Monthly Archives: December 2013
iUniverse debut author, Milena Banks, is seduced by history 2
“Now, the Chinese believe it’s vital to know their ancestors—for without knowing where their graves are they can’t appease their spirits and will therefore be tormented by their hungry ghosts. Jardine, who is a Chinese orphan, absolutely desperate to know everyone in her past, is about to discover she should be careful what she wishes for. She makes a living jumping out of party cakes and arrives at a would-be client’s flat, decked out in her costume, dancing.”
A short extract from the award winning iUniverse novel, Riding the Tiger, by debut author, Milena Banks; now see more about how Milena wrote the book:
“I began thinking about writing this particular novel in 1993 when I first moved to Hong Kong. I found it terrifically hot, unbearably humid, the streets crowded, the air polluted and worse still—everyone spoke Cantonese; I was overwhelmed. I locked myself in my flat and turned the A/C up to Frigidaire. I had painfully studied Mandarin and had just come from three years in Tokyo where I’d learned Japanese—I now deemed my studies worthless and yet another uphill cultural climb threatened to capsize me. Worse still, I had no job, but my husband rushed off to work in his suit every morning with a cautious look back at me as I stood dolefully staring out frosty windows at amazing high-rises, lush vegetation, and the sparkling harbor. It was ridiculous. My curiosity quickly overcame my stubbornness. I could not stand there for three years doing nothing.”
iUniverse debut author, Milena Banks, is seduced by history
iUniverse author, Milena Banks, was recently voted one of the coveted Kirkus Reviews’ Best Indie Books of 2013 for her debut novel, Riding the Tiger. iUniverse Blog asked Milena her thoughts about her book and novel writing in general, here is what she said.
“Novel writing is generally a thankless business but it should always be an affair of the heart, something that excites you when times are bad, something that makes you find wonder in everything you see, something that makes you find interest in the greatest dullards around. Writing a
novel should be no less exciting and perilous than a trek to the North Pole or a spinning ride down the Amazon in a round animal
skin coracle. I personally write standing up at my computer in a dark closet, far away from the noisy distractions of my busy farm, but in my heart I can see the world. What I didn’t foresee was writing a historical novel; I didn’t even like history—but life does take you on strange journeys . . .
I consider my own novel a late child of my life because I wrote it long after I’d passed all of my personal deadlines for publication—publishing not by the time I was 20, 30, or 40, but now at 51. It comes after a decade of serious illness, cancer ten years ago, and the past six years nearly bedridden from chronic Lyme and fatigue. But, as some of you might know, illness can have its gifts. I got the chance to finish this book I’d begun years ago when I lived in Hong Kong, years ago when I was full of energy and time for everything but sitting down with patience. Life, illness and rewriting have all taught me patience. Yes, writing is hard.”
Breaking news from iUniverse Publishing
iUniverse is extremely pleased to bring you hot off the press that yet another of our titles, Babygate, has been snapped up by an independent publisher, The Feminist Press. Please take a look at the press release below:
iUniverse Babygate acquired by The Feminist Press
Pregnancy and parenting guide written by three legal experts offers advice for the expecting and new parents for navigating the American workplace.
Babygate authors enjoy their success
My co-authors and I are so pleased that Babygate has been contracted by The Feminist Press. We are also grateful to iUniverse for its original publication of this book, which helped us get our book out there in the public eye. -Dina Bakst, co-author
iUniverse, an Author Solutions, LLC, supported self-publishing imprint and marketing services provider for authors around the globe, announced Wednesday that independent, nonprofit publisher The Feminist Press has acquired iUniverse title Babygate: What You Really Need to Know about Pregnancy and Parenting in the American Workplace, by Dina Bakst, Elizabeth Gedmark and Phoebe Taubman.
Grogan talks about Jack Bruchard... an Introduction—a one-of-a-kind story about a man who embarks on an unforgettable journey to find his purpose and please his Maker and how other people involved in the book paid for the book to get published. 
iUniverse Publishing 