A powerful new voice in young adult Pacific literature is emerging right here from our own community. Local author Georgiana Quintanilla Tyquiengco gets real with KUAM about Always Never Knowing – a debut collection of short stories navigating adolescence, cultural identity and mental illness.

For Tyquiengco, the stories in Always Never Knowing are fictional— but deeply personal. Many are rooted in her own upbringing in southern Guam.

“In one of the stories, the youngest brother of Vonna is sent down one of those storm drains to fetch a cellphone. In the book, they do it behind their dad’s back. But in real life, that did happen to us. I dropped my mp3 player down the storm drain and it was actually my dad’s idea to send him down there and go get it,” Tyquiengco said.

“It was nice having to relive that in a different way and have them remember what it was like to go on this ultimate mission of having your sibling’s back,” she added.

The collection follows a young CHamoru-Filipina girl named Jiavonna who navigates adolescence — the confusion of crushes, friendships and cultural identity. The stories also carry the pulse of island life, from school bus rides, confirmation classes to using every bit of the coconut.

“It wasn’t really until I got to writing that I realized, hey, I never really saw these stories growing up. So I just wanted to see that through and explore stories through a young adult lens, expressed Tyquiengco. “You didn’t have to grow up here on Guam, it could be somewhere in the Pacific. One thing we do have in common is that we were all young once. Everyone can relate to being young and having questions about the world around them.”

But they also explore silence. The kind that settles over a family bearing the weight of a parent's mental illness.

“The main character Vonna faces her mom’s mental illness. It is revealed later on in the book that her mom is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. That did affect me in real life, so I wanted to translate that in a way that’s true, but very sensitive. It’s very hard to go through that as a young adult,” she said.

Always Never Knowing doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. Still, the collection is full of heart and humor as the main character tries to make sense of the world around her, one text message, secret note and poem at a time.

“You don’t really know how to react and you don’t really understand at the time. Still even now, it’s hard for me to understand it. But you have to try to find a way to make those experiences redeemable and not all grief stricken. There is some light in those really heavy experiences.”

Tyquiengco hopes it starts conversations in homes where words have been hard to find and gives voice to other stories left unsaid.

“I want to hear about the Chuukese girl that had trouble fitting in, in a CHamoru dominant school. I want to read about the closeted boy who is very close with his very Catholic grandparents. Because they do exist, those stories are out there. I hope I inspire something in them to bring those stories forth,” she said.

The official launch for Always Never Knowing is happening at the Dusit Place at the Aquarium of Guam in Tumon from 10am to 12pm, with a reading and book signing to follow.

“You can expect some light merienda, finger food, friends, and a reading from me so you get a sneak peek into the book. There will be a Q&A, so any of the fun facts and anything more you want to know about, I’ll be answering those questions too,” Tyquiengco added.

You can preorder Always Never Knowing for $15 with UOG Press.