SATA
ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: Beasts of the Uncanny Wild
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.cindylinbooks.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:Graduated from University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and journalist. Has formerly worked as a journalist, television news field producer, a writer and producer with Sony Pictures Entertainment; and as an English teacher in Japan; certified yoga instructor.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2019, review of The Twelve; February 15, 2023, review of Creatures of the In Between; January 15, 2025, review of Beasts of the Uncanny Wild.
Publishers Weekly, February 27, 2023, review of Creatures of the In Between, p. 62.
ONLINE
Cindy Lin website, https://www.cindylinbooks.com (August 9, 2025).
READING (AS)(I)AN (AM)ERICA, https://readingasiam.blog/ (May 13, 2020), author interview; (May 20, 2023), author interview.
Cindy Lin
A former journalist with degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, Cindy Lin has worked for Sony Pictures Entertainment and has written and produced many multimedia news features for children, one of which received a Peabody Award. The Twelveis her debut novel.
Series
Twelve
1. The Twelve (2019)
2. Treasures of the Twelve (2020)
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Creatures of the In Between
1. Creatures of the in Between (2023)
2. Beasts of the Uncanny Wild (2024)
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Cindy Lin is a former journalist with degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Before venturing into the wild world of fiction, she worked as a field producer in television news, a news writer, and an entertainment web producer, among other things.
She’s written and produced many multimedia news features for children, one of which received a Peabody Award. She’s also worked at Sony Pictures Entertainment, on Emmy-winning projects at Disney-ABC Television, chased breaking news stories for Nippon Television, and spent two years on the west coast of Japan teaching English for the JET Program, where she picked up Japanese from the 700 high school boys who were her students. (It wasn’t until much later that she was told, to her mortification, that her Japanese was full of teenage boy slang.)
There’s nothing she loves more than writing except for reading, and the proof is in the stacks of books that threaten to take over her house in Southern California, which she shares with two cats. A certified yoga instructor, Cindy has recently taken up archery and kendo (Japanese fencing) and loves the discipline of learning a martial art. She also likes to rock climb and dreams of doing a triathlon someday, if she can convince race organizers to let her wear floaties in the swim portion. She went through a comedy improv training program to help silence her inner critic, which didn’t quite work — but introduced her to a whole new world of saying “YES, AND…” whenever possible.
Author Interview: Cindy Lin
May 20, 2023Interview, Taiwanese American Heritage WeekFantasy, Middle Grade
Welcome to the seventh interview in the 2023 run of my Taiwanese American Heritage Week series dedicated to featuring Taiwanese authors and their work. Taiwanese American Heritage Week occurs every year during the week that begins with Mother’s Day in May, which is also Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. You can find the past interviews and posts in this series via the Taiwanese American Heritage Week tag or through my Post Index.
About the Book
Title: Creatures of the In Between
Author: Cindy Lin
Cover Artist: Daniel Chang
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: April 11th, 2023
Genre/Format: Middle Grade Fantasy
Synopsis:
Princess Mononoke meets How to Train Your Dragon in this magical middle grade adventure from Cindy Lin, author of The Twelve, featuring a blend of East and Southeast Asian folklore and mythical creatures, and starring a boy with a hero’s destiny.
Prince Jin is running out of time.
He must find a monster companion before his thirteenth birthday or lose the throne completely.
And that means traveling to the only place where monsters still live: the legendary, dangerous Whisper Island.
But untold perils await Jin there. The magical creatures he seeks are not so easily swayed, and an even greater threat looms on the horizon—one that could threaten everything Jin hopes to achieve.
Interview with Cindy Lin
Q: Last time I interviewed you, you hadn’t quite released your second book yet, and now you have three novels published. How does it feel to be here? Has anything about your approach to writing changed?
A: It feels a bit surreal, to be honest, especially since the second one came out in the first year of the pandemic when we were all hunkered down. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I have three books published, especially when imposter syndrome kicks in, or if I start worrying about whether I can pull off another book. It does help to tell myself that I’ve been in this space of uncertainty before, and eventually came out with something deemed publishable. With the third book, I kept telling myself to focus on just getting something down, and work on making each iteration better than the one before — aiming not for perfect, but better than what was on the page before. It sounds simple but it’s amazing how much we can get in our own way sometimes!
Q: Creatures of the In Between takes place in the same universe as The Twelve but in a different region. Did you feel like you had to reinvent the wheel with the worldbuilding, or did having that baseline from The Twelve make it easier to extrapolate?
