C.B. Lee

Born on November 7, 1987, C.B. Lee is an American author with both Chinese and Vietnamese roots. Tom Hoeler, an editor from Del Rey, reached out to them through their agent, Thao Le. The purpose was to commission a short story for From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back. This book is an anthology that explores the events of the 1980 motion picture, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. The author expressed great enthusiasm, having been a dedicated Star Wars enthusiast since childhood. They even engaged in cosplay at conventions, portraying characters such as Rose Tico, a member of the Resistance, and Jessika Pava, a pilot. During an interview on the Everything is Canon podcast, they conveyed that the Star Wars universe provides the most expansive creative space for a writer. They also lauded the franchise, describing it as a profoundly rich and immersive world. Lee has stated that it is a significant part of their life, with the original and sequel trilogies holding a special place as their favorites.

While the announcement of Lee's involvement in the project was made public on June 15th, 2020 through a StarWars.com article, they had already shared news of their contribution four days earlier. Lee, along with the other contributing authors, collectively donated all proceeds from the book to the First Book charity foundation. Lee's narrative, titled "A Good Kiss," was subsequently featured in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, which was released later that year on November 10th.

Lee's initial concept for a story centered on a background character who briefly crosses paths with Captain Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa. This character was then developed into Chase Wilsorr, a rebel, who became the central figure of the narrative. Lee characterized Wilsorr as an "awkward disaster" and framed the story's underlying message as "Be Your Best Self." As a queer author, they chose to align Wilsorr's sexual orientation with their own, emphasizing the empowering and validating effect of seeing oneself represented in a story, particularly given the lack of positive queer representation during their formative years.

Lee believed that Wilsorr was a relatable character because, despite aspiring to be a hero, he lacked charisma and proficiency with weapons. They suggested that he likely faced numerous setbacks during his training, which motivated him to strive for self-improvement and engage with self-help books. The author further explained that the motivational phrases Wilsorr utters in the story are akin to an individual in the real world seeking their place in the universe through similar means. They also stated that his narrative highlights the extraordinary within the ordinary, depicting Chase simply trying to fulfill his duties, even if his contributions may not be widely remembered. Lee expressed their belief that a core theme of Star Wars is that anyone can be a hero, regardless of the scale of their actions. Every contribution to a larger, noble cause is significant, and it requires courage to make even a small difference. Courage, unlike superpowers, is a quality that resides within everyone.

• Empire at 40 | From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back Authors Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
• " A Good Kiss " — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
• From a Certain Point of View audiobook

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• C.B. Lee on Wikipedia