January | 2014 | A Wolf's Tale

Still getting ready for the launch of the space opera with werewolves – Starfang – and trying to recover from a bad bout of viral stomach flu (that’s what the doctor said). So, I am using this space to signal boost one of my earliest YA novels, Oysters, Pearls and Magic.

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Excerpt:

So I was surprised when Benyi gave me a small mirror with an ornate black iron-wrought frame, bought from the blacksmith who has his workshop at Lambs Quarter. I thanked him and he smiled at me shyly before darting off into his class.

It came wrapped in gossamer-thin paper and I peeled the layers open, only to see my face reflected in the mirror. Only except I did not know that was my face, until I blinked and the reflection blinked back at me. I touched my right cheek and the reflection did so by touching her left.

I have the black hair so typical of my village, worn long and tied in a severe ponytail. My face is slender, almost thin, and my skin color is brown, no doubt a product of being under the sun for a long time. My ancestors hailed mainly from Asian and Southeast Asian extraction. That was way back on Terra Firma and even now, we could perceive distinctive physical features: oblique eyes, dark hair, petite stature. I pouted my lips; they were a dark ruby red, glistening with my saliva.

I tilted my face to the left and my hair caught the light from the candles: edged with gold and shimmering away, tinged with fire. I was intrigued by my own physical appearance.

For a long time, I have decided to be Apart. That is to say that I have chosen to walk the path of singlehood. I have never thought of being part of a pair or triad or – like the families in my village – marrying husbands. I have not taken account of how I look like to people. I have now reached twenty-one sun-circles. Marriageable age, as Grandmother would say with a twinkle in her eye. My cousins have married once they are old enough. I remain repulsed by the concept after witnessing what Second Father has done.

***

I specifically intended Oysters, Pearls and Magic to be POC-centered, inspired by my heritage. If you read on, the oysters (yum) and the colorful head scarves are reminders of the Hui An people from Fujian. Though nominally Han, they are more like a minority group with their own distinctive ethnic costume/wear.

The (free) novel on Wattpad:

http://www.wattpad.com/7206402-of-oysters-pearls-and-magic

On Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/6978

So, if you want to support POC-centered YA novels written by POC, try Oysters, Pearls and Magic.

All the excerpts in one blogpost.

13 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

by jolantru in Uncategorized

So, gentle readers, fans and supporters, I am collecting all the Starfang excerpts in one blogpost.

Now, just what is Starfang? It is a serial space opera novelization WITH WEREWOLVES that I plan to roll out/launch by end of this month, which is the 31st (also Chinese New Year). I am still in the midst of looking for a good blog/platform to host the installments – so please be patient and stay tuned.

I am playing with serials again, after my experiments withe Oysters, Pearls and Magic and its sequel Path of Kindness. I am not sure how it will work out – only to say that I enjoyed writing the chapters.

Excerpt 1.

Excerpt 2.

Excerpt 3

Stay tuned for more… updates.

Now for some news.

08 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

by jolantru in Uncategorized

My short story, “Only A Week”, will be published in Trafficking in Magic/Magicking in Traffic, edited by David Sklar and Sarah Avery. Publisher is Gray Rabbit Publications/Fantastic Books.

The anthology will be launched at Balticon 2014.