of the central family. That said, although we recommend reading My Father, the Panda Killer, you don't have to. My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is a self-contained novel. 

Jamie grew up in Orange County, California, and is also the author of the novel Blue Sun, Yellow Sky. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, she feels that it's important to highlight the diverse perspectives and experiences of BIPOC authors and BIPOC books, and we couldn't agree more. My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is another story of the American experience, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. To find more of Jamie's work, visit her website http://heyjamie.com, her instagram @heyjamiereads, and go out and support her work and other diverse stories.

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