Interview & Giveaway with Mingmei Yip, author of Song Of The Silk Road

Following her success of Peach Blossom Pavilion and Petals from the Sky is the release of SONG OF THE SILK ROAD, the third novel by celebrated author, Mingmei Yip. This richly imaginative novel follows one woman’s daunting journey along China’s fabled Silk Road, a life-changing adventure filled with the most unexpected revelations.

As a girl growing up in Hong Kong, Lily Lin was captivated by photographs of the desert—its long, lonely vistas and shifting sand dunes. Now living in New York, Lily is struggling to finish her graduate degree when she receives an astonishing offer. An aunt she never knew existed will pay Lily a huge sum to travel across China’s desolate Taklamakan Desert—and carry out a series of tasks along the way.

Intrigued, Lily accepts. Her assignments range from the dangerous to the bizarre. Lily must seduce a monk. She must scrape a piece of clay from the famous Terracotta Warriors, and climb the Mountains of Heaven to gather a rare herb. At Xian, her first stop, Lily meets Alex, a young American with whom she forms a powerful connection. And soon, she faces revelations that will redefine her past, her destiny, and the shocking truth behind her aunt’s motivations.

Powerful and eloquent, Song of the Silk Road is a captivating story of self-discovery, resonant with the mysteries of its haunting, exotic landscape.

Which part of SONG OF THE SILK ROAD was the most enjoyable to write?

There are a few. First, the love-making scene in the desert, imagining golden singing sand dunes, the unrelieved heat, the passion…all aphrodisiacal.

Another sequence I particularly enjoyed is the protagonist Lily Lin’s platonic love with one of her admirers – an Ughur healer who loves and protects her without asking anything back from her. Later, upon learning his tragic story she discovers she can open her yin eye to see beings from the realm of the dead.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No. I work on each until it is as good as I know how to make it. Then I move on to the next one.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

If you mean aspiring writers, yes. Read a lot, not only to feed your imagination and creativity, but also so you know when you are writing well. When you’re sure your writing is good, pursue publication until you succeed. The Daode Jing says more things are spoiled in the end than the beginning.

Don’t give up until you are there.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

After I labor through getting down the first draft, as I polish up my writing, I begin to enjoy my characters and their trials and struggles as they work towards a happy ending. In my writing, I meet people like the Chinese herbalist and blind fortune teller in Song of the Silk Road, whom I might never meet in real life.

Do you have any quirks that come out while you are writing?

I just plunge into my writing and ignore everything around me. Since I was a tiny girl I have always preferred life inside my own head.

Desert in Duang Huang, Silk Road, China

Visit Mingmei Yip's website to find out more

GIVEAWAY:

Thanks to Mingmei Yip for visiting my blog. If you'd like to win a copy of SONG OF THE SILK ROAD, leave a comment regarding the interview. Don't forget to include your email address.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

+2 post about this give-away on twitter or your blog & leave a link

Competition is only available to US/Canada. Ends 11th May and the winner will be announced on my blog. Good luck everyone!