An Interview with Eenam Vang

Eenam Vang is a Hmong-American author, poet, and romancer of the mundane things in life. Her debut poetry and prose book Labyrinth was released in 2021 during the summer of July. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Sacramento. When Eenam isn’t writing, you can find her overthinking about her next book in progress, always in need of coffee, and wondering if everything she’s written should’ve been kept in the crevice of her thoughts.

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Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title was hard to find. If anything, I think writing the book was the foundation of the title and how it came together. It was Untitled for the longest time until The Soul Up North clicked in my head on a random, mundane day.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

I have two different covers for the paperback and hard cover. Seeing them in my hands felt surreal. This isn’t my first book with Atmosphere Press but it didn’t feel like a reality until it arrived on my front porch. I’m always in an awe with how it turns out. I loved every bit of the process and so seeing it in person put a stamp on how far I’ve come.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

Honestly, I didn’t have an inspiration. The only thing I knew was that romance was all I ever dreamt of writing when I was growing up. The idea came out from my mind alone, but what set the change in perspective was when I studied abroad in Leeds Beckett University during my second to last semester at Sacramento State. We were reading The Vegetarian by Han Kang. It was such a raw, vulnerable, and painful story. The idea of being seen from everyone else besides the main character’s side of the story stuck out to me. In that way, I feel very privileged to have read such a masterpiece.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’ve always loved short films. I would love to produce my own one day to engage a snippet of my world in cinema. Whether it’s displayed on my YouTube channel or becomes something bigger in the future, I would love to see a project of mine prosper in its own light.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The most rewarding part of publishing my book was seeing it in my hands. I haven’t published anything since my debut poetry and prose book, Labyrinth, back in July 2021, so it’s been a long time coming. I’m proud of my debut novel. It has taught me to be patient with the process of writing, editing, and re-shaping the story all together.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

If my books had a soundtrack, the following songs would be in it:

1) Since I Left You (Demo) – Joy Crookes

2) I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bon Iver

3) Neon Lights – Pim Stones

4) Goodbye – Cage the Elephant

5) Breathe – CUTTS

6) Leave Your Lover – Echos

7) Angela – Flower Face

8) Honeybee (Stripped) – The Head and the Heart

9) Wild Poppies – Kat Cunning

10) I Believe in Us – Léon

11) Liar – Léon

12) Heaven – Khalid

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope they find hope, itself. There’s so much going in the world and although it can be a difficult read at times, I truly believe The Soul Up North finds a relief for grief, loss, and death. It becomes a full circle moment to breathe and find what was once lost.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on something super exciting at the moment. Eleven days after The Soul Up North was published, a new book came to mind. It’s a mix of contemporary romance, psychological thriller, magical realism, and inspired by the Asian American culture. As a Hmong-American author, I wanted to dive into each different heritage while also making it my own. There’s a lot going on in the book from family dynamics, love, loss, plot twists that will make readers cringe, cry, and laugh.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Atmosphere Press has been a dream team. They have supported me throughout my process of writing, the doubts I feel, the empty emails that I often have nothing to give, and all the in between of imposter syndrome. They really do make you, the author, a priority every step of the way despite the challenges you may be facing and for that, I am eternally grateful to have had the chance to publish with them twice now.

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