Episode 358: Find Your Community and Follow Your Passion – Interview with Thien-Kim Lam

by Gabriela Pereira
published in Podcast

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing my dear friend Thien-Kim Lam.

Thien-Kim writes stories about Vietnamese characters who smash stereotypes and find their happy endings. She and I first connected at an entrepreneurship event and instantly bonded over our love of books and our penchant for challenging the status quo of our respective industries.

Thien-Kim is also the founder of Bawdy Bookworms, a subscription box that pairs sexy romances with erotic toys (featured on NPR, BBC America, and NBC). Plus, she also writes about multicultural parenting at I’m Not the Nanny and has been featured on NBC News Asian America, BBC World, and NPR’s All Things Considered. Plus, she has written for Momtastic, YourTango, Frolic, NBC News, and other outlets.

Happy Endings is her debut novel and we’ll be discussing it today. Quick heads up before we dive in: when friends like us get together and start chatting about a sexy rom-com featuring a protagonist who sells sex toys… things might go in a non-PG-rated direction. So if you’ve got kiddos hanging around, now might be a good time to put in some headphones. And if listening to two girlfriends talk about steamy romance and sex toys is not your jam… well, you have been warned.

Okay folks, without further ado, I am super-excited to introduce you to my friend Thien-Kim!

In this episode Thien-Kim and I discuss:

  • Why she chose to begin her novel with tension between the main love interests.
  • Giving her protagonist a unique career and how that strengthened the character.
  • What she learned from having to relaunch her business after pivoting.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Thien-Kim Lam

Thien-Kim writes stories about Vietnamese characters who smash stereotypes and find their happy endings. A recovering Type-Asian, she guzzles cà phê sữa đá, makes art, and bakes her feelings to stay sane. Thien-Kim is also the founder of Bawdy Bookworms, a subscription box that pairs sexy romances with erotic toys. She’s been featured on NPR, BBC America, and NBC.

Thien-Kim also writes about multicultural parenting at I’m Not the Nanny and has been featured on NBC News Asian America, BBC World, and NPR’s All Things Considered.

She’s written for Momtastic, YourTango, Frolic, NBC News and other outlets.

You can find her on her website and at BawdyBookworms or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Happy Endings

Thien-Kim Lam

With her debut novel, Thien-Kim Lam serves up a sexy second-chance romance about exes with unfinished business. When working together reignites their passion, will these former flames sizzle or get burned all over again?

Trixie NgUyen is determined to make her sex toy business a success, proving to her traditional Vietnamese parents that she can succeed in a nontraditional career—or any career. She’s trading a string of false starts for a clean slate, and her first pop-up event is going well—until she runs into the ex who dumped her. With a Post-it note.

The last person Andre Walker expected to see in his soul food restaurant was the woman he left behind in New Orleans. However, he has no time to focus on the past—or Trixie, even if their chemistry is still scorching. Two years after his mother’s death, Andre’s restaurant is struggling thanks to all the new hipster eateries in his gentrifying neighborhood. Desperate to save the family legacy, he’ll try anything to ward off developers—even if it means partnering with his ex to turn Mama Hazel’s into a vibrator pop-up shop for hungry and horny clients.

Thanks to their steamy truce, both businesses pick up. But when their feelings deepen and Trixie receives an incredible career opportunity, will Andre support her or will his pride make him walk out on her again?

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 358

(Right-click to download.)

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

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