Year of Fire Dragons: An American Woman's Story of Coming of Age in Hong Kong by Shannon Young

Title: Year of Fire Dragons: An American Woman's Story of Coming of Age in Hong Kong
Author: Shannon Young
Publication: Blacksmith Books (15 Jun. 2015)  
Summary: In 2010, bookish 22-year-old Shannon follows her Eurasian boyfriend to Hong Kong, eager to forge a new love story in his hometown. But when work sends him to London a month later, Shannon embarks on a wide-eyed newcomer's journey through Hong Kong – alone.

She teaches in a local school as the only foreigner, explores Asia with other young expats and discovers family history in Hong Kong, all while trying to hold on to her thwarted romance. The city enchants her, forcing her to question her plans. Soon, she must make a choice between her new life and the love that first brought her to Asia.

What I Think

Living in Hong Kong I have a particular interest in reading books set in this little pocket of Asia and it's an extra special treat to read a book that reminds me what a vibrant and exciting city this is. Hong Kong is multifaceted and each morning Shannon Young leaves "behind one world and enter[s] an entirely different, more Chinese one." 

"The time was right for an international long distance relationship," writes Young about her relationship with Ben, managing to stay in daily contact via Skype, phone, email and instant messaging. This is in stark contrast to the annual letters Young's grandmother sent back to the U.S. She had also moved abroad to teach, met her husband, got married and started a family. In the 1950s they were stationed in Hong Kong. Including fragments of these letters evokes not only the feeling of a different world, but draws comparisons with the physical changes in Hong Kong. 

Living abroad isn't always easy. "Friendship is fast, cheap, and interchangeable in the expat world." Young's writing is full of such insights as she delves further into the Chinese culture, language, her teaching position as the only Native English Teacher and whether she wants to stay in Hong Kong without Ben, or move to yet another foreign place to be with him.  

Shannon Young's writing is as full of life as this city and I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in travel, living abroad, teaching or a good old-fashioned love story. 

About the Author

Shannon Young is an American writer currently living in Hong Kong. She is the author of a coming of age travel memoir called Year of Fire Dragons (Blacksmith Books) and a Kindle Single on student debt. She has edited an anthology of creative non-fiction by expat women in Asia and written e-books including a mini travel memoir, The Olympics Beat, and a novella, The Art of Escalator Jumping.

A graduate of Colgate University in New York, Shannon's writing has appeared in the Hong Kong Women in Publishing Society's anthology, on numerous websites, and on an iPhone travel app. She writes a blog called A Kindle in Hong Kong and likes to spy on other people's books on the train.


You can follow Shannon's work and join her email list at the following sites:

Website: shannonyoungwriter.com
Blog: akindleinhongkong.blogspot.com
Twitter: @ShannonYoungHK

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

Title: This Is Where I Leave You
Author: Jonathan Tropper
Publication: Orion (21 Jan. 2010)
Summary: Poor Judd Foxman returns home early to find his wife in bed with his boss - in the act. He now faces the twin threats of both divorce and unemployment. His misery is compounded further with the sudden death of his father. He is then asked to come and 'sit Shiva' for his newly deceased parent with his angry, screwed-up and somewhat estranged brothers and sisters in his childhood home. It is there he must confront who he really is and - more importantly - who he can become.

What I Think

There's no point writing about an ordinary family with no problems. The Foxman family in Johnathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You is anything but normal. In fact, it's almost farcical. Every issue you can imagine arises; from adultery to death to struggling with fertility to unwanted pregnancy to you-name-it. It's a psychiatrist's dream family. But despite the struggles of this family, the book is extremely funny. It's been a long time since a book has made me laugh this much. A bittersweet novel about a man trying to find his way and I would highly recommend it. 

About the Author

Jonathan Tropper is the internationally bestselling author of six novels: Plan B, The Book of Joe, Everything Changes, How To Talk to a Widower, This Is Where I Leave You, and One Last Thing Before I Go. His books have been translated into over twenty languages. He recently adapted This Is Where I Leave You as a feature film for Warner Bros. Studios, starring Jason Bateman and Tina Fey, and is currently adapting One Last Thing Before I Go for Paramount. Jonathan is also the co-creator and executive producer of the television show Banshee, which premiered on Cinemax in January 2013 and is currently shooting its third season. He lives in Westchester, NY with his three children.

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

Title: Seating Arrangements
Author: Maggie Shipstead
Publication: Blue Door (24 May 2012)
Summary: The Van Meters have gathered at their family retreat on the New England island of Waskeke to celebrate the marriage of daughter Daphne to an impeccably appropriate young man. The weekend is full of lobster and champagne, salt air and practiced bonhomie, but long-buried discontent and simmering lust seep through the cracks in the revelry.

