A blend of travel narrative and commentary, peppered with asides from the caustic to the laudatory, Keeping Up With the War God is an exploration of Taiwan by a long-term resident who has often loved, and sometimes loathed, the island – but never felt bored there.

Writing
August 14, 2008

Keeping Up With the War God:  Taiwan, As It Seemed To Me
by Steven Crook
Interview by Daniel White

Asia East:  Your book reveals so many different aspects about life in Taiwan.  What first inspired you to write it?

I'd written quite a few articles for newspapers and magazines, but because of word-count limits or the requirements of a particular editor or publication, I found that often I couldn't write everything I wanted to about a particular subject.  Writing the book allowed me to cover some subjects in much more detail and to add my own opinions.  Also, I could include dozens of interesting little things that really don't deserve articles in their own right, but which I think are useful snapshots of Taiwan.

Like almost everyone who self-publishes, I would have preferred to have had a big-name publisher pay me a fat advance and take care of printing and distribution.  When it became clear that that wasn't going to happen, I decided to write the book I wanted to write, which is probably not the book a mainstream publisher would have wanted.  I had a list of topics I wanted to include.  Perhaps I had something to get off my chest.

Asia East:  Do you think Taiwan has changed much over the last ten years?  If so, how has it changed?

Physically, the country has changed.  Since I first arrived in 1991, the number of tall buildings in Tainan – by tall I mean 10 floors or more – has increased six or sevenfold, at the very least.  There are a lot more cars on the roads, but the air is cleaner now than it was.  I guess the dirtiest factories have all gone to China or Vietnam.  Taiwanese society has changed quite a bit.  In my book I devote sections to money circles – a kind of informal savings group –  and vote-buying in elections.  Neither behavior has disappeared completely, but I hear much less about these kinds of things than before.  People are less conservative now – sex before marriage being a good example – and more into enjoying their lives.

Asia East:  What recommendations would you have for anyone trying to write a nonfiction book such as yours?

My book is unusual in that it's a "catch-all" rather than something that follows or explores a theme.  I guess if someone wants to write a book, they should start by writing short articles. See if a pattern emerges.  That might give you a direction to try for a book.

Asia East:  What's your favorite part of the book?

The title chapter, which is about the Yanshuei Beehive Fireworks Festival, and the chapter titled 'Blood and Ritual,' about shamans at Nankunshen Temple.  Both describe what, for me, were exceptionally intense experiences.  Both, interestingly, are in the northwestern corner of Tainan County.  Re-reading these two chapter years later, I still feel I captured the scene as well as I could.

See more about Keeping Up With the War God:  Taiwan, As It Seemed To Me in the Asia East Bookstore.

Steven Crook Blogspot

When she learned that the Chinese had built enough new roads to circle the equator sixteen times, Polly Evans decided to go and witness for herself the way this vast nation was hurtling into the technological age.  But on arriving in China she found the building work wasn't quite finished.

"Highly readable...Fried Eggs with Chopsticks is gutsy, funny and rarely self-indulgent." ~ South China Morning Post

Writing
May 7, 2008

Fried Eggs with Chopsticks
by Polly Evans
Interview by Daniel White

Asia East:  What was more challenging, traveling across China by so many different means, or writing a book about it?

Definitely the traveling.  The writing part is easier by far – you just sit at a desk, type a little bit, drink some coffee, type a little bit more, and read up on the country's background lying on the sofa.

Asia East:  Do you write your books on the road or after you return home?

Always after I get home.  I don't actually know anyone who writes properly on the road.  While you're traveling, you have to take notes, of course – the more the better – but the actual business of crafting them together into a book is better done later.

Asia East:  Is it easy to come up with a theme for your books?

Yes, the world is a big and wildly attractive place and there's no chance I'll ever get to half the places I want to.

Asia East:  Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to get started in the travel writing genre?

Yes, ignore my answer to question one.  It is not all about drinking coffee and lying on the sofa.  Actually, it is a long haul and a lot of hard work – those who think they'd like to go on holiday for a living, think again!

See more about Fried Eggs with Chopsticks in the Asia East Bookstore.

Polly Evans Homepage

In 1992, Brandon Wilson and his wife set off to become the first Westerners to walk an ancient pilgrimage trail from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu.  What began as an adventure soon turned into a fight for survival while providing an intimate look at a swiftly vanishing culture.

"An engrossing, fascinating read sure to be relished by those readers interested in adventure travel and the Tibetan culture."
~ Mayra Calvani, Midwest Book Review

Writing
April 28, 2008

Yak Butter Blues: A Tibetan Trek of Faith
by Brandon Wilson
Interview by Daniel White

Asia East:  What was more challenging, walking from Tibet to Kathmandu or writing a book about it?

They were both challenges for different reasons.  The 1000km trek was physically and mentally challenging, as there was such uncertainty along the way.  Our maps were poor, there was an impending snowfall threatening to close the path any day, uncertainty where to find food and shelter, and how the soldiers we passed all too often might react to our presence.  But the Tibetans who sheltered us were very kind.

Writing the book was also a challenge, as it was my first, but I was driven by the desire to make the world more aware of the struggle that most Tibetans face today.  Marketing the book was an even greater challenge that continues even now, especially in our pop-culture driven country.  There are so many books released, but I think ours, the first story of a Western couple walking that ancient pilgrimage route, is unique and provides a window into life in Tibet.

Asia East:  Do you write your books on the road or after you return home?

All my books – Yak Butter Blues:  A Tibetan Trek of Faith, Along the Templar Trail:  Seven Million Steps for Peace, and Dead Men Don't Leave Tips:  Adventures X Africa – are very personal, raw and experiential.  They're not written in the confinement of a cozy room – far from it. They're written on the road and only polished when I returned home.

Traveling slowly, often on a small budget, I experience the good, bad and gritty of each destination.  Whether in the wilds of Tibet, Africa, or Europe and the Middle East, every day I describe my experiences while they – and the blisters – are still fresh.  I strive to expose it all. All the ups and downs are shared, as well as the triumphs and laughs that make each day unique.  The reader is right there beside me.

Asia East:  As a writer in the travel genre, how do you choose what to describe?

I take special effort to describe the fascinating people I meet, along with the thoughts passing through my sun-addled brain.  They are candid, gritty and provide an intimate look at cultures and human generosity, as well as our fallibility.  Interwoven with these true stories are lessons of survival, adventure, transformation, overcoming odds…finding peace.

Overall, I like to believe my books bridge the typical travel genre by infusing a place with adventure, history, politics, the mystical, and social conflict.  I avoid using broad brush strokes to describe a place.  Readers have grown tired of hearing about another sunset or charming restaurant.  And I can’t blame them.

Asia East:  Do you have a message in mind when you write?

In this world of constant sensory stimulation, I like to remind people about the small joys that still exist in our world.  I like to share moments of magic and serenity in secluded places.  I like to dispel prejudices by reminding readers how much alike we are when it’s all said and done.  I like to inspire others to see the world for themselves without hesitation or fear.  I like to challenge them to discover a personal peace, and as Gandhi once said, “To be the change they would like to see in the world.”

I'm honored to preserve these moments in time and share them with my readers.  If life is a journey, I'm happy to welcome them on mine.

See more about Yak Butter Blues in the Asia East Bookstore.

Pilgrim's Tales:  Yak Butter Blues