My Debut Bucket List: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday With a Romance That Aspires and Acknowledges There’s More Than One American Story

At its core, Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights is a romance about Abby, a teen girl who longs for a summer of independence—free from the pressures of school and the expectations of her family. Then, as meet-cutes happen, during her parents’ dinner party, she meets a frustratingly cute boy who challenges her to be herself and, for the rest of the summer, helps her on a journey of self-discovery (including shhhh, sneaking away while grounded) as Abby experiences her first house parties, tries new foods, and maybe, just maybe, gets her first kiss.

(Romance Novels Make a Difference.)

It’s a quintessential American story, practically a Taylor Swift song, except that Abby’s mother is the President of the United States, the dinner party was a State Dinner at the White House honoring a visiting nation, and she has a Secret Service detail tailing her every move. (Which makes that first kiss even more awkward.)

My young adult debut novel features a First Daughter who longs for a normal summer and keeps a secret bucket list to make it happen. While Abby has her list, as a debut author, my novel also gave me a chance to achieve writing goals on my own bucket list: 1) write what you know (because the more specific, the more universal); 2) write the book you wish existed; and 3) write an American story that celebrates a heartwarming, joyful, and diverse nation, especially as we prepare for the United States of America’s 250th birthday.  

A writing lesson I hold close comes from acclaimed author Jacqueline Woodson, who said, “The more specific we are, the more universal something can become.” This concept means that unique, personal details in a story make it more relatable.

I’m willing to bet most readers wouldn’t be able to personally identify with growing up as a First Daughter of the United States who lives in the District of Columbia, or, using another example, being a huntress in a dystopian society who lives in District 12. Yet—as Woodson suggests—teen readers can relate to the yearning for a summer of zero responsibility and heart-thumping first love, or to the heart-racing fear of competing in a bloody game to the death.

By experiencing emotions through the eyes of characters with backgrounds different from their own, readers can relate to those characters and find common ground. For this reason, I wanted to write through the lens of a Filipino American and highlight public service, which leads me to my next bucket list item.

A quote often shared at writing workshops is by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights is that book for me. It’s a summer love story, but it also hits on a lot of topics I loved as a teen. I hope my book appeals to those Hamilton the musical fans, civics and history nerds, student government leaders, and to the droves of middle and high schoolers who visit Washington, DC, every spring and wander its marble hallways in awe (I loved that trip when I was in school).

Today, I live in the DC area among many public servants, and I have a profound respect for the people who keep government services running. People who enter public service come from all backgrounds and heritages. I wanted my book to reflect a family whose heritage mirrors that of the people I’ve seen working in public service (including families like my own) with rich cultural heritages and diverse backgrounds, who serve this nation.

I’m also a Filipino American who grew up in a biracial household, so I wanted to write a book with diverse representation: one where readers who look like me, grew up in families like my own, or identify as first- or second-generation Americans feel seen. Abby is biracial. Her mother is a first-generation Filipino American, and her father’s family migrated from Ireland in the early 20th century. Abby and her family are characters I would’ve loved to see growing up. I think it’s important for children to see themselves in stories to foster a sense of belonging and validation, and to show that their stories are important, too.

My final bucket-list item, to write a joyful, diverse American story, takes on extra meaning because of the timing of my debut. When Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights was acquired by my publisher, and I learned it would be released in 2026—the year of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—it took me a minute to process. I think it’s an understatement to say that, as an American, it’s a confusing time—and the question, ‘what does it mean to be an American,’ is even more complex. I’ll save the commentary on current affairs, but what I do want to recognize is that in 2026, my book exists and features a female president of color, and we live in a nation where that is possible. For a couple of months, it even felt like a real possibility.

There are important policy questions we must wrestle with as a nation, but the fact is, people from all different backgrounds, including racial, religious, and sexual identities, live here—there’s more than one American story. As we come to the nation’s semiquincentennial, many of us will stand under those red, white, and blue fireworks together to celebrate our nation and aspire toward a future of hope and possibilities, because what’s more American than that?

This author has crossed off her bucket list, and perhaps Abby will do the same. If you pick up my book, I hope that Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights feels fresh, provides comfort, and brings joy—like lighting a red, white, and blue frosted cake topped with 250 candles (what a vivid image)! Happy Birthday, America!

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