Winn Van Meter, father-of-the-bride, has spent his life following the rules of the east coast upper crust, but now, just shy of his sixtieth birthday, he must finally confront his failings, his desires, and his own humanity.

What I Think

Maggie Shipstead's Seating Arrangements takes place over three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, in the lead-up to and the day of Daphne and Greyson's wedding. Despite Winn, Daphne's father, being the main character, the story is told from multiple points of view. This gives the reader an insight into how everyone - not just the main character - feels and interprets the various events which happen over these three days. 

Shipstead's writing and imagery is beautiful. "The farm might have been the end of the earth. A thin seam of ocean sealed its fields to the sky, all of it coppered by the sun." And not only is she able to capture these scenes perfectly, but she interjects these long, languid sentences with short snappy dialogue which makes for varied and interesting reading. 

Various characters offer us an insight into relationships, both romantic and otherwise. "Female friendship was one-tenth prevention and nine-tenths cleanup." "Because it turns out to be a choice, commitment - not some done deal."

Overall this is not a fast-paced thrill of a book, but it's not supposed to be. It's a gentle unraveling of a family, their friends and (soon to be) in-laws and the secrets that they all hold. I really enjoyed it. 

About the Author

Maggie Shipstead is the author of two novels: Astonish Me and Seating Arrangements, which won the Dylan Thomas Prize and the L.A. Times Book Prize for First Fiction. She is a graduate of Harvard and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a former Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford. Her writing has appeared in many publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, The New Republic, Tin House, and The Best American Short Stories. “La Moretta,” a story published in VQR, was a National Magazine Award finalist. She lives in Los Angeles.

The Two of Us by Andy Jones

About the Book

Title: The two of Us
Author: Andy Jones
Publication: Simon & Schuster UK (12 Feb. 2015)
Summary: Falling in love is the easy part. What matters most is what happens next...
Fisher and Ivy have been an item for a whole nineteen days. And they just know they are meant to be together. The fact that they know little else about each other is a minor detail. Over the course of twelve months, in which their lives will change forever, Fisher and Ivy discover that falling in love is one thing, but staying there is an entirely different story. The Two of Us is a charming, honest and heart-breaking novel about life, love, and the importance of taking neither one for granted.

What I Think

William Fisher can be very annoying. Not only is he constantly trying to have sex with his pregnant girlfriend, but he flirts outrageously with a colleague and you keep hoping that he's not going to be an idiot. On the flip side he's wonderfully endearing too. He is kind and patient with his best friend, El, who is dying of Huntingdon's and El's partner as well as having a close relationship with his family. 

The Two of Us reads a chick lit book for men (bloke lit - is that a thing?). However, it's not a flighty version of chick lit, but it's of the weightier end, like a Jojo Moyes (in fact it's not dissimilar in certain ways to Me Before You). As the book progresses it tackles increasingly heavier themes culminating in a true tragedy at the end which William struggles to deal with. 

This book made me laugh, made me cringe and brought tears to my eyes. It is well-written and pacy with strong characters and heart-warming relationships. 

About the Author

Andy Jones lives in London with his wife and two little girls. During the day he works in an advertising agency; at weekends and horribly early in the mornings, he writes fiction. 

Follow Andy on Twitter & Facebook:
@andyjonesauthor

facebook.com/andyjonesauthor

Friday Flash Fiction - The Price of Milk

The Price of Milk

It’s such a cliché, isn’t it? Man leaves to buy a loaf of bread and a pint of milk from the corner shop and never comes back. As much as it’s a cliché, that’s exactly what my father did on 16th October 1994. My mother didn’t notice for hours, or so she says, and possibly wasn’t even that bothered truth be told. I wasn’t sure what to think or feel, but my younger brother was distraught. 

And here we are ten years later and I’m looking at him on the tube with a woman sitting on his left and a child on his knee. He’s sitting diagonally opposite me and has glanced up a couple of times, looking directly at me as if he were about to say something. I doubt he recognizes me. The eight-year-old with blond pigtails has long been replaced by an angry teenager with short spikey hair dyed in various shades of black, pink and purple. Even if he did realize it was me, I doubt he’d acknowledge me, especially not since he appears to be playing happy families with somebody else. I hope for that little boy’s sake, he sticks around longer than he did for Josh and me. 

As I walk past them to leave the train, the boy grabs the hem of my skirt, which has small bells on it. I look at him and smile as his mother gently coaxes his hand loose whilst apologizing. My father just looks at me and that’s when I know he recognizes me. After a couple of seconds he looks away and I get off the train. 

