Friday, May 31, 2013

Simon Wang, Chinese billionaire father in Beijing Swag, invests in Africa



In the Beijing Swag, Simon Wang, the billionaire father, considers a real estate development project with Angola. He says "Africa is vastly expanding and growing rapidly."
 
Gleaming high-tech cities and vast modern compounds are being planned across Africa. Some say they are the continent’s future, others describe them as “urban fantasies.” Check out these ambitious new developments and let us know what you think - http://on.cnn.com/15kZBJQ
 
 

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

I am the first Asian American author to spin tales of comedy and drama about the contemporary Chinese family






My family and I live between Los Angeles and Shanghai and I am probably the first Asian American writer to spin tales of comedy and drama of the modern Chinese family in a contemporary time with settings in both the present day United States and China.   This entire book series is inspired by personal experiences.  In the process, I isolate issues that concern the modern Chinese family in their daily living with comedy and drama. 

Enter a chance to win a FREE copy of the Beijing Swag!




Enter a chance to win a FREE copy of the Beijing Swag on weliveinbeijing! 
 


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Beijing expatriates caught in a smoggy dilemma



Since winter, when Beijing was shrouded in smog and pollution levels went off the charts, many expatriate residents have been asking themselves one question: Should we stay or should we go?

http://www.chinadailyasia.com/news/2013-05/29/content_15075064.html

Monday, May 27, 2013

New Bucket List item: Travel the Silk Road and write a story!


I've been watching the Silk Road on Globe Trekker.  I am completely mesmerized!  On my bucket list: travel the Silk Road and write a story.

See the Globe Trekker link here:

http://www.pilotguides.com/tv_shows/globe_trekker/shows/specials/Silk-Road-Kashgar-Istanbul.php

Win a FREE copy of The Beijing Swag!

Win a FREE copy of The Beijing Swag - Volume 2 of the Beijing Family book series on weliveinbeijing.com! Visit their facepage to enter the contest - www.facebook.com/weliveinbeijing


Thursday, May 23, 2013

11 Guided Mediations




11 Guided Meditations + more ->http://tinyurl.com/oo5xqsl

Meet Your Spirit Guides
Experience a Past-Life Regression
Balance and Charge your Chakras
Raise your energetic Vibration and Power
... Integrate completely with your Higher-Self
Feel greater Physical Relaxation than you ever have before
Develop your Psychic Intuition
Connect with other people on an energetic level
And So Much More…

Over 18 New Age Books for FREE!

Where to shop in Beijing




Where to Shop in Beijing - the city's top 12 boutiques



http://travel.cnn.com/beijing-shopping-citys-top-12-boutiques-264396?hpt=travel_hp_blogroll

Urban Beijing


Monday, May 20, 2013

New Chinese home buyers like 'Persian Palaces' in Beverly Hills - not true!





According to this article, the Persian real estate developers say that the new influx of Chinese buyers love the ostentatious, over the top and on steroids 'Persian Palaces' in Beverly Hills with columns, pillars and urns. As a realtor, not a single one of my clients from China like these homes. One client even walked out halfway through viewing one of these palaces. They think it's too much....not the price, the decorations.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/shahs-of-sunset-persian-palaces-homes-la-loves-hate-306321

Nasreen the realtor in Beverly Hills is like Kathy Najimy



In Book 1 The Beijing Family, Kara brings Simon Wang to view a mansion for sale in Beverly Hills and they meet Nasreen, a bubbly, high energy and aggressive realtor with a pear shaped figure and a huge flower pinned to her jacket. With Persians representing 20% of the population in Beverly Hills, I developed Nasreen mainly from personal experience in working with many Persian realtors. But Kathy Najimy, the funny and witty Lebanese American actress in the movie, 'Sister Act' comes to mind when I think of Nasreen.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Chinese career women renting boyfriends to avoid 'leftover woman' stigma

How can young and middle-aged women in China who want to focus on their career live freely without being hounded by their parents to marry? Perhaps by renting a boyfriend.

