Jamie Ford
Jamie Ford | |
---|---|
Eureka, CA | |
Occupation | Author |
Language | English |
Nationality | American |
Genre | Literary fiction, historical fiction, speculative fiction |
Notable works | Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Songs of Willow Frost |
Website | |
www |
Jamie Ford (born July 9, 1968) is an American author. He is best known for his debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. The book spent 130 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, and was also awarded best "Adult Fiction" book at the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature. The book was also named the No. 1 Book Club Pick for Fall 2009/Winter 2010 by the American Booksellers Association.
In 2013, Ford released his second book, Songs of Willow Frost.
His stories have also been included in Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology and The Apocalypse Triptych, a series of three anthologies of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction where Ford wrote Asian-themed steampunk. The collections were edited by John Joseph Adams and Hugh Howey.
Early life
Jamie Ford was born on July 9, 1968, in Eureka, California, but grew up in Ashland, Oregon, and Port Orchard and Seattle, Washington. His father, a Seattle native, is of Chinese ancestry, while Ford's mother is of European descent.
His Western last name "Ford" comes from his great grandfather, Min Chung (1850–1922),[1] who immigrated to Tonopah, Nevada in 1865 and later changed his name to William Ford. Ford's great grandmother, Loy Lee Ford,[2] was the first Chinese woman to own property in Nevada.
Career
Ford is best known for his debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. The book received positive reviews after its release, and was also awarded best "Adult Fiction" book at the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature.
In 2013, he released his second book, Songs of Willow Frost.
In 2017, his third novel, Love and other Consolation Prizes was released.
In 2018, ArtsFund presented him with their annual award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts.
Books
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Ford's first book,
The book is set mainly in the
The book was part of various selections and picks in the media which included the IndieBound NEXT List Selection, a Borders Original Voices Selection, a Barnes & Noble Book Club Selection, Pennie's Pick at Costco, a Target Bookmarked Club Pick, and a National Bestseller.[8]
The novel received positive reviews, including from the
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet has been translated into 35 languages.[citation needed]
Songs of Willow Frost
On September 10, 2013, Ford released his second novel, Songs of Willow Frost which debuted at No. 11 on the
The book is the story of a twelve-year-old orphaned Chinese American boy named William. It is set in Seattle's Chinatown in the 1920s and 1930s and is alternately told from his mother's perspective and from William's. The book is also laced with details about life in Seattle in the 1920s and 1930s. The book references a number of historical figures, including "Rum King" Roy Olmstead and filmmaker Nell Shipman. There also a host of references to gone-but-not-quite-forgotten places including the Meadows Race Track, Frederick & Nelson and Seattle's Film Row.[13] Shortly after release, the book made it through to the second round of the 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards in the category of historical fiction.[14] As of 10-August-2018 the book had 684 reviews on Amazon averaging 4.1 of 5 stars.
Love and Other Consolation Prizes
At Seattle's 1909 World's Fair, a young boy named Earnest was auctioned off. Little, if any, more is known about him. Jamie Ford has given him a family name, Young, a girl friend, a life in the 'tenderloin' district of Seattle, and later a wife and daughters. As of 10-August-2018 the book has 275 reviews on Amazon averaging 4.4 of 5 stars.
Personal
Ford married Leesha Procopio on August 8, 2008, at 8:08 pm in Ashland, Oregon, the number eight being a Chinese lucky number.
Ford was a friend and fan of Harlan Ellison and in 2012 bought Ellison's first typewriter, a 1938 Remington Wireless Portable.
Jamie Ford currently lives in Montana.
References
- ^ "Min Chung Billy Ford". OnlineNevada. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
- ISBN 9780842027540. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
- ISBN 978-0345505347.
- ^ "2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature winners selected". American Library Association. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Author Jamie Ford Asks Readers to Support Bricks-and-Mortar Bookstores". American Booksellers Association. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet". Goodreads. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Ford's Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet". Booklist Online. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Best Sellers List – April 05, 2009". New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet". Random House. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Review". Goodreads. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "A Review of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Songs of Willow Frost". Barnes&Noble. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Songs of Willow Frost". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- ^ "Best Historical Books of 2013". Goodreads. Retrieved December 4, 2013.