A: In some ways having the baseline from The Twelve was helpful — I knew right away I wouldn’t be having smartphones and airplanes in this book, for instance. I could rule out certain things quickly in creating this new world. But in other ways it did feel like having to start from scratch, especially since I had been working in the world of The Twelve for so long, refining and revising over years. I had to create a whole new world much more quickly this time, and sometimes I wasn’t sure I could do it! I asked myself a lot of questions about this new land, sometimes prompted by something that I had taken pains to develop in the first series. Like, if people order their lives around the animal zodiac in these ways, then how would a society that revered monsters order theirs? I also thought about how it would relate to the world of my first two books, but after a while that actually got in the way. I had to put the world of Midaga fully aside and focus on fleshing out the empire of the Three Realms.
Q: The creatures in this story come from East and Southeast Asian cultures and many are common across multiple cultures and have different names across different languages (e.g. qilin vs. kirin). How did you go about picking which of these names to use? Was there any rhyme or reason to it?
A: There was definitely a guiding principle for me, although it might come off as arbitrary at first glance! Because I’m writing in English for an English-speaking audience, my criteria was based on how things sounded and whether they would be easy to pronounce. I worked under the assumption that most young readers will not know pinyin (Chinese romanization), for instance — it’s not intuitive for English speakers. So the Japanese kirin felt like it would be more straightforward to say than qilin (which is roughly pronounced “chee-leen” in Mandarin). The Korean pronunciation of “girin” was also a possibility but I figured you can find products in the real world using “kirin” (as in Kirin beer, for one), so I went with that. Similarly there is a Korean confectionery company called Haitai and I felt like it was easier to read/pronounce than “haetae,” or “xiezhi” which are other names for the same creature. I also thought piyao was easier to read aloud than “pixiu” (which are both Chinese names for the same creature). Basically if there were multiple names for a certain creature across different languages, I would try to go with one that wouldn’t stop a reader too much (I myself never formally learned pinyin and get tripped up by its use of “c,” “x” and “q” and must sometimes silently pause and correct myself). Occasionally I would go with an English interpretation, like “water ape” for the creature popularly known as “kappa,” an aquatic monster said to resemble a cross between a monkey and a turtle, or warrior crab instead of “heikegani,” because it was a creature minor to the story or it seemed to fit better upon reading. I use a similar approach when I name characters.
Q: I imagine you spent a lot of time researching creature mythology and folklore for this book. What was that research process like?
A: For me, research is the most fun part! I tend to buy and read books even tangentially related if I think it will help with world-building, and mark them with little post-it flags till they’re bristling like porcupines. I also keep a file on my computer where I save any interesting links, from seafaring and animal husbandry to festival traditions and weapons demonstrations on YouTube. My browser usually has a million tabs open as well. For Creatures of the In Between, I read a bunch of books on imperial courts in Asia, including the Japanese emperor’s court of the Heian era, when court diviners held sway, and accounts about Cixi, the last Chinese empress dowager. The number of mythical creatures and monsters in Asia is staggering. Japanese yokai alone are overwhelming in scope, including monsters that are disguised as umbrellas, lanterns and other common household items. I have so many books on Asian mythological creatures now, but two monster compendiums that I found especially helpful were The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien and A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from the Guideways through Mountains and Seas. But they didn’t necessarily narrow things down! I aimed to feature monsters that might be somewhat known or not too esoteric, and if they had counterparts across various cultures, so much the better. The challenge for me is distilling everything I find into something relevant to the story I’m writing, and to not get too sidetracked with going down Wikipedia rabbit holes.
Q: The members of the royal family in Creatures of the In Between are known for commanding a monster companion. If you could pick any creature for your companion, which would you pick and why?
A: I have to say I rather love the piyao — a winged lion that is a fierce and loyal fighter as well as a guardian and harbinger of treasure. I mean, a furry feline that will protect you, safeguard the great fortune it brings you, fly you around AND doesn’t need a litter box (since piyaos can’t poop)? It’s the perfect companion for me!
Q: What aspect of writing this book did you enjoy the most?
A: I really enjoyed building a new world, as hard as it was sometimes. It was like going on a great adventure into the unknown. It was also so fun to imagine a world where these mythical creatures we see on so many buildings, artwork and household items in Asia actually existed. I had a list of things I wanted to explore and incorporate into the story, such as going to a festival, visiting a fortune-teller’s tent, sailing on a ship and living in a palace. Checking things off my list was very satisfying.
