On Wednesday, July 17, LINC's Professional Advisory Council (PAC) hosted their first Literacy Lounge with guest author Susie Luo. Our PAC developed the Literacy Lounge as an opportunity for individuals to connect with fellow book lovers, enjoy light refreshments, and support New York’s littlest readers. All the proceeds from the event will go directly to ensuring LINC can continue our work of transforming neighborhoods through community-powered literacy.
Together with a crowded room of passionate readers, New York-based writer Susie Luo shared a selection from the first chapter of her novel Paper Names. Afterward, she answered questions from the room about her process, how she became a writer, and what recommendations she has for aspiring writers.
“Read the things you want to read,” she shared. “and one day when you want to write, the words will come.”
Susie graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell Law School. She wrote her first book at night while working as an investment banker. She is currently working on her second novel and teaches creative writing and fiction at Columbia University and Fordham University.
Set across three decades in New York and China, Paper Names delves into American identity through Tony, a Chinese immigrant and doorman, his daughter Tammy, struggling with her dual heritage, and Oliver, a handsome lawyer with a hidden past.
Regarding the title, Susie noted “we have our names that were given, that we sign contracts with. But then we have the names we pick up, that we are given. And I was interested in why someone would want to go back to their given name, or would compel them to leave that name forever.”
The interconnected stories of Susie’s characters reveal the impact of family legacies, the consequences of choices, and the transcendent nature of love. Her interest in how we build relationships with neighbors, family, and our sense of self is a reminder that communities like ours at LINC are built through the everyday choices we make and the routines we form with our loved ones. Find out more about Susie Luo and Paper Names at www.susieluo.com.
For more information about LINC’s Professional Advisory Council, please contact Nanci Pavlisko, Manager of Corporate Relations at npavlisko@lincnyc.org.
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