it’s been a hectic few weeks. we survived our uk
trip! we had a lot of fun but i’m thinking the days of
all four of us trapped in a tiny motel/hotel room for
11 days may be in the past. the bubs are only getting
bigger and more rambunctious! i hid out in the lounge
most of the night in my pajamas with a book. haha!

i was able to spend my 38th birthday in london with
my bff eating and shopping! best birthday ever! it’s been
so long since i’ve spent my birthday with friends, much
less my actual birthday with my bff. it was a real treat. 8)

i’m afraid i don’t take many fotos during my london jaunts
anymore. i’ve taken so many fotos these last 15 years i’ve
been visiting. so here’s just a few to share with you.

*we spent most of the time in the countryside
near the sea. the tide was out most mornings, and the
locals would come out with galoshes on and a bucket digging
sea snails (?) from the ground to eat!

*one of many english breakfasts i had while there.
i’m afraid to step on the scale since my return. i had lots
of pastries too! love the english bakeries. (at least i hate bacon,
so i didn’t eat any of those. =) i tried black (blood) pudding for
the first time and really liked it. i think it’s pig’s blood? (it’s the
black round patty on the plate.)

*i admired the beautiful stained glass windows at
london’s natural history museum.

*munchkin especially enjoyed the dinosaur exhibits. here
he meets a real live moving t-rex.

*we also took the bubs to the Tower of London. there was a
period re-enactment outside the walls which was very entertaining.

finally, congratulations to bonnie for winning my original
bird with plum blossoms painting for the great movie poster she
made for the Fury Meets Mad Men contest! she describes the movie
poster in her own words:

I’m sure you can guess who everyone is, but at the forefront, we have Silver Phoenix and Zhong Ye; in the background, we have an image of Ai Ling (okay, I know her necklace isn’t magical anymore, but…!) and Chen Yong on the ship. I wanted to feature both couples because unlike SP, Fury is very much about both couples. SP & ZY have a more tragic, immediate, grabbing story that looks best at the forefront.

i love it, bonnie! thank you so much!
i hope you enjoy the brush painting too. =D

and the runner up is eve with this “pitch”:

Fury of the Phoenix: A Love Across Centuries and Worlds

eve’s prize is two brush art cards of her choice!

thank you so much for those of you who entered this contest!

also, our reading challenge has been extended to 10/1!
LIBRARIANS and BLOGGERS! it’s not too late to join and win
over 50 rad diverse middle grade and young adult novels!
check out the details here.

until next time!

friday 10/8 @10am in Rocky Mountain D
Are There Faeries Outside Western Europe? Exploring Fey Folklore from Around the World
Shveta Thakrar, Valerie Frankel, Andrea Horbinski, Cindy Pon
Mention the word “faerie,” and everyone knows what that means: a tiny Victorian winged girl devoted to flowers, or an inhumanly beautiful Celtic creature who fears iron and loves mischief in equal measure. Yet this loaded term is often used as an umbrella for all supernatural creatures, regardless of origin. Does it fit? Join us as we delve into the worlds of Persian peris, Polynesian patupaiarehe, Indian apsaras, Iroquois jogah, Australian tukonee, and Japanese kitsune, and encounter fey the world over.

a couple of weekends ago, i took the family an hour up
north to the laguna area for a couple nights. it was a mini
getaway (all we could do given hub’s work schedule) for his
birthday. i was full on sick and blowing my nose by the pool
the entire day, but despite that, i did read, eat well, and enjoy
watching the bubs paddling in the pool.

we were actually upgraded to an ocean view.
but the mornings were fogged in until past noon.
yes, there is an ocean there past the pool!

we took the opportunity to visit the ocean institute
at danapoint harbor. it was small but had some fun
hands on displays. including these gorgeous starfish.

