A profile of Chinese-American novelist Amy Tan is presented largely using words from her own mouth. While most of her novels use elements of her own life, she discusses the differences between fact and fiction when it comes to writing about issues arising from reality. In that context, she discusses her first novel, The Joy Luck Club, and while the character of June arguably is *the* representation of herself of all the characters, she is represented in the novel by the stories of all four daughters. Further in that context, she discusses her relationship with her parents, especially that with her suicidal mother, one which has always had its issues in its ebbs and flows. Tan also discusses how her writing has melded with other creative outlets in her life.—Huggo