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About Jamie Ford
His debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, spent two years on the New York Times bestseller list and went on to win the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. His work has been translated into 34 languages. Jamie is still holding out for Klingon (that's when you know you've made it).
Visit him at www.jamieford.com or on Twitter @jamieford.
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Blog postHere's a very short story that was recently published in the Spokesman-Review.
7 months ago Read more -
Blog postA bill bearing the likeness of Andrew Jackson.
Andrew Jackson was an unrepentant slave owner who had the US Postmaster General censor mailings from abolitionists. His wealth was borne of slave labor and he regularly offered bounties on runaway slaves, plus a $10 bonus for every 100 lashes given, up to 300. As a general, he suspended habeas corpus and executed prisoners for minor infractions. As a President, his economic policies led directly to the Panic of 1837 (in which 343 banks7 months ago Read more -
Blog postI’m writing this under quarantine and odds are you’re reading this under similar circumstances. While this is challenging and discomforting for a plethora of reasons, one good thing is happening during lock-down: PEOPLE ARE READING MORE.
I know this because of the sudden uptick of lovely emails I’ve been getting from readers. They often say something like, “Since I have all this time I’m finally getting around to reading…” And I’m delighted.
Seeing that this has been bringing10 months ago Read more -
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Blog postThe Anniversary Edition of is on sale today. With an extra story, ONLY KEIKO.
2 years ago Read more -
Blog postWhen I was a sophomore in high school, Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison was banned from our campus library. So naturally I went to the public library, checked it out, and read it cover-to-cover. That book, in all its dark, twisted, brilliant complexity, made me want to be a writer. In part because it’s a fantastic collection of genre-destroying short stories. But also, because it was the first time I realized that books could cause people to absolutely lose their shit.
From that po3 years ago Read more -
Blog postGood news for book clubs everywhere, the trade paperback edition of LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES will be available June 19, 2018. Though it's available now for pre-order wherever you buy books. This particular story seems to be making a lot of people happy (much to my authorly delight). Hope you enjoy it.
3 years ago Read more -
Blog postI'm finally back at my writing desk, with the dust of 38 cities on my suitcase, and a bit of glitter in my hair.
I'm staring at the outline and early pages of a new book. So weird to be sitting down, going back to Storyland.
But, before I disappear, I'm delighted to share that Library Journal named LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES as one of their best historical fictions novels of the year. Also on the list was LILI DE JONG by Janet Benton, which I loved and have raved about.3 years ago Read more -
Blog postThe Consolation Tour: Fall 2017
I'll be hitting the literary highway in support of my new book, LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES, but I'll also be doing community reads and a few high school visits. If you don't see your town on the list, don't despair, I have more dates in 2018.
9/8/17 Bookmarks
Eat & Greet Luncheon
Winston-Salem, NC
www.bookmarksnc.org
11:30 am
Talk & Signing
9/9/17 Bookmarks
Free Festiva3 years ago Read more -
Blog postIt's always nice to have amazing authors say kind words about an upcoming book. In this regard, I have been given an embarrassment of riches. THANK YOU.
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Advance praise for Love and Other Consolation Prizes
“An evocative, heartfelt, beautifully crafted story that shines a light on a fascinating, tragic bit of forgotten history, this is Jamie Ford at his storytelling best.”—Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale
“In this sweeping, big-hearted4 years ago Read more -
Blog postI loved the blue cover, but somehow I love this version even more. Bravo to the fine folks at Penguin Random House for always making me look better than I am. Oh, and before I forget, if you're in the US there are a few more days to enter this Goodreads giveaway where they're giving away 75 advance copies of my new book. Good luck!
4 years ago Read more -
Blog postTwo important things happened last week. The first, was that Seattle's Panama Hotel (depicted in Hotel on the Corner of You Know What) was officially named a National Treasure, thus ensuring that a very valuable piece of real estate and the belongings of the 37 Japanese families therein, will never be flattened and turned into condos.
Yay, preservation!
This was such welcome news. Because on the flip side of the historical spectrum, I found out that something less praise6 years ago Read more -
Blog postThere's a big Hugo Awards kerfuffle which I'll delve into later in the week, but at the moment, I'm reeeelaxing. Okay, I'm trying to relax, as I wait to hear back from my editor on the new manuscript.
