Submission Synopsis

Concubine of Gold Mountain
by Lissa Lee

Book Opening

Length:

97,750

Genre:

Ethnic

Historical

Multicultural

Women's

Series:

Empress of Gold Mountain

Sentence:

Spanning two centuries from China’s opulent Qing Dynasty to contemporary Los Angeles, this is a tale of two women – one given many choices, the other given none – both making surprising decisions to control their own destinies.

Blurb:

In the first novel of this series, Empress of Gold Mountain, we followed Lin on her journey from life as indentured Texas servant to exclusive San Francisco consort and finally powerful Los Angeles business owner.  In this combined sequel/prequel, Concubine of Gold Mountain, we meet her descendant, Lila, who is juggling career and relationships in the boundless post-feminist era; as well as her ancestor, Ah Ling, who is weighing equally opposing forces in a time when women had no choices.

Synopsis:

AN AMERICAN CONCUBINE
Lila, raised Chinese American, comes of age in a time when equal rights are a given.  She is an aggressive workaholic and a star in the advertising field, with her own pricey downtown Los Angeles condo; yet she has a pattern of troubled relationships with white men and a general malaise.  While researching her own history, Lila learns, frankly, that she is descended from prostitutes.  This turns her world on its head.  She travels to Hangzhou, on the East China Sea, to learn more about her presumed ancestor Ah Toy, who set sail from there and originated the family line in America. 

On the flight to China, Lila enjoys a flirtation with Bill Hargrove, a tall, golden blonde internet entrepreneur – the type of ne’er do well she usually gets involved with.  True to her nature, they get romantically involved while exploring the stunning European-style city of Shanghai.  But she is also intrigued by her Chinese research assistant, Charlie, with whom she develops an intimate friendship.

While delving into her family’s past, Lila finds some unexpected parallels with her own life.  She comes to grips with the fact that her ancestors, although sexually indentured in one way or another, were indeed strong women; and she learns not only about the severely restricted roles of women in the past, but more importantly about the yin-yang between men and women that helps her come to terms with her present-day attitudes and to balance her strident feminist views for a fresh start at a healthy relationship – the question is with which man?  Will she follow her head or her heart? 

A CHINESE CONCUBINE

In the mid-1800s, Ah Ling is sold by her fisherman father to be the companion of the daughter of a tea grower in Hangzhou.  Ah Ling becomes fast friends with Mei Ling.  The wealthy father is ill, and the girls go into their port town for medicinal herbs.  They trade flirtatious glances with an American naval lieutenant, Thadeus Mills, whose ship has just docked.

With her adopted father too ill to make the annual journey to the capital, Ah Ling volunteers to take the traditional harvest gift to the Emperor.  Also on the caravan is the American officer.  Ah Ling presents the tea in court.  The Emperor takes a fancy to her.  As the group is preparing for its trip back to the South, a delegation rides up and presents her with a decree that, after settling her affairs at home, she is to be transported back to Peking as the emperor’s next concubine. 

On the return trip, the romance between Ah Ling and Thad intensifies.  But soon, the guard detail comes to collect Ah Ling.  Resignedly, she dresses in fine silks, her hair is styled and decorated.  As the procession passes the docks, a commotion ensues and Thad helps Ah Ling escape.  The Emperor’s men search for Ah Ling, lining up men who might be a girl disguised as a boy.   As they are about to have Ah Ling take off her shirt to prove she’s a boy, the concubine is found.  It is Mei Ling, dressed in Ah Ling’s clothes.

On the ship to America, Ah Ling discovers another girl disguised as a boy, Szu Ling, and they have great fun confusing everyone with the similarities in their names.  Ah Ling decides to rename herself Ah Toy.  As the ship nears San Francisco bay, Thad confesses he is married and she cannot live with him, but he will support her.  She is stunned by the deceit but accepts her fate.  They meet in secret until his wife finds out and forces him to withdraw his support.  But Ah Toy is pregnant by Thad.  After bearing the child (Lin, protagonist of Empress of Gold Mountain), Ah Toy turns to a life of prostitution and gives up her daughter so that the child can have a chance for a better life.

The years 1859 – 1929 parallel events in Empress of Gold Mountain, but from Ah Toy’s point of view and center around her fresh start in San Francisco.  The coroner from the 1906 quake referred to in the previous story, Albert Mills, is a descendent of Thad.  Ah Toy and Thad have a chance to meet again in their sunset years.  Will he continue to follow his head, or will he finally give in to his heart?

Bio:

After a dozen years writing grant proposals, marketing brochures, newsletters, press releases, business speeches, and other forms of corporate fiction, Lissa Lee wrote her first novel, EMPRESS OF GOLD MOUNTAIN, and its sequel/prequel, CONCUBINE OF GOLD MOUNTAIN.  In these historical sagas, she explores experiences from her own life growing up in a small Midwestern town and then leaving home – emotions and themes such as longing, ambition, naïvete, lust, betrayal, and discovery – and the ambiguity of living between two cultures.  Lissa resides in Los Angeles, California, with her two dogs and two cats.

NOTE: All material is copyright protected.  No portion of this material may be copied or reproduced, either electronically,  mechanically, or by any other means, for resale or distribution without the written consent of the author.  All copy has been dated and registered with the American Society of Authors and Writers.  Copyright 2007 by The Swetky Agency