TTBF Q&A 2019: Author Mary H.K. Choi

Mary H.K. Choi Interview Graphic

A #TTBF Q&A with Author Mary H. K. Choi

1. If a crystal ball could tell you one truth, what would you want to know?

Whether or not me ruminating for hours and hours in an anxiety spiral will convince everyone to love my art. Actually, no, I know the answer to that one. Whether or not I will ever be happy being defined by something other than my work.  

2. What is your favorite book+snack or book+drink pairing?

Coke Zero (atop lots of small-format ice cubes) and Tom King’s run of Marvel’s The Vision. 

Or aggro crunchy snacks (flamin’ hot cheetos, chex mix, or the “all rye chip” gardetto’s) with something existentially itchy like Jami Attenberg’s All This Could Be Yours or either of Sally Rooney’s or R.O. Kwon’s Incendiaries.

3. Inspired by Pablo “Sad Boy” Rind, what is YOUR favorite meme of 2019?

The challenge one on TikTok set to Iggy’s “Work” where everyone tries to “walk a mile in these louboutins” with cups, traffic cones, french-fries on their feet. It’s so stupid and makes me laugh so hard. 

4. In what ways has social media changed your life and your relationships? Do you think it’s been for better or worse?

I love social media because I love IG DM. That’s my Slack, my texts, my everything basically. But I don’t think it’s conducive to intimacy or basic human joy to be sucking in all that feed without interrogating whether or not what you see is what you actually want. As with any technological innovation there is good and bad. It all depends on framing and how much you’re passively suffering. 

5. If you could meet one of your childhood or teen TV/pop culture icons, who would it be?

This is tough because celebrity has such a long tale now with reality TV and the evermore diluted levels of fame. Most people end up disappointing you. OOH I LIE. I want to meet Judy Blume. Also, Margaret Cho did not disappoint.