Back to Featured Interviews >>

MEET YING CHANG COMPESTINE
by Bonnie O'Brian

What are you hobbies?

Compestine, Ying

Cooking and eating. That is why food is a main theme in many of my children’s stories.

Badminton - I play badminton twice a week. I won first place in the Women's Singles at the Rocky Mountain State Games.

Ballroom dance and swing dance. I met my husband while dancing. Recently, I have been taking classes in belly dancing.

Most days I practices Tai Chi and Tai Chi sword.

Could you tell us some of your personal anecdotes?

When I was three years old, I accidentally stepped on a baby chicken. Since then I haven't eaten anything with feathers. I learned to drive shortly after I came to the US. Within a few weeks after my wedding, I drove myself and my husband into an irrigation ditch. Since then I have hated driving.

Do you only write books?

I am also the spokesperson for Nestle, Maggi and Celestial Seasonings. I have been credited as an Asian food expert by national magazines and corporations. I have published over sixty feature articles highlighting healthy Asian cuisine and culture. I regularly contribute to the national magazines Body+ Soul, Cooking Light, Eating well, Self, Men's Health, Ski, and Delicious Living.

Why do you write?

I always loved to write, but I never dreamt I would be able to write stories in my second language, English. I used to be so uneasy about writing even a simple note, let alone a book! I worried about spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. In some ways, writing in English helps me face that fear. I discovered that by making mistakes, I became a better writer. Writing keeps me close to the country I love — China. I enjoy losing myself in my stories. As a young girl, I lacked the patience for sewing, needlework, and fan dancing — things girls were expected to do in China at that time. I preferred playing with boys! I relive my childhood fantasies through the boys in my children's books by allowing them to do all the naughty things I wish I had done. In the end, the boys get rewarded for their creativity and inventiveness.

Could you tell us the background specific to your next book?

My next book,THE REAL STORY OF STONE SOUP, is coming out in January 2007. It was inspired by a trip to China. In southeast China, there is a region called Xi Shuang Ban Na. Many minority tribes reside there. One tribe is famous for their stone soup. According to legend, fishermen first created stone soup. One day they forgot to bring cooking utensils with them. At mealtime, they started a fire to heat up some river stones, and then dug a hole on the riverbank. They lined the hole with layers of plantain and banana leaves and filled the hole with river water. They dropped the hot river rocks from the fire into the soup to bring the soup to a boil. They added in whatever food they had — fish they caught that day, a few eggs they found in bird's nests, and fresh wild vegetables they harvested from the nearby hills. Finally, they seasoned the soup with salt, pepper and sesame oil. Since then stone soup has become a traditional dish in that area. It is famous for its unique fragrance and fresh taste brought out by the river stones. During my visit there, I ate many kinds of stone soup, including my favorite -- Egg-Drop Stone Soup.

How many books have you written?

Twelve. They are:

THE RUNAWAY RICE CAKE, Simon & Schuster (Picture book) 2001

THE SORY OF CHOPSTICKS, Holiday House (Picture book) 2002

THE STORY OF NOODLES, Holiday House (Picture book) 2002

THE STORY OF KITES, Holiday House (Picture book) 2003

THE STORY OF PAPER, Holiday House (Picture book) 2003

D IS FOR DRAGON, Holiday House (Picture book) 2005

THE REAL STORY OF STONE SOUP, Dutton (Picture book) 2007

BOY DUMPLINGS, Holiday House (Picture book) 2007

REVOLUTION IS NOT A DINNER PARTY, Henry Holt (novel) 2007

Cookbooks for Adults

SEVRETS OF A HEALTHY ASIAN KITCHEN, Penguin Putnam (cookbook) 2002

COOKING WITH GREEN TEA, Penguin Putnam (cookbook) 2000