Peeking Between the Pages

...escape into the pages of a good book

Guest Post & Giveaway with John Shors, author of Dragon House

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I am so pleased today to have John Shors visiting Peeking Between the Pages. I reviewed Dragon House yesterday and it is definitely a novel that will be one of my favorites of 2009! You can grab a look at my review here if you’d like. So without further delay here is the fantastic guest post from John Shors on How Street Children Inspired Dragon House.

Happy holidays, everyone. I’d like to offer a post on how my new novel, Dragon House, came to be.

I’ve been fortunate enough to do a lot of traveling. A time existed, after I graduated from college, when I taught English in Japan and then backpacked around Asia. I had little money and tended to stay in rooms that cost a few dollars a night. With nothing more than a couple sets of t-shirts and shorts in my backpack, I visited places such as Vietnam, Thailand, Nepal, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Korea. Some of these countries I grew to know quite well. I’d find a cheap room, rent a scooter, and explore as much of an area as possible. Sometimes my future wife or my friends were with me, though I was often alone.

I saw so many beautiful things throughout these adventures, sights such as the Taj Mahal, the Himalayan peaks, and white-sand beaches unspoiled by humanity’s touch. But I think that I witnessed the most beauty within the street children I encountered. These children seemed so similar, country to country. They were out at all times of day and night, selling their postcards, their fans, their flowers. For many nights in Thailand, I played Connect Four with a boy who wasn’t older than seven or eight. We bet a dollar each game. Some travelers told me not to play with him, convinced that his parents were nearby and were sending him out at night to work. But I never saw his parents, and one night I spied him sleeping on a sidewalk, a piece of cardboard his bed. I don’t think I ever beat him in a game.

Throughout these travels I met hundreds, if not thousands, of children who lived on the street. Sometimes they were sick or had a physical deformity. But most of them were simply homeless—abandoned into extreme poverty. Bright, eager, and unafraid to laugh with a stranger, they taught me so much. I owe them so much.

My encounters with street children inspired my new novel, Dragon House. Set in modern-day Vietnam, Dragon House tells the tale of Iris and Noah—two Americans who, as a way of healing their own painful pasts, open a center to house and educate Vietnamese street children.

I’m quite excited about Dragon House. David Oliver Relin, who lived in Vietnam, and is the best-selling author of Three Cups of Tea, let me know that he thought it was “a sprawling, vibrant novel.” Robert Olen Butler, who fought in the Vietnam War, and won a Pulitzer Prize for his collection of short stories about Vietnamese Americans, told me that Dragon House is “a strong, important work from a gifted writer.” Such feedback from two wonderful writers, and two people who spent a significant amount of time in Vietnam, means a great deal to me.

It is my hope that Dragon House will be a success, and out of that success something good can happen. I am donating some of the funds generated from my book to an organization called Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. This group works with children in crisis throughout Vietnam. Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation offers disadvantaged children a wide range of services and support to help them break out of poverty, forever, by getting them back to school and helping them achieve their best. If you would like more information on Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, and what I am doing to help, please visit www.dragonhousebook.com.

What’s especially wonderful is that many readers, after finishing Dragon House, have made direct contributions to Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. To date, we’ve raised enough money to buy complete sets of school books for 400 street children.

I appreciate the support of everyone who reads Dragon House because the success of my novel will allow me to continue to help street children in Vietnam, and to raise the level of awareness of the perils that street children face around the world.

