When I developed Mai’s character, I had three potential names for her. I ultimately chose Mai, the name of the apricot blossom, a beloved yellow flower that blooms across Southern Vietnam during the Lunar New Year season. Mai is also associated with good luck, hope, and new beginnings. Regardless of her circumstances, Mai, like any of us, deserves hope and the opportunity to find a path forward in life, one that allows her the freedom to make her own decisions.

Justin’s name was an easy choice. I have always liked the name and even said at one point that if I had a son, I would name him Justin. So, you could say that Justin is my fictional son. From the very first scene I wrote for Justin, I wanted him to have the strength to make difficult life decisions while staying true to his feelings.

Lana did not have the name Lana when I finished the first draft of the manuscript. Later, I began considering the possibility of turning Flight of a Society Finch into a series and making her the main character of the second book. At that point, I wanted a more unique name for her.

One day, the name Lana arrived in my mind out of nowhere. When I looked up its meaning and discovered that one of its possible meanings is light, I immediately loved it, especially since my pen name, Ánh Dương, means sunlight or sunshine.

I hope you will enjoy the journeys of all the characters, especially these three, in my first book.

Illustration

Created for Flight of a Society Finch, the forget-me-not flower mannequin appears in both the novel and the poem “After Blue” below.

Poem

“The Nine Dragons River” is a poem embedded within Flight of a Society Finch that tells the story of the Mekong River, known in Vietnam as Sông Cửu Long, and its journey through southern Vietnam.