my bubs. =)

they also had a tour of this brig, which is a replica
of Pilgram from the early 1800’s. i was very interested
in this tour especially because part of Fury of the Phoenix
is spent on a ship. my conclusion–it must have been
awful. haha! i can’t imagine it. it’s life and death out there
at sea. i bought Two Years Before the Mast by richard henry
dana, jr. about his time on the Pilgram (merchant ship).
very interesting piece of historical writing. dana wrote how
they lost an english sailor overboard. he was weighed down
with ropes and gear and fell in the water. most sailors can’t
swim, and the poor chap must have sunk like a stone. they
rowed in a boat for over an hour looking for him, but gave up.
the captain was then obliged to almost immediately auction off
all of the drowned sailor’s possessions. =O

still reading loads as you can see. really enjoyed Marcelo
in the Real World by francisco x. stork.

i’ll leave you with an interview ari did with me for
coloronline. i talk about the sexual elements in Silver Phoenix
and what you can do to support books featuring people
of color.

after an incredibly hot day, it is thundering and with bursts of
rain outside. very strange weather!

currently reading:

The Demon King by cinda williams chima

i reserved rooms for the sirens conference
in colorado in october today. i’m hoping to be on
a panel about world fey. the guests of honor
this year are holly black, marie brennan, and
terri windling. sirens is a conference that focuses
on women in the fantasy genre. i’m very excited
to be attending and hope our panel will be accepted!

also, i’ll be hosting a YA panel at Mysterious Galaxy
on tuesday, may 25th @ 7pm. greg van eekhout, megan
whalen turner, barrie summy and richard harland will
be there with a signing following! i can’t wait to be Vanna White! =D

here are few more fotos from our san fran trip
during easter weekend. i had such a fantastic time!
i miss my friends up in the bay area.

*i love open air markets! this one was very
crowded on saturday morning.

*munchkin admiring the pastry selection. 8)

*hike in the castro for a stunning view.

*so many flowers were in bloom already!

congrats to sara and jenny on winning nicole peeler’s
Tempest Rising. thanks to all those who entered!

started off monday morning with a authorly
date at tartine. met with the lovely cheryl herbsman
(Breathing) and malinda lo (Ash). we spent two hours
chatting and laughing and eating! definitely a highlight
among many fun moments during my short trip.

i jumped right into revising when i got back,
as short school days and spring break had kept
me from three hour chunks of writing time that
i love. it’s going very well and i’m excited by the
changes and improvements i’m making, with v’s
global comments and suggestions.

hoorah for sequel love!

tonight, i begin a new secret class in the name
of research. *grins*

currently reading :

the wizard heir by cinda williams chima

i had the pleasure of meeting and having a lovely
lunch with sarah. she’s living my dream life, getting
a doctorate at cambridge AND also writing historical
fiction in the elizabethan era that i REALLY want to read.
i hope some smart editor buys her novel(s) soon!!!

mmm. the english fudge stand at camden town!

camden town is one of my favorite markets!
here, diners sit on moped seats along the
camden loch. i couldn’t find the antiques section
of camden town. was searching very hard for it
to find…a tarot card reader. yes! i had a very
interesting reading by her in september 2007
about my writing career. but she wasn’t meant to
be found! boo.

and no, i don’t usually get tarot readings. my best
friend and i did it on a lark and then got scared
by how accurate she was. haha!

fruits made from marzipan in the food hall at
harrod’s! also glimpses of turkish delights–which
i always buy. i love their turkish delights!

walking from piccadilly to leicester square.

a fancy version of the english breakfast.
always a favorite indulgence while on holiday
in england! just say no to bacon! i never eat the
stuff. bleah!

and this was a foto from our last day in london.
the bubs near liverpool street station. =)

have been working diligently to prepare for our art
show in balboa park’s spanish village in mid march!

will leave you with some great links :

kirsten lesko, a fabulous critique friend, launches her
blog “sell your novel, not your soul”. she discusses all things
regarding writing and marketing yourself and your books!
click over and say hi at disobedientwriter.com!!
(can’t decide which is cooler, her tag line or her url!)

we’re trying to raise some money for YABC (young
adults book central) so it can get a much needed make
over. there’s an auction going with signed books (including
Silver Phoenix and three of my note cards of your choice!)
as well as critique of pages by authors. so check it out!!

i also interview fellow greenwillowite david macinnis gill
on his great debut, Soul Enchilada, over at the enchanted inkpot!

february and i have yet to post my christmas
london fotos! today is my tribute to one of the
best greek restaurants i’ve ever been to. lemonia
in primrose hill. interestingly enough, we also went
to an excellent greek restaurant in vienna (ah, if
only i remembered the name?). we ate well in
crete of course (for the love’s 26th birthday, when
i was living in london). i’ve yet to find the delicious tomato
stuffed with ground lamb and rice dish anywhere since.

