C.L. Hoang's Blog

Back in my college days--a lifetime ago--I spent most of my waking hours in the school's main library. Between classes and my work-study jobs at the cafeteria and at the library itself, there just wasn't enough time to dash back to my bare-bones studio atop an uptown bar. And so I would stake out a desk in a quiet corner on the basement floor of the library, and there I could do my homework and study in peace, and sometimes even squeeze in a much-needed doze by simply laying my head down on the small table. Ah, those few z's caught on the fly, they were just pure heaven! Once in a while, I would take a short break to go stretch my legs and wander among the rows and rows of filled bookshelves, and it never failed to amaze and delight me then, just how much knowledge and entertainment was at my fingertips, literally.

All this reminiscing simply to say that I love libraries and the treasures hidden within them. They are some of my favorite places, the coolest of hideaways. So imagine my excitement when earlier this year I discovered that my own books had been added to the catalog at Yale University, on the stacks at iconic Sterling Memorial Library (SML in the catalog annotations). That's the Gothic-styled building shown in the picture above.



A little digging around using the World Catalog revealed even more surprises. I was thrilled beyond words and much humbled to find out that my books also figure in the library catalogs at a number of other academic institutions, as listed below according to geographical locations.

East Coast: Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, NYU, Georgetown, Temple U, Vanderbilt.

Middle USA: Carnegie Mellon, Ohio State, Ohio U (my alma mater), Indiana U, U. of Wisconsin, U. of Michigan, Northern Illinois, Coe College, Iowa State, U. of Nebraska, U. of Montana, Colorado State, Brigham Young U.

The South: U. of Florida, Tulane, Rice.

West Coast and Pacific: San Diego State, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Berkeley (my other alma mater), Stanford, U. of San Francisco, U. of Oregon, U. of Hawaii.

Overseas: U. of Alberta, SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) at U. of London, Australian National U.

Below are snapshots of the Harvard Library catalog (or Hollis) and the UC Berkeley Library catalog.





I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that my books reside in all those cool libraries, just waiting for some curious young minds to discover and explore them. It is what writing is all about, at least in my humble opinion: an act of sharing--a small gift of experience and knowledge to be paid forward. I keep my fingers crossed that this list of libraries will keep on growing.

Have a wonderful summer y'all, and if you haven't done so in a while, stop in and cool your heels at the local library for an hour or two of peaceful getaway.
 

C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

To most Americans, obtaining a driver's license for the first time is an important rite of passage, one that ranks up there with such events as your first Prom, first kiss, first beer, your high school graduation etc. (though not necessarily in that particular order). In a mobile society like the one we live in, to be officially granted the driving privilege means you're on the verge of adulthood---of total independence. You're sprouting wings and about to fly the nest and take on the world on your own terms, whatever all that entails. It's a liberating and thrilling experience that most people don't tend to forget, and about which they often reminisce with memorable "war stories" that all go to enrich our shared automobile culture.

As you may guess, I do have my own little bit to add to the colorful lore. In my case, though, becoming a proficient driver presented an even bigger deal (or more accurately, challenge), seeing as I wasn't born and raised in America but only came here after high school. My only modes of transportation until then had been my own two feet, a bicycle, and sometimes my sister's mini-scooter. And so right off the bat I was a late starter, and fittingly my subsequent journey to automobile adulthood was neither straightforward nor conventional.

The following anecdote somehow stands out in my mind, no doubt because it involved a good friend of mine at the time, who would never since let me live it down. On a whim, I recently jotted it down on paper and sent it out for publication. It was picked up by The Ocotillo Review in Texas (which is quite appropriate, as you shall see). So John, if you happen to come across this post, as I hope you will, have another good laugh "with" me, brother!

The Review publishes in print only, with no online electronic copy, so I had to scan the piece and convert it into a PDF file in order to share with you. So enjoy, have a chuckle! I hope it brings you back memories of your own early driving days. Feel free to share them with the rest of us, if you dare!

