Excited to announce that the #LiftAAPIVoices campaign launches today! This is a wonderful giveaway, which begins 9:00am PST Friday, May 21 and ends Sunday, May 23rd at 11:59pm PST. SUMMARY: About 20 other Asian Diaspora women crime writers and I are coming together to raise awareness for AAPI and the Asian Diaspora through our #LiftAAPIVoices social media campaign in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. GIVEAWAY: Join our campaign and be automatically … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Blue Lagoon
October 11, 2019 Leave a Comment
Blue lagoon: an Asian-inspired iced tea of brilliant blue I heard about a new Asian fusion place (Shiok!), so I checked it out. What I wanted to try the most wasn’t the food but this drink. After all, I do like vivid colors, as seen from my post on light bulb drinks. The “Blue lagoon” offered a lovely citrus flavor—there was even a slice of orange floating in it. Paired with a floral green tea, it had a great combination of sweet and tang. I’d drink it again, especially to see the … [Read more...]
USC Pacific Asia Museum
November 26, 2018 Leave a Comment
"Education is the ability to meet life's situations." I had the fun pleasure of visiting the USC Pacific Asia Museum recently. Despite being a loyal Bruin, I really appreciated seeing this gem of an institute. The permanent exhibits are organized by culture, so I saw the Pacific Islands, China, Japan, etc. Established in 1971, you can find the museum in Pasadena. It did partner with USC in 2013. For a while, the museum also shut down to reorganize its displays. I liked wandering the … [Read more...]
Teen Vogue
November 20, 2018 Leave a Comment
"At this moment, someone is thinking good thoughts of you." Hi, all! It'll be a busy week for me since I'm prepping to host Thanksgiving :) Thus, this will be a super quick post. If you haven't already seen on my social media channels, Dragonfly Dreams was mentioned in a Teen Vogue article. It was picked as one of nine "Asian-Led Books that Deserve Their Own Movie Adaption." Squee! P.S. My book is listed in the #5 slot. If you don't want to click on the article, here's the full … [Read more...]
Crazy Rich Asians!
August 20, 2018 2 Comments
"You will soon be honored by someone you respect." Yes, I watched “Crazy Rich Asians” and LOVED it! It’s a super charming romantic comedy. Constance Wu really nailed the leading lady role. The interactions between the different generations and classes were exquisitely played out. I also really liked the side characters of Peik Lin and Oliver—hilarious! I did the read the book as well. The movie isn’t able to showcase the lavish details of the uber rich that well (because it’s visual … [Read more...]
#BookReview: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
November 6, 2017 2 Comments
"Rarely do great beauty and virtue dwell together as they do in you." The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See 4 stars Pros: Immersive historical details Exploration of Akha and adoptee culture Complex and rich mother-daughter relationships Cons: Authorial voice present Switching of perspectives The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is another great historical fiction book done by Lisa See. She is a master at capturing times past with vivid details. Her new novel is a … [Read more...]
#AuthorProfile: Shawna Yang Ryan
March 13, 2017 2 Comments
"Your kind spirit will lead to many new friendships." Name: Shawna Yang Ryan Accomplishments: Fulbright Scholar; Teaches at University of Hawaii Latest book: Green Island Shawna Yang Ryan is super sweet and down-to-earth. Her latest novel, Green Island, took many years of research. She ended up interviewing people, both in Taiwan and here in America, about how the 228 Massacre affected their lives. Before penning her book, she also had to process all the turbulent emotions involved in … [Read more...]
Pass the Popcorn
November 28, 2016 Leave a Comment
"Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think." I like going to the movies. In fact, I got to watch Moana over the weekend (and loved the song, "You're Welcome"). I vetoed seeing Dr. Strange as a movie option (sorry, hubby) because of its non-Asian Ancient One. However, I am excited for the upcoming Crazy Rich Asians (the book was hilarious!). It's slated for an all-Asian cast. Though the casting is taking more time and effort to find these actors and actresses, … [Read more...]
Exploding Myths
November 14, 2016 2 Comments
"Better face danger than be always in fear." In this politically-charged climate, people have become more aware of verbal attacks. Still, a lot of Asian women endure remarks without speaking up. One article cited comments like, "“Ni Hao, pretty” and “You’re pretty for an Asian.” I myself have gotten approached with my fair share of Ni hao and Konnichiwa as guys try to attract my attention. People have also told me that they prefer Asian girls because they're more "quiet and demure." Well, … [Read more...]
Fave Five Costumes
October 31, 2016 2 Comments
"Keep your goals away from trolls." It's that time of the year again. Now I'm not into spooky and scary. I hate horror books and films. But the occasional dressing up is fine by me. Three years ago, I made a list of Asian-inspired costumes that I've actually worn or admired. This time, I'm highlighting my fave five: 1. Bruce Lee (top martial artist). My hubby dressed up as him while we were dating--> thus, marriage. Cute baby … [Read more...]
