Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Feb 1-14)

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Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Feb 1-14)

1sonyagreen
Editado: Fev 1, 2010, 9:26 am

Please welcome Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Jamie will be chatting on LibraryThing until Feb. 14th.

2misaramirez
Fev 1, 2010, 10:21 am

Mensagem removida.

3Caramellunacy
Fev 1, 2010, 11:16 am

Welcome back, Jamie!

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet through the LT Early Reviewers program when it was released in hardcover and absolutely loved it. I went around buying copies for all kinds of people I knew.

I particularly enjoyed how beautifully described everything was - to the point where I could almost see the scenes unfolding in front of me. Just lovely.

Are you working on anything else at the moment?

4clamairy
Fev 1, 2010, 11:53 am

Welcome, Jamie. I'm sorry I will be missing you in person tonight at R. J. Julia's in Madison, CT. We read and discussed your book in my book club's last year and we ALL loved it. In fact, most of those ladies will be at your signing tonight!

To echo Caramellunacy's question in #3, please let us know what/if you are working on now.

5thekoolaidmom
Fev 1, 2010, 11:55 am

Welcome, Jamie!

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was one of my favorite books of 2009, and provided a good topic for discussion with my mom, who was born during the Great Depression and lived through the war years. With whom did you discuss and learn from while writing the book and what kind of researching did you do?

6tanya2009
Fev 1, 2010, 11:57 am

Hi Jamie, I am just starting Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. It is the book read for February in our facebook group. I have heard so many good things about it and I am really looking forward to reading it.

7VenusofUrbino
Fev 1, 2010, 12:36 pm

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was one of the best books I read last year. I, too, shared it with my mother. She loved it even more. I can't wait to read more, and I hope you will share with us what you are currently working on, and when we can expect something else from your talents.

Many thanks!

8punxsygal
Fev 1, 2010, 1:02 pm

Very much enjoyed your book. Particularly, as Seattle is one of my favorite cities, I liked learning more about life in the International District. I'll be looking forward to your next book coming out.

9JamieFord
Fev 1, 2010, 1:17 pm

Hey all! (Waving)

Happy to be here and thanks to LibraryThing for hosting!

Happy to talk story and answer any and all questions. Remember, there are no wrong questions, just wrong answers--and those are my fault.

:)

10JamieFord
Fev 1, 2010, 1:21 pm

Hi Misa,

Great Q!

The working title was "The Panama Hotel," but I knew I'd be changing it at some point. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was my first real choice. My agent was worried, thinking it was a tad long, but I kept thinking, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was pretty long and did okay...

Everyone wanted me to come up with shorter titles, so in a moment of passive resistance I proceeded to created 70+ droll, boring, meh-inducing titles, knowing none of them would work.
;)

Early readers got their hands on the book and loved the title, and the rest is history...

11JamieFord
Fev 1, 2010, 1:25 pm

Hi CL!

I delivered a new manuscript to my editor on Christmas Eve. Now I'm in rewrites. It's another historical, multi-cultural, love story of sorts. It should be out early next year, tentatively titled Whispers of a Thunder God. Also researching a YA project. Stay tuned. :)

12JamieFord
Fev 1, 2010, 1:26 pm

Hi clamairy,

Sorry to miss you, but looking forward to a great event at RJ Julia and a UCONN tomorrow. :)

13JamieFord
Fev 1, 2010, 1:32 pm

Confession time: I love research. It's a strange thing, but I've found that the research part really motivates me as a writing.

As far as specifics, much of it began with my father, who wore an "I Am Chinese" button as a teen. A lot of the story reflects some of what he went through. Beyond that, I bought maps from the 40s off of eBay, read tons of out-of-print non-fiction books, met with a historian in Seattle, did research at the Wing Luke Asian Museum (also in Seattle), and most importantly, I spent a lot of time at the Panama Hotel, in the basement. I didn't bring a camera, I brought a sketchbook (my degree is in art).

I also worked at the Bainbridge Review right after college, which played a significant role in the history of the Japanese Internment.

Hope that helps?

14JamieFord
Fev 1, 2010, 1:35 pm

Hi Venus,

I also have an unfinished short story collection. Short story collections are a hard sell (though Olive Kitteridge and Say You're One of Them might be changing that). It's a collection of stories of all the side-characters in HOTEL. Mrs. Beatty, Sheldon, Mr. Okabe, Henry's mother, Bud from Bud's Jazz Records, etc. Not sure if it'll ever see the light of day, but I'm working on it.