©2014 Laura Besley

Flash Fiction Diary  

Snippets: A Collection of Flash Fiction is now available!  
Amazon UK/Amazon US

Many thanks to those of you who have already downloaded and read my collection of flash fiction. Also my thanks go out to those of you who have helped me to promote it by posting on facebook, twitter, sending emails or word of mouth. It's all much appreciated! 

I've had five 5star reviews, which have obviously made me extremely happy. 

"This is a wonderful collection of flash fiction and short prose. What I liked most was the variance of the storylines and their tone because I think they really complimented each other well. Some were humourous, others romantic, some dark and some topical (and relevant)."  Michael Diack

"If you like flash fiction, you're going to love Laura Besley's collection of stories in Snippets. If you don't like flash fiction or if you haven't tried it before, read Laura's book. She just may convert you." - Clint Morey

Friday Flash Fiction - Turning Tables

Turning Tables

‘Boy, how the tables have turned,’ Bas said, and took a long draught from his dark ale.
Martijn stubbed out his cigarette in an already overflowing ashtray on the worn oak table between them. 
Bas put his glass down with a clunk. ‘It’s almost funny.’ 
‘It’s certainly not funny,’ Martijn said, raising his voice a little above normal.  
‘I said almost.’ 
‘Whatever.’ 
‘In the beginning she couldn’t get enough of you, sent you ten messages a day and you had to rein her in, afraid your wife would find out.’ 
Martijn lit another cigarette. 
‘Now, six months later you’re crying into your beer because she won’t see you anymore.’ 
‘I love her.’ 
‘Pff! Love! You don’t love her. You’re obsessed with her. With her youth, her beauty, her charisma. All the things you don’t have any more with your wife of fifteen years. You’re infatuated. You can’t maintain that level of involvement.’ 
Martijn blew out smoke through his nose. ‘It was never like this with Marie.’ 
‘Of course not. At least, that’s what you tell yourself. But that could be a lie. You want to justify this somehow, but you can’t.’
‘You don’t know anything.’ 
I know she’ll never come back to you and even if she does, she won’t stay with you.’ 
‘Thanks for pointing that out again.’ 
‘I did say it from the beginning. No young, attractive, intelligent woman in her early twenties stays with a guy over forty for very long. Unless he’s filthy rich, and you’re not.’ 
‘What am I going to do?’ Martijn put his head in his hands. ‘I’ve lost everything now. Marie has kicked me out, won’t let me see the kids-’
‘Well, she can’t do that. You’ll have to get a lawyer.’ 
‘I know, I know. How did this happen?’
‘You couldn’t keep your dick in your trousers.’  


©2014 Laura Besley

Flash Fiction Diary  

Snippets is now available!  
Amazon UK/Amazon US

Many thanks to those of you who have already downloaded and read my collection of flash fiction. Also my thanks go out to those of you who have helped me to promote it by posting on facebook, twitter, sending emails or word of mouth. It's all much appreciated! 

I've had two 5star reviews, which have obviously made me extremely happy. 

"This is a wonderful collection of flash fiction and short prose. What I liked most was the variance of the storylines and their tone because I think they really complimented each other well. Some were humourous, others romantic, some dark and some topical (and relevant)."  Michael Diack

"If you like flash fiction, you're going to love Laura Besley's collection of stories in Snippets. If you don't like flash fiction or if you haven't tried it before, read Laura's book. She just may convert you." - Clint Morey

Friday Flash Fiction - Giraffes Can't Mate with Zebras

Giraffes Can’t Mate with Zebras

He’ll have to go. There’s nothing wrong with him per se, it’s just.

At primary school my group of friends and I gave each other animal nicknames. Mine
was the easy choice: giraffe, because I’m so tall. Always have been and although 
puberty gave the others a chance to catch up, no-­one ever did. 

Recently I’ve started dating someone shorter than me. He doesn’t seem to mind, but 
I think I do. I walk in the gutter when he’s on the pavement; stand on the lower step 
of the escalator, to be harshly reminded of the difference when we get to the bottom.
There’s the age ­old “there’s no height difference when you’re lying down” (nudge, 
nudge, wink, wink), but unlike ancient Romans who spent the majority of their time 
lazing on divans, I’m not sure that’s enough.  

‘Colin, we need to talk.’ 

Laura Besley

Flash Fiction Diary  

This piece is semi-autobiographical. I am very tall, one of my nicknames at school was giraffe and I did one try dating a man shorter than me. It didn't work out, but not for those reasons! 