I can't quite bring myself to dive into a new project, though I'm quietly gathering research materials. And I can't quite go back into the current book. So, I'm catching up on interviews and I even signed a contract for a new story called The Uncertainty Machine which will appear s6 years ago Read more -
Blog postAfter months of secret negotiations I'm happy to announce that HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET has finally been optioned by Hollywood mega-director, Justin Lin (The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift) with Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand) as executive producer.
Production begins this fall with Vin Diesel signing on to star in the iconic role of Henry Lee, both as old Henry (with a lot of make-up and special effects) and as a baldish, swaggering, tattooed young6 years ago Read more -
Blog postWowzers.
I just realized that I've had this blog-thing for ten years. That's kinda crazy, especially when you consider that I set up shop a few years before I ever finished, let alone SOLD a book. If you're curious what I was blathering on about in the dark ages, here ya go.
Nowadays, blogs are somewhat passe, especially with the ubiquity of social media (I'm looking at you Facebook). It seems that most of my online interactivity occurs in other venues, and interestingly enoug6 years ago Read more -
Blog postYes, every author is also a part-time fashion criminal. Hence, the Batman jammies. A lot of people wonder what it is that I do after completing a new book. Do I pour some scotch and smoke a single cigarette? Do I slice the neck of a bottle of Dom with a ceremonial broadsword (that would be kinda cool, actually). Do I run naked through my neighborhood screaming, “SUCK IT, FRANZEN!”?
None of the above.
What I actually do…wait for it…is clean my office.
I know. It’s all a6 years ago Read more -
Blog postAs I'm winding down the new book, I'm winding up a bit of book travel, including a panel on diversity at Emerald City Comic Con, the latest stage adaptation of HOTEL at the CATS theater in Nevada City (directed by Annie Lareau), and even a high school commencement speech
(God help us all).
See you soon!
3/28/15 Literary Lions Gala
Hyatt Regency
Bellvue, WA
Black Tie Optional
6:00 pm
Fundraiser
3/29/15 Emerald City Com6 years ago Read more -
Blog postPhoto by Sarah Deutsche. A week ago I was in East Texas for the 15th Annual Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend, which is for authors, sort of like Coachella meets Burning Man with a little bit of Elvis thrown in for good measure.
In other words, you kinda have to be there to understand it.
The Pulpwood Queens began as one humble little book club founded in East Texas by Kathy Murphy, who once owned Beauty and the Book, a beauty salon/bookstore.
Now they number 600 affi6 years ago Read more -
Blog postCatch me in Shreveport next Weds where I'll be giving an artist talk at the ArtSpace.Hey, it's me, the absentee landlord of this here blog. I tend not to travel for book events in November and December, so those are always my most productive months, and this past year has been no exception. I'm thiiiiisss close to finishing the new book. (Still searching for a title). If all goes well I'll be wrapping up the ending this month.
What is it about, you ask? Well, all I'm going to say is t6 years ago Read more -
Blog post(This appeared in 2009. But it's one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories, so I thought I'd share it again).
...
My father ran a restaurant—a small, unassuming diner kind of place, with a smoky bar attached. While my friends’ fathers were engineers, physicists, and pipe-fitters, men with college degrees, journeyman cards, or at least fancy titles, my dad breaded chops. He wasn’t working on his Masters on the side and wasn’t in line for any kind of promotion, ever. And to be pa6 years ago Read more -
Blog postHmmm...seeing as how I just personalized a ginormous stack of books that lovely readers had sent in for holiday gifts, it's only fitting that I let THE GREAT BIG WORLD KNOW, that--yes, I'm always happy to personalize books for whatever occasion. Christmas? YES! Hanukkah? INDEED! Feast of Elvis? WHY NOT? Bring it on!
So if you'd like to buy personalized books for the readers on your holiday shopping lists, please email my studious assistant, taskmaster, and all around majordomo: britta6 years ago Read more
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“A tender and satisfying novel set in a time and a place lost forever, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war--not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Especially relevant in today's world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think. And, more importantly, it will make you feel."
-- Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain
“Jamie Ford's first novel explores the age-old conflicts between father and son, the beauty and sadness of what happened to Japanese Americans in the Seattle area during World War II, and the depths and longing of deep-heart love. An impressive, bitter, and sweet debut.”