Hopefully I'll have a new novel out early next year, and I'm kicking around a YA book. :)

15mydomino1978
Fev 1, 2010, 2:01 pm

Through LT reviewers I have reviewed a lot of dogs. Getting to review your book was like a gift. It was so captivating I could hardly lay it down, and it managed to escape being a "romance" novel, and it didn't have any vampires or werewolves.
I am eagerly awaiting your next book. I don't really have any questions for you, just some pats on the back, which you are probably getting a lot of.

16lindapanzo
Fev 1, 2010, 2:52 pm

I've been meaning to read this book and just hadn't gotten around to it.

Now, I want to read it so I can talk about it here.

17JulieC0802
Fev 1, 2010, 4:17 pm

Jamie - Thanks for coming back. What is the subject matter of your new novel again? I think you told us before but well I have forgotten. Do you have a release date yet?

I think if you were to write a YA book about this aspect of history it would be great for that age bracket.

Regards,
Julie

18brainlair
Fev 1, 2010, 9:32 pm

Jamie,
I'm so excited to hear you're doing a YA book. I'm a middle school librarian and I love when writers who I admire crossover to the YA Market. I thought Hotel was well and beautifully written. I could immediately get into the story and was caught up in the love building between Henry and Keiko. I also loved the lunchlady! Please tell me more about your new book...

19SilversReviews
Fev 2, 2010, 7:27 am

Question: Did Henry's father keep Keiko's letters from him?

Both of my book clubs are reading your book for our book club. :)

20JamieFord
Fev 2, 2010, 8:31 am

Ah, Henry's letters. The question usually comes up regarding Ethel and whether or not she was complicit in all that. I don't think so, but I left it a bit ambiguous...so really, only Ethel knows for sure. :)

21JamieFord
Fev 2, 2010, 8:35 am

To Julia and Linda and Brainlair...

I jokingly call the new book, "My kamikaze love story..."

It's about a Japanese student that gets repatriated during WWII, conscripted, and trains to be a Tokkotai (kamikaze). But he fails to complete his mission and returns to find his wife has been killed. He spends his remaining years searching for a noble death, one that will allow his spirit to be reunited with that of his late wife. It's another love story, tentatively titled Whispers of a Thunder God. Should be out early next year. Stay tuned.

The YA project is set in post-colonial Hawaii...1920s...fantastic time period!

22JulieC0802
Fev 2, 2010, 10:01 am

Ok Jamie! I can't wait, that sounds captivating. What idea are you tossing around for a YA book? I'm not typically a YA reader but you might convince me to read yours. :)

23ivyd
Fev 2, 2010, 2:43 pm

I very much enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Congratulations on its success, and thank you for writing it!

The depth of your research is obvious, and I thought the facts and world events were beautifully integrated into the story. One of the reasons I love historical fiction is that it shows the effect on ordinary people of events that are totally beyond their control -- it puts a human face on the bare facts. What I'm wondering is whether -- besides your father -- you talked with other people who had experienced the internment, particularly people who were actually "relocated."

The book is ostensibly written primarily from Henry's point of view, but my daughter (who also really liked your book) observed that the real point of view was Marty's (i.e., yours). Do you have any comment about that?

I want to compliment you on your characterization of the 12-year-old Henry; his comprehension, thoughts, actions seemed completely appropriate for his age and circumstances. But even more interesting to me is the 50+ year-old Henry, which I also thought well done (and I'm old enough to know). I'm always fascinated when young people imagine what it's like to be "old" -- and I'm really curious about whether you found that difficult, and how you arrived at his thoughts and character at that age.

Thanks for having this chat! It's a real treat to actually be in contact with the author of a beautiful book.

24SilversReviews
Fev 2, 2010, 7:22 pm

Thanks for the information...my book clubs will be happy to know I heard it straight from the author.

The book is WONDERFUL...thanks.

25Esta1923
Fev 3, 2010, 12:29 am

Henry's wearing "I am Chinese" badge kept throwing my head back to German Jews being forced to wear their identity. How different the reasoning! (Carol Doig told me about your book, and I was delighted as I read it that she had.)

26misaramirez
Fev 3, 2010, 8:30 am

Mensagem removida.

