We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Malissa Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Malissa below.

Hi Malissa , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I wish I could say I took a leap into becoming an indie romance author. But it wasn’t a cute little hop over a hurdle. It was more like strolling across what you thought would be a smooth landscape, only to fall down a rabbit hole and realize it’s a lot more tumultuous than you thought.

But, I wouldn’t change any of it.

Leaving a solid, reliable job in communications to become an indie romance author will forever be one of the biggest, yet incredible risks I’ve ever taken. However, going down this path didn’t exactly come as a shocker to me. I always loved to write. Ever since I was eleven, I would write fan fictions for readers on Quotev and Wattpad, and tell dramatic, cringey, stories about love and heartbreak in the notes app on my iPad. Overtime, storytelling grew from being a mere hobby to an ambition that had Little Malissa dreaming of becoming a best-selling author one day.

But like every other kid with giant dreams, you grow up with people who go from entertaining those dreams to insisting that you need to buckle up and be realistic with what you want to be when you grow up. I was a massive people-pleaser back then, so obviously, I listened. For the next several years, I stopped writing my fan fictions, I abandoned the little stories tucked away in my notebooks, and flit through so many potential jobs that were more “realistic”: Scientist, doctor, lawyer, and journalist because people told me that’s the responsible thing to do.

But even as I pursued those career paths with as much ambition and determination as I could, there was always a part of me that still drew back to the idea of being a writer one day.

Eventually, I compromised with myself by deciding to get a bachelor’s degree in journalism, snag a nice cushy job where I could write real-life stories during the day, and weave fictional tales at my little desk late at night.

Then in April 2023, it all changed little by little.

I graduated and snatched myself a job as a communications officer at a tech start-up. But what I thought would be fulfilling and impressive ended up killing the spark that made me burn. I remember how much I was drowning inside because I was so obsessed with being realistic that I completely disregarded what truly made me feel alive.

It was then I decided, enough was enough. At the end of the day, no one’s pride matters more than the pride I have in myself, and I knew I deserved to live a life I would cherish, love, and be proud of.

So, I quit the job, I quit living a life of constantly hungering for approval and validation, and I devoted myself to making Little Malissa’s dreams come true. On the first Monday after leaving my job, I set off to write the very first chapter of what would become my anticipated 2025 hockey romance novel: Until We Burn.

I fell in love with hockey romance in my senior year of university because they got me through an incredibly hard time with my health. They were lifelines that kept me from spiralling, and I’ll always appreciate how they made me blush, swoon, and laugh out loud. Since then, I always dreamed about writing a hockey romance novel of my own with an Asian girl leading the story.

Now, I’ve done that while being surrounded by incredible bookstagrammers, indie author friends, and loved ones who continue to champion my dreams, and remind me that I can reach the stars even on the days when I feel like I can’t get up.

This leap might’ve been a little dizzying and chaotic, but it’s brought me to a place in my life that I’m so utterly grateful to be in.

Malissa , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! My name is Malissa Lee and I am the Canadian indie author of the hockey romance novel Until We Burn. While the official blurb has yet to be released, the story follows a romance between two star-crossed lovers who become friends with benefits in the backdrop of scandal and competition. Until We Burn is set to be released in Fall 2025 with more details to come in the new year!

I found my way into indie publishing because I wanted to publish my first book on my own terms. As much as I aspire to be traditionally published one day, I know that this route involves a lot of waiting around before you can see your book on the shelves. When I started writing Until We Burn, I didn’t want to wait. Giving myself all that time to twiddle my thumbs while waiting for an agent to pick me up meant I’d have time to backtrack on my decision and I didn’t want that. I wanted to go forward, full-steam ahead, and prove to myself that I can commit to the dream of finishing a novel and publishing it despite all the fear and self-doubt.

I stepped my toes into indie publishing through engaging with other authors and bookstagrammers on Threads. I’d respond to their posts about writing, offer my two cents on craft, or simply celebrate a massive win with them. Eventually, the people I’d comment to and reply back and forth with became amazing colleagues and friends who have provided me with so much wisdom and support in my journey as a debut author.

If I had enough money to fly to each and every one of their houses to give them hugs and cookies, I totally would.

I only have one upcoming release in 2025 so far, but my brand is that I will always have an Asian girl as the main lead in my stories. Whether she’s caught in a forbidden romance with a hockey player, or striking bargains with the dead, my main characters will always be Asian. I’m half Taiwanese and half Lao, and I fully embrace every opportunity I can to represent these parts of my identity in the stories that I tell. I never saw girls like me in the romance novels that I loved, which is why I’m so passionate and driven about telling love stories where Asian girls feel loved, seen, and respected.

Even though I love talking about the craft and mechanics of storytelling, I also take the time to share some comforting, uplifting words to other authors through my Instagram posts. Publishing can be so gruelling and devastating that I try to offer reassurance and support where I can because at the end of the day, camaraderie and community is so vital when you’re putting a book together.

I will always be proud of the fact that I get to publish a hockey romance novel that’s driven by BIPOC leads. Diversity is slowly growing in the sports romance genre, and I feel very grateful that I can be a part of that growth.

One of the main things I want readers to know about my work is that even though all of my female leads will be Asian, there is so much more to their stories than their race. They feel and bring so much joy, they filthily lust over that guy they can’t stop thinking about, they endure hardships that have them cornered between two very difficult decisions, and they are so very flawed and human that they feel almost tangible to me sometimes.

I hope readers, regardless of gender or race, will give my stories a chance and find a piece of themselves in the characters that I write.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being able to tell stories that make people feel something. Whether they’re laughing or crying, daydreaming or questioning, the ability to do this everyday of your life is such a magical, empowering thing that I will never take for granted.

It always makes me so happy when I see readers befriending each other because they like the same book series, or they head to the bookstore to buy your novel after they’ve had a hard or a rewarding day. Being an author lets you be a tiny glimmer in someone’s little life, and it makes all the dark, challenging moments worth trudging through.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the major lessons I had to unlearn was the assumption that going viral is the most important goal as an indie author.

It’s not. Building community is and I will always stand by that.

I remember this one time where I was celebrating my title reveal, but also mourning my dad’s health diagnosis. I felt so alone and overwhelmed at that moment until a group of my closest author friends swooped in at the right time and together, we group read some insanely hilarious, unhinged erotica that made me forget the weight on my chest for just a moment.

Publishing can become so intimidating and lonely that we all need someone who understands the struggles of this industry, and can help piece you back together when you’re being torn apart. Since stepping into this space, I am so grateful for the friends I’ve made along the way who patiently answer all of my panic-induced questions, lift me up when all I can do is cry, celebrate small and giant wins with me, give me a safe space to vent, and offer a helping hand to make sure me and my books get out in one piece.

I’m so very lucky to have found the people I found, and I truly hope every author can experience the same thing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @dearmissmalissa
• Other: Threads: @dearmissmalissa