Mailan Doquang: On Helping to Move the Publishing Needle

Mailan Doquang is an architectural historian turned thriller writer. She has published extensively on the art and architecture of medieval France, in addition to teaching at some of the top universities in North America. She holds a B.A. from McGill University and a Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU. A Canadian transplant, Mailan lives in New York City with her husband and African violets. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Mailan Doquang

In this interview, Mailan discusses what surprised her in the writing process of her new thriller novel, Blood Rubies, her advice for other writers, and more!

Name: Mailan Doquang
Literary agent: Liza Fleissig
Book title: Blood Rubies
Publisher: Mysterious Press
Release date: May 7, 2024
Genre/category: Thriller
Previous titles: The Lithic Garden: Nature and the Transformation of the Medieval Church (Oxford University Press, 2018)
Elevator pitch: A jewel thief becomes a DIY missing persons investigator and risks everything to save the people she loves.

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What prompted you to write this book?

I grew up in Canada with a French mother and a Vietnamese father and attended English-language schools. I wondered what it would look like to have a heroine who was racially and culturally mixed, and to explore how the contrasting pulls of identity and biography could be woven into a fast-paced thriller. Multiracial Americans are growing at three times the rate as the rest of the population, but this isn’t reflected in publishing. I want to help move the needle.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

The book took almost four years from inception to publication. I drafted it in under a year, but I went through several rounds of revision before going on submission. I cut a major subplot—what amounted to a third of the book—to keep the focus on my protagonist. The manuscript was clean by the time it got into my editor’s hands. That process was quick and easy.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I used to think writing was a solitary exercise, but pursuing traditional publishing made me realize that it’s a collaborative effort. There’s an entire team behind my book, some of whom influenced what’s on the page. I’m so grateful to my agent and publishers for giving me a voice in aspects of the trade that aren’t directly related to writing, including my cover design.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I’m a pantser, so most of the plot was a surprise! The best part about writing this book was that the story revealed itself to me, like I was watching a movie or reading someone else’s novel, only very slowly. By the time I got to the midway point, my characters were so fully formed in my mind that the rest of the book basically wrote itself.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I hope readers of all backgrounds will see themselves in my characters. But mostly, I hope my book entertains people. Life is stressful. A good book is the perfect escape.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Trust your instincts. If it rings true to you, chances are you got it right.

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