Recently, a reader wrote that my first novel, The Polar Bear and the Palm Tree, screamed “self-published.” The one star out of five and the rest of his review confirmed that P. from Ohio did not really enjoy reading my book. Did this comment sting? Yes, of course. A little. But mostly, it got me … More In Defense of Self-Publishing
My appointment with May-Ling Chen, Singapore’s respected scholar, political figure and philanthropist, had been cancelled, rescheduled and postponed too many times. I was young, I was ambitious, I needed that interview for the magazine I was working for. I was convinced it would boost my career. I continued calling Madam Chen’s office every day, several … More The Black Child
It was late when you came home from the office, weary and tired. I was pottering around, some music playing in the background. Through the kitchen window, I could see snowflakes twirling down in the dark and silently piling up on the ground. Everything was quiet. You sat down and handed me a letter. “She … More She
My latest short story, dedicated to my own grand-father. Pour toi, Henri. The young man in full uniform staring at me from the black and white photo is handsome. I have turned the pages of this family album dozens of times. I have looked at those photos again and again but have never really thought … More The War Between Us
Recently, I was honored to be invited to the Second Annual Fundraising Book Signing for the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, in New York. We were six authors, presenting our book and reading excerpts, signing copies and meeting readers. All proceeds will go to help a maternity care in Senegal and a day care center … More The Joy of Giving Back
