Romance writers: Develop and write Asian romantic heroes and heroines who are strong, desirable, talented, and flawed while considering their family history and cultural perspective. Avoid common myths and stereotypes while retaining respectful ways of describing Asian characters.Be aware of harmful and overused tropes and themes portraying Asians in Western literature. Learn how the history of various Asian groups affect their outlook, relationships, as well as family and intermarriage.Includes example excerpts and interview questions for developing unique characters from an Asian perspective.

Have you wanted to enrich your romance novels by including a diverse cast of characters? Do you want your stories to reflect the society around you? Are you unsure how to portray Asian characters in a balanced way that does not perpetuate stereotypes? If so, I can be your mentor and help you develop Asian romantic heroes and heroines that are strong, desirable, talented, and flawed—in other words, well-rounded characters, who, like all romantic heroes and heroines deserve and find a happy ending. I have experience in this area, having grown up Asian American and have written many romance novels with Asian heroes and heroines. I’ve also read widely in both literature and fiction areas, as well as taken ethnic studies classes and researched Asian American history. I can be your guide in finding resources to deepen your knowledge while pointing out areas to pay attention. I will also encourage you to let your characters fly, no matter what their background and to not let fear hold you back when developing your Asian characters. In this book, I will go over common myths and stereotypes, respectful ways of describing Asian characters, and the tropes to avoid. I’ll briefly touch on the history of the various Asian groups in America and point out to you the difference in experience based on when the Asian ancestor immigrated. Interracial and multicultural romance is a thriving romance market, and I will talk about some of the concerns and opportunities when writing characters who come from different backgrounds. I'll include example excerpts to illustrate my points and interview questions you can use to develop your unique characters from an Asian perspective.

“I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year [...] I have absolutely no doubt that [Kuang’s] name will be up there with the likes of Robin Hobb and N.K. Jemisin.” -- Booknest A Library Journal, Paste Magazine, Vulture, BookBub, and ENTROPY Best Books pick! Washington Post "5 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel" pick! A Bustle "30 Best Fiction Books" pick! A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy. When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising. But surprises aren’t always good. Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . . Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

#1 New York Times Best Seller! "Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it's like to be young and in love with a book."-John Green, The New York Times Book Review Bono met his wife in high school, Park says. So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers. I'm not kidding, he says. You should be, she says, we're 16. What about Romeo and Juliet? Shallow, confused, then dead. I love you, Park says. Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers. I'm not kidding, he says. You should be. Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love-and just how hard it pulled you under. A New York Times Best Seller! A 2014 Michael L. Printz Honor Book for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Eleanor & Park is the winner of the 2013 Boston Globe Horn Book Award for Best Fiction Book. A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of 2013 A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2013 A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013 An NPR Best Book of 2013

At long last the approach that has helped thousands of learners memorize Japanese kanji has been adapted to help students with Chinese characters. Book 1 of Remembering Simplified Hanzi covers the writing and meaning of the 1,000 most commonly used characters in the simplified Chinese writing system, plus another 500 that are best learned at an early stage. (Book 2 adds another 1,500 characters for a total of 3,000.) Of critical importance to the approach found in these pages is the systematic arranging of characters in an order best suited to memorization. In the Chinese writing system, strokes and simple components are nested within relatively simple characters, which can, in turn, serve as parts of more complicated characters and so on. Taking advantage of this allows a logical ordering, making it possible for students to approach most new characters with prior knowledge that can greatly facilitate the learning process. Guidance and detailed instructions are provided along the way. Students are taught to employ "imaginative memory" to associate each character’s component parts, or "primitive elements," with one another and with a key word that has been carefully selected to represent an important meaning of the character. This is accomplished through the creation of a "story" that engagingly ties the primitive elements and key word together. In this way, the collections of dots, strokes, and components that make up the characters are associated in memorable fashion, dramatically shortening the time required for learning and helping to prevent characters from slipping out of memory.

A weekend of socializing at a beach house? Will Stafford's worst nightmare. Yet he's agreed to fake a relationship with his best friend's little sister for a couples' getaway... I'm a pretty simple guy. When I'm not writing a science fiction novel, I'm watching a good movie or reading a book. Alone. I like my reclusive life. That is, until my only friend asks for a favor—pretend to be his baby sister's boyfriend on a couples' vacation. Her ex is going to be there and she needs me as a buffer. I should have said no, but Naomi Kwan is bubbly, energetic, and beautiful. She also means everything to her brother. But now, our fake romance is starting to feel all too real, and I find myself stuck between the promise I made to my friend and risking my heart to the one woman who might actually get me… * * * Jackie Lau writes soft and steamy romances with Asian characters, all set in Canada. KEYWORDS: interracial romance, grumpy hero, fake dating, fake relationship, best friend's sibling, best friend's little sister, opposites attract, grumpy sunshine, beach vacation, rom-com, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, Asian heroine, steamy romance, spicy rom-com, open door, Canadian romance, happy ending, guaranteed HEA, no cliffhangers, freebie FOR FANS OF: Helen Hoang, Cathy Yardley, Chloe Liese, Olivia Dade, Talia Hibbert, Kate Canterbary, Sarina Bowen, and Pippa Grant