Roselle Lim
Roselle Lim is the critically acclaimed author of Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune, Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop and the upcoming Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club. She lives on the north shore of Lake Erie and always has an artistic project on the go.
Twitter: @RoselleWriter
Instagram: @RoselleWriter
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
My comfort food is always savoury and often depends on my mood. It can range from salted duck egg congee, to chicken and salted fish fried rice, to steaming hot sinigang. If I can manage to make a quick trip to an Asian grocery in the big city, I’d be able to make these dishes. I live in a rural town and it’s harder for me to get access to specialty ingredients.
Food has always been a huge part of my writing because it plays a significant part in my life. It’s my love language, and I think it’s part of my trademark by now. I suppose it’s my way of showing love to my dear readers.
Is there a work of art that you love. Why? Have you ever visited it in person?
Klimt’s works. HOPE I hangs in the National Gallery of Canada. Though, it’s not one of my favourite pieces—those are The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer I, I still admired it. The use of gold in Klimt’s pieces and the way he paints the human figure contains a fairytale quality that doesn’t cross the line into romanticism—the way the Neo-Raphaelites do. Yes, as you can tell, I’m a bit of an art nerd.
I could stand in front of a painting for hour to study the light, the brush strokes, the use of colour, and the skill. I like imagining and trying to understand how the artist thinks and what decisions they made. These creative choices are similar to ones I’m writing or making art.
Do you collect anything? If so, what, why, and for how long?
Sanrio. I have loved Hello Kitty, My Melody, and Little Twin Stars for as long as I can remember. I started with plushes, then stationary items. Every once in a while I had to cull and as I got older, I have become more picky about what I buy. The good thing is that I have a kid now who loves it as much as I do and she’s definitely taken a chunk away and claimed it as her own.
Do you have another artistic outlet in addition to your writing? Do you sew? Paint? Draw? Knit? Dance?
I do embroidery and various other artsy projects. It helps keep me balanced when I’m riding the ups and downs of publishing. I embroider whimsical subjects and incorporate beading and sequins into my works. There’s something so satisfying and cathartic in the act of stabbing a needle into fabric over and over again.
As for the other various artsy pursuits, they include diamond painting, digital drawing, sticker making, and paper cutting. I’m always on the crafty lookout because I like the thrill of learning new skills.
Do you speak a second language? Do you think differently in that language? Does it influence your writing?
I’m fluent in Tagalog, can understand Hokkien, and can read, speak, and write French from having taken it from elementary school to high school. To be honest, they all get tangled in my head. When I think of ideas, I think it’s in English, but I’m not too sure.
In regards to writing, I’m inspired by the unique ways that other languages describe concepts. Here’s an example: “kapal muka” means thick face in Tagalog. It’s a phrase that describes a person who has no shame—in that when slapped, they won’t even feel the blow because their skin is so thick.
