Ian Hamilton's Blog, page 2
November 8, 2013
The Dragon Head of Hong Kong: The Ava Lee Prequel
I’ve always had a story arc in my mind for Ava and Uncle, but it was one that moved their lives forward, never back. It was never part of my plan to write a prequel. Then in September 2012, at the Kitchener, Ontario literary event called Word on the Street, I was approached by a man who had read all the books in the series.
“Have you ever thought of writing a prequel?” he asked. “I’d love to know how Ava and Uncle first connected.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said.
Then I began to remember other readers at other events asking similar questions. The idea of a prequel took root.
In the winter of 2012–2013, as I was finishing the edits to The Scottish Banker of Surabaya and writing The Two Sisters of Borneo, I found myself distracted by thoughts about Ava’s early life. She was in her mid-twenties, just out of school, living in a tiny apartment in Richmond Hill, and struggling to establish her career. Then dialogue began to pop into my head as I was driving or lying in bed. Uncle and Ava were speaking to each other for the very first time. It was their initial meeting and conversation, and they were feeling each other out, tip-toeing towards the formation of a partnership.
I didn’t have to think about how they actually met. I knew that, and had always known that. Fleshing out the details of their lives at that time, though, was something I hadn’t given great thought to until that meeting in Kitchener. After Kitchener, it became a bit of an obsession and I decided I had to write it down.
I don’t remember exactly when I raised the idea with my agent and my publisher, House of Anansi Press, but their reactions were immediate and positive, and my plans for the summer changed.
Every book I’ve written has a life of its own. Length is never pre-determined. The storyline drives each book to its logical conclusion. So it was with The Dragon Head of Hong Kong, which ended up being the shortest by far of any of the books. But in my mind its novella length doesn’t diminish the strength of the story. In fact, in some ways the simplicity of the plotline allows for a brighter light to shine on the characters of Ava and Uncle. And what great characters they have, forged by lives and experiences that couldn’t be more different but in perfect harmony when bonded.
When the manuscript was finished, we began to talk about a publishing schedule. Eric Jensen, the VP of Marketing at Anansi, made a convincing case that we time the publication with the release of The Two Sisters of Borneo. The books are almost linked, and the more I thought about it, the more sense it made.
Then we talked about format, and the idea of publishing the prequel initially as an e-book was put forward. Then the idea of serializing The Dragon Head of Hong Kong emerged, and I loved that concept. In fact, I had wanted to suggest that I write a book in serial form, but thought the idea might be too off the wall. Now, with The Dragon Head, I could go off the wall.
I’m not sure who had the idea of offering the serialized version free for a limited time. I do know I embraced it. The concept of the prequel had come, after all, from a reader, and without him and the support of other readers the opportunity to write it in the first place wouldn’t have existed.
I think of The Dragon Head of Hong Kong as a small way for me to say thanks to that man in Kitchener, and to all of the rest of you who have welcomed Ava Lee and Uncle into your hearts and minds.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
September 27, 2013
PASSPORT Magazine names "The Wild Beasts of Wuhan" Airplane Read of the Month
PASSPORT Magazine has named the The Wild Beasts of Wuhan their Airplane Read of the Month.
Readers will effortlessly pick up a few choice nuggets of knowledge about the worlds of art and finance while breezing through the pages. What's most impressive though, is how, beneath the surface of his swift-flowing storyline, Hamilton deftly etches the subtle power dynamics and protocols within Chinese families and social strata.
Click on the image below to read the full review.
PASSPORT Magazine names “The Wild Beasts of Wuhan” Airplane Read of the Month
PASSPORT Magazine has named the The Wild Beasts of Wuhan their Airplane Read of the Month.
Readers will effortlessly pick up a few choice nuggets of knowledge about the worlds of art and finance while breezing through the pages. What’s most impressive though, is how, beneath the surface of his swift-flowing storyline, Hamilton deftly etches the subtle power dynamics and protocols within Chinese families and social strata.
Click on the image below to read the full review.
August 30, 2013
Ava Lee Featured on The Bottom Line
Ava Lee’s been featured in the September issue of the Bottom Line magazine. Here’s an excerpt:
The popularity of Ava Lee, who is about to make an appearance in her sixth book later this year and another in 2015, may be rubbing off on the accounting profession. “Ava Lee is making accountants cooler,” said Hamilton.
