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The gods don't make worlds; they make music. |
Winner, "Multicultural Fiction" category, Independent
Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards 2002
Finalist, 2002 Benjamin Franklin Awards, Publishers
Marketing Association, "Best New Voice--Fiction (first
book by a new author)"
Finalist, The
Binghamton (NY) University John Gardner Fiction Book Award 2001
Cover design and page layout consulting by Kate
Weisel.
Excerpt, Chapter 20:
Rain
Sometimes
I sit and watch
the tiny rivulets of rain
stream down the windows.
Listen to the raindrops
drum their cadence
on the near sidewalk.
Seek the sounds of
soulfully smooth music
and gaze at the people walking by,
mere silhouettes in the
cold shroud of autumn's rain.
On this gray, lazy day
I wonder
how time has slipped away,
like evening rain
into the dark chasm of the night,
across the middle years
of my life.
And I think of you.
Booksellers!
Stunning Color Flyer!
Click on the thumbnail to see the poster as a pdf file.
Then, print the poster to hang in your store, library, or on
your wall! Needs Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free
from www.adobe.com.
Don't have room to post a flyer? Then print out the shelftalker!
(another pdf file)
"Of all the books we read in the Spring
Semester (2005), I got the impression that yours made a more
visceral and immediate connection for my students." Mark
Pfeiffer, Instructor, The University of Georgia, Comp. Lit. Dept.
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An American Sin
Now $10. Free shipping in U.S.
Send check and your address to:
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"A stunning debut novel . . . An American Sin
is GREAT!" Jim Barnes, Managing Editor, www.independentpublisher.com,
sponsor of the IPPY Awards.
"I feel for Asian men. I've always thought they've
had a hard journey to take here in America." Jeannine Joy
Vance, author of Twins
Found in a Box: Adapting to Adoption.
“An American Sin rightly won an IPPY. The book will
deeply affect everyone who reads it.” Gary
Worthington, author of India Treasures and India Fortunes.
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An American Sin depicts an Asian American
man’s journey through America—across time and place,
exploring issues of race, war, and identity. |
From the racism he experienced as a youth in Nevada to the sin
he committed in Vietnam, David Wong was driven by a need to fit
in. This resulted in his murdering an old Mama-san and her granddaughter
while on long-range patrol. "We couldn't handle excess baggage,"
he explains to his psychiatrist. "Our fear spawned a darkness
in our hearts." It is an act that haunts him the rest of
his days.
In counterpoint to Wong's character flaw, the novel also follows
the poignant story of Stella Abramson, whose husband Jake--Wong's
buddy--was killed in the Tet Offensive.
Their stories converge at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Testimonials and Reviews:
“Wow! It’s so powerful! And healing. That awful
war was still an old wound in me. The book gave me a sense of
hope for the future . . . and compassion for the vets I know.”
Julie Ward.
“A very fine book. Su did not flinch at the gruesome
aspects of combat, and he wrote with such skill that I was not
repelled by the violence. I think those scenes are some of his
best writing. Weaving them into a story about how those
events impact Wong for the rest of his life puts them into perspective.
The racial issues were also well expressed—considering the
old writing class edict, ‘show don’t tell,’ he
truly showed Dave Wong as an American and as a Chinese person.
As for what that meant in an Asian war situation, he again
showed it, poignantly, painfully.” Merilyn Wakefield,
mwynhad, “books for friends, books by friends,” publisher
of Chance, An Existential Horse Opera, by James Knisely,
finalist, 2003 Washington State Book Awards.
"GREAT BOOK! An American Sin is real and raw.
I wanted to climb into the story and make Wong feel better about
himself! I hope this story is passed from generation to generation."
Jeannine Joy Vance, author of Twins Found in a Box: Adapting
to Adoption.
"This is a story of trauma, growth, and contemplation. It
will give comfort, inspiration, and resolve to all who read it.
The Vietnam experience touched so many lives that it changed
the very heart of America. As a vehicle for describing Wong's
experience on one level, [An American Sin] is a metaphor
for the nation's own recovery on another. This is a fascinating
work that is highly recommended as a thought-provoking contribution
to anyone's philosophy of life." Major Andrew Firth, heartlandreviews.com.
"I'm honestly impressed by the caliber of Su's writing.
The story of a quest for closure of post-traumatic stress disorder
by a Chinese-American Vietnam veteran is absorbing and poignant.
Su's first novel is an excellent read!" JoAnn Roe,
Author of Frank Matsura, Frontier Photographer, and 13
other books.
"Su tells his story with much clarity and attention to detail.
Thanks to him, we have a rare glimpse [through] the eyes
of an Asian American who fought for the U.S. in Vietnam."
HaeLee Kim, www.generationrice.com.
"And though this ground (Vietnam) has been trod often in
fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, the perspective of Su’s
main character offers the opportunity for fresh insight. Su
is at his best when writing about the war. There is a raw
honesty in these sections of the book. Wong’s quest had
me turning the pages and wondering, Is he tilting at windmills,
or will he slay a real dragon?" Michael Wilt, Nimble Spirit,
The Literary Spirituality Review, www.nimblespirit.com.
"Suspenseful and rich with exciting descriptions
and characters." Margot Rowe, creative writing instructor.
"Su's novel will make you cringe, and weep--and think."
Sara Stamey, author of Islands.
"I just wasn't ready to be brought to tears so
many times!" Kate Weisel, Kate Weisel Creative Resource.
"A great book! Read it, especially if you're minority
American!" Giovanni Saturay, Filipino American.
"The book is wonderfully written and deserves readership."
Don Chandler, University Bookstore, Bellevue, WA.
backcover
chapter1
$10.00 U.S. and
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ISBN 0-9711206-0-9
ISBN13: 978-0-9711206-0-0
335 pages, Trade Paperback |
