Ho Lin:
Author Updates

I'm always intrigued by the intentions behind why a person gives someone else a book.

When I come upon written dedications in used books, I wonder if the connections being forged have lasted, and whether the book was accepted in the manner in which it was given (since the book has ended up in my hands, maybe not). Sometimes the dedication is more tantalizing than the actual book.

The perils of AI: I asked it to give my author website a design refresh, and in the process it created fake reviews of my books!

At least the praise is flattering and even plausible at times. References to a "dissident filmmaker" and a "last imperial soldier" catch the scent of stuff I've written but haven't actually published. I especially liked the mentions of the stories "Comrade" and "The Empress," neither of which exist; maybe I should write them?

I maintain an affection for the Asian henchmen of my youth. They existed during a time in which tokenism wasn't even in play, were never given the opportunity for more, and could only find celluloid immortality via death on screen, but they were always there, without complaint, ready to get mowed down and return, resilient and ever-present.

I'm honored to be featured in Multi Hyphen Nation with my essay on Asian henchmen in the movies, which covers the highs and lows of Asian representation. Generation X'ers (like me) will see a lot of familiar names and faces in this one. Read the full essay on Medium.

Roberto Bolaño's prose is inimitable: cheeky and mordant, dancing like a firefly in the blurred spaces between history and memory, fact and imagination, fun and fear.

If you're a follower of Roberto Bolaño's work, you'll find Cowboy Graves, a collection of three posthumous novellas, a tasty treat. If you're new to his prose, you may be a bit confounded, but as an introduction to his unique mix of reality and invention, you could do worse. For more details, read my review of Cowboy Graves in the New York Journal of Books.

At the time the department store blew up, he was shopping for pants he didn't really need.

The literary journal I co-edit, Caveat Lector, has just published its spring issue, and within it is my latest fiction piece, "Next Gen" — a different look at the concept of customer service, as told from the point of view of a former customer. Please do read through the rest of the issue, and submit to us if you're interested — we're always pleased to present works of prose, fiction, poetry and art of all types.

Image: "Mannequin Store" by timshortt is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

In Shanghai, where most people believe Kenny G's "Going Home" is real jazz, I used to hang at The Bee's Knees, where the hot players from the Beijing scene gigged. You could differentiate them from the locals because they talked twice as loud and smoked three times as much. I bonded with Reilly, the American who ran the place, over cheap booze. He needed it, I had the connections to get it.

A rainy night in Shanghai, a jazzman with a missing arm, and a duel over the arm in question. I'm pleased and chuffed to announce the publication of my newest short story "One-armed Bandit" in The Adirondack Review. This tale will also be a part of my new short story collection… but that's something for a future post. Stay tuned!

For my fellow writers and artists out there: What's your experience been during the pandemic? How do you find inspiration (or avoid it)? I've assembled a few of my own thoughts on the subject for the blog Stay Home, San Francisco. Share your own commentary on the blog or this post, and stay safe and fruitful during these strange times.

Stuck on a holiday gift idea? NBC recommends my book, along with the work of four other talented Asian-American authors, for the holidays, and who am I to argue? For more details on all five books, visit the NBC link.