Q: Did anything about writing this book surprise you?
A: I’m always surprised when a new character shows up that I hadn’t intended, or if events take a turn I hadn’t planned. This is rather specific, but I had a moment late in revisions where a silly joke struck me out of the blue. For some reason it cracked me up to no end — probably because I didn’t see it coming but it really fit the story. I was sitting at my desk in the wee hours of the night, laughing my head off. The fact that I could be so entertained by something I was writing was ridiculous and delightful. When unexpected moments like that happen, it feels like magic.
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About the Author
A former journalist with degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, Cindy Lin has worked for Sony Pictures Entertainment and has written and produced many multimedia news features for children, one of which received a Peabody Award. She is the author of The Twelve, its sequel Treasures of the Twelve, and most recently, Creatures of the In Between.
Photo Credit: Joanna DeGeneres
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Author Interview: Cindy Lin
May 13, 2020Interview, Taiwanese American Heritage WeekFantasy, Middle Grade, Taiwanese
For Day 4 of Taiwanese American Heritage Week, I interviewed Cindy Lin about her middle grade fantasy series The Twelve. The second book and conclusion, Treasures of the Twelve, releases July 28th, 2020.
Synopsis:
Usagi can hear a squirrel’s heartbeat from a mile away, and soar over treetops in one giant leap. She was born in the year of the wood rabbit, and it’s given her extraordinary zodiac gifts.
But she can never use them, not while the mysterious, vicious Dragonlord hunts down all those in her land with zodiac powers. Instead, she must keep her abilities—and those of her rambunctious sister Uma—a secret.
After Uma is captured by the Dragonguard, Usagi can no longer ignore her powers. She must journey to Mount Jade with the fabled Heirs of the Twelve, a mystical group of warriors who once protected the land.
As new mysteries unfold, Usagi must decide who she stands with, and who she trusts, as she takes on deadly foes on her path to the elusive, dangerous Dragonlord himself.
Interview:
Q: What sparked the idea for The Twelve?
It happened to be Lunar New Year right around the time I was taking my first creative writing course, and so there was a lot of mention of how we were entering the year of the Ox. And my sister is born in the year of the Ox, as well as other friends and family, and I was struck by how we usually identify ourselves as the zodiac animal itself, like “I’m an Ox!” or “I’m a Tiger!” That got me to thinking — what if people actually had the power of the animal that ruled their year? Like, what if someone born in the year of the Ox had incredible strength? Or if a Tiger-born person had super keen night vision? It seemed like it would be a fun concept to explore and write about, and it was! But it took me a long time to figure out how to make it work in a way that made sense to me. I initially tried setting the story in our contemporary world, but in the end, setting it in an imaginary mythical time and place unlocked it for me.
Q: What is your zodiac animal and what powers would that give you in the universe of The Twelve?
My ruling animal is the Dog, and I made sure to include a character with dog powers in my books — more than one, actually! I gave them different talents associated with dogs, like a hyper-powerful sense of smell, and the ability to communicate with and command dogs. Other talents might be strong jaws and a fearsome bite, or the ability to hunt anything down. There are so many types of dogs that the possible talents are endless, but I definitely had to start with a super sensitive nose that could identify all sorts of things near and far.
Q: In the book, there are twelve legendary treasures, each with a special power. If they were real, which of these treasures would you want to possess, and what would you use it for?
I’ve asked myself that question a lot! One thing about power is that it usually comes with a price, so I wanted to make sure that the powers of the Treasures were tempered somewhat. As a writer you don’t want an object that gives you unlimited power without consequence, because what’s the fun in that? It’s always more interesting when there’s a catch and a downside to having power, I think. I feel like I already have one of the Treasures — my smart phone is a lot like the Mirror of Elsewhere, and I struggle with its pull all the time. I wouldn’t mind having the Conjurer — the hammer that grants you whatever you wish for (albeit for just a day). But at this moment, in the midst of a global pandemic, what I really want is the Apothecary — the pillbox that holds cures for ailments — as well as the Bowl of Plenty, which fills up with whatever you put in it. We could really use those two now.
Q: What was your favorite part about writing The Twelve?
All the fun I had doing research! I visited museums, read countless books on all sorts of topics, tried different sports (including kendo, or Japanese fencing, which ended up being so fun that I joined a dojo), and generally got to geek out. It was also really gratifying to put in little mentions of things that are meaningful to me. For example, though the island kingdom of Midaga is inspired by many different places, I did write in a little shout-out to where I lived in Japan (Stone River Province is in honor of Ishikawa Prefecture) and gave some locations the names of actual landmarks in Taiwan, where my family is from. I loved the feeling of discovery as I wrote, and I also met so many great fellow writers as I worked on The Twelve. When I started all this, I didn’t realize I would find such an amazing community and kindred spirits.
