I love to write about women, especially heroines who are on the verge of drastic
transformation -- their courage, struggles, and triumphs. As the Chinese say
that water, the softest element, is the most powerful. My heroines use their
flexible, water-like yin nature to overcome whatever perils they face.
SKELETON WOMEN,
my new novel, is the story about three of these femmes fatales - a nightclub
singer who has been forced to become a spy, a magician who jumps naked off a
tall building, and a gender-ambiguous gossip columnist. All must scheme in
order to survive the gang wars in lawless 1930ies Shanghai.
Camilla, the protagonist in SKELETON WOMEN, is
an orphan rescued by a gangster head only to be trained as a spy to lure another
crime lord to his ruin and death. As a spy, Camilla cannot allow herself to open
to her feelings for other people. Her only mission is to turn the crime lord
into a skeleton by using her beauty, heavenly voice, knife-throwing and
contortion.
Despite her dire situation, Camilla has nevertheless gained wisdom from her
years of studying the Art of War, the Thirty-Six Stratagems, and other
ancient guides to survival amidst adversity. She knows that to have a chance at
a happy life, she must somehow escape her bondage to gangsters and the violence
that surrounds her. So she uses the wisdom of the ancient Chinese sages to plan
her escape. Unexpectedly, before she has a chance to accomplish her mission, she
falls for the crime lord’s son and his hunky bodyguard.
The ability of women to rise above their oppressive circumstances is celebrated
in all my novels SKELETON WOMEN, SONG OF THE SILK ROAD, PETALS FROM THE SKY,
and PEACH
BLOSSOM PAVILION. While I was writing them, these women – the singer
spy, the adventurer, the would-be nun, the celebrated courtesan -- often visited
me in my dreams, making me wonder: Was I one of them in some of my countless
past lives? I always sensed that these women want me to tell their stories by
re-living their lives.
Don't forget to stop by
Mingmei's contest this month! Anyone who comments will be automatically
entered to win. Double CHANCE!
It's funny how people feel that in a married couple, it's the Husband that is the strength of the two. That might be true when it comes to the manual labor around the household, and I'm not talking about all of it, but it's actually the Wife who is the strength of the two. She normally is the cool head of the two of them, and knows how to survive anything. I know from experience that my Husband and I have been through a lot of ups and downs in our marriage - the most recent losing our house after he lost his job. Even though I have several health issues and am unable to work, I was the strong one that got us through our situation, when we were forced on the street, living out of our pop-up camper. He told me later that he couldn't have made it without me. I wanted to let you know that I enjoy reading books with Chinese heritage, and have done so for some time. I got started by reading Amy Tan. I would love to read your latest book, and will be looking for your other books. They are definately on my TBR list - right at the top!! This one sounds like one I won't be able to put down and will have to put my housework on hold for!! Thank you for keeping your heritage alive, and keep dreaming. They could also be ancestors trying to reach you. Best of luck with your book.
(Peggy Roberson 10:01pm June 6, 2012)
We gain strength as we go through life. We learn from every good and bad incident, through example and watching other people's lives. Some women go through enormous challenges, raising children with special needs, caring for aged relatives, running businesses or farms, fighting serious illnesses themselves. I think if people have too easy an early life they may not develop the strength and adaptability needed in later life.
(Clare O'Beara 8:58am June 7, 2012)
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