Julie C. Dao
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
At one point you were studying to be a doctor, if you could cast yourself as a doctor in any medical TV show, which show would you be on?
I would be one of Dr. House’s residents on House M.D. He’d be a mean boss, but I would learn so much from him and get to handle super bizarre cases!
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns takes the evil queen from Snow White and completely re-imagines her journey. What made you want to take on her story specifically?
I love minor characters in everything I read or watch, and I like envisioning and expanding backstories for them. This Evil Queen is so over-the-top, with her magic mirror, poisoned apple, and craving for Snow White’s heart that I wanted to tell myself a story about how she got to that point!
Our festival slogan is “Read Everything.” What one book would you like to see on our official Read Everything list for 2018?
I am a huge fan of Stacey Lee. I recommend OUTRUN THE MOON to everyone because it’s such a beautifully written historical novel with a whip-smart girl front and center!