Q: What was the hardest part about writing The Twelve?
Not knowing what I was doing, as it was my first attempt at writing a novel! It was hard to eke out a sentence, a paragraph, a page for the first time, and wonder if I could string together enough to make a coherent long-form story. It took many tries and many versions, and a lot of lost sleep and sacrifice. I wrote when I was on vacation with family, I got up early before my day job to write, I wrote in the middle of the night and wouldn’t get to bed until dawn — it was like I was possessed. I couldn’t not do it, but I gave up a lot for it, and at the same time, I was riddled with doubt. That was hard to wrestle with. And writing itself is so solitary. That can be lonely at times. Rejection is also no picnic, though all of the difficult stuff really does make you better and stronger.
Q: Who is your favorite character in the duology and why?
Of course, I love my main character Usagi, as I’ve been carrying her with me for years. But I did find a couple of supporting characters surprisingly fun to write, and so I feel a lot of affection for them. One is the hermit, Yunja — I have a blast with him every time I bring him into the story. I also love the Tigress, because she’s like my personal Yoda. Honestly I love all my characters for different reasons, but I’ll stop with those three!
Q: Sequels and sophomore novels have a reputation for being difficult to write. Did you find Treasures of the Twelve, which is not only a sequel but the conclusion to a series, to be a challenge compared to the first book?
It was a challenge for sure, but in a different way from Book 1. I had to figure out how to develop things that I’d set up in the first book, and how to start the book in a way that wouldn’t be horribly confusing for anyone who hadn’t read The Twelve, but not too repetitive for those who had. I tried to balance introducing new ideas, places and characters with including familiar bits from Book 1. I also had to wrap things up in a satisfying way. And I had to do it all in a compressed time frame. It took me many years to write Book 1, and just a fraction of that for Book 2. That said, it helped that I had already spent so much time building the world of my story — it did make some things easier as I drafted Treasures of the Twelve. I kept reminding myself that other authors have written sequels for publication in consecutive years, so it was in the realm of possibility — but I definitely worried about pulling it off. Given the constraints of time, I did the absolute best I could, and take heart in the fact that my publisher gave it the green light. I think it goes to show that there’s nothing like a deadline to help kick you in the pants!
About the Author:
Cindy Lin author photoA former journalist with degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, Cindy Lin has worked for Sony Pictures Entertainment and has written and produced many multimedia news features for children, one of which received a Peabody Award. The Twelve is her debut novel.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.cindylinbooks.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cindylin_tweets
Lin, Cindy THE TWELVE Harper/HarperCollins (Children's Fiction) $16.99 7, 2 ISBN: 978-0-06-282127-0
To save her friend and sister, a young girl embarks on a treacherous mission.
Just five years ago, the island of Midaga was protected by the Twelve, warriors endowed with a magical treasure and animal power from the Asian zodiac. But then the villainous Dragonlord took control, eliminating the Twelve and their apprentices, or Heirs. Since then, all individuals with zodiac powers have been hunted or forced into hiding. When Usagi's sister, Uma, and friend Tora are kidnapped by the Dragonlord's men due to their powers, she joins forces with a group of bandits who turn out to be renegade Heirs trained by the last surviving Warrior, Horangi the Tigress. Usagi, endowed with powers of the wood rabbit, finds herself torn: Should she immediately rescue her friend and sister or prove her worth by climbing Mount Jade and training to become an Heir? Rumors that the Dragonlord plans to execute his weak captives accelerate everything, cutting short her training and sending Usagi and the Heirs to infiltrate the Dragonlord's lair. Although this fantasy is not based on a specific culture, the majority of characters' names have East Asian derivations. Unfortunately, other aspects of the worldbuilding are not so solid. Oddly for a book set on an island, for instance, there's no mention of the ocean or ports and very little consumption of seafood. Obstacles are frequent but resolve quickly, limiting suspense but keeping pages turning.
A mostly promising debut. (Fantasy. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Lin, Cindy: THE TWELVE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A583840491/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=196768bf. Accessed 18 June 2025.
Lin, Cindy CREATURES OF THE IN BETWEEN Harper/HarperCollins (Children's None) $17.99 4, 11 ISBN: 9780063064799
A prince seeks to fulfill his royal ambitions.
