It was roughly two hours after sundown on a Saturday when authors Ed Lin, Steph Cha, and Naomi Hirahara gathered in a studio apartment on a quiet street in the Los Angeles Arts District. The event—Night Market Noir—was hosted by OCA-GLA & TAP-LA, and presented by Kaya Press & Writ Large Press.

All three authors read from their most recent works—Ed Lin and Naomi Hirahara from their latest novels, while Steph Cha read from a forthcoming short story.

Ed Lin’s Ghost Month, permeated with Taiwanese ghosts and beliefs, tells of a Taiwanese man who returns home from abroad to discover that his childhood sweetheart has been murdered. Steph Cha’s story is about a Korean-American woman who uncovers a dark secret about her family during the L.A. riots. Naomi Hirahara’s Murder on Bamboo Lane tells of a half-Asian bicycle cop in Chinatown whose first case involves an old classmate and changes her own life as well.

In the latter half of the event, the authors addressed questions regarding how they conceive their fictional worlds and concoct their murder mysteries. Yunte Huang’s Charlie Chan biography and Shoson Nagahara’s Lament in the Night were also mentioned as precursors and inspirations. In spite of the dismal themes of the event, the event was a success, thanks to the hosts and publishing presses!

Ed Lin reading from Ghost Month

Sunyoung Lee talking about Shoson Nagahara’s Lament in the Night

Yummy banh mi was served

The authors look like they’re having fun!