May 22, 2014

TRIALS OF LIFE by Junying Kirk

Friday 56 Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader  *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you. *Post it. *Add your (url) post in Linky at Freda's Voice.
Also Book Beginnings by Rose City Reader.


Trials of Life
Title: Trials of Life by Junying Kirk, published August 8, 2013
Genre: fiction
Page 56: 
“Hi Dick,” It was his colleague, Dr. Barry Heaton. “What’s up? I was just told that we both have to leave the hotel today, and I have no idea why. I was hoping that you might enlighten me on this.” (Junying Kirk. Trials of Life (Kindle Locations 3956-3958).  
Book beginning: First chapter 
Pearl’s Diary 31st March, Friday, Sunny It’s been a lovely day. Naturally, it’s almost my special day! This morning, I was ‘allowed’ to open my presents, although officially my birthday would be tomorrow. I was born at two in the morning in China, so taking into account eight hours’ time difference, my birth time would be 6 p.m. today in the UK. I am not a patient type, and Andrew knows it, so I got to open presents a day early; an excuse to celebrate a little longer! Andrew gave me a bottle of Beautiful, my favourite Estee Lauder fragrance. He also bought a wool suit with matching skirt from the local Kaliko shop. It has a white-rose print against the dark-grey background, true to his Yorkshire roots! I love this man, so thoughtful and generous!  
Early this morning, I woke up feeling happy and confident. I picked my red underwear from the drawer and slipped it on. I once read an article in a women’s magazine claiming that women wearing red underwear often got the job. I don’t know how true that is but there’s no harm being superstitious once in a while. Who knows what will happen today? (Junying Kirk. Trials of Life (Kindle Locations 203-206). 
Book description:
On her continued “Journey to the West”, Pearl Zhang meets Andrew Church and they fall in love. Her determined, professional pursuits land her a plum international development job at a leading UK university. Life is on an upward curve, or so it seems. 
Dick Appleton, a troublesome academic from a privileged background, wants a junior assistant other than Pearl, in his quest to discover China and what it has to offer him. What happens when two powerful personalities and two different cultures meet and clash? Will life teach Pearl another sharp lesson in her adopted country, or will the ancient Chinese belief hold true that everything happens for a reason? Will she bow to her fate or fights for her beliefs?


About the author

Junying Kirk grew up in the turbulent times of the Cultural Revolution. A British Council scholarship led her to study English Language Teaching at Warwick University, followed by further postgraduate degrees at Glasgow and Leeds. She has worked as an academic, administrator, researcher, teacher and cultural consultant. Currently working as a professional interpreter, her passion has always been reading & writing books, and world travel. 

Her 'Journey to the West' trilogy, 'The Same Moon', 'Trials of Life' and 'Land of Hope' have been published both electronically and in print. She lives in Birmingham, UK with her English husband. Visit the author at 
http://www.junyingkirk.com

11 comments:

  1. The book beginning seems well written to me. It digs a little into the character and it is amusing in a slightly dry way without seeming to go too fast.

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  2. The intro grabbed my attention. I hope you enjoy it.

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  3. Nice beginning. Enjoy your reading. Here is my post: Mixed Book Bag

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  4. Harvee,

    Really appreciate you featuring my book on your lovely site.

    Thanks to everyone who commented here. Happy reading!

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  5. The author did a good job of making the diary entry sound like something a person really could have written. This sounds like a book I'd enjoy.
    Here's the link to my Friday post: THE DOCTOR'S INDISCRETION.

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  6. I am now intrigued...loved the little peek into the interior world of the narrator....and I'm curious about what is going to happen. Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “INTO THE DARKEST CORNER”

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  7. I haven't come across this book yet but I'm very intrigued. The writing is really strong in the excerpts and the diary entry reads true to life. Thanks for sharing!

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  8. I'm definitely intrigued too! Sounds like an epic read.

    Happy weekend!

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  9. This does sound very good, judging from the opening.

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  10. This sounds really good! I will check it out!

    Here is my Book Beginning post!!


    And

    Here is my Friday 56post!!

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  11. I am delighted that some of you are intrigued by the opening of my book, and I sincerely hope that you will check it out. I'll pop into your sites and see what you're reading :). Thanks again for your interest.

    Happy weekend, everyone!

    Junying
    Author of Journey to the West trilogy

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I appreciate your comments and thoughts...

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