Melinda Szymanik, an award-winning author of stories for young people, has been snapping pictures and taking notes for the last six weeks so that she can undertake additional research for her novel, which is partially set in Shanghai, even after she leaves the city.
"I had had a new project idea in my mind for a while, about a teenage girl who has the voices of her ancestors inside her head, and combining this with the thought of coming to Shanghai resulted in a very strong story idea," she explained.
"As part of it is set in Shanghai, it has been heavily inspired by my time here so far. Both modern experiences and investigating the history of the 1930s and 1940s."
Walking around the city, she has grown to appreciate the contrasts that can be seen everywhere, such as the view of old shikumen (stone-gate) buildings alongside modern freeways or the combination of old and new along the banks of Suzhou Creek, which comes alive in the evening with all of the colorful and unique light shows.
"Shanghai is a city of contrast, of dualities," she said. "It is all held in a kind of tension that's fascinating, but it also appears to be a very delicate balance. I love the excitement and dazzle of the new and the weight of history and style in the old."
（Interviewed by Yao Minji, Shanghai Daily）