30 Authors in 30 Days is a first of its kind event aimed at connecting readers, bloggers, and authors. Hosted by The Book Wheel, this month-long event takes place during September and features 30 authors discussing their favorite recent reads on 30 different blogs. There are also some great prizes provided by GoneReading.com and BookJigs.
For the full schedule of participating authors and bloggers, visit The Book Wheel or join the Facebook group. You can also follow along on Twitter with the #30Authors hashtag!
I am so excited to participate in 30 Authors in 30 Days and host Jamie Ford on My Life in Books today! I have read and loved both Jamie Ford and Lisa See's books...coincidentally, I reviewed two of their previous books in a joint post, about this time last year! Check it out here.
Author Jamie Ford on China Dolls by Lisa See
Before reality TV, there was this thing called reality. And I miss it.
As I look around, press the remote, and surf the Web, I’m not sure what passes for everyday life in the year 2014 is all that interesting, honestly. I guess that’s because my Chinese grandparents met at the Wah Mee Club, a back-room gambling parlor in Seattle, in 1928. My grandfather was a croupier and my grandmother was a coat-check girl, and that kind of “meet cute” just doesn’t happen on Match.com.
*sigh*
My perpetual longing for the past is why I’m drawn to historical fiction. And why I absolutely adore books like Lisa See’s China Dolls, which explores the glittering golden age of Chinese nightclubs in the 1930s and 40s.
In China Dolls we get to see the world through the eyes of three young women, three dancers, three hearts beating to the rhythm of San Francisco’s famous Forbidden City nightclub. And sure, this is complex exploration of social and racial conventions based on real-life performers and crooners who worked the clubs, but China Dolls is also, at its core, a story of love, friendship, and forgiveness—and just an all-around page-turning, captivating, oh-no-you-di’int, kind of book that is impossible to put down.
Oh, and before I forget, on a personal note, the Forbidden City nightclub was run by the charismatic Charlie Low, a maverick showman whom I’m actually related to (on my grandmother’s side of the family).
So this is a juicy slice of history that I’m very familiar with, and one of those stories that I’ve always wanted to tell. But Lisa beat me to it.
And bravo, she did it better than I ever could!
For more information about Lisa See and her amazing books visit:
If you are interested in purchasing China Dolls, check out Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
For more information about Jamie Ford and his amazing books visit:
If you are interested in purchasing Jamie Ford's newest book, Songs of Willow Frost, check out Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
ENTER THE 30 AUTHORS IN 30 DAYS GIVEAWAY:
Jamie Ford is one of my favourite authors and I love that he is participating in #30authors. I have some of Lisa See's books, but I'll definitely add this one to my list.
ReplyDeleteLike Jamie, I am also drawn to historical fiction because of the past.
Me too! I was so excited when I saw he was assigned to my blog! Definitely read Lisa See - love her!
DeleteI still haven't read Lisa See, and I have one of her books over here on the shelves. And Jamie Ford is also an author I have to read.
ReplyDeleteI love this event, I'm putting a lot of books and authors on my list!
Awesome! I really loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, which is Lisa See. Haven't read her book reviewed here.
DeleteSooooo..... I had no idea you reviewed both of them in the same post, nor did I know who Jamie was going to review when I paired you up with him, so I'm pretty excited that it worked out this way. I haven't read Lisa See yet but I love Jamie's books and have heard fantastic things about Lisa's, so I imagine this one will be on my Fall reading list.... Thanks for joining!
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty cool! Yes, definitely put her on you Fall list! Thanks for the great month of author and book fun!
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