Minty: "Let's look at that 'other stuff.' You wear a lot of hats—you're not just a novelist tucked away in a room; you deal with the tangible, fast-paced world outside of fiction."
Iboni: "Oh, sorry, I thought you meant a literal hat."
Minty: "What? [chuckles] Anyways, when you step out of the abstract world of writing and into your daily responsibilities, do those two worlds ever collide? Or does the practical, hands-on work you do actually act as a shield, keeping you from getting too trapped in the mental noise of your own plots and the opinions of the internet?"
[The audience waits, curious about the balance between Iboni the creative visionary and the woman who handles the day-to-day realities of the physical world.]
Iboni: "Oh, they definitely do! Try living in an Asian household, you get what I'm saying!"
[The crowd breaks into loud laughter, with dozens of people nodding vigorously and shouting out in agreement. The tension completely melts out of the room. It's a hilarious and deeply relatable picture—one minute Iboni is a celebrated author managing half a million views on a global platform, and the next minute she's being called to the kitchen or reminded to do chores, because out here in the real world, family duties don't care about her plotlines. It's the ultimate reality check that keeps anyone from getting a big head.]
Minty:[Wiping a tear of laughter from her eye] "Oh, say no more! Say no more! That is the ultimate equalizer right there. There is absolutely no room for an artistic ego when you're dealing with the unfiltered feedback of an Asian family. Forget internet trolls; that's the real crucible!"