-- Lisa See, bestselling author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.
This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry’s world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American. While “scholarshipping” at the exclusive Rainier Elementary, where the white kids ignore him, Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a young Japanese American student. Amid the chaos of blackouts, curfews, and FBI raids, Henry and Keiko forge a bond of friendship–and innocent love–that transcends the long-standing prejudices of their Old World ancestors. And after Keiko and her family are swept up in the evacuations to the internment camps, she and Henry are left only with the hope that the war will end, and that their promise to each other will be kept.
Forty years later, Henry Lee is certain that the parasol belonged to Keiko. In the hotel’s dark dusty basement he begins looking for signs of the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry is still trying to find his voice–words that might explain the actions of his nationalistic father; words that might bridge the gap between him and his modern, Chinese American son; words that might help him confront the choices he made many years ago.
Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope. In Henry and Keiko, Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us of the power of forgiveness and the human heart.
“An evocative, heartfelt, beautifully crafted story that shines a light on a fascinating, tragic bit of forgotten history.”—Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale
For twelve-year-old Ernest Young, a charity student at a boarding school, the chance to go to the World’s Fair feels like a gift. But only once he’s there, amid the exotic exhibits, fireworks, and Ferris wheels, does he discover that he is the one who is actually the prize. The half-Chinese orphan is astounded to learn he will be raffled off—a healthy boy “to a good home.”
The winning ticket belongs to the flamboyant madam of a high-class brothel, famous for educating her girls. There, Ernest becomes the new houseboy and befriends Maisie, the madam’s precocious daughter, and a bold scullery maid named Fahn. Their friendship and affection form the first real family Ernest has ever known—and against all odds, this new sporting life gives him the sense of home he’s always desired.
But as the grande dame succumbs to an occupational hazard and their world of finery begins to crumble, all three must grapple with hope, ambition, and first love.
Fifty years later, in the shadow of Seattle’s second World’s Fair, Ernest struggles to help his ailing wife reconcile who she once was with who she wanted to be, while trying to keep family secrets hidden from their grown-up daughters.
Against a rich backdrop of post-Victorian vice, suffrage, and celebration, Love and Other Consolations is an enchanting tale about innocence and devotion—in a world where everything, and everyone, is for sale.
Praise for Love and Other Consolation Prizes
“Exciting . . . [Jamie] Ford captures the thrill of first kisses and the shock of revealing long-hidden affairs.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Strong . . . A laudable effort that shines light on little known histories.”—Library Journal
“Poignant . . . Vibrantly rendered.”—Booklist
“Combining rich narrative and literary qualities, the book achieves a multi-faceted emotional resonance. It is by turns heart-rending, tragic, disturbing, sanguine, warm, and life-affirming. Perceptive themes that run throughout culminate at the end. A true story from the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition inspired this very absorbing and moving novel. Highly recommended.”—Historical Novel Society (Editors’ choice)
“Ford is a master at shining light into dark, forgotten corners of history and revealing the most unexpected and relatable human threads. . . . A beautiful and enthralling story of resilience and the many permutations of love.”—Jessica Shattuck, author of The Women in the Castle
“All the charm and heartbreak of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet . . . Based on a true story, Love and Other Consolation Prizes will warm your soul.
From Jamie Ford, author of the beloved Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, comes a much-anticipated second novel. Set against the backdrop of Depression-era Seattle, Songs of Willow Frost is a powerful tale of two souls—a boy with dreams for his future and a woman escaping her haunted past—both seeking love, hope, and forgiveness.
Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.
Twelve-year-old William Eng, a Chinese American boy, has lived at Seattle’s Sacred Heart Orphanage ever since his mother’s listless body was carried away from their small apartment five years ago. On his birthday—or rather, the day the nuns designate as his birthday—William and the other orphans are taken to the historical Moore Theatre, where William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who goes by the name of Willow Frost. Struck by her features, William is convinced that the movie star is his mother, Liu Song.
Determined to find Willow and prove that his mother is still alive, William escapes from Sacred Heart with his friend Charlotte. The pair navigate the streets of Seattle, where they must not only survive but confront the mysteries of William’s past and his connection to the exotic film star. The story of Willow Frost, however, is far more complicated than the Hollywood fantasy William sees onscreen.