My very best wishes to you.
John Shors
~~~~~~~~~~

John, thanks so much for the wonderful post. I think it’s so important to help children all over the world so I wish you every success with helping these children! I’d also like to thank you for a really terrific novel!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have two copies of Dragon House to share with two of my lucky readers. What can you do to enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
  • For 2 entries follow my blog. If you do already, just let me know and I’ll put you down for an extra entry.
  • For 3 entries blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word.

This giveaway will be open to US & Canadian residents only for 1 of the copies as it’s coming from the publisher and internationally open for the other copy as it is my review copy that I’ll be putting up for grabs. I will draw for the winners on Saturday, December 19, 2009. Good luck everyone!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. What an interesting guy! After that bit of insight, and your wonderful review, I would love to win a copy of this book. I am a follower! rnawrot at cfl dot rr dot com

  2. Hey Dar,
    Would love to win this book.
    I am a follower.
    I will post about it next Tues.

    forevereading at gmail dot com

  3. John sounds like a great guy and I appreciate what he is doing for those poor kids. Would love to read his novel so count me in please.

    I follow.

    kiris089 at gmail dot com

  4. I read your review yesterday and knew I had to read this book!!
    Please enter me to win.
    Sounds so interesting.

    I follow

    fmlj94 at yahoo dot com

  5. After reading the review I would
    like very much to win this book.

    I follow by google reader.

    cenya2 at hotmail dot com

  6. Great guest post! How wonderful to be raising awareness and funds, all through a book.

    I'd like to enter please.
    I follow and will post here.

    wanda_waiting[@]hotmail[.]com

  7. I enjoyed the review yesterday, so found today's guest post esp. interesting. I'd love to win the book.

    I'm a follower.

    lcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com

  9. I caught your enthusiasm yesterday in your review and enjoyed the author's insights from writing it today.
    I would appreciate a chance to win a copy!
    Thanks Dar!

    cjay (at) iavalley (dot) edu

  10. Thanks, everyone, for your nice comments about my novel, Dragon House. I really appreciate your enthusiasm… The book is generating some goodness in that we're helping these street children. We're sending them to school, getting them clothes, etc. It's wonderful. I wish everyone the best. Happy holidays! – John

  16. It just breaks my heart to hear of children living like that, yet I know it goes on all over the world. This sounds like a wonderful book. Please enter me. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

  17. Interesting interview!

    Thanks for the chance to read this book.

    heidivargas [at] live dot com

  24. Hi Dar, there's no need to enter me for this giveaway (not eligible), but still, I'd like to say to you and John Shors!

  25. Hi Dar, thanks for your email clarification. I'm sorry I didn't read it thoroughly. Ah yes, please enter me for the giveaway!

    I'm already a follower… 🙂

    teh(dot)alice(at)gmail(dot)com

  26. This book sounds really interesting. I'd love to win a copy.

    I am already a follower.

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

  27. I heart books amythomas at gmail dot com Thanks for the look at this author and this great opportunity

  29. This looks like a fascinating book. Just signed up to be a follower.
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

  30. Thanks for this-I have had this on my wish list for awhile

    chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

  33. Hi, Dar!
    I've heard a lot of great things about this book. Would you mind counting me in for the Int'l copy? I'm your loyal follower 🙂

    ivanaquick at gmail dot com

    Hugs,
    Ivana

  37. need some reading for the long winter,,thx for the contest..
    thehighflyer3(at)hotmail(dot)com

  39. I would love to read this book! Thank you for the giveaway

    I'm a follower.

    mittens0831 at aol dot com

  41. I follow the blog 🙂 Sounds like an excellent book!
    baileythebookworm at gmail dot com

  43. I would love to be entered in your draw. Thanks.

    I am already a follower of your blog.

    wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

  45. I've been watching the book reviews on this book and have it on my "to be read" radar. Thanks for the chance!

    bookcat1010 at gmail dot com

  46. I'm an "old" follower (at rubymoonstone/gmail) at google friend connect

    bookcat1010 at gmail dot com

  47. i've been eye-ing this book too for quite since last week 🙂
    A great book to read !

    i'm a follower !

    uniquas at ymail dot com

  51. After hearing good things about this book, I would love to win and read it.

    rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

  54. Would love a copy of this book. I am a new follower, will post tweets…libbysutherland forty-six at gmaidot com

  55. I have put this book on my "must read" list after reading your review. Please count me in!

    I am a follower and will tweet about your giveaway.

    the dot sweetkitchen at yahoo dot com

  58. I really enjoyed your interview with John Shors, and would love to be entered in your giveaway for his book. Thank you! I'm also a new follower…enjoying your great blog.

    Sandee

    Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com

  59. It sounds like a book everybody should read to support the childrens charity.

    I am a Follower.

    Please enter me in the drawing.

    Thank you

    Carol

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

  60. I would love to read this. My daughter would to. Good review.
    +1 I'm a follower. polo-puppy-fluffyAThotmail *dot* com

  62. What an admiral cause from a great guy! It's nice to hear that they are getting educated. Of course, I'd love to read this book. Thank you for this giveaway and an excellent review.

    chinook92 at gmail dot com

  65. Hi, Dar!

    I can't enter, but I still wanted to say hi, and thank the author for such an interesting post! And for what he is doing. Writing a book is a great way to get the message out there!

    There should be more people like you around!

    Sassy
    Alternative-Read
    🙂

  67. i have been wanting to read this! I hope I win! Thanks!

    I already follow.
    jacquecurl1(at)gmail(dot)com

  76. I'm glad to know that 400 children got some school books!

    I just followed your blog too. 🙂

    I also mentioned your giveaway in my blog.

    josettebooks[at]yahoo[dot]com

    Thanks!