Writers from China's diaspora
Cho is the embodiment of the career author. She has a BA in professional writing and linguistics from Deakin University in Melbourne, and her stories have appeared in publications as diverse as Gargoyle magazine, Kyoto Journal and The New Quarterly. As part of her doctorate at Deakin, she's writing a collection sponsored by the Australia Council.
Meanwhile, among other day jobs, Cho acts as writing co-ordinator at Footscray Community Arts Centre in her home town. Why the reference to the Australian model?
Cho giggles. It's interesting, she says, how some people claim that being Asian is an advantage when it comes to getting published. 'Yet no one goes up and asks the celebrities if they gain an advantage from getting published because of their celebrity status - when it happens all the time.'
So, the Moss reference is partly a dig. But it's also a gesture of solidarity. Cho says she read somewhere that Moss claims she has it tough. 'Doubters say, 'She's beautiful, so how can she be smart? How can she write?' My heart went out to her.'
Cho produces what she calls ultra-short fiction - even briefer than a short story. The medium appeals to her hatred of wasting words.