“I’m not interested in getting married or in getting a boyfriend,” Ning explained.  She had graduated from one of Beijing’s top universities and then entered into the workforce, where she drove herself to become one of the 30 most important people in a company with approximately 20,000 employees.
Ning brought Wang (her rental boyfriend) with her to her parents’ home in the Beijing suburbs for National Foundation Day, in hopes of easing her family’s worries.

Read article here:  http://shanghaiist.com/2013/05/17/chinese_women_renting_boyfriends_to_put_off_leftover_women_label.php

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

"Our restaurant provide wife." Better than wifi


China's Easy Riders



Over 1000 people gathered wearing costumes and masks in Zhejiang province, southeast of Shanghai to celebrate the Harley Davidson National Rally in China.  Harley Davidson is a maturing market in the U.S. but a new and growing market in China.  See article:

http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2013/05/14/chinas-easy-riders/

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Beijing Fashion Show





Young girl in her room, Beijing 1965



Young Chinese girl in her room wearing the required uniforms, Beijing 1965

I spin tales of comedy and drama of the modern Chinese family, not yesteryears




I think I might be the first author to spin tales of comedy and drama of the modern Chinese family largely from having the benefit of living trans-pacifically between Los Angeles and Shanghai. I hope to change deeply rooted and outdated beliefs many Westerners still hold strongly stemming from the 1960's-70's. Many still do not know what is going on in China today.

Monday, May 13, 2013

The Beijing Swag wall paper - Simon Yo!



My book cover illustrator designed this wallpaper for The Beijing Swag. Simon Wang, the Chinese billionaire, is standing in the middle of South Central Los Angeles and wearing a T-Shirt that says 'Simon Yo'. I think she did an incredible job with all the vibrant colors!

The Beijing Family book series takes place in the City of Angels



The Beijing Family book series takes place in Los Angeles. I develop characters that represents this vastly diverse city in gender, race, ethnicity, religion, income, profession, education, sexual orientation and backgrounds that makes the City of Angels the mixed metropolis that it is today.

Cole or "Diesel" in The Beijing Swag




In The Beijing Swag, Ling Hua introduces her new boyfriend from UCLA - Cole or "Diesel" whose family lives in nearby Bel Air. Captain of the swim team, tall and blonde Diesel is a very fast swimmer and young confident Junior majoring in pre-med in hopes to practice sports medicine. When I was writing about Diesel, I was thinking of Liam Hemsworth, the Aussie actor who was in 'Hunger Games' and 'Expendables 2' and on/off fiancé to Miley Cyrus.

Christian the gigolo in The Beijing Swag


 


In The Beijing Swag, Woo Tai Tai meets Christian, a struggling actor working as a bartender in the 5 star Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. He seduces her with his irresistable charm in hopes of securing a friendship with material benefits. I was thinking of the actor Jason Lewis who played Jerrod in 'Sex and the City' when I wrote a whole chapter about Christian and his siren ways.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Writer's Blogs - 5 essentials for engaging your readers

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/07/writers-blogs-5-essentials-for-engaging-your-readers/

Simon Wang learns a valuable lesson at the end


 
 
 

Simon Wang forbids his son, Greg, from dancing hip hop in fear that it would impede his chances of being accepted into an Ivy League college like Harvard. Instead, he encourages his son to play the violin, clarinet or sing in a choir. At the end, Simon learns a very valuable lesson. 

Friday, May 10, 2013

Fernando is like Nathan Lane in The Birdcage




Fernando is Peach's highly emotional and dramatic lover.   Speaking with a Latin accent, he is poignant and likes to make needling remarks.  He helps Peaches in dressing Woo Tai Tai and Chloe in the world's most fashionable clothes that only royalty wear.  Prone to hormonally charged outbursts, he cries often and publicly bickers with Peaches in pure Novella style.  When I was developing Fernando, I was thinking of a combination of the drag queen Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria in the movie, The Birdcage

Peaches is like Jeremy Piven in Rush Hour 2



Dana or "Peaches" is a realtor and a personal stylist for celebrities and the well heeled in Beverly Hills.   He met Kara while she visited one of his mansion listings in Bel Air.   She later introduces him to Woo Tai Tai and Chloe for a day of shopping to learn the meaning of a luxury lifestyle.   When I was developing the Peaches character, I was thinking of Jeremy Piven who played the gay outspoken and brash sales clerk that was flirting with Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 2.