*a vegetarian version of keftedes made from zucchini.
and the cucumber yogurt dip, taziki.

*i ordered two appetizers as my main meal. dolmas, a favorite
of mine stuffed with rice and minced lamb wrapped in grape leaves,
and artichoke with beans. so so delicious!!

*my dessert that was the most heavenly thing i’ve ever
tasted. my first time trying greek yogurt! fresh fruit,
drizzled in honey with chopped almonds!

if you’re ever in london and in the primrose hill area,
GO TO lemonia!! the service is fantastic too!

on our last day in london, we went to spitalfields market.
alas, it was a weekday, cold and wet, and most of the stalls
weren’t there. so there wasn’t much to browse thorough. BUT
upon leaving the covered market, i came across this boutique.

it’s called Queens and absolutely insane.
i had to wander through it, altho the bubs weren’t
allowed, as it was a small intimate room crammed with
fragile things dangling and skewed from every nook
and corner!

if you are willing to take one travel advice from me, it
is this. ALWAYS buy something that you like while away
from home. because it will be a wonderful reminder of your
trip and most likely, you will never get a chance to buy the
same item again and regret it horribly.

i speak from experience. during my trip to hk, we had gone
to a nightmarket and i saw a set of little twin stars pajamas.
LITTLE TWIN STARS PAJAMAS!! i love little twin stars! so
much cooler than the newer sanrio stuff. i tried to bargain
with the merchant (as all tour books recommend and really
as required of me since i’m a shopping chinese girl in hong kong!)
and got shot down. the pjs were probably all of $25 but i refused
to buy them out of principle. and look at me, thinking about them
still over seven years later!!

this is my favorite purchase from london!
her name is iris and she is my new lucky writing
charm! she is clutching books and has them stacked
on her head, dolled up with glasses and sparkly lipstick
with a latte pressed to her side. she cost me 20# but i
didn’t hesitate to get her. =D i smile every time i see her!

thanks to all who entered the fantastic TGIFBM giveaway.
stephanie ruble was the lucky winner! i’m not so good about
announcing every time but i do choose winners! =)

currently reading :

mistwood by leah cypess

we visited san francisco on my 30th birthday
in august 2003, when i was around seven months pregnant
with sweet pea. fotos were taken, me with my
rotund belly, but i can’t be bothered to resurrect
them. and in november 2003…

…sweet pea arrived!

i was fortunate enough to take an entire year
off from work, and much to my surprise, found
out we were expecting munchkin when sweet pea
was just seven months old. i cried.
i felt very sorry for myself. haha! to this day, i call
munchkin “my favorite mistake”. =p

we traveled to london at least once a year all
these years. in 2004, we went twice, once
in the spring and once over christmas. (again, fotos
not readily available.)

in march of 2005, munchkin arrived!

the love and i began discussing perhaps
moving to a bigger home, which was a three
bedroom bungalow. but we loved this area so
much, instead, we decided to add a new master
and bath toward the back of our house and gut
the kitchen and dark tiny dining area to the studs
and open it up to our living room. (the one public
living space.)

from january 2006 through june, my only living
space was three bedrooms and two bathrooms. the
guest bath was converted into a place i could do the
dishes. i tried cooking soup udon noodles on a bunsen
burner in the bathroom once. i didn’t do it again!
we ordered take out a lot!
at the time, both bubs were at home with me full time.
honestly, i’m not sure how i survived.
i chose almost everything for the remodel, from cabinet
doorknobs to lights to dining room table and chairs,
doing all my research (and much of the shopping) online.

i was an hgtv fiend during that time. and
tho i still enjoy many of the shows, i don’t watch
the home redecorating so much any more.
my decor tastes are pretty eclectic, tho i think
ideally, beach cottage is what i would love best.
bright, clean, cheery. that reading nook in the
master overlooking the garden was meant to be
a walk in closet. (what a waste of the views!) and
originally, the claw foot tub was a monstrosity of
a giant square jacuzzi thing stuck in the corner in
the original designs. i requested all the changes,
including over sized windows where the tub sits.

and a blog post from that year.

