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China Conundrum
by
Virginia Fortner
Adventuresome educator Regina knows only three words of Mandarin when she sets off to teach English in China. She isn’t prepared for the East in 2004, with its unfamiliar sights and smells, engulfing sounds, and truly overwhelming sea of people. When a U.S. State Department agent tasks her with sharing cultural and political information, Regina decides to do her patriotic duty and share information via Matt, a taciturn assistant on Capitol Hill—or so she supposes. But Regina is about to find herself in the middle of complex situations that she feels ill-prepared to handle. China Conundrum is an exciting, fast-paced read that braids the trappings of a travel narrative with strands of intrigue and political thrills. As Regina travels into villages with communist workers, shares festival moon cakes, and learns to express appreciation for the Chinese way, readers learn more about the vast country where Regina finds herself and just how widely their ways of life differ. As Regina learns more about the political situation she’s embroiled in, the once-quaint city of XiAn shifts for her into a paranoia of double-locked doors, eavesdroppers on her phone, and eyes following her on the street. How will a naive Midwestern woman sort out her complex personal feelings, overcome traditional expectations, and maintain her personal safety so far from home? And just who can Regina really trust?
"Fortner draws you into a story surrounded by a beauty and cultural richness of a sometimes-challenging time and place…a joy to read." —Donna Beumler, author of Criminal/Lawyer "…a detailed storyteller who makes you want to travel with her…" —Diann Wilson, author of Goodbye Big City/Hello Big Island "…a trip down memory lane paired with a cozy mystery and travel log…" —Kate Kuykendall, ESL teacher in China "Virginia’s writing is meticulous, poignant, and inspiring." —Wendy Norataki, author of WWII/442nd “Uncle Yosh” soon to be published "…surprising insights into how cultural differences result in misunderstandings and different expectation, especially when romance enters in..." —Diane Revell, poet, Hawaii Writers Guild
Virginia Fortner is the author of At the Edge (2012) and, with Mike Eaten, A Design of His Own (2018). Her poems and short stories have been published in writers’ journals like Latitudes, magazines, newspapers like the Kohala Mountain News, and several book collections. A lifetime educator and traveler who has spent time on every continent, Virgina taught ESL in China for four years. She is a reader and book club enthusiast, a musician, an outrigger paddler, a plein air painter, a gardener, and a lover of people, with a PhD for which she studied creative thinking. Virgina lives at the northern tip of Hawaii's Big Island.
Contributors
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- Virginia Fortner