5 stars Genre: Mystery/ Noir elements Secret Identity by Alex Segura Such a good book. The beginning really immerses you in gritty, historic NYC as well as the comic book industry. Take time to soak up the noir atmosphere of Carmen’s world. I loved how Carmen was such a complex character, and her reminiscences only made the story stronger. Of special delight were the comic book panels (if only they’d been in color!) to really reflect the Lynx character. A wonderful book that … [Read more...]
#BookReview: The Astonishing Color of After
May 13, 2019 Leave a Comment
The Astonishing Color of After 5 stars Genre: YA magical realism Pros: Addresses the complexities of griefProvides multiple cultural referencesUses sensory poetic language Cons: Repeats color themes that may be distracting What an amazing and heart-wrenching book! I'm really glad I picked it up. It ties in cultural significance with the accuracy of feeling like an in-between girl straddling two worlds. I love how real the novel gets about grief and the ways we … [Read more...]
#BookReview: Starswept
September 25, 2017 2 Comments
"Romance will come your way soon." Starswept by Mary Fan 4.5 stars Pros: An invented language! Unique world-building Focus on the arts Cons: Too much mystery in the beginning Starswept is a wonderful book. I love the premise of the situation, where the arts are adored by an alien race. There are also interesting underlying themes of prejudice, xenophobia, and the value of human lives in the novel. I’m able to really identify with the main character, Iris. I love how … [Read more...]
Why Do I Write?
November 10, 2014 12 Comments
“You are never selfish with your advice or your help.” Last week, I wrote about NaNoWriMo. Apparently, Webucator, the national training company, had the same idea. They had two of their instructors, who are published authors, share about their writing journeys. For this whole November novel-writing month, Webucator is inviting authors to share about their experiences. Here’s my perspective: What were your goals when you started writing? I wrote my first story in elementary school. My … [Read more...]
Please Mr. Postman
August 12, 2013 Leave a Comment
"You cannot satisfy hunger by drawing a cake." -Chinese proverb "You cannot satisfy the desire to hold a book in your hands by dreaming about it." -Jennifer Chow "Please Mr. Postman": I don't know how many times I've sung that song by The Marvelettes, yearning for the mail truck to bring results from my latest writing submission. Recently, the lyrics played in my head again while waiting for my big box of author copies of my debut novel. In fact, I had friends who ordered from … [Read more...]
Cover Art Reveal: The 228 Legacy
July 29, 2013 6 Comments
You cannot clap with one hand. What is a book without its cover? Despite the common saying, interesting images do draw readers in. In fact, every year I see lists for the best covers. I'm excited to reveal the cover art for my own book, The 228 Legacy. Keep an eye out for my novel on its release date, August 1st! p.s. My newsletter subscribers got a sneak peek prior to this post. If you want to stay informed early on, enter your email address below: Subscribe to my mailing … [Read more...]
Should I Create a Newsletter?
July 8, 2013 Leave a Comment
The cunning hare has three burrows. August 1st, the release date for my forthcoming novel, is fast approaching. As I plan for its arrival, I'm contemplating setting up a mailing list. I've read that newsletters are informative and fun ways to keep readers up to speed on your work. As a bonus, some mail management sites, like MailChimp and Constant Contact, offer free services if the number of subscribers is under a certain amount. A newsletter sounded like a great idea until I found the … [Read more...]
Choosing Cover Art
July 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
Flowers look different to different eyes.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. How do you catch someone's attention? Right now, I'm working on the cover art portion for my forthcoming novel. The nice thing about a small press is that they value your input, so I get to voice my opinions on what I'm looking for and collaborate with the designer. On the other hand, I have a steep learning curve to figure out how covers work.Two websites that are helpful for viewing stock photos and getting inspired … [Read more...]