I've decided to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) again this year. The aim is to write 50,000 words towards a novel, or in my case towards a collection of short stories, within the month of November. That'll be kicking off next Friday. Hopefully I'll still have time to also keep the blog going, but I'm not sure I should make any promises...

Friday Flash Fiction - The Newsroom

The Newsroom

We met every Tuesday night in the Newsroom, a tiny restaurant only ten minutes walk from where we both worked. It was quiet enough to have a conversation, but there was enough of an after-work crowd to not feel like we were on a date (although that's what all my friends called it). Dating, they said. You're dating. You can't meet a single man every week for dinner and it mean nothing. But that's the thing. I'm not sure it did mean anything. And anyway, I said, it's not dating when you share the bill.  

Roger and I worked in the same building, but for different companies. I worked in law and he as an accountant. We got talking one day in the early morning queue at the Starbucks counter two blocks away. We seemed to chat easily and agreed to have a bite to eat after work. But it wasn't a date. 

That first dinner was very pleasant; we both enjoyed our meals and had a glass of wine each, mine white his red, and after we shared a pot of tea. We agreed to do it again next week, same time same place. Oh so slowly we got to know more about each other, our families, our dreams and our realities. 

One Tuesday he told me, halfway through the main course, that he was getting married next month. I could feel a burning sensation in my eyes and in my stomach and realised in an instant that I had, subconsciously, been hoping for more than friendship. I was initially too stunned to speak and finally murmured something along the lines of 'best wishes', followed quickly by the fact that it was inappropriate for us to keep meeting. He didn't agree. I tried to put myself into his wife-to-be's shoes and told him that it most definitely was. He slowly wiped his mouth with his napkin as I stood, knocking my chair into the person behind me. I muttered an apology and left quickly. 

When I got home I realised that I had forgotten to pay for my share of the bill. 

Laura Besley

Flash Fiction Diary  

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to read and/or comment on my first FFF piece I had posted in three months last week. I felt very welcomed back. 

This piece was inspired by a real restaurant in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, close to where I live. 

Friday Flash Fiction - week 41

A Modern Arrangement

“When Lance announced he had a mistress and she was pregnant, I was faced with two choices,” Vivian said. “Leave or stay. It really was as simple as that.”
“What did you do?”
“Oh, I stayed. We came to an arrangement. He lived with me Monday to Friday, to keep up the pretence, and at the weekends he went to her and the baby.” 
Sylvia quietly stirred half a spoonful of Demerara sugar into her skinny cappuccino.   
“I know, I know. You’re thinking: how could I do it.” 
“To be honest, yes.” 
“Well, it’s not like I really loved him much in the first place.” 
“No?”
“No, not really. We rarely had sex. Never laughed much together. In all honesty, I think I was in love with the idea of being in love, without actually having a clue what it was all about.” 
Sylvia nodded. “I’ve heard that before.” 
“Lance and I started dating at Harvard and when we graduated it was more or less expected that we’d marry. So we did.”
Sylvia replaced the coffee cup into its saucer. “Gosh.” 
“I suppose he fell in love with her. In a way I can’t blame him. She was beautiful.” 
“Really?”
“Oh yes, no denying it. I kept my head in the sand for quite a while, but found a picture of her once.”  
“Have you ever met her?” 
Vivian shook her head. “God, no! We didn’t discuss her. Ever. Or the baby. That is, until recently, when he told me he was leaving me.” 
“Oh Vivian.” Sylvia reached out and took her hand. 
“And not for her, but for another Asian woman. I don’t know if that makes it better or worse.”

Laura Besley

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Flash Fiction diary

This conversation is based on a true story, with a lot of imaginary details thrown in. 

Flash Fortnightly #11 is a piece about love, but a different kind of love. Click here for Dreams. 

imprint 12 (the annual anthology of Women in Publishing Society) was launched on Friday 15th March and as mentioned before, I was asked to read my piece of flash fiction, Fractious Heat. I was incredibly nervous, but as I had practised a few times with my lovely husband, I think it went well. I got a good reaction from the crowd, which was a real boost! 
As always, it's an absolute thrill to see my work in print. As well as the piece of flash fiction, I also submitted a piece of non-fiction, Aspects of Home.  





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Flash Fiction is short enough to read whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil. It's fairly quick to write too, but with it being so short, every word has to count. 

On 4th May 2012 I decided to embark on a project: to write a piece of Flash Fiction every day. I'm hoping this will keep the creative juices flowing and ultimately help me hone my craft. Every Friday I'll be posting 'the best of the week' onto my blog for you to read. If you have anything to say (good or 'constructive'!), I'm open to comments.  

