Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Born and raised in China, I moved to Canada after earning a degree in banking and finance and later a Master’s in Agricultural Economics. My love for storytelling ignited during China’s Cultural Revolution, when my father, a targeted professor, secretly shared banned stories by candlelight during power outages, sparking my lifelong interest in reviving those tales. Facing childhood bullying, I used storytelling as a shield, sharing these stories and folk tales with classmates for protection. My writing received early recognition in elementary school when my diary was used as school-wide reading material, and I further honed my performance skills by joining the school storytelling team in Grade 4. I began writing poetry in college.

After living in Canada for sixteen years, I decided to write my family stories into novels. I immersed myself in writing courses and voracious reading. My first English piece was published by PRISM International in 2012. Since then, my poems, prose, and short stories in both English and Chinese have appeared across North America, England, and Taiwan, earning six literary awards and finalist nominations for five others. My debut novel, “The House Filler,” published in Canada in 2023, was a finalist for the 2023 Eyelands Book Awards and the 2024 Canadian Book Club Awards for fiction. It also won the 2024 Independent Press Award for new fiction, the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) Award for Literary Fiction, and second place for the BookFest Award in literary-historical fiction.

What inspired you to write your book?

My books are all inspired by the stories of my family and my own life experiences.

What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

What happened in early 20th-century China is still relevant today—wars, totalitarian regimes, poverty, and the ongoing issue of gender inequality in many parts of the world. As a species, we haven’t advanced as much as we might think. People need to be aware that freedom is never truly free; it can be taken away in an instant if we’re not vigilant.

I also want my readers to consider this question: Are humans inherently cruel, merely pretending to be civilized until circumstances like war strip away our veneer? Or are we fundamentally kind, with war turning us into beasts? I believe that without consequences, humans are capable of committing atrocities against one another. While some readers have cried while reading the book and even warned others to have tissues ready, I hope they do not only feel sadness. Instead, I want them to be inspired by the resilience of the human spirit and to recognize that we are stronger than we realize. As long as we are alive, there is hope.

What drew you into this particular genre?

The House Filler is based on my grandmother’s story and covers the time span between 1920 and 1966, making it historical fiction.

If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

it would be my grandmother. The character of Golden Phoenix is based on her life story, and I would ask her for more details to enrich the narrative further.

What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

It is WeChat groups for me.

What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

To succeed as a writer: first, be driven by passion, as financial rewards are often delayed. Second, be prepared for years of hard work and long hours, fueled by your love for writing. Third, dedicate yourself to continuous learning by taking courses, reading craft books, and, most importantly, reading widely to learn from others and identify pitfalls. Cultivate humility by being open to feedback; multiple people pointing out an issue likely means it needs revision. Finally, perseverance is crucial. Writing is a long journey, so never give up, even when facing significant time investments and rejections.

What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

My next book, inspired by my parents’ lives, will also be historical fiction. The third book is based on my own story; it is character-driven and reflects my love of poetry and language, making it a work of literary fiction.

About the Author

Born and raised in China, Tong Ge moved to Canada in the late 1980s as an international student, earning a Master of Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1992. Since 2012, she has written under both her real name and the pen name Tong Ge, publishing poetry, prose, and short stories in English and Chinese across North America, England, and Taiwan. A recipient of four literary awards and a finalist for five others. Her debut novel, “The House Filler,” was published in Canada in 2023. It is a finalist for the 2023 Eyelands Book Awards and the 2024 Canadian Book Club Awards for fiction and won the 2024 Independent Press Award for new fiction and National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) Award for Literary Fiction.