"You will attract cultured and artistic people to your home." This is a quick post about exciting opportunities I've seen cropping up recently. I'm really happy to see more calls for diversity out in the lit world. Here a few that I've heard of: Writing from Color & Native Voices (WCNV) Contest. A competition to make sure all voices are represented. See the finalists on their web page, including my friend Mona AlvaradoFrazier's BEYOND THE BARS! Just. One. Book. Author Margaret … [Read more...]
Dragonfly Dreams Relaunched
June 1, 2016 2 Comments
As promised, with the closure of Booktrope and the reversion of my rights, I've relaunched my latest young adult novel, DRAGONFLY DREAMS. In celebration, I'm offering a sale price of 99 cents until June 17th. If you'd like to, feel free to pick up a copy for you or a friend! https://www.amazon.com/Dragonfly-Dreams-Jennifer-Chow-ebook/dp/B01GFJ89BQ/ … [Read more...]
Runaway Goodness
November 23, 2015 2 Comments
"A friend is a present you give yourself." Speaking of presents, Black Friday is around the corner. I don't participate, though, because I really don't need to stand in line to get my favorite gift--books. As the weather turns colder, I love snuggling up in a blanket and cozying up to a book. But what's better than books? Discounted books! Recently, I discovered Runaway Goodness. I particularly liked their Prefunk the Holidays list with a ton of books discounted to $2.99. So now I've got a … [Read more...]
What’s in a Title?
September 1, 2014 2 Comments
"Gentle hints will help you to decide the best answer." --fortune cookie Words always give an impression. I recently joined the launch team for a friend's book. This means that I get to witness her publishing process, provide input on the manuscript, and sneak a first peek at the book. And I get to provide authentic feedback for her work and help spread the word. The first question she posed for her team was about her title. What would be the best title for her book? It's an interesting … [Read more...]
First Book Crush
August 25, 2014 2 Comments
In keeping with the theme of "My Fortune Cookie Life" (see sidebar on this page beneath the blogging awards), Mondays will now be dedicated to posting about actual fortune cookie messages I've received. A collection of strange and sometimes beautiful sayings have crossed my dining table over the years. "Your love life will be happy and harmonious." --fortune cookie message I was reading Josh Hanagarne's memoir, The World's Strongest Librarian, where he details his life with Tourette's and … [Read more...]
Meet My Characters
June 16, 2014 7 Comments
"Better to be a rooster's beak than a bull's rump." --Chinese proverb I hope that all my book characters are significant, even in a small way! The talented Mona AlvaradoFrazier (who's currently a quarter finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award) has asked me to share about the characters in my books. My published novel, THE 228 LEGACY, is a 2013 Foreword Reviews' Book of the Year Finalist in the multicultural category. It features an entire Taiwanese-American family and you can … [Read more...]
Modern Multicultural Books for Kids
February 10, 2014 4 Comments
"You cannot help shoots grow by pulling them up." -Chinese proverb Not just sprouting plants but young kids' hearts are very tender. I remember my teacher reading Tikki Tikki Tembo in class. Afterward, all the kids looked my way and tried their own nonsense version of Chinese to talk to me. On the school bus, peers would make slanted eyes at me, sometimes adding, "Konnichiwa." Nobody ever teased me more than that, but maybe they were intimidated by my possible Bruce Lee kung fu skills. I'm … [Read more...]
Writers Tell All – Blog Hop
July 27, 2013 5 Comments
I have an extra post this week because I’m doing a blog hop called, “Writers Tell All.” Question 1: What are you working on? Releasing my debut novel, The 228 Legacy, on August 1st Polishing a cozy mystery featuring an Asian-American sleuth investigating a senior home Editing a previously shelved manuscript Question 2: How does your writing process work? I look around for inspiration in my daily life. When an image, a phrase, or a theme sticks, I’ll expand on it. I do a … [Read more...]
Colorful Casting
August 13, 2012 Leave a Comment
Gunjih leuhnggo hau: the officials have two mouthsWithin the character for "official" appears two mouths (they look like square boxes). Regular people use one mouth. This phrase means that those in power can speak much louder. Whether they're right or wrong, you still have to listen to them. Some things are out of one's control. When a writer gets their work turned into a movie, it transitions out of their hands. Film adaptations require different skills. That's why there are … [Read more...]
