Read this book: SILVER PHOENIX

Today I am pleased to be welcoming Cindy Pon, authored of the newly released SILVER PHOENIX: BEYOND THE KINGDOM OF XIA. The description of her book has some of my favorite words, as a reader: "marked by immortals", "terrible evil", "stealing souls"... sign me up! And seriously--sadly--when was the last time you read a fantasy with an Asian heroine? If you love fantasy like I do--or if you're just looking for a great story that's different from everything else out there--read on...

ABOUT THE BOOK

On the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people's spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams...and that's just the beginning.

 

ai ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor's palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. And then she meets chen yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.

CINDY ANSWERS MY 3 FAVE QUESTIONS...
--I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
grandma grace, my book is a very straight forward heroine's journey. a story of growing into your own self and power, a story about first love. i think you'd enjoy it!

--What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
i think i'd be floored. i was an avid reader since elementary school but had NEVER read a book with an asian protagonist in it. fantasy will always be my first genre love, so i think i'd be thrilled to read a fantasy with an asian heroine. maybe that's why i wrote the book--for my teenaged self?

--I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
since it's based on ancient china and i've never been to the country--the book has no actual place at all that i have ever visited. it's all from fotos i have seen and from the pictures within my own mind.

ALL ABOUT CINDY

Cindy Pon was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and her family immigrated to California in 1980, settling in the suburbs of Los Angeles. She began writing stories before she was officially declared English proficient. She received her bachelor's from the University of California, San Diego, and also earned a master's from New York University. The author is a student of Chinese brush painting, and her love for the art is reflected in her storytelling. Cindy Pon lives with her husband and two small children in San Diego, California.