The realm of young adult fiction is diversifying. In an industry accustomed to white, heterosexual protagonists, it isn’t often that readers get a glimpse of individuals with intersectional identities, especially in the romance section.

One of the authors pioneering this change is Trinity Nguyen, a 2024 Freeman Book Awards honoree and 2024 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee, featured in this year’s Los Angeles Times Book Festival for her debut novel, “A Bánh Mì for Two.”

“This book was just really important to me, because I knew it wasn’t just a side project. There was something motivating me to submit this book to literary agents,” Nguyen said.

When writing “A Bánh Mì for Two,” Nguyen knew that she wanted it to be set in Vietnam. For her, it became so much more than just a location; the choice was a change in the status quo.

“A lot of young adult stories [are] set in the [United] States. And I get that — it’s familiar, it’s relatable. But I also wanted to bring the city to life,” Nguyen said. “A lot of the city settings allowed me to give my characters the ability to explore not only each other … but also themselves.”

The book explores a queer romance between characters Lan and Vivi, who meet in Vietnam and attempt to help one another down their separate paths. Amid these two personal journeys sprouts a growing love between the characters.

The idea behind the story is rooted in Nguyen’s personal ties to Vietnam, where she lived until she was nine. She recalls her childhood summers in the country as joyful; she could enjoy street food and moped rides without the responsibilities of helping her parents file taxes or learn English. “A Bánh Mì for Two” replicates some of this childhood nostalgia.

“Although I have immigrant parents, I do feel a very close proximity to the diaspora and the feelings that a lot of second-generation Asian Americans often experience,” Nguyen said.

However, Nguyen’s Asian American identity is only one facet of her inspiration for “A Bánh Mì for Two”. In addition to moments of cultural discussion and heritage discovery, Nguyen hoped to represent another underrepresented population: the queer community.

“For many years, publishing really only catered to straight white readers,” said Naomi Davis, Nguyen’s literary agent. “It’s really important to make sure that all readers are seeing their own experiences reflected in fiction, but also that readers who do not share those intersections of identity with characters like [Nguyen’s] have the opportunity to broaden their scope of experiences that they enjoy in fiction.”

Even so, Nguyen said she did not want the focus of the novel to be on how the characters explore their sexuality.

“I wanted joy. I wanted something really, really happy, featuring characters who are just queer,” Nguyen said. “I didn’t want the big, complicated character development and plot to be about their identity and queerness because I wanted my Vietnamese characters to already be comfortable in their sexuality and who they are.”

As a romance enthusiast and writer, Nguyen feels the genre has been misinterpreted.

“People tend to think of it as a very woman-driven genre. And I have qualms with it, because I think at its core, romance is a character study. To me, it’s all about the characters, and it’s about how they grow and how they help each other grow,” Nguyen said.

As an undergraduate, Nguyen founded the Avengers of Colour, a mentorship program, which helped her find a community of writers and finalize a draft of her debut.

From then on, the process of getting published was a long one. The manuscript for “A Bánh Mì for Two” was sent to multiple literary agents and eventually picked up by Davis. It was then sent to editor Dana Chidiac at Macmillan Publishers, who was immediately intrigued upon reception.

“I read it and thought it was super, super fun. It was just exactly the kind of fun romance with a lot of really smart and interesting character development and themes,” Chidiac said.

However, even after partnering with an agent and an editor, Nguyen claims that much of the publication process is a game of waiting or luck.

“There’s really no consistent income stream, and a lot of it is just how many books we have sold and keep on working toward,” Nguyen said.

In an age of increasing social media consumption, many authors face an additional hurdle with regard to selling books: marketing. Even so, Nguyen seems to have successfully grasped an audience on social media.

“I’ve made videos, but I think the way she does it, and the way she’s so vulnerable and puts herself out there,” said Carolyn Huynh, a fellow author, “it’s a trait that we all should have, to be able to have this level of vulnerability. I think it’s really admirable.”

Nevertheless, Nguyen’s efforts were not in vain. When “A Bánh Mì for Two” was finally published, the author felt almost maternal.

“The first time the book showed up at my doorstep, and I opened it and held it in my hand, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this kind of feels like giving birth,’” Nguyen said. “It felt really rewarding… All the years, all the efforts, [were] right here in front of me.”

Since the release of her debut, the author has been in the process of developing her next book, titled “Sweet Heat.” It will be an “enemies-to-lovers” story centered around a reality TV cooking show.

“Think Gordon Ramsay and ‘[The] Great British Bake-Off,’” Nguyen said.

The positive responses the author has received from fans of “A Bánh Mì for Two” have propelled her motivation toward future works, like “Sweet Heat.”

“It makes me feel so happy to know that people are reading, and people are looking forward to more works in the future, and that this is not a one-shot wonder,” Nguyen said. “I have longevity.”