Grace Lin's Blog, page 37
January 27, 2014
on my desk monday
It's almost Chinese New Year and I'm squeaking these in! Yes, I got holiday cards made!
And not only am I sending out holiday greeting, I'm also fulfilling one of my resolutions from last year which was to finally send out thank you card to all those who contributed to Rain Dragon's amazing 100 wish quilt. Those are sooooo long and embarrassingly overdue (only over a year or so late, la la la) but at least I can start the new year with a clear conscience!
And not only am I sending out holiday greeting, I'm also fulfilling one of my resolutions from last year which was to finally send out thank you card to all those who contributed to Rain Dragon's amazing 100 wish quilt. Those are sooooo long and embarrassingly overdue (only over a year or so late, la la la) but at least I can start the new year with a clear conscience!
January 24, 2014
fortune cookie friday
"Do not speak – unless it improves upon silence."
— Buddhist saying
January 23, 2014
Belated Post: Albany, NY
After Taiwan, it took us a while to get over the jetleg (hence why all these posts are belated!). I was worried that I wouldn't get over it in time for my other scheduled visits. Luckily, it wore off in time for my visits at St. Gregory's School in Albany, NY. Because there they had a huge day planned for me!
I was welcomed with this:
It's not just a bulletin board, it's bill board! Because it's their poster for their play. Yes, they did an Ugly Vegetables play!
It was sooooo cute. There were even"bees and the butterflies who smelled the scent in the breeze..."
The whole school was decorated with themes from my books. One hallway took on Our Seasons.
And there was Ling and Ting Share a Birthday:
There was a whole display of scrolls with scenes from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon:
as well as storyboards with favorite scenes from the book, too:
And, fortune cookies inspired by Fortune Cookie Fortunes!
I particularly liked this one:
I don't know how true it is, but, thank you St Gregory's School for making me feel like it already has!
I was welcomed with this:
It's not just a bulletin board, it's bill board! Because it's their poster for their play. Yes, they did an Ugly Vegetables play!
It was sooooo cute. There were even"bees and the butterflies who smelled the scent in the breeze..."
The whole school was decorated with themes from my books. One hallway took on Our Seasons.
And there was Ling and Ting Share a Birthday:
There was a whole display of scrolls with scenes from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon:
as well as storyboards with favorite scenes from the book, too:
And, fortune cookies inspired by Fortune Cookie Fortunes!
I particularly liked this one:
I don't know how true it is, but, thank you St Gregory's School for making me feel like it already has!
January 22, 2014
Belated Post: Pocket Pacy's Dumpling Days
So ends our trip to Taiwan. We had a great time, especially Pocket Pacy who got to live out some of the events in my books:
Just like in Dumpling Days, she found the Taiwanese/Japanese toilets very confusing:
But unlike Pacy in the book, Pocket Pacy found an instruction manuel in english to help her out:
Pocket Pacy experienced the night market and got a sugar rush from the boba tea:
ate a wax apple:
saw the walking street signs (I tried to take a video of the man walking, but it didn't turn out. But you can see what it looks like here.)
Hung out with some lions, like Dragon did in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon:
saw some great art:
as well as Taipei 101:
And spent oodles of time at the Taipei Airport. This was not in the book, but the airport in Taiwan has a whole Hello Kitty wing. Really!
with themed-chairs in the waiting area, to boot:
It cheered up Pocket Pacy while we were waiting for our departing plane. She was quite sad to leave, as we all were. But thanks for the memories...until next time!
Just like in Dumpling Days, she found the Taiwanese/Japanese toilets very confusing:
But unlike Pacy in the book, Pocket Pacy found an instruction manuel in english to help her out:
Pocket Pacy experienced the night market and got a sugar rush from the boba tea:
ate a wax apple:
saw the walking street signs (I tried to take a video of the man walking, but it didn't turn out. But you can see what it looks like here.)
Hung out with some lions, like Dragon did in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon:
saw some great art:
as well as Taipei 101:
And spent oodles of time at the Taipei Airport. This was not in the book, but the airport in Taiwan has a whole Hello Kitty wing. Really!
with themed-chairs in the waiting area, to boot:
It cheered up Pocket Pacy while we were waiting for our departing plane. She was quite sad to leave, as we all were. But thanks for the memories...until next time!
January 21, 2014
belated Taiwan post: medium sized Buddha
The guidebooks the Big Buddha as something to see in Taiwan but I'd never seen it before. This time, I specifically asked my relatives to bring me.
It was pretty big, but I admit that after seeing the Big Buddha in Hong Kong, I was not as impressed as I thought I would be. However, I was impressed by the street vendors:
They sold bing tang hulu which I haven't had since I was in China. It was my favorite snack there (bonus points if you can find where I mention it in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon)
And while the Buddha was medium sized, they did have BIG eggs! these are ostrich eggs! I didn't realize how big and hard they were! I bought one and the shell is like a rock:
When I get the time, perhaps I will paint a small Buddha on it...
It was pretty big, but I admit that after seeing the Big Buddha in Hong Kong, I was not as impressed as I thought I would be. However, I was impressed by the street vendors:
They sold bing tang hulu which I haven't had since I was in China. It was my favorite snack there (bonus points if you can find where I mention it in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon)
And while the Buddha was medium sized, they did have BIG eggs! these are ostrich eggs! I didn't realize how big and hard they were! I bought one and the shell is like a rock:
When I get the time, perhaps I will paint a small Buddha on it...
January 20, 2014
this sweet year
So, it was that time of the year again, the time when I let out my crafting and baking enthusiasm out and and attempt to make edible thank you gifts for publishing folk for doing all the things they do that make my books, well, books.