27JamieFord
Fev 3, 2010, 9:21 pm

Hey Julia,

I'd LOVE to tell you. Believe me, I really would. I'm not real secretive about writerly things, I tend to blather on about what I'm working on and if I change my mind I blather on about why I changed it. But...in this case I'm looking into rewriting a character that has fallen through the literary cracks. A character that was written and then orphaned--legally, not in the literary sense. The original author sold the copyright to an studio that went bankrupt in the 60s. So I'm hoping I can take on this character, but the legality is a bit hazy at the moment. Characters like Dracula, for instance, are well in the public domain now, but not sure about this one.

I don't mean to be coy, honest...just want to make sure I can do it before I say anything. Hence all the research and due diligence.

:)

28JamieFord
Fev 3, 2010, 9:23 pm

Hi Meadowmist,

I think so, but I'm not exactly sure. Since I wrap up the ending fairly concisely, I left a few areas purposely ambiguous. I keep everything in Henry's point-of-view, so we never really know...not even me. *shrugs innocently*

29clue
Fev 3, 2010, 11:06 pm

Hi Jamie,

There was a camp in our state and I've heard stories about it but I was too removed by time and circumstances to really understand what people who were there experienced. I learned a lot from the book and appreciate the opportunity you gave us to better understand that page of our country's history. It just amazes me when people say they don't read fiction because they can't learn anything from it!

30tanya2009
Fev 4, 2010, 7:22 am

I just finished Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet last night. We will discuss it the end of the month in our book group. It will be interesting to hear everyones opinion. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to your next one. I have read some good YA books and will keep my eyes open for one by you.

31bookaholicmom
Fev 4, 2010, 10:19 am

Hi Jamie!

I loved The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet! The title is perfect so I'm glad you stuck with it. The book opened my eyes to the internment camps that were in our country and how others were treated. I found myself reading a bit about it on the internet and still wanting to know more. Research is addicting! I am also looking forward to your next novel. It sounds very intriguing!

32SallyRose
Fev 4, 2010, 10:56 am

Just wanted to tell you our Book Club really enjoyed reading your book. It was a world that the younger members never heard about except in passing, as most are South-east people and the plight of the Western US.

33JamieFord
Fev 4, 2010, 5:25 pm

Thanks for the lovely comments.

I always feel enriched when I read a book for pleasure and come away learning something, almost by accident. Fiction is a fantastic venue for education, illumination, provocation, etc.

I know lots of people that might not read a non-fiction book about the Holocaust, but they'll read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or The Book Thief...

34JulieC0802
Fev 5, 2010, 10:28 am

Jamie - I think people don't read non-fiction books about the Holocaust to protect themselves. If they read fiction about the subject, they can find joy in the story and perhaps move past the horror of the time period in which the story is based on. Just a thought.

35JamieFord
Fev 5, 2010, 4:48 pm

You're absolutely right Julie.

36bkswrites
Fev 5, 2010, 11:15 pm

I have strong feelings about the fiction/nonfiction line, which I've posted elsewhere; they mostly ask for a story, and I appreciate good research in fiction.

I read (as audiobook) Hotel on the Corner ... ahead for a book group meeting in about 2 weeks (unfortunately just after this chat closes). Jamie, your historical/research grounding was good enough to make a nonfeatured obit in the NYTimes catch my attention last Sunday, for actress Mary Mon Toy, born in HI and moved to Seattle I guess when she was in her teens. There was an intriguing showgirl photo that caught my eye, but down a couple of inches was this further connection that I want to pursue: "her family were sent to the Minidoka Japanese American Internment Camp.... She left the camp in 1944 on a scholarship to Juilliard procured by Eleanor Roosevelt."

Of course, that means I have to tear myself away from that seductive research of my own projects.

37JamieFord
Fev 6, 2010, 6:12 pm

Wow, that's amazing. That's a great foundation for a novel all by itself.

38JamieFord
Fev 8, 2010, 10:32 am

Ah, what a weekend. Great Superbowl...

Any more thoughts or questions? And if I've somehow missed yours, please let me know...

Best,

Jamie

39Esta1923
Fev 8, 2010, 11:52 am

This was the first Superbowl we have watched. Maybe that's why it was so good!

40JamieFord
Fev 8, 2010, 1:43 pm

I've been traveling and writing and completely forgot that it was Superbowl Sunday. Not a huge fan of either team, but love a good game. There was also a Japanese American player starting for the Saints. Scott Fujita--great story...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=fleming/061110

41clamairy
Fev 8, 2010, 2:36 pm

Hi again, Jamie. Do you have a lot (or any) more signings/discussions scheduled in the near future?

