There have been 50 or 60 books written about Empress Orchid, but none of them bothered to really examine the period in China when she lived. I was taught that she was evil; it's in all the textbooks.

No matter how American I become, I'm considered part of the Chinese community by my own family.

The sun doesn't just hang on one family's tree

The self was a very strange concept to me until I came to America, and my child was born with that entitlement, and that just thrilled me.

My mind swirled with memories of the life I had led. The constant struggle to keep up appearances, the pretenses, the smiles that had been met with tears. The long sleepless nights, the loneliness that cloaked my spirit and turned me into a true ghost.

There have been 50 or 60 books written about Empress Orchid, but none of them bothered to really examine the period in China when she lived. I was taught that she was evil; it's in all the textbooks.

lack of will power leads to more failure than lack of intelligence or ability.