Indie Author Interview with Vanny Vorng - Author of the Memoir / Autobiography My Life According To My Destiny.
Born in Cambodia, Vanny Vorng lived through the cruelties of the Khmer Rouge Regime. He lived through the change of three different regimes, some deadly, and was old enough to realize what was really happening to his country. Looking back on his life he believes the time is now right for his story to be told and for everyone to learn from what he has been through.
Interview with Vanny Vorng
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| Author Vanny Vorng |
Vanny Vorng: I am a first time author. When I was in Jr High school in Cambodia, I liked to write short stories in the Cambodian language. After the Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia in 1975, my writing skills were diminished because the regime did not like anyone to be educated. Seven years later I started writing again after my arrival in America. When I came to America my English professor had me start writing a daily journal which is a habit I have kept even to this day. I did my writing in my English class and did some research projects for my other classes while in college. As time progressed, I wrote two love stories for movie scripts in Cambodian which I hope to direct and produce as movies one day.
Who are your favorite writers, your favorite books, and who or what are your writing influences?
My favorite writer is Tom Clancy, and my favorite book is Sideshow by William Shawcross. I like to read Political History Memoirs from people who served their country, like ex-Presidents or great leaders, such as War and Hope By Norodom Sihanouk, The Path To Power By Robert Caro, How Pol Pot Came To Power By Ben Kiernan, Counsel To The President: A Memoir by Clark Clifford, Truman by David McCullough, and Where is The Rest Of Me? by Ronald Reagan. Being a first time author I haven’t many influences on my writing. I just sit down and write, jot down memories and good ideas of explaining things, then come back to them later to write about them after my mind has rested. During my time under the communist regime we were not allowed access to pens or paper. Everything that happened to me I had to keep in my memory until I have been able to write about them.
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I have always wanted to be a writer since I was young. As a young man I loved to read detective novels and novels about ancient times. I was always the first in my class for Cambodian literature when I was in Jr High School. I wrote a few short stories and essays during that time, but all of that ended when the Khmer Rouge took over. Under their regime my writing skills became dull and by the time I escaped my writing skills were 7 years behind.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I first wrote a short story in the sixth grade while I was still in Cambodia. My class was assigned to write a short story, so I wrote “A Scene After The Rain” about a young boy and his friends who played outside after the heavy rain. I described the scenery after the rain, about how we caught the fish and the frogs, the way the rice fields looked, and playing in the mud. Just like my writing now, my first story was based on my own experiences.
Tell us about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine?
I have to be alone at a quiet place. At first I just jot down memories and ideas, and after a break go back and write about the things I lived through. Writing your own personal story is easier than writing a novel or writing about research because you already know what is going to happen. I normally do my writing in the morning after a nice cup of coffee and breakfast. It is the best time to write because you are fresh and ready to go for hours. Another good time I like to write is a few hours after work where I can write for a few more hours after my brain has rested from work and I am no longer tired. I generally write down ideas during work, either on paper or in my phone, and I put them into my computer once I am at home. I have to always be ready to jot down ideas and memories before I forget them. I can come up with ideas very quickly.
"[...] the best place to write is outdoors by mountains, lakes or beaches."
Please, describe your desk/workplace.
When I am at work, I have my own desk and sometimes I use it to write down information that comes to mind. At home I have an office desk far removed from any TV or other distraction in my house. I find that the best place to write is outdoors by mountains, lakes or beaches where I can enjoy nature with a nice glass of red wine and write in my computer.
What do you find easiest about writing? What the hardest?
Nothing is easy about writing especially when English is my second language, but I keep on moving forward by jotting down my ideas while re-writing and re-editing. It takes me longer than the native speaker, but I get it done. The easiest part is simply that it is my story, my narrative; having lived through it I know what to write. It is just a matter of time to put my story into the computer. That was why it took me such a short time to write a 318 page memoir.
"I enjoy writing my story to share with the rest of the world [...]"
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
You have to like what you are doing or you will never accomplish your goals. You never stop learning, and I love to learn new things every day that I write. I have learned new writing skills, and new ways of researching. I have recently found social media through trying to promote my writing, and have found out about all the things you can research on the internet. Most importantly I enjoy writing my story to share with the rest of the world things which should not be forgotten.
Vanny, please tell us a little about your Memoir My Life According To My Destiny.
My story is my own personal memoir about my childhood up to the present time. It describes the culture of Cambodia and the peaceful times before the war. It explains how the Vietnam War spilled into Cambodia and the failure of Nixon’s foreign policy in Cambodia. In addition it explains the role of China who backed the Communist regime known as the Khmer Rouge which resulted in over 2.5 million people being either killed outright or starved to death. It chronicles my struggles under the regime as well as the horrors that came upon my family, our escape from Cambodia, my new life in America and my eagerness to pursue the American dream, as well as our struggles with the new culture. Though the genre is officially a memoir it has elements of multiple genres within it making it a thrilling read.
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| Click to Read an Excerpt |
What inspired you to write the book?
My life story inspires me to write this book. As the other survivors of the Killing Fields are aging and dying one by one, I felt obligated to share my story so the rest of the world will never forget about the horrors that befell Cambodia. The majority of the books written by the survivors of the killing fields were written by children younger than me. I was old enough to remember everything I lived through and experienced. I wanted to write my book in 1993, but I did not have the time or the passion to write my story. When I finally began to write my book, I was at a low point in my life and had learned from seeing great people, such as King Sihanouk and Ronald Reagan, who wrote books during hard times in their lives and got through them.