Revolution6 Dance Crew is like Jabbawockeez



Revolution6 Dance Crew is the hip hop dance team that includes Greg, Tayshawn and other members - Rudy, Brooklyn, JT and Tevin.   They are a Black and Asian dance crew like Jabbawockeez.   When I was developing this dance crew, I was thinking of Jabbawockeez.

Aquanetta Kadeja Jackson is gifted in Book 3 - The Beijing Ghosts




Aquanetta Kadeja Jackson is a young African American female in her late 20's that is Tayshawn's older sister.  She is also a frequenter at the Urban Youth Center and is mentored by Eden Malone.  She is strong minded, opinionated, sassy and not about to let anyone cross her in any way.  Aquanetta is a pivotal character in Book 3 - The Beijing Ghosts.  She learns that she is also gifted with psychic intuition and can see the past.  I had Whoopi Goldberg in the movie, Ghosts in mind when I was writing about Aquanetta's character. 

Tayshawn Utopius Jackson debuts his dancing in Book 2 The Beijing Swag




Tayshawn Jackson is a young African American youth in his early 20's and a member of the Urban Youth Center.  Raised in a low income inner city family, Eden Malone introduced him to the Urban Youth Center years ago and has guided him as his mentor.   Highly talented as a hip hop dancer, he is a member of Revolution6, a dance crew that battles in hip hop dance competitions in Los Angeles.  He becomes good friends with Greg Wang who adds Far East movements into their dance routines and they win the toughest dance competitions.  When I was developing Tayshawn's character, I was thinking of Columbus Short in particular for his dancing abilities.  He is a choreographer, actor and singer.  He performed a solo dance in the empty pool scene in 'Stomp The Yard' and has choreographed Britney Spear's concert.

Lulu the very well fed and groomed Bernese Mountain Dog



Ling Hua's best friend is Lulu, a Bernese Mountain Dog that is better fed and groomed
than all the migrant workers in China.  Lulu has her own twitter account and now roams freely around her new home in Beverly Hills.

Ling Hua - Simon's niece arrives from Beijing



Ling Hua is Simon's niece that arrives from Beijing in Book 2 - The Beijing Swag.   Recently crowned Miss Beijing, she is a young beauty queen from Beijing.   A year older than Greg, she enrolls at UCLA and becomes a freshman.  When I was developing Ling Hua, I was thinking of the Chinese actress from Hong Kong, Kibby Lau.

Hank Azaria as Agador in The Birdcage



Hank Azaria as Agador in the move, The Birdcage.

"Good eve-e-ning. May I take jour purse as usual... or for the first tine?"

Fernando is like Nathan Lane from The Birdcage




To help him with the Real Housewives of Beijing, Peaches brings along Fernando, his highly emotional and overly dramatic Latin lover. Prone to emotional outbursts, he is poignant and needling with remarks that lead to Novella style bickers with Peaches. When I was developing Fernando, I was thinking of the overly emotional drag queen Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria in the movie, The Bird Cage.

Peaches is like Jeremy Piven in Rush Hour 2




Kara introduces The Real Housewives of Beijing to Peaches, celebrity stylist to the rich and famous in Beverly Hills and part time realtor. I developed Peaches after Jeremy Piven, who played an outspoken and open gay sales clerk in Rush Hour 2.

Woo Tai Tai buys 8 carat emerald and diamond ring




Woo Tai Tai spends over $70,000 USD on an 8 carat emerald and diamond ring in the first thirty minutes in 'Bevooly Heels'.

