Henry Chang is a native son of New York City’s Chinatown, where he sets his stories, from the underbelly of the immigrant demimonde. He’s been a lighting consultant, and a freelance journalist. He has been a Security Director for the Trump Organization, and for corporate and retail loss prevention. A local product, he attended Pratt Institute and graduated from CCNY. He resides in the Chinatown area of Lower Manhattan—“in the old ‘hood,” as he calls it. He is currently working on his fifth book in the NYPD Detective Jack Yu series.
- What is your writing routine?
I consume copious amounts of weed and alcohol, then amp up some old Led Zepp and get to work . . . . But seriously, my writing day begins early, with a steaming pot of sencha, and a quiet house. I’ve gone from nightcrawler to early bird, so pre-dawn is nothing new to me, just trying to catch first light now instead of dodging it. I’ll review the previous day’s work and then move the characters along the skeletal plotline, projecting the action forward. In the afternoon the cup of sencha becomes a glass of Sancere and the story moves along. And for the sake of continuity, the writing life is really a 24/7 flow.
- Tell us about your current project.
My current project is the fifth book in the NYPD Detective Jack Yu series. Title still wip. I’ll be bringing back some hardboiled people so it’s going to be explosive: Straight Outta Chinatown. Detective Jack Yu will also tie up some loose ends in his life, and may be moving on from the NYPD. So stay tuned, there’s a lot going on.
- Which writers, living or otherwise, would you host at a dinner party and why?
I’d host five writers, managable, and six is a lucky number. Those five writers would be, in random order: Hubert Selby, Jr., Junot Diaz, Haruki Murakami, Patricia Cornwell, and Iris Chang. Five powerful and diverse points of view. Can you imagine the cross conversations? The ideas electric in the air?
- What do you enjoy about your MWA membership?
I LOVE The Third Degree [the MWA national newsletter for members], always informative, and entertaining. I like the cameraderie of the local chapter, and the easy going vibe of the org in general. Very cool.