C.J. Shane's Blog: My Two Hats: Art and Writing, page 6
December 30, 2017
Desert Jade-free ebooks
Start the year right with a good book to read. I'm giving away free ebook copies of my suspense thriller set in the borderlands of Sonoran Desert, and first in the Letty Valdez mystery series. Go to BookGobbler.com https://www.bookgobbler.com/2017/12/2...
December 10, 2017
Desert Jade Giveaway
My giveaway for my new mystery-suspense novel *Desert Jade* is now active. The giveaway sign-up ends December 17.
November 26, 2017
Voices of New China - giveaway
Yesterday, Nov. 25, I mailed out five give away copies of Voices of New China to five Goodreaders. To all five, I hope you enjoy the book, I hope you visit China (email me for hot tips on where to go and how to save money and best of all, what to eat!) and I hope you'll leave a review here.
November 21, 2017
Desert Jade now available!
My new Letty Valdez mystery, *Desert Jade* is now available in hard cover, paperback, and ebook. One reviewer (5 stars) said on Amazon, "An enjoyable and suspenseful book! ... It's a fast moving and richly textured book set in Tucson, Arizona. I was pulled in immediately by well crafted characters and fine descriptions of the southwest and local culture. The heroine, Letty Valdez, is a veteran of the Iraq war and private investigator. ... An international mystery embroiled with the border between Mexico and Arizona and the Chinese underworld. Letty is nobody's fool and with her at the helm I found myself in anticipation of what happens next. ...I enjoyed the addition of a lifesaving rescue dog named Millie and a bit of romance thrown in. A wonderful first Letty Valdez mystery."
https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Jade-Le...
https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Jade-Le...
November 19, 2017
November 18, 2017
Voices of New China - giveaway
My giveaway for Voices of New China ends tomorrow. You still have a chance to get a freebie.
Here's a selection from one of the interviews:
The interviewee worked as a supervisor of teaching assistants assisting American ESL teachers in short-term intensive English programs. She makes comments here regarding what she's learned about Americans.
<< I should say some Americans are quite demanding. Being a citizen in a developed and abundant country, they naturally ask for whatever they need. There are many questions like “Why can't each of the students have as many copies as they want?“ or “I need a machine to play my video tape,” or “I can't type, so is there an overhead projector?” or “How come I have to climb stairs every day?” Some of the TAs, in order to please their teacher, would promise to ask me for whatever wanted. However, when the requirement cannot be satisfied, some of teachers felt unhappy, and on the other hand, the teaching assistant got embarrassed...[however] the more I contact Americans, the smaller difference I find between them and Chinese. There are pleasant people, like you, as well as annoying ones who are demanding.>> She told me later that she admired the American holiday of Thanksgiving. She thought that Chinese should have a thanksgiving holiday, too. In fact, she continued, everyone in the world should have a thanksgiving holiday.
Here's a selection from one of the interviews:
The interviewee worked as a supervisor of teaching assistants assisting American ESL teachers in short-term intensive English programs. She makes comments here regarding what she's learned about Americans.
<< I should say some Americans are quite demanding. Being a citizen in a developed and abundant country, they naturally ask for whatever they need. There are many questions like “Why can't each of the students have as many copies as they want?“ or “I need a machine to play my video tape,” or “I can't type, so is there an overhead projector?” or “How come I have to climb stairs every day?” Some of the TAs, in order to please their teacher, would promise to ask me for whatever wanted. However, when the requirement cannot be satisfied, some of teachers felt unhappy, and on the other hand, the teaching assistant got embarrassed...[however] the more I contact Americans, the smaller difference I find between them and Chinese. There are pleasant people, like you, as well as annoying ones who are demanding.>> She told me later that she admired the American holiday of Thanksgiving. She thought that Chinese should have a thanksgiving holiday, too. In fact, she continued, everyone in the world should have a thanksgiving holiday.
November 14, 2017
Desert Jade free review copies
My new mystery-suspense novel,*Desert Jade*, will be officially published on November 18 - that's this coming Saturday!
