The spotlight is on Callie Kazumi, whom I was fortunate to meet at the second ESEA lit fest at School of Oriental and African Studies, London, in September 2024. We were on a Women in Crime panel discussing Unwriting the Galling ESEA stereotypes, talking about our books and meeting readers.
I read Callie’s psychological thriller, Cuckoo, over a weekend and found the voice hypnotic and the narrative gripping. Cuckoo is coming out on Penguin UK in March, and I can’t wait for you to read it. I ask Callie some insider questions for Author Spotlight. We’re very lucky to have Callie share her answers, which I found moving and insightful. She writes thousands of words an hour! OMG, I would love to do that. I do about 700, and that is why I am a slow writer. I loved how she worked with her ADHD rather than fighting it.
IN: Callie, as someone of English-Japanese heritage, how have your cultural backgrounds influenced the themes and characters in your debut psychological thriller, Cuckoo?
CK: I do find it interesting dissecting mother-daughter relationships, which my book definitely does! East Asian cultures have a stereotype of parents being less openly affectionate with their children than in the West.
It can be difficult for East Asians raised in the UK who may be comparing their relationship with their parents to their schoolfriends.
But ultimately, I don’t feel that my race or culture made much of an impact to my story or characters at all. My second book, however, is set in Japan and dissects body image and mixed-race struggles, so it’s much more influenced!
IN: Your journey to becoming a full-time author began after receiving Stephen King’s On Writing from your father. Can you share more about how this gift inspired you and the steps you took to transition into a writing career?
CK: I had always loved writing, but hadn’t had the best experiences with it. My English teacher hated me and found me disruptive (I was undiagnosed ADHD as a child) and I was always getting detentions, so I didn’t take English for A Level! I wrote a fun story about me and my two best friends and someone stole it and read it out loud in the common room which was humiliating as a teenager. When I was at university I largely put reading and writing behind me, but when my dad gifted me this book randomly (and random gifts were not something we ever did in my house!) I was really intrigued and read it straight away. The way King is able to speak about his love of writing, and how it impacted his life, really woke up something inside me and triggered a deep desire to start writing again. I’m so glad I did – my first book is dedicated to my father, who passed away unexpectedly in 2021. I hope he’s proud, it’s all thanks to his gift!
IN: Was writing always your ambition, or did you discover this passion later in life? How did your personal and professional experiences lead you to write Cuckoo?
CK: I struggled a lot as a child, and had a difficult upbringing. Reading was an escape for me, whilst writing was a cathartic way of exploring my thoughts and feeling heard. I started a diary when I was nine years old. I still have it – every day I would draw a smiley face to indicate my general mood and my thoughts for the day. I’ve always kept a journal ever since, and often find that the only way I can sort out my emotions is via pen and paper. I went to university and studied Journalism and Politics, and then my first job was working as a copywriter for a fashion brand.
I continued to write professionally until I managed to get a job in publishing, which taught me all the intricacies about getting a book published, and how to make a story market-friendly.
These insights helped me to craft my first commercial book, Cuckoo, after many failed novels! I’m very grateful to have had the experiences I had, as I learnt so much from them.
IN: Cuckoo delves into complex psychological themes. What drew you to the psychological thriller genre, and how did you approach crafting suspense and tension in your narrative?
CK: I have always found psychology fascinating, ever since I was young. If someone was nasty, or mean, I would wonder : why are they like this? What made them this way? I think my turbulent home life only added to this, as I was constantly searching for reasons to excuse my closest family from the pain they were bringing me. I love watching true crime documentaries, delving into criminals and why they act how they do. The brain is so fascinating, and so I think I was always going to try to explore these types of things in my writing. Whatever the genre, I can assume my book will have dark themes and complex characters struggling through life! As for suspense and tension – I think this is the type of skill that comes from reading, and lots of practice. The more you do, the more you will get an instinctual flavour for pacing and suspense.
IN: Balancing a writing career with personal life can be challenging. Could you describe your typical writing routine and how you manage your time between writing and other commitments?
CK: I am neurodivergent, which means that for me, my brain works on overdrive and very speedily. Luckily for me, my typing skills are equally fast, so I can write inhumanely quickly. I try to write every single day, and if I don’t, I make sure to read or do something to inspire me. When I get a sudden urge to write, or think of a scene for a book, I’ll hammer it out at lightening speed – I can get a few thousand words out in an hour. They’re terrible words, but they’re there! And then, when I’m calmer, I can go back with a clear head to edit and make it coherent. I try to remember the phrase, ‘you can’t edit a blank page!’, as a way to keep me writing, even when I’m not in the mood.
About Callie: Callie Kazumi is a British-Japanese writer who started work on her first book after being gifted Stephen King’s On Writing by her father. She lives in London with her husband and their Bichon Frisé, Betsy. Cuckoo is her debut novel.