Accountants certainly think she’s neat. Hamilton was invited to speak with Deloitte LLP’s accounting team in Toronto. “An Ava Lee poster was on the wall,” he said. “There is an appreciation there. One of them said, ‘We do everything she does except we have to go to court.’ “
Read the rest of the article here: The Bottom Line
February 13, 2013
Maclean’s Magazine
This Thursday, February 14th, Maclean’s Magazine is running a feature on me and the Ava Lee series. Make sure to pick up a copy!
December 15, 2012
The Art Gallery of Mississauga
I wrote a blog post for the Art Gallery of Mississauga to accompany a Chinese/Canadian exhibit called “Takeout”.
http://artgalleryofmississauga.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/da-bao-ava-lee-and-the-chinese-hyphenated-society/
The Crime Vault
Little Brown, the publisher of the Ava Lee novels in the UK, has launched a new website that allows crime readers to find their favourite crime authors and their ebooks online. Both The Deadly Touch of the Tigress (Book 1 in the UK) and The Disciple of Las Vegas can be found on the crime vault.
http://www.thecrimevault.com/authors/ian-hamilton/
September 24, 2012
Join Me on Facebook!
Please like my Facebook page for frequent updates and exclusive pictures and events!
The link to my page is: http://www.facebook.com/avaleenovels
Thanks!
Ian
September 3, 2012
Ava Lee series picked up by Picador USA – first release, February 2013
Picador USA has inked a deal with Ian Hamilton for the first four books in the Ava Lee series. The first book to be released February 2013 is the Disciple of Las Vegas.
This mystery thriller takes has Ava Lee chasing down $50 million that as disappeared into thin air from the accounts of one of the richest men in the Philippines, Tommy Ordinez. His one hope is Ava Lee — a forensic accountant, whose assets include a deadly set of hands. With the help of her Triad-connected partner, Uncle, Ava follows the money trail from San Francisco to Costa Rica, and to the casinos and illegal gambling dens of Las Vegas. Will Ava recover the stolen cash, without stepping into the crosshairs of a growing list of enemies? The first book of an electrifying new series, The Disciple of Las Vegas introduces Ava Lee – lethal, beautiful, and with a mind like a steel trap.
“Although the Water Rat of Wanchai was the first book in the series, Picador felt the Las Vegas connection would make The Disciple the natural book to launch with in the US,” said Hamilton. “I couldn’t be more thrilled with the support the editors and staff at Picador are giving to me the Ava Lee series.”
Barnes &Noble will be promoting The DISCIPLE OF LAS VEGAS chain-wide, in more than 650 stores, thanks largely to the striking graphic cover for the US launch.
June 1, 2012
The Water Rat of Wanchai Wins Arthur Ellis Award for Best New Crime Novel
The Water Rat of Wanchai, the first Ava Lee novel, won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Crime Novel last night during the awards banquet in Toronto. The awards celebrate the best crime and mystery writing in Canada.
“What a tremendous honour,” said Hamilton. “It is wonderful to receive this kind of validation from the Crime Writers of Canada and the Arthur Ellis Awards Judges.”
The novel was also named a Quill and Quire Book of the Year and an Amazon.ca Editor’s Pick. The Water Rat of Wanchai is the first in the Ava Lee series. The Disciple of Las Vegas was released in June 2011 and The Wild Beasts of Wuhan in January 2012. Hamilton, who has been described by the National Post as “prolific” has an eight-book publishing deal with House of Anansi’s Spiderline imprint. Book 4, The Red Pole of Macau, is scheduled for release in September 2012.
Arthur Ellis Awards – Judge’s Comments:
The Water Rat of Wanchaiby Ian Hamilton,
House of Anansi Press Inc.
Ian Hamilton’s The Water Rat of Wanchai is a smart, action-packed thriller of the first order, and Ava Lee, a gay Asian-Canadian forensics accountant with a razor-sharp mind and highly developed martial arts skills, is a protagonist to be reckoned with. We were impressed by Hamilton’s tight plotting; his well-rendered settings, from the glitz of Bangkok to the grit of Guyana; and his ability to portray a wide range of sharply individualized characters in clean but sophisticated prose.
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