I'm giving away six copies of *Desert Jade* - three mobi files (Kindle) and 3 epub files (readable by androids, apple, nook, etc.). Email me at shane at cjshane.com to request a free copy. In exchange, I'd like to see your review of *Desert Jade* here on Goodreads and also on Amazon (after Nov. 18).
Here's more about the book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Thank you to Diane Taylor for the first review and five stars!!
I'm giving away six copies of *Desert Jade* - three mobi files (Kindle) and 3 epub files (readable by androids, apple, nook, etc.). Email me at shane at cjshane.com to request a free copy. In exchange, I'd like to see your review of *Desert Jade* here on Goodreads and also on Amazon (after Nov. 18).
Here's more about the book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Thank you to Diane Taylor for the first review and five stars!!
November 9, 2017
Chinese sci-fi
Has anyone read Liu CiXin's The Three-Body Solution? I have a copy but I haven't read it yet. The Atlantic has just published a fascinating article by Ross Andersen about Liu's book, Chinese astronomy research, history and more. It's long but fascinating, especially if you really interest in China as I am. Here's the link: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...
November 4, 2017
Voices of New China
I'm giving away five paperback copies of my nonfiction book _Voices of New China_. See Giveaways. The book is based on my experiences teaching and living in the People's Republic of China. This book is an easy and fun read and a great way to learn about an ancient civilization that is becoming more powerful in the 21st century. China has 1.4 billion people They know a lot about us. What do we know about them?
Here a rather lengthy except from one Amazon review:
< The rest of the book is a series of interviews with young people, aged between 18 - 35. Some are educated university students from relatively wealthy backgrounds. Some are poor workers who have only had a few years of primary school. Each interview teases out touching insights and shows a unique and intimate portrait of an individual, their opinions, their sense of humour, their wistful dreams.
There are many beautiful moments. For example, when a young mother asks the interviewer to give her little son an English name, and is charmed with the resulting suggestion. Some moments are sad -- for example a young man who works for the government, but is a poet and philosopher at heart. He is one of the few who expresses quite outspoken against the Chinese government, but is torn between his dream of being a successful poet, and the reality of having to survive as a business man.
Another interview reveals the struggle of a young woman who has to choose between pursuing her dream of studying further, or having a child. The interview seems to create a space for her to face the choice she has to make.
Many bitter-sweet moments. I was struck by how many of those interviewed worried about the environmental problems that China faces today. People mention never seeing the blue sky, or stars. Or lament the cutting down of forests near their home.
Voices of New China offers a glimpse of China as seen through the eyes of young Chinese people. An antidote to the version we see in Western media.>>
Here a rather lengthy except from one Amazon review:
< The rest of the book is a series of interviews with young people, aged between 18 - 35. Some are educated university students from relatively wealthy backgrounds. Some are poor workers who have only had a few years of primary school. Each interview teases out touching insights and shows a unique and intimate portrait of an individual, their opinions, their sense of humour, their wistful dreams.
There are many beautiful moments. For example, when a young mother asks the interviewer to give her little son an English name, and is charmed with the resulting suggestion. Some moments are sad -- for example a young man who works for the government, but is a poet and philosopher at heart. He is one of the few who expresses quite outspoken against the Chinese government, but is torn between his dream of being a successful poet, and the reality of having to survive as a business man.
Another interview reveals the struggle of a young woman who has to choose between pursuing her dream of studying further, or having a child. The interview seems to create a space for her to face the choice she has to make.
Many bitter-sweet moments. I was struck by how many of those interviewed worried about the environmental problems that China faces today. People mention never seeing the blue sky, or stars. Or lament the cutting down of forests near their home.
Voices of New China offers a glimpse of China as seen through the eyes of young Chinese people. An antidote to the version we see in Western media.>>
My Two Hats: Art and Writing
I'm a visual artist and a writer of mystery and suspense. Blame my first-grade teacher. She told me to write a poem and illustrate it. So I've been painting and writing since age six. I don't know whi
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