Siobhan Daiko's Blog, page 13
March 23, 2015
Win a free paperback edition of “The Orchid Tree”!
If you live in the UK or USA, why not pop over to Goodreads and enter the draw!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Orchid Tree
by Siobhan Daiko
Giveaway ends April 14, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
March 2, 2015
Seven Facts about Me
Thank you so much to my lovely fellow-writer, Renita D’Silva, author of the amazing Monsoon Memories, The Forgotten Daughter and The Stolen Girl for nominating me for this award. If you haven���t read those wonderful, heart-warming books yet, you���re in for a treat. Go grab yourself a copy today!
I’m honoured you’ve tagged me, Renita. For those not in the know, these blog awards are just for fun and a way to share blog appreciation.
For this one, those who participate have to:
��� Display the award logo
��� Thank and link back to the nominator
��� List 7 facts about themselves
��� Nominate 7 fellow bloggers to carry forward the relay.
Here are 7 facts about me:
Like my nominator, Renita, I���m a foodie. For me, there���s nothing better than a meal out in a good restaurant. I love all kinds of food from Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Italian, to good old favourites like bangers and mash. I enjoy cooking and my hubby is a fantastic cook. I think I married him for that reason and my figure has suffered ever since. :-)
Victor, my other half, was born in Hong Kong like me. His parents were white Russians who met in pre-war China. They moved to Hong Kong in 1948 to escape the communist revolution. Victor spent the early months of his life living in the Repulse Bay Hotel because of a housing shortage at that time. The Repulse Bay is a location in my novel, The Orchid Tree.
I once met Elizabeth Taylor. Sir Run Run Shaw, the Hong Kong movie mogul, was an avid collector of my late father Douglas Bland���s paintings. Ms Taylor was on a private visit to Hong Kong to indulge her love of shopping, and Sir Run Run hosted a small dinner party to which he invited my mother. She was windowed by then and on a visit to Hong Kong from Italy, staying with Victor and me, so she asked if we could come along. Ms Taylor was very sweet and softly spoken. Victor got into a political discussion with her during the meal (my OH does tend to have an opinion on most things, lol).
I���ve had a variety of jobs, from secretary/translator at the Italian Consulate in Hong Kong then as a PA in an Italian Bank in the City of London, followed by a stint running a Post Office/B&B in Herefordshire after our son was born. More recently, I taught Modern Foreign Languages in a Welsh high school.
I once took 90 teenagers on a school visit to Madrid in Spain, one of my maddest ideas. Whilst in the city, we travelled on the metro, but broke up into smaller groups of 10 with one teacher assigned to each group. The only trouble I had was when some midnight drinking occurred (the pupils not the teachers), and I ended up having to accompany a boy to the hospital at 3 am because he was so drunk we couldn’t wake him. Happily he slept it off and no harm was done, but it was a scary few hours and I had visions of my teaching career going down the pan.
I���m terrified of riding on roller coasters and I���m seriously claustrophobic, but I���m not scared of snakes, spiders or rats.
I love swimming in the sea, animals (in another life I���d be happy running a zoo), and travel. On my bucket list is a trip around the world, stopping off in Burma, Vietnam, China, Australia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, California, New Orleans, New York, Canada, you name it. I���d like to see more of Italy, in particular Sicily and Sardinia, too. Just need to win the lottery, ha ha!
It’s my pleasure to nominate, in no particular order, the following lovelies to carry on the relay:
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, Tina Burton, Jan Ruth, Teagan Geneviene, Ann Bennett, Gisela Hausman
and last, but not least James Milson.
February 25, 2015
The Orchid Tree by Siobhan Daiko
A lovely review of “The Orchid Tree” by Rosie Amber this morning.
Originally posted on Rosie Amber:
The Orchid Tree by Siobhan Daiko
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Orchid Tree is a historical drama set in Hong Kong. The First part is from 1941 ��� 1945 during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during WWII. Fifteen year old Kate Wolseley is British and lives with her parents on The Peak. When the Japanese invade and the governor surrenders no one can quite believe what happens.
Once the Japanese have taken over, Kate and her family are moved to the Stanley Internment Camp, an ex-prison. Conditions are poor and food soon runs very short. Kate makes friends with Charles Pearce a half Chinese boy as they queue each day for water and attend lessons together. The descriptions and imagery are very thought provoking as everyone waits to be rescued by either the British or the Americans.
Across the water in Macau we meet Sophia Rodrigues and���
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February 20, 2015
New website and book trailer.
Having changed the title, I’ve set up a website for Lady of Asolo
and, today, I made a new book trailer.
Tomorrow, Saturday 21st February, the book will be free to download for the last time on Amazon. Click here!
February 18, 2015
New name for In My Lady’s Shadow
Tomorrow the new name for “In My Lady’s Shadow” will go live on Amazon Kindle. I’ve changed it so that I’ll be able to market it more easily here in Italy.