Shifting between the Great Depression and the 1920s, Songs of Willow Frost takes readers on an emotional journey of discovery. Jamie Ford’s sweeping novel will resonate with anyone who has ever longed for the comforts of family and a place to call home.
Praise for Songs of Willow Frost
“If you liked Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, you’re going to love Songs of Willow Frost. . . . tender, powerful, and deeply satisfying.”—Lisa Genova
“[A] poignant tale of lost and found love.”—Tampa Bay Times
“Arresting . . . [with] the kind of ending readers always hope for, but seldom get.”—The Dallas Morning News
“[An] achingly tender story . . . a tale of nuance and emotion.”—The Providence Journal
“Ford crafts [a] beautiful, tender tale of love transcending the sins people perpetrate on one another and shows how the strength of our primal relationships is the best part of our human nature.”—Great Falls Tribune
“Remarkable . . . likely to appeal to readers who enjoy the multi-generational novels of Amy Tan.”—Bookreporter
“Jamie Ford is a first-rate novelist, and with Songs of Willow Frost he takes a great leap forward and demonstrates the uncanny ability to move me to tears.”—Pat Conroy
“With vivid detail, Jamie Ford brings to life Seattle’s Chinatown during the Depression and chronicles the high price those desperate times exacted from an orphaned boy and the woman he believes is his mother.
But before any catastrophe, there are people who see it coming. During, there are heroes who fight against it. And after, there are the survivors who persevere and try to rebuild. THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH will tell their stories.
Edited by acclaimed anthologist John Joseph Adams and bestselling author Hugh Howey, THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH is a series of three anthologies of apocalyptic fiction. THE END IS NIGH focuses on life before the apocalypse. THE END IS NOW turns its attention to life during the apocalypse. And THE END HAS COME focuses on life after the apocalypse.
THE END IS NIGH features all-new, never-before-published works by Hugh Howey, Paolo Bacigalupi, Jamie Ford, Seanan McGuire, Tananarive Due, Jonathan Maberry, Scott Sigler, Robin Wasserman, Nancy Kress, Charlie Jane Anders, Ken Liu, and many others.
• • • •
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction by John Joseph Adams | “The Balm and the Wound” by Robin Wasserman | “Heaven is a Place on Planet X” by Desirina Boskovich | “Break! Break! Break!” by Charlie Jane Anders | “The Gods Will Not Be Chained” by Ken Liu | “Wedding Day” by Jake Kerr | “Removal Order” by Tananarive Due | “System Reset” by Tobias S. Buckell | “This Unkempt World is Falling to Pieces” by Jamie Ford | “BRING HER TO ME” by Ben H. Winters | “In the Air” by Hugh Howey | “Goodnight Moon” by Annie Bellet | “Dancing with Death in the Land of Nod” by Will McIntosh | “Houses Without Air” by Megan Arkenberg | “The Fifth Day of Deer Camp” by Scott Sigler | “Enjoy the Moment” by Jack McDevitt | “Pretty Soon the Four Horsemen are Going to Come Riding Through” by Nancy Kress | “Spores” by Seanan McGuire | “She’s Got a Ticket to Ride” by Jonathan Maberry | “Agent Unknown” by David Wellington | “Enlightenment” by Matthew Mather | “Shooting the Apocalypse” by Paolo Bacigalupi | “Love Perverts” by Sarah Langan.
But before any catastrophe, there are people who see it coming. During, there are heroes who fight against it. And after, there are the survivors who persevere and try to rebuild.
THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH tells their stories.
Edited by acclaimed anthologist John Joseph Adams and bestselling author Hugh Howey, THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH is a series of three anthologies of apocalyptic fiction. THE END IS NIGH focuses on life before the apocalypse. THE END IS NOW turns its attention to life during the apocalypse. And THE END HAS COME focuses on life after the apocalypse.
THE END HAS COME features all-new, never-before-published works by Hugh Howey, Seanan McGuire, Ken Liu, Carrie Vaughn, Mira Grant, Jamie Ford, Tananarive Due, Jonathan Maberry, Robin Wasserman, Nancy Kress, Charlie Jane Anders, Elizabeth Bear, Ben H. Winters, Scott Sigler, and many others.
THE END IS NIGH is about the match.
THE END IS NOW is about the conflagration.
THE END HAS COME is about what will rise from the ashes.
