Brandon Hoàng is the author of the critically acclaimed novel Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend, and the middle grade books The Crossbow of Destiny, Minecraft: One Last Quest, and Avatar the Last Airbender's The Kyoshi Warriors.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brandon grew up coveting The Baby-Sitters Club books and slurping phở noodles. Before he was a writer, Brandon was an animation executive. Now a television writer by day and novelist by night, he currently resides in the PNW.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH READING... 

Growing up, my Saturdays consisted of slurping noodles at a local pho joint followed by a trip to Powell’s. I used to spend hours in the Rose Room (the children’s lit section). Each visit I was allowed to pick out one book and I took that decision very seriously.  

Every Christmas, I looked forward to finding a Newbery Award Winner in my stocking. Although, much to my parents’ dismay, sometimes I would trade in the classics for the latest RL Stine.

THEN I FELL IN LOVE WITH WRITING... 

My mom used to bring home reams of used printer paper from her work and I’d use them to write and draw my own books. I bound them with staples and sell them to my neighbors for a quarter. I think I made ten bucks one summer.

After graduating from college with a degree in Sociology, I packed my bags and left for Los Angeles. I started off as an assistant at Nickelodeon Animation Studios and climbed the executive ladder. During the day, I was a Creative Executive and at night, I would plug away on my own manuscripts.

I even curated a popular dating blog (remember blogs?). That’s how I met my wife.

WHEN I’M NOT READING OR WRITING

I play a lot of video games, doodle in my diary, scour the library with my daughters, and laugh a lot with my wife. I’m proud to say that I’ve won a handful of Halloween costume contests.

I believe you can tell a lot from a person based on which Sideways Story was their favorite. Mine was the one where the boy got a tattoo for his birthday present, and he ultimately picked a potato. Take from that what you will.