42JamieFord
Fev 8, 2010, 3:00 pm

I do. Here's a link to my tour schedule, and I'll be adding more events in the coming months.

http://www.jamieford.com/book-tour/

Hope to see you there!

43clamairy
Fev 8, 2010, 3:43 pm

Okay, thank you for that.

Suddenly I feel sorry for you! Does it get tiring, all the hopping around? Or have you gotten used to it...

44JamieFord
Fev 8, 2010, 6:23 pm

I think I've finally hit a point where I'm used to it. At first it was brutal. So many airports. And there were a lot of weeks where I'd be in Denver on Tuesday, Dallas on Wednesday, Milwaukee on Thursday--that kid of schedule. But the book events themselves are pure bliss.

Makes it ALL worth it.

45clamairy
Fev 8, 2010, 7:20 pm

That was going to be my next question. (If the events themselves made it worth all that effort.) I'm so glad to hear that is the case. I guess it's sort of like running for office, except that there is no election at the end of it.

46JamieFord
Fev 9, 2010, 5:25 pm

The events have been amazing. For starters, I'm a total book geek. I met my wife at the public library and proposed in a bookstore. So to get to tour around the country, visiting the finest indie stores out there is like a dream come true--Vroman's, Tattered Cover, Third Place Books, Joseph-Beth, Carmichael's, Learned Owl, Powell's, Clayton Books, King's English, HW Schwartz (Used to be Schwartz), the list goes on and on...

Plus I've been incredibly fortunate to have a great turnout at my events. Every newbie author fears the book event where no one shows and there are crickets chirping. I've been so grateful for readers that have braved the miles and bad weather to be there.

47library_gal
Fev 9, 2010, 9:32 pm

Oh, I love the fact that you met your wife at the library and that you proposed in a bookstore! That's not geeky, that's romantic! A dream-come-true for us bookish types!

48Berly
Fev 9, 2010, 9:42 pm

Darn! I just missed you in Oregon. Hope you were well received at the book signing, as you should be. I, too, love that you were totally bookish about your proposal. ;) Picked up your book and it's taken it's place at the tippy top of my TBR pile.

49vsandham
Fev 10, 2010, 5:53 pm

Hi
The Evening Book Club at the library is reading and discussing your book in April. In 2005 we read "When the Emperor was Divine" by Julie Otsuka. So this will be a different take on a similar topic. Should make for a good discussion.

50JamieFord
Fev 10, 2010, 7:21 pm

Hi Berly,

Where are you at in Oregon? I'm probably going back to Ashland this summer. (And really need to get up to Eugene for a book event one of these days...)

Vsandham--I've never read When the Emperor was Divine, but I've heard great things about it. Give my best to your book group!

Wow--what a day. I talked to two high school classes, did one phone-in book group call, did a library event, and now have a live book group in town tonight. I'm exhausted just thinking about it... ;)

51Berly
Fev 10, 2010, 8:19 pm

#50. I live right in Portland. Hope you wind your way back here some day soon and good luck keeping your energy up! I spose that multiple engagments is far better than the alternative. I am envious of your high school visits. Who set that up for you? I would have loved an author visit back in my day.

52JamieFord
Fev 11, 2010, 1:05 am

Hi Berly,

One of the English teachers had read the book and just asked. I was happy to do it. The travel does get a bit tiring, but as the saying goes, make hay while the sun is shining.

53SilversReviews
Fev 11, 2010, 8:05 pm

Any chance of a Pittsburgh appearance?

We have a Joseph-Beth Store and also a lot of Borders bookstores.

54JamieFord
Fev 11, 2010, 9:48 pm

Ah, I love Joseph-Beth--great stores.

No plans at the moment, but stay tuned. We're working on setting up more events through the summer, so you never know. :)

55SilversReviews
Fev 13, 2010, 11:08 pm

I sure hope so..The Pittsburgh Mills would be even better....closer to my house...it is a suburb of Pittsburgh and a HUGE Borders Store is at the Pittsburgh Mills.

Thanks for the reply and information.

56librarymull
Fev 14, 2010, 6:39 pm

Have been recommending your book to both my adult and young adult library readers along with When the emperor was divine and consistently getting great feedback. Looking forward to your next books.

57JamieFord
Fev 15, 2010, 8:54 am

Thanks librarymull,

I've heard great things about Emperor as well. Gonna have to add it to my ever-growing reading pile.

:)