*dressing up in a purple wig on halloween!
i am a stay at home mom whose debut novel SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia was released on APRIL 28, 2009. it’s a young adult fantasy inspired by ancient china published by greenwillow books, an imprint of harpercollins. the sequel, FURY OF THE PHOENIX will be released 3/29/2011. a children’s picture book with my chinese brush art is also in the works! i’m represented by bill contardi of brandt & hochman. when i’m not writing or painting, i like to read, daydream, travel, eat and watch films in the theatre. and i love pastries, chai lattes and taiwanese food! =D
you can also find me at :
http://www.etsy.com/shop/cindypon
http://www.facebook.com/cindy.pon?ref=name
frequently asked questions
q : can i purchase your brush paintings?
a : of course you can. please email me to inquire on availability, art dimensions and prices. my prices range from $100 to $300 approximately, depending on the size and subject. this does not include shipping costs. sometimes, unframed pieces are available for a lower price. i have cards and framed and unframed art work available at my etsy store.
q : can i interview you for my blog, etc?
a : yes, i love interviews! BUT it does depend on my writing schedule, if i’m under deadline, it may not happen. also, authors get so many of the same questions so often. please check out a really awesome interview with stacy whiteman of tu books here and also many of the other interviews i’ve done to see if i already answered your questions? if you’re still interested, email me!
q : how long have you been painting?
a : i’ve been taking chinese brush classes with jean shen for eight years now. i’m still one of the newer students in a class full of talented artists and a wonderful, inspiring teacher. as a new student to chinese brush, we “copy” other artists to learn. nearly all of the birds you see in my gallery are a replication of bird lessons from brush art books. i’m at the stage where i’m moving toward painting from my own mind’s eye–as some of my flowers, bamboo and orchids are.
i’m excited by the prospect of doing a childrens picture book with my own art as it will be something entirely mine–with the use of my imagination and years of practice. i think it’ll be a wonderful challenge and accomplishment. i’m grateful for the opportunity!
q : have you published works before Silver Phoenix?
a : i have never been published prior to SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia. My debut released april 28, 2009, published by greenwillow books / harpercollins. FURY OF THE PHOENIX, the sequel, will be released april 2011. i’ll also be working on a childrens picture book using my own brush paintings–a process i’m excited to learn more about.
q : any advice for new writers?
a : it’s been said before–just write. it takes a lot of dedication and work to hone your craft. there are so many elements to creating a good tale, the only way to improve is to practice. set realisitic goals for yourself. take writing classes. find a good critique group. read loads within your own genre and beyond it. and then write some more. keep dreaming. never give up on your dream. and my personal writing motto? i am allowed to write utter poo. rough drafts are never pretty–that’s what revisions are for!
q : who are your favorite authors? favorite books?
a : i’m a fan of iris murdoch. i also love ursula le guin. she is my favorite fantasy author–i really admire her quiet storytelling style. megan whalen turner with her queen’s thief series is coming in at a close second! i am a puddle of fan girl for neil gaiman. some of my favorite books include anna karenina, LOTR, a fairly honourable defeat, gifts, tehanu, the other wind, the queen/king of attolia, and the graveyard book. childhood favorites include : a little princess, island of the blue dolphins, a wrinkle in time, dancing shoes and ballet shoes.
here are my favorite reads from 2009 :
1. The King of Attolia by megan whalen turner
2. Flash Burnout by l.k. madigan (debut)
3. The Heretic Queen by michelle moran
4. Fire by kristin cashore
5. Eyes Like Stars by lisa mantchev (debut)
from 2008 :
- swordspoint by ellen kushner
- gifts by ursula le guin
- paper towns by john green
- the lady elizabeth by alison weir
- graceling by kristin cashore (debut)
and from 2007 :
- the meaning of night by michael cox (debut)
- american gods by neil gaiman
- confessions of an ugly stepsister by gregory maguire
- the blood of flowers by anita amirrezvani (debut)
- in cold blood by truman capote
author fotos :
i support my lgbt friends! =)