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Watch Over Me by Daniela Sacerdoti

About the Book

Title: Watch Over Me
Author: Daniela Sacerdoti
Publication: Black & White Publishing (3 Nov 2011)/Amazon Kindle
Summary: Eilidh Lawson’s life has hit crisis point. Years of failed fertility treatments, a cheating husband and an oppressive family have pushed her to the limits. Desperate for relief, she seeks solace in the only place she’s ever felt at home – a small village in the Scottish Highlands. There she connects with people from her past and childhood. 

What I Think

When Eilidh returns to her childhood village in Scotland you know that it is going to bring her the comfort that she needs to put her life back together. When she bumps into her childhood friend, Jamie McAnena, whose life is also not one hundred percent perfect, you suspect that they are going to get together. 

There were too many, and most unnecessary, perspectives. It would have been better to remain more focused on the two main characters which would have allowed for more suspense in the narrative.  

Overall the book was an enjoyable read. 

About the Author

Daniela Sacerdoti is a mother and a writer. Born in Naples, but brought up in a small village in the Italian Alps, she lives near Glasgow with her husband and sons. She steals time to write when everyone has gone to bed, or before they wake up. She’s a Primary teacher, but she chose to be at home with her children. She loves being with her boys, reading anything she can get her hands on and chatting with her girlfriends. But she also adores being on her own, free to daydream and make up stories.

Friday Flash Fiction - week 33

 Dreams of a Faraway Place

“I had a dream last night about my father. I dreamt we were walking around the old estate, talking. He was telling me about the plants and the birds. Something he used to do all the time when I was younger. Every morning he and I used to walk around for about an hour. It was my favourite time of the day. He always carried a notebook with him and used to write down problems that needed addressing or notes about animals or plants that we hadn’t seen before.  

“We had a large house then with several acres of land around it. We had a maid, a cook and a gardener. The cook and the gardener were married and had three children. Two of them were older than me, but Ah San was only six months younger than me and he was my best friend. Every morning Mother would make me sit in the front room, or if it was really hot out on the porch, and we would read or do arithmetic. I was always really jealous of Ah San who could run around and play as his two older brothers helped his parents with their work. In the afternoons he showed me what he had been doing and then we would play together until sundown. 

“One day, on one of our morning walks, my father told me that I was going to England to go to school. I didn’t understand at first. I thought I would be coming back. As it turned out, I never saw my childhood home again. Or Ah San. Or my father.”

“And how does that make you feel?”

“Angry. I hated boarding school. I hated England. It was cold and drab. So very drab. I wondered where all the colours had gone. Everything was either navy, grey or black. Where were the reds, oranges, yellows and greens? I missed my old life, my real life.”

“What happened to your father?” 

“He caught a tropical disease and died. Apparently from one of the local girls he’d been seeing. My mother told me this with a hint of delight in her voice. I hated her too; for her honesty, for surviving, for not being able to keep him from straying.”

“Have you been able to tell her this?”

“Yes, I told her alright. We haven’t spoken, well not properly, in years.” 

“And have you ever been back?”   

“No. Only in my dreams.” 

Laura Besley

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Flash Fiction diary

Some mornings I go for a walk in my neighbourhood. I enjoy being out at that time of day. There are always plenty of people about and one day I saw a young boy, dressed in a school uniform walking with his father. They both looked very solemn. That was the inspiration for this story, although many of the details have been altered. 

Has anyone ever had a good or bad experience with a fortune teller or tarot card reader? Personally I've only had good experiences, but this week's Flash Fortnightly was based on a story that a friend told me. Click here to see how it all ends for Carly and Hilary in Tarot Reading.


It's always wonderful when someone reads your work. Something that's also wondeful is when someone says that they've been inspired by your work. That happened to me this week when my former colleague and friend, Beth Mckinnon-Szabo, said she'd written a piece of flash fiction for her blog. Check it out on her blog: The Gallimaufry Approach to Life.

A couple of weeks ago I set up a facebook author page and I've already had loads of 'likes'. If you haven't yet, I'd be very grateful if you could 'like' the page! Click here for Laura Besley Writer. 

I've also stepped, rather gingerly, into the 21st century and have set up a twitter account! If you'd like to follow me, I can be found bumbling my way through this technology @laurabesley 
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Flash Fiction is short enough to read whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil. It's fairly quick to write too, but with it being so short, every word has to count. 

On 4th May 2012 I decided to embark on a project: to write a piece of Flash Fiction every day. I'm hoping this will keep the creative juices flowing and ultimately help me hone my craft. Every Friday I'll be posting 'the best of the week' onto my blog for you to read. If you have anything to say (good or 'constructive'!), I'm open to comments.  

Thanks, as always, for reading.