Bitter Winds (33 page)

With Jojo and Lan behind them, Sky’s arms circled around her, and, her head on his shoulder, it felt like coming home.

Bitter Winds
, book three in the Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters,
was a fun book to write because once again, I pulled from memories of my time in China to create a story. My idea for Rose Haven came from a similar place in Anhui in which the owner of a bankrupt shoe factory truly did allow his property to be used to shelter the needy. Inspiration for Lily’s story came from all I’ve seen and read over the last few years of how horribly beggars are treated in China. The catalyst was an online article and photo that showed an actual temporary iron jail constructed on a sidewalk outside of a festival, where the local officials had gathered and imprisoned beggars in 2011.

With regards to citizens being unlawfully sent to mental hospitals, after much public outrage, in October of 2012, China’s legislature finally passed a long-awaited mental health law to prevent citizens from being involuntarily held and needlessly treated in psychiatric facilities. Stories of such abuse are rampant, and I’m relieved that perhaps China is on track to mend its soiled reputation when it comes to human rights issues.

I included the storyline involving Falun Gong because I find the controversy concerning it fascinating. Lily and then Ivy’s predicament is very common and, as in their story, Chinese citizens want to avoid their names being recorded in official files as much as possible, even if it means doing time as penance. I do not support or speak against Falun Gong, as most of what I have read has been contradictory in nature, so it is difficult to form an opinion. I chose it because it is an interesting subject that fit well into this story.

If you enjoyed this book, a short review posted on Amazon or GoodReads would be very much appreciated. Also, please go to the Kay Bratt website to sign up for my newsletter to notify you of new releases, and come join me on my Facebook Author page!

F
irst I’d like to thank my twin sister, Lisa. Our twinship provided a lot of background for the emotions and sense of loyalty Lily and Ivy feel toward each other. Our own experiences of maturing, and the inevitable process of growing apart that life demands, helped me to forge their relationship. To my husband, Ben, you were the role model I created Benfu from, and the kindness he seeps was inspired from how you truly are. Amanda, writing this series has kept me away from you most of your last year at home, but I hope when you read it, you will find it worthy of that sacrifice. To my Zachadoodle; as I created the character of Jojo, I used you as a model because you are the same age and I wanted Jojo to be just as awesome as you are.

Research for the mental hospitals in China came from many places, including CHRD’s report
,
“The Darkest Corners: Abuses of Involuntary Psychiatric Commitment in China,” which details the grim conditions and human rights abuses faced by these individuals [
TheDailyBeast.com
Aug 22, 2011]: “In practice, hospitals often admit patients taken there against their will simply on the basis of an allegation made by the police, other government officials, family members, or employers that the person might have a psychosocial disability,” according to the report.

Thank you to Thomas Bickford, author of
Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane
. Your book was a crash course for me in learning how blind people traverse a sighted world. Thanks to Heather Tomlinson and Michele Coco. Your critiques were vital to helping me explore the daily challenges of being blind. Also to best-selling author Karen McQuestion, indubitably one of the coolest people in the entire universe, I wish her ten thousand years of happiness for being my mentor and critique partner. Many thanks to Lisa from
TheGrammarGenie.com
. Your developing skills helped me move the story forward and you did a fine job cleaning up the first round of my inevitable grammar snafus. Kate Danley and Gina Barlean, fellow authors and cheerleaders, thank you for spurring me on to finish this book when I felt like throwing in the towel, and your suggestions and ideas were most welcome and appreciated.

Once again I owe a heaping helping of gratitude to my editor and the rest of the team at Amazon Publishing. Terry Goodman, Jessica, and Nikki, without you, my stories might be wallowing at the bottom of a slush pile, or maybe just hovering on the wrong end of Amazon rankings. Charlotte Herscher, I’m still thrilled to call you my developmental editor because without your touch, I’d never get that final polish that marks a story as
ready to roll
.

The creation of a successful book is definitely a team project and I am grateful for every review and tidbit of encouragement my readers give me; it is because of them I continue to dream up characters who navigate the trials of life in an imperfect world. It is my hope that in their stories I can possibly capture a glimpse of the heart of humanity.