In a post back in April, I shared with you some of the surprising paths that my earlier book, Once upon a Mulberry Field, had found itself on since its release in 2014 (click HERE to read again). As the author watching its progress, I felt like an … [Read more...]
As mentioned in an earlier post, in late 2016 I had a chance to go back and visit Việt-Nam, my ancestral homeland. It was my first trip back in over four decades, and it touched me deeply. And so, upon my return to America, I immediately set aside all other projects to start recapturing the memories … [Read more...]
We all have our ups and downs, and it's only natural that we'd like to share most of them with our family and friends, our so-called support network. It's especially more fun and exciting to share those moments of triumph, big and small, with the people who always stand by us. From a … [Read more...]
What in the world is a "must write," you ask. I can best explain what it is by mentioning its counterpart, which you're probably familiar with since it's often found in readers' reviews of their favorite books---a "must read." Let me elaborate. A must write is something that I as a writer feel … [Read more...]
As a writer, nothing brings me greater pleasure or amazement than to know that somewhere out there some readers may find my book intriguing enough to invest their money and time in it. It's no surprise then that I've often wondered, with a certain sense of awe, where all the book has … [Read more...]
---it is said they carry Spring on their wing tips. So irresistible is the imagery, I once wrote a short story about it. In Southern California, this springtime migration has also given birth to another seasonal ritual: the celebration of the birds' return to San Juan Capistrano Mission, which takes … [Read more...]
As I've shared with you before, it always gives me great pleasure to discuss with live audiences about my book, Once upon a Mulberry Field, and I welcome every opportunity to do so. Some of my favorite venues have been local civic clubs such as P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), … [Read more...]
Okay. You've put in a long, hard day (sometimes without a whole lot to show for) and you're feeling drained. You need a good diversion, something pleasant and relaxing to take your mind off work and deadlines, bills to pay, and emails or voice mails that need answering. You kick back in your chair, … [Read more...]
It's said that we've all got a book in us. I was fortunate enough, living in the age of self-publishing, to find that out for myself. In my case, it took me six years of hard labor---labor of love, as it's called---to research, write, and publish my first book, Once upon a Mulberry Field, a … [Read more...]
In 2008 when I started writing my book Once upon a Mulberry Field, a big concern I had was the size of it---how much material to include in it. From what I was able to gather at the time, the ideal length of a book should be anywhere between 60,000 and 90,000 words, which roughly translates into 200 … [Read more...]