Shopping and Lunching in Bevooly Heels



In The Beijing Swag, Woo Tai Tai and Chloe - also known as The Real Housewives of Beijing, spend a fun filled and comedic day of shopping and lunching in 'Bevooly Heels'.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Revolution6 is a black and asian dance crew like Jabbawockeez




Greg Wang becomes friends with Tayshawn Jackson and his friends. Together, they unite into Revolution6, a Black and Asian hip hop dance crew like Jabbawockeez.

Nike Wushu commercial



Nike Wushu commercial

Jet Li performing Wushu on Korean Show in 1994.



Here is Jet Li performing Wushu on a Korean Show in 1994. It's more of a dance than it is a fight.  He's promoting Fist of Fury movie.

Jade Xu, World Champion Wushu Performer



Jade Xu, World Champion Wushu Performer is lightning fast!

The Beijing Wushu Team 2012 performing



In The Beijing Swag, Greg Wang blends the art of Wushu into his hip hop dance performances. Here is a clip of the Beijing Wushu Team that includes Wang Zhang Wei (the young bully) from The Karate Kid directed by Will Smith. I chose Wushu because of its theatrical performance over other martial art forms. It's dazzling and very powerful to watch on stage.

Mixing hip hop with martial arts to give a spectacular dance performance!




In The Beijing Swag, Greg Wang who is trained in martial arts incorporates Far East movements into his hip hop dance performances. He completely knocks over the audience and wins the baddest dance competitions in LA! I was inspired to write about hip hop blended with martial arts when I saw them in talent shows in China and how much the audience loves it. Later, I saw it on the streets, in nightclubs and everywhere.....I think it's catching on.

Monday, May 6, 2013

The Beijing Swag or book 2 is available on Amazon



The Beijing Swag or Book of the Beijing Family book series is available on Amazon!

Chloe Yang in The Beijing Swag




Chloe Yang, a social climber in her late twenties. She is friends with Woo Tai Tai and currently a mistress to one of her husband's business associates. She is single and working on harpooning a wealthy tycoon whale of her own and becoming a 'tai tai' before she turns 30.

Woo Tai Tai in The Beijing Swag



Woo Tai Tai is the lonely housewife married a wealthy Chinese billionaire.  Tai Tai in Mandarin means 'wife' is also sometimes the coveted title given to a woman married into wealth.

Meet The Real Housewives of Beijing in The Beijing Swag or Book 2




In The Beijing Swag or Book 2 of the series, the readers are introduced to Woo Tai Tai and Chloe Yang - two delightful and funny women also known as - The Real Housewives of Beijing.

Greg participates in XDC Ultimate Dance Off in The Beijing Swag




In The Beijing Swag or Book 2 of the book series, Greg Wang, the 17 year old son of the Chinese billionaire competes in XDC Ultimate Dance Off, the baddest and toughest hip hop dance competition in Los Angeles.

Friday, May 3, 2013

The Beijing Swag book description




The Beijing Swag is Book 2 of the Beijing Family book series and is filled with excitement and laughter! Greg Wang, the young martial arts trained teenage son becomes good friends with Tayshawn Jackson and his dance crew. By mixing Far East discipline with hip hop, they win the toughest dance competitions in Los Angeles. Simon Wang, his conservative Chinese billionaire father, forbids him to compete which disappoints Greg deeply. Eventually, both father and son reach a surprisingly simple solution that was there all along. Meanwhile, Kara Chan meets two women - Woo Tai Tai and Chloe, also known as the Real Housewives of Beijing. A lonely wife and a social climbing mistress of billionaire tycoons, they learn the meaning of luxury lifestyle in Beverly Hills with lots of comedy. While shopping, they meet personal stylist for celebrities, Peaches and his drama queen lover, Fernando. Lunching afterwards, they unexpectedly come across Christian, an irresistibly charming male gigolo looking for companionship with material benefits. Here is the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Beijing-Swag-Gina-Tang/dp/1484168291/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367600200&sr=1-1&keywords=the+beijing+swag