THOSE GOING TO see Amy Tan at this year's Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival may do well to remember there's a question about her books she's longing to be asked. It came up during a rehearsal of the writers' rock band she occasionally sings for - the Rock Bottom Remainders, described by lead guitarist and columnist Dave Barry as 'playing music as well as Metallica writes novels'.
During the break, she and some of her fellow musicians (the likes of Stephen King, Barbara Kingsolver and Matt Groening) were discussing book festivals. 'Someone asked, 'What's the question that nobody asks that you'd like them to ask?',' says Tan. 'And I said, 'It's the language question'. And Stephen King looked at me and said 'I absolutely agree ... nobody ever asks me that.'
'Readers sometimes seem more into the emotional or narrative issues of the books - in my case, the mother and daughter thing - and they don't see the care and craft and the way we adore the language and play with it. It's good in a way that it's so transparent, but in a way it's a shame.'
That day, King told Tan he'd been thinking of writing a book about the craft of writing. 'Then I didn't see him for a long time, because he had a terrible accident and spent months recovering'.
When he finally called, it was the day Tan's long-time editor, Faith Sale, died from cancer. She was feeling bereft. 'He said, 'I'm in New York. Would you like to get together?'. And I thought. 'Yes, today that's what I'd most like'.'
At the meeting, King showed her the galley proofs of his book On Writing, which has since become a huge seller. He most wanted her to see the dedication page - which was addressed to her.
'He said I'd given him permission to write it,' she says. 'Of course, I hadn't given anyone permission to write anything, but I felt so honoured. It's the only time anyone has dedicated a book to me. And it was one of those magic moments - it felt like a holy moment.'