I recently did an interview with Laila Ibrahim, the author of Paper Wife, and she was kind enough to send me a copy of her novel to review. Be sure to check out her interview here! About the novel: Southern China, 1923. Desperate to secure her future, Mei Ling’s parents arrange a marriage to a Read More
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Book Review – In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park
I have been wanting to read Yeonmi Park’s memoir In Order to Live ever since I saw her speech about her escape from North Korea in 2014. Even though China is the main focus of my life and work, I have written before about how closely entwined the history of North Korea and China are. And, come to Read More
Film Review: Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians, starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding, finally opened here in China on Friday, so my husband I saw it for our weekly date night. We loved it! It was so sweet and funny. I haven’t read the book by Kevin Kwan, but I really want to now. I wasn’t sure how much Read More
Accessing Education for Children With Special Needs in China
Many children with special needs in China are denied educational opportunities because China’s public schools are literally inaccessible to children with physical disabilities and they don’t have the resources to support children with mental disabilities. It is an unfortunate fact that many Chinese families view their children as their support network as they age. If Read More
Interview with Laila Ibrahim, Author of Paper Wife
As soon as I read the description for Paper Wife, I knew it was exactly the kind of book I would love to read. It isn’t going to be released until the end of October, but author Laila Ibrahim was kind enough to do an author interview with me now. Read what she had to say Read More
Interview With Amanda Hughes, Author of The House of Five Fortunes
While Xiu peddled pipe dreams, a nightmare was waiting. Sensual and exotic, San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1870’s was filled with temptation and greed. Raised in this quagmire of vice, Xiu Jung caters to wealthy thrill-seekers with her elegant opium den, The House of Five Fortunes. With the help of Madison Hayes, the illustrious actor, Read More
Saving My Sanity With ASMR
A little over a year ago, I was teaching a writing class for an alternative healthcare university and one of my students wrote a paper about ASMR. I didn’t really understand what she was talking about and I had never heard of it before, so I did a quick YouTube search – and I was Read More
The Blessings and Curses of Working From Home
Working from home is great. I roll out of bed and can get right to work. I don’t have to worry about wearing “work” clothes, doing my makeup, or even brushing my hair. I have access to my tea, my snacks, and my dog. When my daughter comes home from school, I’m here for a Read More
100 Things I Love About China
I usually look forward to the 4th of July, but I don’t think America deserves to be celebrated right now. And while there is plenty to criticize China about, there is a lot to love about this country too. So here is a list of 100 things I love about China – in no particular Read More
The Children Everyone Wants
“Why do you want to adopt a baby no one else wants?” This is one of the most common and offensive questions when it comes to adoption. Many people are genuinely curious about the adoption process, which is understandable, and I’m happy to help educate people about the joys of building their family through adoption. Read More