Writer Tong Ngoc Han: 'Literature is like climbing a mountain, I only give up when I'm exhausted'

"Sometimes, I feel like I'm being dragged by fate."

+ Reading Tong Ngoc Han's writing, it's easy to think that in order to create such fierce lives and fates, she must have experienced a lot of bitterness on her literary and life path?

Writer Tong Ngoc Han.

5 years ago (around the end of 2020), when I heard that I had returned from brain tumor surgery, a close friend from far away texted me and asked, "Is there anything else that Han hasn't experienced yet?". I told her, "This is probably the last time."

I say that, but I myself cannot know if this "storm" is the last. I just hope so. There are many events in life, but they will all pass. There is a very good Latin proverb: "If you want to go, fate will lead you, if you do not want to go, fate will drag you."

There were times when I felt like I was being dragged by fate. That was the year I left my hometown to go to Lao Cai . More like an escape, to a safe place to hide. Lao Cai has tolerantly protected me and my small family.

I was hospitalized for emergency surgery at Bao Yen Hospital (Lao Cai Province) after being diagnosed with a ruptured ovarian cyst and acute blood loss. Just 2 years later, a fire reduced my wooden house on the banks of the Chay River to ashes.

My small family and I drifted to Bao Thang - Lao Cai with nothing, staying at my uncle's house for about a year. Then, in the summer of 2002, I went to Sa Pa and stayed there until I returned home (2017). If my husband had not been seriously ill, I would not have returned home at that time.

There are many "storms" but I am quick to forget, rarely complain about the past, and even less want to complain about hardships.

Works of writer Tong Ngoc Han.

As bumpy as life has been, my literary path has been smooth. I have been welcomed since my first works, my first book, and until now, readers still ask when I will publish a new book. Looking at literature, you can see people, you can see fate, that cannot be hidden. But telling specific stories like this, perhaps this is the first time.

I once told my daughter: "If one day, a tumor grows in my body, it will definitely be in my brain." Two years later, the excruciating pain in my face made me shudder at the thought of premonitions. I went to the hospital and discovered a brain tumor, and the doctor recommended surgery.

Writer Tong Ngoc Han was born in 1976 in Dong Linh commune (Phu Tho), a member of the Vietnam Writers Association. She has published 3 collections of novels, 15 collections of short stories, 2 collections of children's stories, and 2 collections of poems. Among them, many of her works have won major awards such as: The prize for the writing contest on the topic "For national security and peaceful life" organized by the Ministry of Public Security and the Writers Association (2011-2015) for the novel "The Ghost Soldiers and the Poisonous Leaves"; Third prize "Golden Pen" awarded by the Ministry of Public Security (2017) for the short story "The Red Border"; A prize in the Fansipan Award (2012-2017) organized by the People's Committee of Lao Cai province for the novel "Blood Jade"...

I don’t want to be dragged along by fate anymore, especially since I came to literature. I obediently let fate lead me. Because I believe that good deeds will be rewarded. I believe that I will wake up safe. There is no way that fate will treat me unfairly forever.

God took something from me and gave me something else in return. And so, as you can see, I kept going step by step, and everything worked out.

"Literature makes you more courageous"

+ Life is not easy for anyone. After experiencing a major health crisis five years ago, writer Tong Ngoc Han returned to writing or was it literature that anchored her to this life?

The work

The work "The 9th nude" by writer Tong Ngoc Han.

It was my desire to live, to live to continue writing. The doctor who operated on my brain tumor that year was very young, about ten years younger than me. Before the anesthesia, he asked me: "Are you afraid?". I replied: "No, this is the fourth time you have been on the operating table, what are you afraid of?".

If you love literature to a certain extent, you will see that literature makes you more courageous and brave in life, no longer afraid of anything, even death!

+ The inner thoughts and reflections in Tong Ngoc Han's writings during this period of her life seem to be condensed in her latest work, the short story collection "The 9th Nude"?

Of course, the writer is the secretary of the times and the secretary of his own life. The writer and the writing are also human. The most recent book is "The 9th Nude", which I personally selected for printing. This is the first time I have spent money to print a book for myself.

The previous times were all about selling copyrights to distributors and publishers, I seemed to not interfere with the printing process, prices, only taking care of the manuscript before sending it out. Therefore, it can be said, this is the book I am most satisfied with among my 20 books.

Of course, when choosing, I considered many factors, from topic to content and message, each area I chose 1-2 stories that I thought were the best. As for how to evaluate it, it's up to the readers.

However, as far as I know, the book received good feedback from readers. And I also have the confidence to continue writing and making the next books.

+ Not only the writings but I feel that the people and stories about life and literature of writer Tong Ngoc Han always radiate warm energy!

I don’t have much free time because I have to sell, write and do many other things, but I still take time to listen to the confidences of readers and new writers. Many of my former readers have now become writers.

Many people who cannot write tell me their stories and want me to recreate them in literary works. Of course, for young people who are open-minded and eager to learn, I am always enthusiastic in sharing my twenty years of writing experience.

+ Over the years, some of your works have been translated and put in libraries abroad. You must have been moved to see your books in faraway lands?

Occasionally, I receive a photo from friends abroad of a book of mine they happened to see in a national library. Or when my work is included in a Vietnamese language curriculum abroad, of course I am very happy.

That was something I had never thought of when I used to put my student notebook on my lap to write stories. I remember in 2013, an old classmate sent me a short story in Russian printed in a newspaper. At that time, I couldn’t read it, I could only see that the author had the same name as me.

I searched through each line, I saw Sa Pa and the names of my characters. It was definitely my story. I asked how you were sure this was mine, and you said that you remembered that Han was very good at literature, that was all.

Or there was a friend reading the newspaper on the flight from Vietnam to Australia, saw my short story in English, also took a picture to show off. It seems, in the eyes of old friends, my name is something very prestigious and very memorable.

Literature is like… mountain climbing

+ Readers who love your writing will continue to welcome new works by Tong Ngoc Han in the near future?

I have been participating in the novel, story and memoir competition on the theme "For National Security and Peaceful Life" for 10 years and this is the third time I have entered the competition. The previous two times were for two novels: "The Ghost Soldiers and the Poison Leaves" and "The Forest Cave". Both of those books won prizes, although not highly.

However, it was this contest that let me know and confirm that I can write novels, not just short stories. As for this novel, "Strangers of the same blood", I cannot say anything yet.

This contest has the participation of many veteran authors in this field, many authors are in the police force. And even the young authors, they are much better than me.

Literature is like climbing a mountain, I only give up when I am exhausted, not because many people have surpassed me. Currently, I have one novel and three short story manuscripts that have no plans to be published. Because there is no rush. After the 20th book (Nude 9), I also need a "rest stop".

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Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nha-van-tong-ngoc-han-van-chuong-giong-nhu-leo-nui-toi-chi-bo-cuoc-khi-kiet-suc-post648391.html