In Carmel Valley resident Li-Ying Lundquist’s e-book “Wings of Silk”, the protagonist leaves communist China and arrives in New York Metropolis on a scholar visa.

She was invited to dwell together with her aunt and household in Manhattan, however after a number of weeks, they inexplicably kick her out and he or she finds herself a refugee on the streets.

Because of the assistance of some relations and pals, the narrator, Ying-Ying, survives. She faces quite a few traumatic experiences. But, she perseveres and goes on to realize a profitable profession as an engineer, spouse and mom and experiences a religious transformation.

Apart from some adjustments to the names of locations and other people, “Wings of Silk” is actually the autobiography of the creator.

Lundquist is scheduled to learn from and talk about her e-book in addition to signal copies from midday to three:30 p.m., Sept. 24, at Barnes & Noble, 1040 N. El Camino Actual Drive, Encinitas.

Different scheduled appearances are from 1 to three p.m., Oct. 1, at Carmel Valley Library, 3919 Townsgate Drive, San Diego, and a couple of to four p.m., Oct. 22, at Del Mar Library, 1309 Camino Del Mar.

The quilt of “Wings of Silk”

(Courtesy)

“Wings of Silk” was launched 10 months in the past by Acorn Publishing LLC, which was co-founded by Carmel Valley resident and novelist Holly Kammier together with Irvine resident and creator Jessica Therrien.

Lundquist stated she met Kammier by the latter’s involvement in actual property and they’re longtime pals and neighbors. Kammier, who calls Lundquist by her adopted English identify of Eileen, was awed by Lundquist’s account of her life. Kammier credited her pal with serving to her by her personal issues.

Lundquist stated: “Proper from the start, Holly stated, ‘Oh my gosh, Eileen, it’s important to write about your story. It’s so highly effective. She stated, ‘Take into consideration that. In case your story helped me by my most tough instances, take into consideration what number of different folks you possibly can assist.’ … I stated no. I turned her down on a regular basis. …

“Then, a couple of years in the past she approached me once more. She stated, ‘Effectively, I’ve my very own publishing firm now. There’s no excuse for you to not write as a result of you realize it’s going to be revealed.’”

Round that point, Lundquist stated, she suffered a life-threatening sickness throughout which she got here to the conclusion that writing her story was a precedence.

Kammier stated she was moved by Lundquist’s historical past of overcoming adversity.

“Once I went by some very tough challenges in my life, I continued to remind myself of all that Eileen had confronted and overcome,” Kammier stated.

“I informed myself if she might discover a approach to thrive below such tough circumstances, I too might survive,” Kammier stated in an e mail. “She was and is an enormous inspiration in my life. I imagine that anybody who reads her e-book has the chance to even be impressed to turn into an much more fulfilled one that dares to go after their goals.”

A local of Beijing, Lundquist stated she had dreamt of being a author since she was a younger lady.

Born in 1962, Lundquist was nonetheless a toddler when Mao Zedong dominated mainland China. Throughout Mao’s Cultural Revolution launched within the late 1960s, Lundquist’s mother and father have been rounded up by authorities and despatched to a labor camp as punishment for alleged dissidence. Their daughter remained in Beijing in a child-care facility.

Lundquist incorporates this episode and lots of different private experiences into “Wings of Silk.” The title comes from a New Yr’s present of a butterfly kite fabricated from silk that was introduced to her by her mother and father. The kite serves as a metaphor for Ying-Ying’s quest to rise above the various challenges that confront her.

Although Lundquist stated she had entertained the thought of writing about her life, she was inhibited by concern on one hand and self-doubt on the opposite.

“In China, there wasn’t any freedom of speech,” she stated. “No matter you write is absolutely harmful. They will put you in jail. My dad was a literature professor and he’s a author himself. He simply stated there isn’t a future for writers. He steered me towards extra of the science fields — math and physics and issues like that.”

Nonetheless, she entertained the potential for placing her life’s journey into phrases.

“I’ve all the time wished to write down and I actually wished to write down about my experiences,” she stated. “However then due to my lack of self-worth and vanity, I believed, ‘Who would wish to examine my boring story. Why would I inform strangers about all this soiled laundry. … I felt my life was not price that a lot to speak about anyway.”

Because of the prodding of Kammier and a pal who agreed to be her editor, Lundquist started writing a memoir, a challenge she pursued extra vigorously throughout the pandemic shutdown.

Ultimately, Lundquist reworked the narrative right into a semi-fictionalized autobiography to keep away from some probably awkward conditions.

Lundquist stated she underwent counseling to cope with her fears about publishing her story.

“I do be ok with it,” she stated, referring to the suggestions she has obtained.

“I didn’t count on the impression to be like this. Folks can resonate together with my story. As a result of they learn my story, they don’t really feel shameful any extra.”

The e-book is obtainable on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble web sites. Readers’ feedback have been practically universally in reward of “Wings of Silk,” which is averaging a 5-star ranking on Amazon. Extra data is obtainable at www.llundquist.com.

A robust motivation for Lundquist to share her story was her discovery of the redemptive message of Christianity, which she skilled sooner or later at a convention and incorporates into the e-book by the eyes of Ying-Ying.

“I wished to write down about it as a result of I wished to indicate that by forgiveness, we will have a brand new life,” she stated. “It doesn’t matter what has been performed to us and how much errors we’ve made. By way of the ability of forgiveness we will have a brand new life and nonetheless be blissful.

“There’s one other level that I wished to write down — to introduce the Chinese language tradition slightly bit (to readers) and (present) how I grew up and what I grew up with.”

Kammier stated getting “Wings of Silk” in print and earlier than the eyes of readers confirms her perception that Lundquist’s chronicle of tribulation and finally triumph is a compelling narrative that may assist others address their very own difficulties in life.

“I inspired her to share her experiences as a result of I imagine within the energy of tales to form a greater world,” Kammier stated. “I knew her story might assist others.

“I additionally wished her story preserved for her household. Her youngsters, grandchildren, and her nice grandchildren should know that they got here from a lovely, sturdy, and immensely form and resilient lady.”