In the kingdom of Samtei, no ruler has ever ascended the throne without having formed a bond with a magical beast, or monstermate, by the age of 13. That is why Jin, the 12-year-old crown prince, decides to sneak into the forbidden Bureau of Divination and find out more about these now scarce mythical creatures. Before he is caught, Jin overhears ministers in conversation with his grandmother, the empress dowager, suggesting that he visit Whisper Island, a sanctuary for creatures of the in between. Despite Grandmother's harsh punishments, Jin--with the aid of servant girl Bingyoo--gets into scrapes and is banned from going to the island where he hoped to find a monstermate until he can prove to her he is worthy. Nevertheless, Jin hires a ship to take him to Whisper Island, unexpectedly joined by stowaways: Bingyoo and Jin's dog, Shishi. On the island the trio find wild monsters, the ruins of an attacked city, and some survivors, twins Mau and Masa and their Aunt Ayie. Solid storytelling outlines Jin's growth as he gradually learns Whispering, a skill used to bond with magical creatures and cultivate true companionship. Unfortunately, other characters in this Asian-inspired fantasy world are not as well fleshed out. Readers will be left with some lingering questions about the political intrigue surrounding Jin's family; a sequel may bring more clarity.
An intriguing adventure with promise. (author's note, bestiary) (Fantasy. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Lin, Cindy: CREATURES OF THE IN BETWEEN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A736805968/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=be7861f0. Accessed 18 June 2025.
Creatures of the In Between (Creatures of the In Between #1)
Cindy Lin. HarperCollins, $19.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-06-306479-9
The sole remaining scion of an imperial family visits a monster-filled island in order to secure the throne in this actionpacked, East and Southeast Asian folklore-inspired duology starter from Lin (The Twelve). In the empire of Samtei, also known as the Three Realms, crown prince Jin approaches his 13th birthday and subsequent ascension to the Triad Throne. But tradition requires emperors to gain the trust of a monster companion, and no such creatures have been seen in the kingdom for years-save for his powerful empress dowager grandmother's malicious phoenix. Inspired by an overheard conversation and planning to return with a monstermate, Jin travels to legendary monster sanctuary Whisper Island, joined by his dog, Shishi, and a stowaway servant, Bingyoo. Upon arriving at the island's ruined village, he encounters creatures he's only read about and slowly befriends the handful of people living there following an attack. With their help, Jin learns the art of Whispering, a skill used to bond with magical beings, and finds an even greater conflict than his own looming large. Court intrigue, daring escapades, and quick-moving battle sequences characterize this entertaining read. Though supporting personalities are not as developed as Jin's, Lin's lush descriptions bring her mythical creatures and the mysteries of Samtei's past to life. A bestiary concludes. Ages 8-12. Agent:Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (Apr.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"Creatures of the In Between (Creatures of the In Between #1)." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 9, 27 Feb. 2023, p. 62. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A739891292/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=82f18f56. Accessed 18 June 2025.
Lin, Cindy BEASTS OF THE UNCANNY WILD Harper/HarperCollins (Children's None) $19.99 12, 31 ISBN: 9780063064843
A prince must fight for his rightful place on the throne.
Following the events ofCreatures of the In Between (2023), at age 13, Prince Jin is now the youngest emperor of the Three Realms. He's flanked by his friends Bingyoo, Mau, and Masa as well as two monsters, a piyao and a kirin. As part of his goal to reintegrate monsters into the kingdom's economy, he's traveling with his monstermates to the kingdom's first monster exposition, where he's hoping to build public goodwill. The action-packed narrative evolves quickly as the event is sabotaged, and Jin, needing to think about his next steps, takes leave on Whisper Island. But Jin's sabbatical is disturbed when news from the palace reveals that Mau has gone missing, and he and his friends embark on a journey to find him. The group's epic mission includes a series of intriguing twists filled with mythical creatures from East and Southeast Asian cultures. A skillful reveal of a secret connected to Jin's family leads to political intrigue and conflicts, which are so numerous that the pace feels rushed at times. Readers may wish for some quieter moments to allow the story's events to sink in. Those who have fresh memories of the previous installment will better appreciate this volume.
An entertaining sequel that's brimming with nonstop action. (author's note, bestiary)(Fantasy. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Lin, Cindy: BEASTS OF THE UNCANNY WILD." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A823102192/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5b732321. Accessed 18 June 2025.