When Thao Thai set out to write her first novel, Banyan Moon, she did it in fits and starts. With a young daughter at home, Thai frequently found herself distracted by questions like, “Did I remember to do Girl Scout registration?” So when it came time really hunker down and write, Thai sought refuge outside of the home. “I went to hotels for ‘mini retreats.’ I would have my daughter and husband come for the first part of it, and they would go downstairs and swim in the hotel pool. Then we’d have dinner together and then they’d leave,” Thai tells Bustle. “Honestly, the hotels that will do 24-hour coffee service are lifesavers. I would over-caffeinate and then write a little bit at the desk, a little bit at the bed. Sometimes if there was a nice courtyard, I’d go out there and do that. I would just do a marathon for hours and hours.”
Thai considers herself a…