I thought with Chinese New Year as my new deadline, I'd have plenty of time. Unfortunately, it didn't really work out that way. It seems as Rain Dragon gets into toddlerhood she is even more time-consuming than as a baby. In a good way, of course, but it did make time for additional projects slim. In the end, both Sasquatch and his sister had to help out (okay, maybe they made everything and I helped out. sigh).
But, we made yummy things! Over Christmas, we received a fruit basket with an enormous amount of oranges. Thanks to Martha Stewart, we made those oranges (as well as some lemons and grapefruit) into candied citrus peels:
I thought this was an appropriate gift for the Lunar New Year, as oranges are lucky in Chinese culture.
And just in case candied citrus peels weren't everyone's cup of tea, I we made some lucky red thumbprint cookies to send along:
I'm particularly proud of the packaging. My gingerbread baking was very useful for all the labels:
as well as my holiday card, too:
Hope it's sweet year for everyone!
I thought with Chinese New Year as my new deadline, I'd have plenty of time. Unfortunately, it didn't really work out that way. It seems as Rain Dragon gets into toddlerhood she is even more time-consuming than as a baby. In a good way, of course, but it did make time for additional projects slim. In the end, both Sasquatch and his sister had to help out (okay, maybe they made everything and I helped out. sigh).
But, we made yummy things! Over Christmas, we received a fruit basket with an enormous amount of oranges. Thanks to Martha Stewart, we made those oranges (as well as some lemons and grapefruit) into candied citrus peels:
I thought this was an appropriate gift for the Lunar New Year, as oranges are lucky in Chinese culture.
And just in case candied citrus peels weren't everyone's cup of tea, I we made some lucky red thumbprint cookies to send along:
I'm particularly proud of the packaging. My gingerbread baking was very useful for all the labels:
as well as my holiday card, too:
Hope it's sweet year for everyone!
January 18, 2014
upcoming events!
Before I forget, I have a couple of upcoming events for the Chinese New Year! Spread the word and come yourself! Hope to see you!
Sunday, January 26, 2pm
reading, drawing activity and signing at
Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School Chinese New Year Celebration
Smith Vocational School
80 Locust St, Northampton MA
if tickets are still available they will be $5 at the door
Saturday, February 1st, 1pm
Learn about the Lunar New Year at
the Eric Carle Museum
125 West Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Book signing to follow presentation
Limit one book from home/unlimited books from The Carle Bookshop.
Can't make it to the event? Contact The Carle Bookshop at (413) 658-1132 or shop@carlemuseum.org to reserve signed copies.
Sunday, January 26, 2pm
reading, drawing activity and signing at
Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School Chinese New Year Celebration
Smith Vocational School
80 Locust St, Northampton MA
if tickets are still available they will be $5 at the door
Saturday, February 1st, 1pm
Learn about the Lunar New Year at
the Eric Carle Museum
125 West Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Book signing to follow presentation
Limit one book from home/unlimited books from The Carle Bookshop.
Can't make it to the event? Contact The Carle Bookshop at (413) 658-1132 or shop@carlemuseum.org to reserve signed copies.
January 17, 2014
fortune cookie friday
"Life can never give security, it can only promise opportunity."
— Chinese Proverb
January 16, 2014
Belated Taiwan post: Starry River of the Sky, Chinese language edition!
While in Taiwan, I had the pleasure of meeting the publishing people of Global Kids, publisher of the traditional Chinese version of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky. They did such beautiful job printing the books. There are all sorts of extras like this wraparound which (I think!) says all sorts of complimentary things:
And the page numbers have these added illustrations:
Providentially, their edition of Starry River of the Sky came out at the same time as my visit so they arranged a couple of events for me to help promote it:
I was really nervous speaking to Taiwanese audience. Most knew English, even if it wasn't their first language and I had an interpreter for the another event (thank goodness!). At first, I was going to decline the events because I was so worried about the language barrier (there was no way I would attempt to speak Chinese!) but I'm glad I didn't. The audience was so kind and interested and the people at the publishing company were so nice and enthusiastic about the book. If only for their sake, I hope the book does well there:
Xiè xie, Global Kids!
And the page numbers have these added illustrations:
Providentially, their edition of Starry River of the Sky came out at the same time as my visit so they arranged a couple of events for me to help promote it:
I was really nervous speaking to Taiwanese audience. Most knew English, even if it wasn't their first language and I had an interpreter for the another event (thank goodness!). At first, I was going to decline the events because I was so worried about the language barrier (there was no way I would attempt to speak Chinese!) but I'm glad I didn't. The audience was so kind and interested and the people at the publishing company were so nice and enthusiastic about the book. If only for their sake, I hope the book does well there:
Xiè xie, Global Kids!
January 15, 2014
belated Taiwan post: Pocket Pacy at Taipei 101
In Dumpling Days, one of Pacy's adventures is going to se Taipei 101, the 2nd tallest building in the world. It's also where readers have called me out on fictionalizing my story as Taipei 101 didn't exist when I was child going to Taiwan for the first time! Dumpling Days is a mix of a couple of different trips I took to Taiwan, including one I took as an adult-- after Taipei 101 was built.
But it was great fun seeing Taipei 101 even as an adult! So much so that we had to see it again on this trip. This was Pocket Pacy's first time:
She met "Damper Baby," the character created based on the damper that keeps the building stable during earthquakes:
She went all the way to the top of the building...kind of:
And I saw the building at night, lit up, for the first time. I guess I'll have to put that in another book...
But it was great fun seeing Taipei 101 even as an adult! So much so that we had to see it again on this trip. This was Pocket Pacy's first time:
She met "Damper Baby," the character created based on the damper that keeps the building stable during earthquakes:
She went all the way to the top of the building...kind of:
And I saw the building at night, lit up, for the first time. I guess I'll have to put that in another book...
