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
Blog
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
Interview With Alexa Kang, Author of Shanghai Story
Alexa Kang is the author of the amazing new book Shanghai Story, and I am so thrilled that she agreed to answer a few questions for me. I hope you enjoy this interview and will check out her book. A WWII saga in the heart of the world’s most decadent city in 1936. Enter the Read More
Separating Children From Their Parents Is Wrong
The focus of this blog is usually politics and social issues here in China, since that is where we live. But we are also Americans, and we very actively follow politics back home. This is not just because we are interested in what is going on back in the States, but because as American citizens, Read More
Two Americans in China in Malaysia!
This week we took a quick little jaunt to Kuala Lumpur. We were really only there for two days, but it was a lot of fun and we look forward to going back. Our hotel was within walking distance to the Petronas Towers, which were the tallest buildings in the world until 2004 (they are Read More
Yes, That CCTV Gala Sketch Was Racist
Like most families in China, we always spend part of our Chinese New Year’s Eve watching the CCTV Gala, one of the most watched annual events in all of television with an annual viewership of about 400 million people. (By contrast, the Superbowl is watched by about 100 million people). This year, though, we had Read More
Chatting With A Fortune Teller In Hong Kong
I recently went to Hong Kong by myself for a few days (for the Hong Kong Literary Festival) and had some extra time on my hands, so I got to play the tourist a bit, something I haven’t done in years even though I lived only half an hour from the city for three years Read More