500 Words From Melissa de Villiers

500 Words From...is a series of guest posts from authors, in which they talk about their recently published books. Here, Melissa de Villiers, a South African expat now living in Singapore, discusses The Chameleon House, her newly published collection of short stories set in post-apartheid South Africa, London and Singapore. The Chameleon House has been longlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award 2015.

So, over to Melissa…

Just Quickly...

My recent interview with Xinran for Asian Review of Books was picked up by Caixin, click here.

This Week in Asian Review of Books

Asian Books Blog is not a review site. If you want reviews, see the Asian Review of Books. Here is a list of its newest reviews, excerpts, essays, and round ups:

A Burmese Heart excerpt by Tinsa Maw-Naing and YMV Han  
Climate Change Governance in Chinese Cities by Qianqing Mai and Maria Francesch-Huidobro reviewed by Mark L. Clifford
Revising US Grand Strategy Towards China by Ashley Tellis and Robert D Blackwell reviewed by Kerry Brown
The Eagle and the Dragon: Globalization and European Dreams of Conquest in China and America in the Sixteenth Century by Serge Gruzinski reviewed by Juan José Morales

The Sunday Post

A rojak* of items that caught my eye this week…

Can Xue Takes Prize 

The eighth annual Best Translated Book Awards (BTBA) were announced at BookExpo America last week, with Can Xue’s The Last Lover, translated from the Chinese by Annelise Finegan Wasmoen, published by Yale University Press, taking home the award for fiction.

Indie Spotlight: Fran Pickering

Indie Spotlight is our monthly column on self-publishing. This month Raelee Chapman speaks to Fran Pickering the indie author of the popular Josie Clark East-West fusion murder mysteries. Josie is an English expat sleuth living in Tokyo where these mysteries are set.

China is Guest of Honour at BookExpo America's Global Market Forum

BookExpo America, (BEA) North America’s foremost publishing event featuring the latest in print and digital book publishing began yesterday, May 27, in New York.

China is the guest of honour for the global market forum part of the conference. The country has sent along a high ranking delegation of top publishing professionals, internationally acclaimed authors, and senior government officials in an effort to widen and deepen the cultural and business ties between the world’s two largest publishing markets.  “This is the most significant foreign delegation that we have ever hosted at America’s largest publishing convention”, said Steven Rosato, BEA’s Show Director.  "We are honoured to welcome China and we look forward to making this a rewarding experience for everyone involved."

Interview with Xinran

I recently interviewed Xinran, for Asian Review of Books. See here: China’s One-Child Policy: an Interview With Xinran by Rosie Milne.