It’s been just about 3 weeks since Peach Blossom Spring was released in the US and the UK. Woo hoo! It’s been exhilarating and intense! I still can’t get used to the idea of my book being in bookstores and libraries. Each message from old friends or new readers that I receive about the book is so touching. It’s unreal to have the stories and characters I lived with for so long out in world, finding their readers. Last week, editions were released in India, Australia and New Zealand. And this week, the Italian version was released (translated by Barbara Ronca).
You can catch up with appearances and readings on my events page. Some of the virtual events that have already occurred have links to recordings and many live events are still to come in the UK. On the press page, you’ll find articles, reviews and interviews you might enjoy.
Here in this post, I wanted to share some photos from the London launch on 22 March at the Centre of Taiwan Studies at SOAS, University of London. We were very generously hosted by centre directors, Dafydd Fell and Bi-Yu Chang.
It was a dream of an evening. I was beyond delighted to see so many people at a live event. Although some had to send apologies due to COVID and general life conflicts, I still felt like there was someone (or several someones) from each part of my life and my writing life present, many of whom helped in the writing or researching of Peach Blossom Spring. Among the beloved faces were friends from my village, friends from Cambridge, friends from London, friends I had only ever met online, writing group friends, Norwich friends, scholars and researchers in Taiwanese and Chinese studies, the audiobook narrator, my ace publishing team from Wildfire/Headline, and my husband. Thank you to everyone who came! Each and every one of you made this evening so special!
I gave a short talk about my research and writing process, focusing on aspects of the book that take place in Taiwan. Then we had time for some very interesting Q+A.
Signing books was so thrilling!
Afterwards, my husband and I had a nice dinner and some bubbles to celebrate.