"The core audience would be anyone [...] interested in the conflicts in Vietnam and Cambodia."
Who do you see as your target audience and where can we buy the book?
Ages 15+ with an interest in history, Asian culture, and the parameters of courage would benefit from reading my book. The core audience would be anyone who was alive during, involved in, or interested in the conflicts in Vietnam and Cambodia. There are 7.4 million veterans from the Vietnam War era still alive and 850,000 who directly served in Vietnam. Many college students and professors may use my book for education as a primary source due to the explicit analysis of the Khmer Rouge rise to power and their failed strategy in ruling Cambodia. This would extend to universities outside the US. Other audiences include those interested in learning from history’s tragedies or the influence of an ideology forced on people. In other words for the same reason people read about the Holocaust or the Vietnam War.
"My book is one in a million; you have to read it to believe it [...]"
What makes your book special?
My book is one in a million; you have to read it to believe it because you never read another story like it. I lived through three regime changes, survived famine, mass executions, starvation, disease, hard labor, robbers, and foreign invasion. I lived through everything bad that could possibly happen to a person and survived to tell the story. What makes it special is that it is a story that the reader will not only learn from through the history explained in it, but it is also a story for the reader to be inspired by. I have already received multiple emails from people who have read my book describing it as phenomenal, inspiring, and compelling, while encouraging me to make a movie out of it.
How would you describe the success of your book so far?
This is an underdog story, and I am a first time author. It will take me longer to get my story out, but I keep on using social media to promote my book. Slowly but surely people are beginning to hear about and notice my book. I spend a lot of time to promote my book on social media, but the biggest impact of all is from the Indieauthornews.com. I have more people following me on Twitter and Facebook. I have donated over a hundred books to get the word out and people have begun to buy my book on Amazon. I have personally sold a few hundred books to people here in Texas.
How long did it take it to write the book?
It took me over ten months to write my book, working on it six days a week. I generally wrote about five hours a day until I was satisfied with my book’s length. After that I spent another seven months for the editors to work on my book to make sure my story was told in the best way possible.
"[...] not to be afraid to write down their ideas."
Can you give some advice for other Authors regarding the writing process?
I would tell new authors to be themselves and not to be afraid to write down their ideas. If they do not know whether or not they will reach their goal, they must become accustomed to this new age of social media. They should not get their hopes up expecting to reach a large audience, but they should rather try to reach a small audience first and work from there relying on word of mouth.
Are you working on another book project? Can you tell us a little about it?
I am currently working on Part II of my book My Life According To My Destiny. It is the story of both mine and my family’s life as we tried to achieve the American Dream and become accustomed to the world of business here in America. I also write about the successes and failures of the Cambodian community who came to America throughout the 1980’s. So far I have finished about 80% of the book. Part 2 of my book will be released sometime next year.
Where do you see the book market in 5 or 10 years? Will there be only eBooks and will book stores disappear like record stores disappeared?
I still believe that books will always be around, but the majority of people will be reading e-books. I believe that book stores may no longer be around by then as the online bookstores such as Amazon are slowly taking over.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I prefer the Kindle personally, although I do not read many books on it. I like to read the traditional paperback more often than not.
Do you write full-time or do you have a day job? When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I work full time, and write whenever I am able to. My only time off is on Sundays and I try not to write on that day. I sometime spend my time serving my community or going out to friend’s house for a social gathering. When there is no activity on Sunday, I spend time with my family to cook BBQ or other traditional food so that we can discuss or share our value of life with one another because we are family, I have done like this since 1981.
How can readers connect with you?
Readers can contact me through Twitter under the handle @VannyVorng, on Facebook through my book’s page My Life According To My Destiny, and through my book’s website mylifeaccordingtomydestiny.com
Thank you very much for the Interview, Vanny.
About the Book My Life According To My Destiny
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| Click to Read an Excerpt |
The Khmer Rouge Communist Party of Cambodia purged the cities and countryside of intellectuals, rival politicians, monks and teachers. The extremeness of this group leads to a country that has no religion, no free market, no schools, no families, and a closed border. Citizens attempt to hide their old lives from ears outside the walls while food becomes dangerously scarce in the so called Agrarian Utopia. The new party in charge invents ways of making families disappear.
It describes the events of each conflict as they unfold, where each time he somehow manages to survive the ordeal to tell the story. After the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1979, he found a way to provide for his family’s needs. Vanny and his family realized they would be better off leaving the land they called home for so many years. He led his family and friends to the refugee camps in Thailand and the Philippines.
After that, Vanny and his family were transported to America to start a new life. Upon arriving in America he managed to work hard at his job while attending school.
- "My Life According To My Destiny is a heart wrenching story. Once the author shows how everyting in his home country slowly started to go downhill, you can't put it down. How anyone can live through such a horrifying regime, watching their family die of starvation, battle sickness without modern medicine, work like a slave as you friends drop all around you in the heat, and constantly worry about executions, is beyond me. The author is a true survivor, and his story is one in a million.[...]" - Reader Review
Link to the Book
Link to the Paperback My Life According To My Destiny on Amazon
Link to the eBook My Life According To My Destiny on Amazon
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