Click HERE to read this short piece, which is titled By the Time I Made Oklahoma.
 

C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, was where I spent my first four years in America, from 1974 to 1978. Memories of those early years and college days are still vivid in my mind, and I'd like to share a little anecdote with you.

But first, let me set the stage. The picture above is of the Class Gateway on campus, with beautiful College Green behind it. In early springtime you can walk through here and see college students sprawled out in shorts and T-shirts---or just bikinis---on the vast thawing lawn, soaking in the first rays of warm sunshine after the long Midwestern winter. That probably has something to do with Ohio U. often landing on some lists of most beautiful campuses.

But there are also other lists the school often finds itself on, not always as glamorous or desirable as some people might perhaps like. Ever heard of the Playboy Magazine's Party School List, back in the day? Ah, yes. That one. My undergraduate alma mater made the list more than once during the 1970's, all thanks to the lively action on the main drag uptown, Court Street, just a block away from the Class Gateway. The photos below depict the street, first back in the early 70's, then now.





And guess what? By some strange twist of fate, I found myself at the epicenter of all that action, living in a studio on the upper floor of a building on South Court Street. Yes, moi! yours truly who, unfortunately, had neither time nor money to revel in such endeavors. How ironic, and what a terrible waste that was, you think? Such is the basis of my short essay titled "Close Encounter of the Missed Kind," just published in the Louisiana Literature Journal, Spring 2023 issue. The journal doesn't have an online edition, so I went ahead and created an electronic copy of the printed essay. I now invite you to browse it for some springtime fun read---in just a minute.

First, see the old black-and-white picture down below? Don't look at it too closely yet, not until you're done reading "Close Encounter" on line. This picture is an intrinsic part of the story's ending, so you'll have to come back and scrutinize it after you've read, and all the pieces will fall in place.

Another quick note before I go: My website has undergone some changes forced upon it by Blue Host (where it resides), and in the process it has lost most of its previous Facebook "Likes" and "Shares" along with a few other things. Don't be alarmed. I'm aware of it and am working to fix all that---if I can.

Now, go read the online essay by clicking HERE then come back and stare at the picture up close. I hope the story brings you a chuckle or two.

Happy Spring, Passover, and Easter!


 
 
 

C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

Last year, as we were emerging from the lockdown, I was inspired to attempt a top-down cleaning of my home. Not just the junk that had accumulated over the dark days of pandemic, but also all the baggage I'd been dragging around with me all these years, as I moved from place to place (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Northern California, Colorado, and various parts of Southern California). My good intentions lasted a while, long enough for me to dispose of a dozen of old moving boxes. But total victory seems more elusive now than ever, and the house, sadly, remains in a state of disarray.

In the process, though, I uncovered a trove of old correspondence and papers, some dated all the way back to my early college days, shortly after my arrival in America. It was as if a genie had been let out of the bottle---box---to carry me back in time, to that innocent era. I was shocked at how fast the memories all came rushing back, and what strong emotions they stirred up in me. It struck me all over again how deep of an effect the events and people from those early years had had on me, and I realized it was time I wrote down the true stories about them.

The writing came in bits and pieces as the memories reasserted themselves in my mind; it eventually took the form of stand-alone short essays, what's frequently described as narrative nonfiction.

One of the essays, titled Three Men, Two Wars, and a Hobo Kid, was recently published by the online edition of the international literary journal Consequence. It is about my working "adventures" in Central Ohio in the summer of 1976, following my sophomore year in college. I'm proud and happy to share it with you here. It's a short, easy summer read (3000 words), and if I'm lucky it may bring you a chuckle or two.

Click on the picture below to open the publication in a new tab. Then come along with me on a fun ride around Tuscarawas County, Ohio, circa 1970's. Enjoy!


 
 
 

C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr
 


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

The Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh once mused, "I dabbled in verse and it became my life."

