Lian Gouw - Blog

▣ Only A Girl on library shelves.

posted by admin on July 2nd, 2010 at 8:22 AM

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The Foster City, Millbrae and San Carlos libraries recently purchased a copy of Only A Girl. They are currently in the process of entering the title into their systems and expect to have the book on their shelves by July 1, 2010.

The Foster City Library hosted the first library reading from Only A Girl on Saturday, June 19, 2010.

At the end of a well attended reading a gentleman in the audience rose and asked if he could come up to give me something. To my huge surprise he presented me with a Certificate of Recognition from the Ca. State Senate.

The Ca. State Senate honors and recognizes Lian Gouw on the occasion of her visit to the Foster City Library. We commend her dedication to crafting stories for all to enjoy and applaud her exemplary service to our community. We further wish her continued success in all her future endeavors.

Signed by Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D.

I would appreciate it if you would introduce Only A Girl to your library.

Please note that the best place to buy a copy of Only A Girl is at the Buy Book page on this website.

Best price and immediate shipping.

Lain Gouw receiving award

▣ Back to Readers' Questions

posted by admin on May 17th, 2010 at 5:51 AM

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“How much of the story is real?”
Fiction versus non-fiction

Only A Girl has been classified as multi cultural historical women’s fiction since it addresses the dilemmas of Western and Eastern values; the World Depression, WWII, and the Indonesian Revolution serve as backdrops for the narrative, while the story chronicles the intricate relationships between women in a family of three generations.

Having said this, all historical events mentioned in the book actually happened. E.g. people did lose their jobs during the Depression years; the Japanese did occupy the Netherlands’ East Indies during WWII and they did intern anyone with more than 50% Dutch blood. The fire that revolutionaries set and burned half of Bandung to the ground on p.125 of Only A Girl did happen.

Are my characters anyone I knew? As a writer, I have acquired the habit of observing people and situations. I make a mental note every time someone or a situation catches my attention. During the course of writing, these individuals and situations may pop up and thus populate the story and shape the landscape. Often, a character is a composite of several individuals who have crossed my path; while a scene is often created by merging different situations.

As the story begins to set, characters will take on their own lives and drop into scenes which develop around them. At this time, all I do, is record my characters’ journey through a time and place of their choice. Only after the story is completed and I have turned it over to my editor, do I take back the controls.

▣ Only a Girl is going home

posted by admin on April 19th, 2010 at 9:45 AM

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I am delighted to announce that GRAMEDIA PUSTAKA UTAMA, the largest publisher, distributor and bookseller in Indonesia, www.gramedia.com, has purchased the Indonesian translation and publication rights to Only A Girl.

Gramedia Pustaka Utama is responsible, annually, for the publication of 380 new fiction titles, 400 nonfiction titles, and 320 how-to books. It is gratifying that such a prestigious house has selected my novel for translation and publication.

After being away for more than four decades, Only A Girl will be going home to the community and place from which she was conceived. I am grateful to Gramedia Pustaka Utama for providing the opportunity.

The launch of the Indonesian translation of Only A Girl is scheduled for September 2010. Please check back here for updates.

▣ “How long did it take you?” / Revision Process

posted by admin on March 30th, 2010 at 11:10 AM

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Continuing with “How long did it take you?” I’d like to share the writing and revision process with you. Please feel free to comment and/or ask additional questions.

▣ Readers’ Questions.

posted by admin on February 23rd, 2010 at 3:50 PM

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Starting with “What made you write the book?” I’ll post my response to the most frequently asked questions at author’s events here. Please feel free to comment and/or ask additional questions.

▣ Good Reads

posted by admin on November 29th, 2009 at 12:37 PM

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The recurring question at the various November book club discussions was which books I thought were similar to Only A Girl.

The two contemporary titles that immediately came to mind were, When the Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe and My Half of the Sky by Jana McBurney Lin.

▣ Nanna's Food

posted by admin on October 16th, 2009 at 3:17 PM

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The soup I thought of when I wrote about Nanna feeding the POWs (p.112) is one I often make when there’s someone sick in my family. It is my daughter’s favorite.

▣ Copies available in bookstore

posted by admin on September 17th, 2009 at 2:10 PM

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▣ Nanna's Food

posted by admin on September 17th, 2009 at 2:00 PM

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As a book club facilitator recently called for menu suggestions for the club's dinner discussion of Only a Girl, I though it would be fun to post some recipes of food dished up through the book.

Here's the recipe for Nanna's pork stew on page 10.

▣ Food in Only a Girl

posted by admin on July 15th, 2009 at 8:25 AM

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more recipes coming....

▣ The Legend of Tangkuban Perahu

posted by admin on June 19th, 2009 at 3:20 PM

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A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who responded to my Advance Notice not only with a book purchase, but also with a read and feedback. I truly appreciate your support.

I intend to place a monthly post re book related topics in the order they appear in the book.

Therefore, I am starting of with the legend of Mount Tangkuban Perahu. The volcano’s outline is a prominent fixture in Bandung’s northern skyline and was used for Only A Girl’s cover.

I welcome your questions and comments not only re the post but about the book as well.