"Failure is not defeat until you stop trying." As any working writer knows, pushing your stories out involves rejection. Even J.K. Rowling displayed a rejection letter on Twitter to encourage other artists to persevere. I've been in submission mode recently. For short stories, I used to plug information into a spreadsheet, but now I send stuff out into the ether and wait for a reply. Often, magazines have their own submission system, but some also use Submittable. If you set up an account … [Read more...]
Family Stories
January 25, 2016 2 Comments
"You are always welcome in a gathering." What I love about returning to Taiwan is seeing older relatives and hearing all their stories. Every time I go back, I feel like more family members come out of the woodwork. One day, we even had 23 people crammed in a house talking together. In honor of my first published book, THE 228 LEGACY, a lot of folks shared memories about The 228 Massacre (1947) and its aftermath. Here are a few interesting tidbits: An auntie remembered savoring the … [Read more...]
My Writing Process Blog Tour
June 30, 2014 7 Comments
"If you do not climb the mountain, you will not see the plain." --Chinese proverb Writing is a process, an arduous climb to the top to reach the magnificent peak. Thank goodness I'm not alone in this journey. One friend is fellow Wordsmith Studio writer, Julia Tomiak, who masters vocabulary words on her blog. She recently tagged me for a writing process blog tour, where I get to answer these three questions: What am I working on? I've completed a cozy mystery about an ex video game … [Read more...]
A 626 Night Market Fairy Tale
September 9, 2013 7 Comments
"The eyes are wide but the stomach is narrow." -Chinese proverb _______________________________________________________________________________________________ The Tale of the Reappearing Fish: a 626 Night Market Fairy Tale Once upon a time, there was a princess named Jennifer. The royal chef made plates of Chinese delicacies for her to consume but forbade her to eat until the designated meal time. The princess would watch the fire dance in the pit of the wok's belly and smell … [Read more...]
Leaving Childhood Behind
August 20, 2012 4 Comments
Yihhei: unreliable or not serious (lit. playing like kids)Emperor Mahn, who ruled from 179 B.C. to 156 B.C., once conducted two military inspections. On his journey to Bah Seuhng and Gik Muhn, he and his attendants finished their task without any impediment. On his trip to Sai Lauh, the soldiers on guard blocked his path. The emperor was forced to send in a man with a military warrant before they opened the gate for him. Emperor Mahn then found the commander general and commended him, … [Read more...]
