Winner of the Award of Literary Excellence and Author of Flipping, A Mother’s Heart, and Love, A Tangled Heart, announces her latest novel, The Lovelock

Please meet Author Eichin Chang-Lim

Welcome, Eichin, and thanks for doing this interview!

ECL: Hello Ingrid, great to be here.

The LoveLock

When your book, The LoveLock came out, you immediately grabbed my attention with the cover and then drew me in with your book description.  The LoveLock is such a captivating, deeply touching story that I found myself doing something I’ve never done. I found myself relating so quickly to your characters that before the initial part of the story was over, I was crying. It was that intense!

If you don’t mind my asking, Eichin, where did the idea for this story come from? And how does one go from being a model to an optometrist and then an author of inspiring, uplifting, romantic stories?

ECL: Thank you so much for sacrificing your precious time to read my book and write a heartfelt review. I am grateful. 

Where did the idea for this story come from?

The subtitle of The LoveLock is A Romantic Suspense Novel. The idea of writing a book pertinent to depression and mental illness has been germinating within me for a long time—I would say since even before my first book, Love, A Tangled Knot (the first edition was titled Tough Scratch-Love, the Tangled Knot). But, I put this project on a back burner because I wasn’t ready to toil on such a vexing subject at the time.

You might have noticed that romance and inspirational are my niche genres. I write romance because I find it to be an intriguing genre; I find that relationships are quite complex in real life. Therefore, I use romance to depict the intricacies of relationships. Ultimately, it evolves into an inspirational and thought-provoking tale.

 I tend to tell love stories beyond the confines of romance. I strive to convey the kind of love that is much broader and more profound than romantic or physical love. It’s my conviction; love is more than a four-letter word. It’s multi-dimensional; it involves sacrifice, forgiveness, trust, demoting one’s ego, or even “letting it go” at times. I also like to encompass the love of friendship, family, and even pets in my story.

Although The LoveLock is still within the genre of romance and inspiration, it’s much grittier than my previous three books. It’s dark because the story revolves around the aspects of mourning of death, the anguish of loss, disappointment of being rejected, and torments of mental illness with a touch of the spiritual and supernatural. A portion of the book, I would say even right from Part 1, is engulfed with a deep sense of melancholy, which can be uneasy and challenging for some readers.

Mental Pain is No Stranger

If you ask whether I’ve injected personal experience into the storyline, the answer is yes. Mental pain is no stranger to me. For years, I blamed myself for my son’s genetic disorders and his deafness (as illogical as it may sound, I was drawn in that whirl of remorse for quite a few years.) With that, I experienced episodes of depression. Moreover, through the years as a health care provider, I’ve encountered an increasing number of patients who are taking anti-depressants and enduring other kinds of mental stresses.

In order to write the LoveLock with credibility, I read relevant books and did research. In addition, I consulted with a clinical psychiatrist about PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms. Mental illness is a silent yet devastating condition. It hurts immensely, yet the wound is invisible. The pain is palpable; however, it’s indescribable verbally most of the time. Many times, people feel ashamed and uncomfortable revealing their inner torment to others for fear of being misjudged. 

At the beginning of the book, I quoted two talented writers and poets who are eminent in the literature arena. Please allow me to reiterate here.

“The world wavered and quivered and threatened to burst into flames.” —Virginia Woolf.

“I wanted to tell her that if only something were wrong with my body, it would be fine, I would rather have anything wrong with my body than something wrong with my head, but the idea seemed so involved and wearisome that I didn’t say anything. I only burrowed down further in the bed.” —Sylvia Plath

Both Woolf and Plath eventually committed suicide. What a tragedy!

About Writing

It’s my desire to write a story about the affliction of mental illness and how to find hope and strength to defeat the haunting inner strife and long lamented pain. A triumph after a long struggle is comparable to a small larva wrapped in a dark cocoon. The larva undergoes a gruesome metamorphosis, breaks through the chrysalis, and transforms into a majestic butterfly spreading its wings and flying.

I would also like to clarify a concern; some readers find it to be confusing and question my view on sexuality. The main character, Violet, becomes close friends with the strip club bouncer, who is gay. I feel obligated to explain that particular plot detail to my readers.

To be clear, I am a Christian and straight. I have no particular political or religious agenda. This inclusion is just an honest reflection of my real life. I have a few good friends and co-workers who have different stances and preferences in terms of sexuality.

It has never occurred to me that these differences could cause any conflicts in my friendships or work relationships with them. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of society could tear down all the unnecessary walls and build genuine friendships amongst one and another?

Yes, Eichin, it would.

Eichin’s Journey

How does one go from being a model to an optometrist and then an author of inspiring, uplifting, romantic stories?

It’s an interesting journey, I would say.

I wanted to be a writer when I was in elementary school. I even submitted several short stories and essays to youth magazines, and they were accepted and published. Of course, they were written in Chinese back home. In junior high, I submitted some more articles and stories; they were ruthlessly rejected. My confidence shattered; I started to doubt my writing ability. At the same time, I found interests in other areas of study. So, the idea of being a writer faded, and I gradually evolved my studies in science and healthcare.

After years as an optometrist, I realized that every person is a unique individual, and every soul is precious. I know this sounds clichéd. However, that’s my conviction. I really appreciate that my patients allow me to look into their eyes, “the windows to the soul.” (Again, a cliché!) I believe every person has a story. 

The urge to tell stories prompted me to become an author eight years ago. My novels are inspired by the stories I’ve have heard and the people I’ve met.

Regarding modeling and acting, they are for personal enrichment. I was in several short films and one feature movie, with a few IMDb credits. I savor the experiences and incorporate them into my plot; however, I don’t plan to make it my career.

Many thanks to this week’s guest,  Author Eichin Chang-Lim

For more information about Eichin and her great stories, here are her links…and please see below for a special announcement!

Twitter | Facebook  | Amazon | Google+ | Goodreads

And, as always, thanks for reading!

GREAT NEWS!!

Eichin just received this letter from Writer’s Digest –

Dear Eichin,

“Congratulations!

Your book, The LoveLock, has been awarded First Place in Young Adult category for the Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards. …an announcement [will appear] in the May/June 2019 issue of Writer’s Digest.

…many congratulations from all of us on the Writer’s Digest team!”

Best Regards,

Cassie Lipp

IF: Congratulations, Eichin, a well-deserved honor! I am so excited for you!