Some people probably wish they were the ones uttering such beautiful sentiment, and the chosen few among us may even come close to living it. For my part, I realized long ago that the only word that might remotely apply to me is "dabble." Still, I love reading poetry and can't resist, from time to time, to jot down a couple of stanzas of my own, whenever I'm fortunate enough to feel the inspiration.

My affinity to verse, I believe, is rooted in the fact that my childhood language is rich in musicality. With as many as six distinct tones, Vietnamese lends itself to the natural cadence and rhythm that define traditional poetry. In fact in Việt Nam in the old days, poetry was not merely read, but sung. Nowhere was this more evident than in folk poetry (ca dao) which gave rise to the sweet lullabies that soothed us to sleep during our earliest years.

I recently discovered, stashed in a box of old papers, a folder that contains many short poems I had written over the years. On a whim, I decided to send a few of those out to some journals and see if anyone would want to publish them. To my delighted surprise, three of my poems have been picked up for publication in the past month, which I'm happy to share with you now.

The first poem was the one I used in my collection of stories titled In the Shadow of Green Bamboos, published in 2020. It is reprinted in the May 2022 issue of Better Than Starbucks, a quarterly Poetry and Fiction Journal. The title of the poem is When I'm Gone, and you can read it in the online edition by clicking HERE.

The second poem, titled Sunset Nostalgia, is published by Mount Hope Magazine at Roger Williams University in their June 2022 issue. Click HERE to read the online edition. Be sure to scroll down the main column to the Poetry section toward the bottom of the page.

The third title, Long Night, is actually a new poem that came to me recently after watching a news report on the war in Ukraine. It is published by Tipton Poetry Journal in their Spring 2022 edition that just came out. The online edition is posted on ISSUU at this link HERE. The ISSUU has a format similar to YouTube. Make sure you go to the bottom right corner of the ISSUU display to click on the FULL SCREEN icon for a legible display, then right-click to Page 4 where my poem is.

I hope to have more poems published in the next few months to share with you. In the meantime, enjoy a wonderful summer and whatever you choose to do, stay safe, healthy, and happy!



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

Another year's end is approaching at neck-breaking pace. Instead of sunscreen we put on before heading out the door, it's sweater weather all over again, even in Southern California. Fortunately, some great news have just come along to warm my days, and I'm thrilled to share them with you now.

First off, my collection of short stories In the Shadow of Green Bamboos has recently been named a Finalist in the Independent Author Network 2021 Book of the Year Awards, in the Short Story Collection category. This award came almost one year after Green Bamboos won the 2020 Best Indie Book Award in the same category.



Also, I'm very grateful for a couple of wonderful reviews that the book has received earlier this year:

The first one was from Midwest Book Review (Feb 2021):
Deftly crafted, thought-provoking, and inherently engaging, "In the Shadow of Green Bamboos" is a compelling literary experience that will be especially appreciated and recommended for community, college, and university library Asian American Literature & Fiction, Cultural Heritage Fiction, and War Fiction collections.

The second review was posted on the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Books in Review webpage, by Bill McCloud in April 2021:
. . . Hoang’s method of storytelling makes his words come alive, consistently—almost like watching a movie. All of my senses were engaged. . . . As I prepared to begin to read the final story, “A Cup of Love,” I wished there were a dozen more in this book. Then this one begins with an older Vietnamese woman saying to her young granddaughter, “Do you want to hear a story?” And the voice in my mind drowned out the voice of the young girl as I may even have said out loud, “Yes, Mr. Hoang, another story, please.” But what I really want is another book full of stories by C.L. Hoang.
You can read this review in its entirety HERE.

In some ways, In the Shadow of Green Bamboos could be seen as a sequel to my first book, Once upon a Mulberry Field, though in a totally different format (short story vs. novel). And so it was with great pleasure that I learned that Mulberry Field had also been designated a Finalist in the Independent Author Network 2021 Book of the Year Awards, in the First Novel With Over 80,000 Words category---seven years after its publication.