23 July 2006
..long drawn..

i spent over five hours this
weekend writing and editing
my story. i am nearly at 10k
words now. it is a painstaking
process. and lonely business
at that. i am too close to it
to know whether it is good
or interesting.

i am meeting with my monthly
read and critique group this
tuesday night. a writer
cannot ask for anything more
than good honest criticism.

that and thousands of
adoring fans.

(ha! and yes, this is my rough
drafting of Silver Phoenix.)

in september 06, we had professional
family portraits taken on the beach.

in spring 2007, i somehow convinced
my mom to look after the bubs while the
love and i escaped to fiji for ten days for our
ten year anniversary. my mom flew my aunt
from china to help. when i returned. she said
it was the hardest days of her life. (i am her only
child, and she’s not at all used to little boys, hee!)
i pretty much knew i wouldn’t be asking her for
the same favor again for another ten years. =p

we were in northern fiji, at the yasawa islands.
the blue lagoon was filmed in this area of fiji.
the resort we stayed at (very small with private bungalows)
was steps from the private beach and a few feet beyond
there was an amazing reef full of sea life and coral.
(all the underwater fotos were taken by me while snorkeling!)
i would often poke my head above water and look back onto
the beach, marveling the beauty just ten feet from the sand,
completely hidden from view if you were just glancing seaward.

at night, i saw the most stars i’d ever seen my entire
life. the experience was written into Silver Phoenix, when
ai ling takes a bath in a certain river.

in january 2008, i began querying for an agent for
Silver Phoenix. another blog entry…

27 March 2008
..numbers game..

nine weeks into my agent querying

total queries sent : 109

rejections :38

rejections assumed : 8

partials requested : 18

partials rejected : 9

fulls requested : 4

fulls rejected : 1

rejection with inviation to submit new project : 3

rejection with invitation to submit revised beginning : 1

have yet to respond : 41

that same month, we took another trip to taiwan,
the bubs’ first to my birthplace. i’m so glad that we
did, as that summer, my uncle fell ill suddenly
and died. =( he was always our tour guide and a very
gracious host for all our visits, and
a wonderful father to both my girl cousins. they and
my aunt were devastated. i was so happy that we took
this trip and was able to spend some time together as
a family that year.

*the 101 building. was the tallest building
in the world for a short time.

*how is it that i can smell them and am
now actually salivating?

*i love LOVE LOVE taiwanese street food.

*the market on a typical day.

*the asian food courts at the department stores put
the american ones to shame. this meal cost me $4. yeah,
good thing i don’t live in taiwan!!

*the taiwanese dessert chua bing (crushed ice).
i love mine with tapioca balls, taro, barley and
condensed milk. damn. i’m drooling even more now. ha!

within a week after my query stats post, in early april
2008, agent bill contardi offered to represent me. about
six weeks later, my novel sold in mid-may.

which brings us to 2009, the most wonderful, amazing,
stressful and exhausting unforgettable year yet. but i don’t
think i need to document 2009? you can just click on my
archives. =)

in 2000, i was just finishing my masters program
at new york university. i would graduate in may
and return to san diego by the summer. what was
revolutionary for me was the purchase of my first
digital camera. i don’t consider myself a fotographer
at all. but i do take plenty of fotographs. it’s my
own attempt at grounding myself, by saying i was
HERE–to capture brief moments in life,
the beauty and the color around us.

this foto excavation has been a lot of fun, and only
sifting through do i actually realize how much i had
done, seen, experienced. and this, only for 2000-2002!