But before any catastrophe, there are people who see it coming. During, there are heroes who fight against it. And after, there are the survivors who persevere and try to rebuild.
THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH will tell their stories.
Edited by acclaimed anthologist John Joseph Adams and bestselling author Hugh Howey, The Apocalypse Triptych is a series of three anthologies of apocalyptic fiction. THE END IS NIGH focuses on life before the apocalypse. THE END IS NOW turns its attention to life during the apocalypse. And THE END HAS COME explores life after the apocalypse.
THE END IS NIGH is about the match. THE END HAS COME is about what will rise from the ashes. THE END IS NOW is about the conflagration.
• • • •
THE END IS NOW table of contents: INTRODUCTION by John Joseph Adams | HERD IMMUNITY by Tananarive Due | THE SIXTH DAY OF DEER CAMP by Scott Sigler | GOODNIGHT STARS by Annie Bellet | ROCK MANNING CAN’T HEAR YOU by Charlie Jane Anders | FRUITING BODIES by Seanan McGuire | BLACK MONDAY by Sarah Langan | ANGELS OF THE APOCALYPSE by Nancy Kress | AGENT ISOLATED by David Wellington | THE GODS WILL NOT BE SLAIN by Ken Liu | YOU’VE NEVER SEEN EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Bear | BRING THEM DOWN by Ben H. Winters | TWILIGHT OF THE MUSIC MACHINES by Megan Arkenberg | SUNSET HOLLOW by Jonathan Maberry | PENANCE by Jake Kerr | AVTOMAT by Daniel H. Wilson | DANCING WITH BATGIRL IN THE LAND OF NOD by Will McIntosh | BY THE HAIR OF THE MOON by Jamie Ford | TO WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD by Desirina Boskovich | IN THE MOUNTAIN by Hugh Howey | DEAR JOHN by Robin Wasserman.
A Parade Magazine “Books We Love” Pick
The Big Sky State may seem to lack the shadowy urban mazes traditional to the noir genre. But in Montana, darkness is found in the regions of the heart, driving the desperate and deadly to commit the most heinous of crimes. Here, James Grady and Keir Graff, both Montana natives, masterfully curate this collection of hard-edged Western tales.
Montana Noir includes Eric Heidle’s “Ace in the Hole,” an Edgar Award nominee for Best Short Story, and impressive contributions by David Abrams, Caroline Patterson, Thomas McGuane, Janet Skeslien Charles, Sidner Larson, Yvonne Seng, James Grady, Jamie Ford, Carrie La Seur, Walter Kirn, Gwen Florio, Debra Magpie Earling, and Keir Graff.
“Terrific . . . Montana Noir is one of the high points in Akashic’s long-running and justly celebrated Noir series . . . varying landscapes reflect the darkness within the people who walk the streets or drive the country roads.” —Booklist
“Montana may not have the back alleys so common to noir but it has western justice which can be quick, brutal and final and that is as satisfying as anything found in the urban streets that typically attract the dark beauty of the noir genre.” —New York Journal of Books
“Certain noir standbys prove both malleable and fertile in these 14 new stories . . . If Montana has a dark side, is anywhere safe from noir?” —Kirkus Reviews
Une nouvelle inédite de l'auteur de La Ballade de Willow !
"Les lecteurs me demandent souvent : " Vous servez-vous de modèles vivants pour vos personnages ? " Ma réponse est toujours claire et nette : " Non ". Je crée en général des personnages pas compliqués du tout, que je frotte contre certaines circonstances afin de voir ce qui se passe. Parfois, ils se révèlent forts et les étincelles fusent. D'autres fois, ils sont aussi réactifs que de la gélatine.
En réfléchissant au personnage de Mme Beatty (mon préféré dans
Hôtel des souvenirs vous-savez-quoi), je me suis rendu compte que, de bien des manières, elle ressemble à ma grand-mère maternelle. Granny Blackwell correspondait à ce que l'on appelle une femme " alpha ". Elle était en effet une de ces femmes combatives du Sud des États-Unis au caractère bien trempé qui chique du tabac et jure comme un charretier. Et pourtant elle exerçait le métier d'infirmière (sûrement une formidable présence au chevet des malades !).
J'espère que vous serez heureux de faire plus ample connaissance avec Mme Beatty." Jamie Ford