Grace Lin's Blog, page 115

dear friends

For those of you who read this blog, you can probably guess that the word "extrovert" would never be used in a description of me. Even though I do a lot of public speaking, it is not something that comes naturally to me. It's taken me quite a while to be able to talk fairly comfortably in front of group and I am only able to do that after preparing and practicing hours ahead of time.

Having this blog does allow me to share and communicate more than I would in person. This is sometimes good, sometimes bad. During Robert's illness and death, I chose to let my personal life and emotions seep into the cyberworld-- even harnessing its power to create a fundraiser.

I know that these are things that I put "out there" and I do acknowledge that I have blurred the lines of public and private. However, those very things that I have chosen to share are difficult for me to discuss in a public forum. Yes, I have moved forward with my life and I live each of my days as fully and with as much happiness as possible. But that doesn't mean I ever forget about Robert or wish with all my heart that he could've lived the life we so desperately wished for him. There is never a day where I do not think of him, that is not tinged with the sorrow of a love lost.

So, dear friends, this is what I ask of you. I'm so honored and touched if you feel connection to my story--real life or fiction--and I am always happy to talk to you. But please do not ask me questions about Robert in a public forum in front of a large group, consider saving it for a one-on-one conversation afterwards. Or if you wish for me to speak about Robert's Snow to a group, please ask me ahead of time so that I can emotionally prepare myself.

And I will sincerely thank you.

book talk tuesday

The Secret River by Marjorie Rawlings

IndieBound Description:
There's just not enough…not enough money, not enough food, not enough fish for her daddy to sell at the market. Hard times have come to the forest, but Calpurnia wants to turn them back into soft times. With her little dog Buggy Horse and a tip from old Mother Albirtha, the wisest person in the forest, Calpurnia finds a secret river and uses the pink paper roses from her hair to catch enough beautiful catfish to feed the whole swamp land —with some left over for Daddy to sell. When she tries to find the river again the next day, Mother Albirtha tells her, "Child, sometimes a thing happens once, and does not ever happen anymore….You caught catfish when catfish were needed…you will not find the river again." This story by the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Yearling and literary icon Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings is about living in a time of want, yet it is overflowing with riches—stunning language, mystical happenings, wondrous, wondrous artwork. Beautiful in all ways that a book can be beautiful, this unforgettable picture book is a classic in the making.

My Thoughts: The text of this book won the Newbery Honor in 1956 and has just been reprinted with gorgeous illustrations by the Dillons as a picturebook. So this is one of those books that kind of bridge picturebooks and middle grade, in my opinion. Anyway, the reason why I love this book is because I adored the book Striped Ice Cream and in that book, the main character reads "The Secret River." So when I found out that "The Secret River" was actually real book, I was extremely excited. I'm so happy this book is back in print and it's the perfect book to read in honor of MLK day.

on my desk monday

Flowers from my publisher congratulating me for Ling & Ting's Geisel Honor!

Sunday Chinese School

Welcome to Sunday Chinese School, where we learn a Chinese word (or phrase) a week with my mom!
Today's word is:
name
míngzi

fortune cookie friday

"So long as a man is angry he cannot be in the right."
-Chinese Proverb

gathering snow

It's a winter wonderland here in New England and I love it. For traveling and all practical things it is a pain, but the sheer beauty of it is breathtaking.

I guess one of the reasons that I like it is because I've always kind of seen it similar to the writing process. Tiny snowflakes falling everywhere are like the ideas and experiences all around you. And when it comes time to write, you gather the snow and build.

So to me, it seems fitting that the snow is falling now because presently I am in the "gathering snow" phase of my work. Right now I am just trying to experience things that may inspire something in my writing later. Like seeing Cirque Du Soleil's Dralion:

And visiting the Peabody Essex Museum's exhibit on the Forbidden City's Treasures:
Next on my list is a Shen Yun Performance and then the Met's Special Exhibit on Chinese Art (though I have to figure out when I can get down to NYC). I don't know how exactly any these things will help with my work but if they do, I hope they help me create something beautiful.

silver is my new favorite color

So yesterday's official announcement of Geisel Honor made me all giddy. Instead of working, I got my toes painted silver in honor of the medal! The committee actually called me Sunday evening to tell me so I was ready to pop all night. True to form, I was particularly incoherent and spent most of my time concentrating on NOT jumping up and down while I was on the phone (I did that later).

Because I am so very thrilled that Ling & Ting, my very first foray into the early reader genre was noticed. It was also a first for my publisher, Little, Brown--it was the first trade (vs. movie tie-in,etc) early reader they'd ever published as well. (And Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was the first novel that my publisher printed in color, too, by the way!)

When my editor first brought early versions of L&T to publishing committee, they probably were not sure what to do with it. Would it be worth the risks? Worth trying something new, that they'd never done before? Because in general, my work has never been considered extremely marketable or a "sure thing" when it come to profits. But despite everything, the publisher believed in my work enough to make it happen and took the chance. I am so grateful for that...and that there's a shiny sticker to tell them they made the right choice!

So now on to the important things! What should I wear to the award ceremony? I'm leaning towards something silver, to celebrate the lovely silver stickers (someone on FB asked me if I felt any pressure for next year's awards considering the two honors two years in a row. No pressure at all--I don't have a book coming out!). I only have 6 months to think about it. ha ha! What do you think of this?


Just joking! If I'm going to have sit at a table with Mo Willems and Kate DiCamillo, looking like a disco ball probably is not a good way to garner respect. Also, I think the ceremony is a breakfast, not a dinner. You can't wear silver sequins before noon.[image error]

silver sticker!

Ling & Ting has been award the Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) Honor!

I love silver stickers![image error]

Sunday Chinese School

Welcome to Sunday Chinese School, where we learn a Chinese word (or phrase) a week with my mom!
Today's phrase is:
How are you?
nǐhǎo ma?

[image error]

fortune cookie friday

"One cannot refuse to eat just because there is a chance of being choked."
-Chinese Proverb