I'm delighted that the book has continued to gain new readers, some of whom were kind enough to leave a review on my Amazon book page. One such review, by Thomas J. Ryan who served in Vietnam on three separate assignments over a period of 20 years, especially touched me.  Of Mulberry Field, Mr. Ryan, who is an award-winning scholar on the American Civil War, said this:

Words cannot describe the brilliance of this rendition of the mixing of cultures in a wartime setting. Of infatuation, love, heartbreak, and reconciliation all wrapped up in one enchanting story that stirs emotional reaction and remembrance of unforgettable experiences during America's Vietnam nightmare. . . . This chronicle provides for the Vietnam era the equivalent of Gone With the Wind for the Civil War and Madam Butterfly for WWII, and, in my mind, displaces Miss Saigon as the symbolic portrayal of the cultural awakening during a period of conflict involving the remote Southeast Asian country of Vietnam. . . . If Hollywood has not discovered this beautiful rendering of survival in an environment where death and destruction proliferates unabated, they are missing what predictably would become a classic film.

Thanksgiving is mere days away, and Christmas, just over a month. I wish all of you a Happy Holiday Season with plenty of great food and joyful times with your loved ones, and filled with blessings and good tidings.




C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

Taking a walk the other day, I noticed that the Jacaranda trees in our neighborhood were in full bloom. Profuse panicles of violet-blue flowers that brightened the heart and the sidewalks and further enhanced the cloudless blue overhead. This colorful spectacle screamed summer to me, even louder than the recent heatwave or anything else I know.

The root of this stirring sensation reaches all the way back to my childhood in Vietnam, albeit with a different color then. From their sumptuous corolla to the fern-like leaves that adorn them, Jacaranda blooms have always reminded me of flowers of another kind: the bright red clusters that burst out on Poinciana trees all over the streets of Saigon at the start of summer. Along with the return of cicadas and their nostalgic song, those red blooms signified the end of the schoolyear for us kids and the arrival of the hottest and wettest season of the year.



This time last year, at the height of the pandemic, like all of you I was cooped up inside the house. It was a surreal time, the memories of which I'd rather leave behind. Fortunately, with the vaccine, things are improving, and once again the outdoors beckon. And on my morning walks, the Jacaranda blooms have never looked bluer or lovelier.

These words from Ralph Waldo Emerson come to mind:
"Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air."

Have a Happy Fourth of July Weekend, everyone!




C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

Writing is a lonely and demanding craft, as made abundantly clear in countless sayings attributed to writers of all stripes, from famous authors who have attained great success to aspiring unknowns toiling in anonymity. Here's a tiny sample of such gems that have struck a chord with me as I'm continually searching for words of experience and guidance:

"Go inside where silence is. Stay there. Let words bubble up." 
—Maxime Lagacé

"At its best, the sensation of writing is that of any unmerited grace. It is handed to you, but only if you look for it. You search, you break your heart, your back, your brain, and then — and only then — it is handed to you." 
—Annie Dillard

"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and bleed." 
—Ernest Hemingway

And so, how does someone with the fire of writing in their belly keep it ablaze for hours, weeks, months, or even years on end while sweating on their labor of love, and then as soon as it's finished and birthed, happily jump on another project and replicate the process all over again, book after book?

For me, the answer is straightforward enough. As long as I still have stories to tell and, most importantly, as those stories still matter to my readers, I'm excited to sit myself back down at the computer and keep going. More specifically to the second point, reader feedback is my greatest source of motivation. To know that my writing has touched you, my readers, in some way — be it to provide a few hours of escape, some information of personal interest to you, or a different perspective on some issues — is all the inspiration I need to keep on writing.