February 14, 2015
Come along to the Facebook launch party for “The Orchid Tree” Sunday 15th February 9 am – 5 pm GMT.
Please come along to the above event and help me celebrate the launch of my novel. There will be virtual food and drink, plus real games and quizzes with prizes donated by my writer friends. My last party was a great success and I’m hoping this one will be too. Here’s the link.
February 10, 2015
Short videos to promote “The Orchid Tree”.
I was introduced to Windows Movie Maker by a writer friend. It’s incredibly easy to use and I’ve already made three videos to promote “The Orchid Tree”.
A book trailer.
A video about the setting of part one.
and one showing the other locations in the novel.
Hope you enjoy my creative efforts!
February 5, 2015
Fragrant Haven – A short story
I’ve been busy working on the preparations for the launch of The Orchid Tree, and I’ve also written a short story, Fragrant Haven, which is like a prequel to the novel. Here is the lovely cover designed by J.D. Smith
Isn’t it gorgeous?
I’m immensely grateful to my editor, John Hudspith, for helping me lick it into shape. Here’s the description:
“James battles typhoon and treachery to find his fragrant haven.
A short story. Contains adult themes.”
The story is available free to download from Smashwords, and should also be free on Amazon shortly.
We’ve had a quiet start to the New Year in our little corner of Italy, but hope to get out for an adventure at the Venice Carnival next week, high tide permitting.
January 19, 2015
Meet Kate, the main character of “The Orchid Tree”
For this blog tour I am delighed to introduce Kate, the main character of The Orchid Tree, which will be published on 15th February and is available to pre-oder from Amazon.
1. What is the name of your main character? Is she fictional?
Kate Wolseley is a fictional character, although I���ve given her the physical characteristics of my mother at her age.
2. When and where is the story set?
Colonial Hong Kong between 1941-1945 and from 1948-1949. My grandparents were interned by the Japanese during WWII. The idea for “The Orchid Tree” came to me when I was researching their life behind barbed wire in the Stanley Civilian Internment Camp. My father joined the Chinese Maritime Customs after his demob from the Royal Navy, and his experiences chasing smugglers up and down the South China Coast inspired the start of Part 2. I wanted to bring alive a time and place that no longer exist, and I hope my knowledge of the era lends an authenticity to my writing that readers will enjoy.
4. What should we know about Kate?
I don���t want to give away the story, so I���ll keep this brief. Kate has lived a pampered existence, in a house full of servants, at the pinnacle of pre-war Hong Kong society. Spoiled by her father, but lacking the attention of her mother, she finds comfort in the love of her Chinese amah (nanny). Her background is typical ���stiff upper lip��� British, except Kate is more open than her parents. As a result of her over-protected upbringing, she���s young for her age, which is fifteen at the start of the novel.
4. What is the main conflict?
Initially, WWII. Kate is interned with her parents in a squalid camp and has to endure cramped conditions, humiliation, disease, and starvation. She befriends 17 year-old Charles ��� who���s half Chinese ��� and they give their hearts to each other under the orchid tree. Kate���s father doesn���t approve of their relationship. Can their love survive war and bigotry?
5. What is Kate’s personal goal?
In December 1948, she returns to the colony after three years in Australia, determined to put the past behind her and come of age. Her goal is to create a new life for herself in a society on the brink of change. She wants to be independent, overcome prejudice, and make herself a part of the new Hong Kong, while holding onto her never-to-be-forgotten love for Charles. An Englishman, James, arrives in the territory and becomes the link between Kate and Sofia Rodrigues, the step-sister of a Macau gangster. The communist-nationalist struggle in China spills over into Hong Kong, catapulting the protagonists into the turmoil with disastrous consequences.
6. What can you tell us about the title?
A recurrent location in the novel, the orchid tree, Bauhinia Blakeana, has become the emblem of Hong Kong. I was privileged to have grown up there during the post-war era, and I still consider it home.
Now I would like to pass the baton on to Ann Bennett for her to introduce Laura in her wonderful novel, Bamboo Heart. Over to you, Ann!
January 15, 2015
Special Introductory Price – Pre-Order Your Copy Today!
Originally posted on THE ORCHID TREE by Siobhan Daiko:
A coming of age story set against the background of World War II and changing values in post-war Hong Kong society.
Click to pre-order your copy! Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Amazon Italy, Amazon France, Amazon Spain, and Amazon Germany.
An evocative and mesmerising read,��� RENITA D���SILVA, author of Monsoon Memories.
Fifteen year-old Kate Wolseley lives a rarefied life of wealth and privilege in the expatriate community. But when the Japanese take over the colony in December 1941, she���s interned in squalid Stanley Camp with her parents.
Forty miles away, in Macau, Sofia Rodrigues��� suspicions are aroused when her father invites a Japanese family to dinner, an event which leads to a breach between Sofia and her controlling half-brother, Leo.
Enduring cramped conditions, humiliation, disease, and starvation, Kate befriends seventeen year-old Charles ��� who���s half Chinese ��� and they give���
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