But the tide is changing, thanks to people like Hanna Alkaf, and I hope that it continues to bring about more stories from this part of the world.ĥ. Yes for sure! I can't even think of many of them off the top of my head. Do you also feel that Southeast Asian heritage is overlooked and under-represented in the YA world? I wanted to show the country in an accessible way, which is why I had an outsider's point of view for most of the book.Ĥ. My husband is English and when he first came, I saw the country through his eyes and it was really fun seeing the surprise on his face when he discovered that Jakarta is a thriving metropolis filled with modern skyscrapers.
I've always wanted to set a story in Indonesia as I feel like most westerners know very little about it. What inspired you to set your novel in Indonesia? And what was it like exploring the country through a newcomer's (Sharlot's) eyes? Well, That Was Unexpected, my first YA romcom, is about Sharlot, who gets caught by her mom in a compromising position and before she knows it, she is whisked off from LA to Indonesia for the summer, where she has to fake date the son of a billionaire family.ģ. My debut YA novel was actually The Obsession, which is a YA suspense. What is your debut YA romcom, Well, That Was Unexpected, about, and why did you want to write it as a romcom? It's been such a wonderful whirlwind and I hope it won't ever end.Ģ. I had four books come out this year and four more coming out next year, which is honestly incredible.
I'm all about writing fast and publishing as many books as I can per year. I'm the author of Well, That Was Unexpected and Dial A for Aunties. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your life as an author? Sharlot is whisked away from her boyfriend, and the summer she had planned, to a very different world - and an unexpected and unlikely date! We asked author Jesse Q Sutanto to tell us more about her writing, how her family helps inspire her novels, and her new YA romcom, Well, That Was Unexpected.ġ. Sharlot knows very little about her mum's native Indonesia - until her mum decides that the time has come to pay a visit. Read a Chapter from Well, That Was Unexpected You can find out more about Jesse on her website Twitter and on Instagram That Was Unexpected (Electric Monkey) Jesse has 42 first cousins and 30 aunties and uncles, many of whom live down the road and some of whom inspired characters in Well, That Was Unexpected. She currently lives in Jakarta with her husband and two daughters. Jesse grew up in Indonesia and Singapore and received her Masters from the University of Oxford. Jesse writes books for children and adults, and her first YA romcom, Well, That Was Unexpected, is now available.
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