new york city, spring 2000

in may 2000, we went to bonaire (an island in
the dutch carribean) to celebrate our 3rd anniversary.

the following year, in may 2001, we spent
our 4th anniversary in maui. in june 2001, we
bought our first home.

that winter (december 2001), we took our usual trip to
london to visit family, then flew to vienna, austria.
gustav klimt is one of my favorite artists, and many
of his originals are in museums throughout vienna.
i absolutely fell in love with the city.

in april 2002, we took a jaunt to hong kong
and taipei with my mom. the main purpose for
going to hong kong was to buy qi paos. i was
very sad that i couldn’t get any custom made, as
my visit was just for three days. i had just seen
in the mood for love and the star had the most
amazing qi paos on. it’s a visually stunning film.
i recommend it if you haven’t seen it yet. and i love
tony leung as well as maggie cheung! and the main
goal for visiting taipei (other than seeing family
and eating like a fiend) was to have professional
wedding portraits taken (asian glamour style!).

in hong kong, april 2002.

in taiwan, april 2002

after the trip, i took a foto in one of two new qi paos
(that i can barely squeeze into now, so i don’t wear them)
in the back garden of our new home. i think a lot of things
when i see this picture : wow, look at how thin i was! wow,
look at how young i was! wow, look at all that hair i’ve got!
and a still from in the mood for love.

in december 2002, we take a jaunt to
bruges, belgium. both the love and i love
to travel, and we knew Our Days Were Numbered. =)
as you’ll see beginning in 2003 posts. ha!
i’m the shopper when we travel, the love hardly
ever buys anything. but he really went all out in
bruges, stuffing our luggage with chocolate, belgian
beer, and fancy beer glasses to drink the belgian beer. ha!

as you can see, my love for food has a long
history. ha! tho i didn’t begin consistently
taking food fotos until recent years–which is
a pity! whew! this post took me all day to put
together. i hope you enjoyed looking at the fotos
as much as i did again. =)

don’t forget to tweet or fb status or LJ or blog
with a link and short blurb about the TGIFBM
give away!!

as i said, we made it safely back from england!
i won’t lie, it was one of the most stressful
and coldest jaunts ever. sweet pea was air sick
the entire eleven hours there and back. =( i was
hoping she would get better as she got older
but this trip was the worst yet. we gave her over
the counter medication on the flight back and it
didn’t help one bit. she’s traumatized over flights
now. =( we flew back with heightened security
which meant further stress and delays. i was just
so happy to be back home safe again!!

*to high 70’s weather and surfers galore!
those are my boys in the corner. =D

this doesn’t mean i didn’t manage to enjoy
my trip. i’m returning to my favorite city after all!
i went into london for the weekend by myself to
see my best friend, and we had such fun!

*i loved this “christmas tree” outside the
royal academy art institute on piccadilly.

*and right adjacent wedged into a tiny corner
of an arcade was this french macaron shop.

*yes, please! we had to let the macaron
shopwoman fill our boxes for us. i bought
a dozen: pistachio, chestnut, praline, vanilla,
chocolate and coffee. yes, i remember! i tried
the praline and chestnut.

*and probably one of the highlights of this
trip, my best friend took me to the wolsely
for afternoon tea. oh, it was just gorgeous
inside and completely full our entire 2 or so
hours there! it’s a place i’ve walked past many
times with the love and bubs and said, we wouldn’t
be welcome there. ha! but it was more casual than
the ritz close by, which required black tie for tea!

*so so delicious. the restaurant had a no fotos
policy so i was trying my best to be quick and
surreptitious. meep!

i’m still a little jet lagged, but almost fully
recovered. i have a feeling 2010 will be a very
exciting year–tho 2009 will be a difficult one
to top, certainly!

it’s a special year as my publisher, greenwillow books
just celebrated 35 years! to mark the occasion,
we’ve started a blog, under the green willow. there
will be fun and interesting posts, including the
inaugural post by my fantabulous editor, virginia!
do check it out and say hello!

(my munchkin would LOVE that Fire Truck book!)

2010. wow.

http://twitter.com/cindypon