YEAR OF FIRE DRAGONS

A new travel memoir from Blacksmith Books

Year of Fire Dragons: An American Woman’s Story of Coming of Age in Hong Kong

When a bookish 22-year-old follows her Eurasian boyfriend to Hong Kong, she hopes it’ll be the happy ending to their long distance love story. But a month later, his company sends him to London. Left with a new job and a pile of student debt, she embarks on a wide-eyed newcomer’s journey through Hong Kong—alone. She works as the only foreigner in a local school and explores with other young expats. The city enchants her, forcing her to question her carefully laid plans. Soon she must make a choice between her new life and the love that first brought her to Asia.

Buy the e-book or paperback from the following sites:

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Blacksmith Books (free shipping in Asia)

Read author Elsie Sze’s full review of Year of Fire Dragons at Bookish.Asia.

Advance praise for Year of Fire Dragons

“Year of Fire Dragons is not only a riveting coming of age story, but also a testament to the distance people will travel for love. Shannon Young is the voice of the millennial generation and anyone who has ever built a new life abroad.”

-Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of Good Chinese Wife

“Year of the Fire Dragons evokes all of the wonder of being in love as a young expat while capturing the true romance of Hong Kong. As you delight in Shannon Young’s deftly written coming-of-age story, you might just find yourself falling for this fiery city where East meets West.”

– Jocelyn Eikenburg, founder of Speaking of China

“Life’s twists and turns are like the tail of a dragon, but this intrepid American Millennial holds on tight to her dreams to carve out her place (creatively, financially and romantically) in Hong Kong–a world far from home. Shannon Young’s delightful memoir shows us that true discoveries are made when we let go of who we think we are and embrace who we might become.”

-Leza Lowitz, author of Here Comes The Sun: A Yogi’s Journey of Adapting and Adopting in Japan

“After moving halfway around the world for love, Shannon Young unexpectedly finds herself living alone in Hong Hong. One brave, adventurous step at a time, she finds her footing in her new city and in her own life.”

-Lisa McKay, author of Love at the Speed of Email and founder of Modern Love Long Distance

“Shannon’s memoir was so inspiring because it shows that two people can live so far apart in the world and yet be so committed to love.”

-Jane Cornelius, author of Baby and a Backpack