SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- On Wednesday night, 800 literary fans of all ages gathered in the Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. Some arrived hours early to get the best seats possible to see their literary hero, Rebecca F. Kuang.  The well-known author and professor took part in a Q and A for San Francisco's literary festival, Litquake.  A ticket to Wednesday's event also included a signed copy of her new book, "Taipei Story."  She is most well known for her fantasy novels the "Poppy War" trilogy, and standalone novel "Babel." On Wednesday, Kuang talked about her writing process and how she's grown as an author since first starting to write "The Poppy War" at age 19. She talked about "Taipei Story" and how it reflects her own family's history. She started writing the book when her grandfather died, and on Wednesday night she reflected on how his death changed how she dealt with grief. She encouraged attendees to ask family members hard questions about their stories and their pasts. Kuang said, "You don't know how much time you have left together." On Wednesday, a lot of attendees were students and aspiring writers. A lot of the questions posed to Kuang was centered on how she balances being a writer, a professor, and pursing a Ph.D. One quote from the night that really stood out was when Kuang said, "Be kind to your younger self, and raise the standards for your future self." Kuang hinted that she is currently researching the Franco-Prussian War, and specifically the importance of railroads. So, sounds like another novel is in the works. After the Q and A, attendees were able to wait in line for Kuang to sign an additional book. Wednesday's event was part of Litquake, which officially kicks off October 8th and runs through the 24th. The festival features 500 authors and 162 separate events that bay area residents can attend. ...read more read less