Over the years, you've blessed me with truly heartfelt feedback (on Amazon, Goodreads) that has touched me deeply. I am proud and happy to share a small sample of it below.  Thank you from my heart, and I gratefully look forward to receiving more of your wonderful insight as we continue to explore together.

"Your book signing event will be forever in our hearts. Your book was instrumental to the healing of many hearts and souls. Thank you!"

"Once Upon A Mulberry Field may be the finest expression ever written of that tremulous time in Saigon and the lives of Vietnamese and Americans alike so intertwined and dramatically affected. I was there as a young U.S. Naval officer in 1964 - 1965 and privileged to be there again as I read this marvelous novel that is as true as life."

"From captivating descriptions of the lush landscape of Vietnam and its charming people to quiet interludes between battles and tragic losses, I was moved to tears. . . . My husband was stationed at Bien-Hoa Airbase in 1967, but not until reading this novel, did I begin to understand what it was really like."

"Once Upon a Mulberry Field connected me to my father again. He served two tours in VietNam and my mother and sister and brother and I waited at home for him. This tender story set in that dreadful war is a comforting companion all these years later."

"C L Hoang skillfully told a heart-wrenching love story during the most turbulent period of the Vietnam war. I was brought up in Vietnam, left the country a few years after his story began. Hoang transported me back to my youth in the war-torn country with all the wounds and pains."

"C.L. Hoang, I am so proud, and so honored, to have you bear witness to our unique common past, with so much grace, sensibility, humbleness, and luminosity."

"This is one of a handful of books that I will urge my son to read, the sooner the better. It is a good read for everyone but I especially think it has great value to young persons coming out of high school; they will gain wisdom beyond their years. What do good-character people from two different cultures do when their world is falling apart, in Viet Nam in the 60s and 70s? The answer is in the book."

"A historical love story which totally changed my perspective of the Vietnam War. . . . Read this book, it will touch you in a marvelous way."

It’s words like these that spur me on to continue writing, so once again, thank you all for your heartfelt feedback. I do hope you'll keep sharing your thoughts with me. Have a fantastic weekend!


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

This Friday (Feb 12) is the First Day of Tết, the traditional Vietnamese New Year's based on the lunar calendar. According to the ancient Chinese/Vietnamese zodiac, this is the Year of the Ox/Bull, coming in succession to the Year of the Rat.

A rat, in popular tradition, symbolizes creativity, change---resourcefulness. An ox or a bull, on the other hand, stands for hard work, patience, and steadfastness. Now, think about it for a moment. Can you imagine two better animals to represent the unusually trying times that we all have been, and will be, experiencing in 2020-2021? Last year, without a doubt, was all about change that forced us to draw upon our best resourcefulness in order to cope with a difficult situation. But this year will certainly test our mettle and endurance as we plow ahead on the road to recovery. Personally, though, I'd like to think of 2021 as our bullish year, when we tackle our challenges head-on---and prevail.

On that note, I wish you happiness and much gumption and success in your endeavors in this Year of the Ox---and, of course, all the good health (and vaccine) in your battle against Covid-19. In the meantime, enjoy whatever traditional goodies of Tết celebration (rice cake, watermelon, candied fruit, etc.) that you can find at an Asian Supermarket near you. After all we've been through in the Year of the Rat, you certainly deserve to indulge a little!

Happy New Year, my friends!


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn

We can probably all agree that 2020 was one of, if not the worst year in recent memory. And so it was with grateful relief that I embraced the few good news that dropped in my mailbox just before year's end, news that I'm excited to share with you now.

First of, Best Indie Book Award announced their 2020 winners on the very last day of the year, and I was thrilled to learn that In the Shadow of Green Bamboos had won the Short Story category. And yes, that gleaming trophy shown in the picture is real, and it is being shipped to me as we speak! :)

The book also earned a Crowned Heart of Excellence review with InD'tale Magazine and was featured in its Giant Holiday issue. Part of that review reads: "Beautifully written, (this collection of stories) reaches out and touches the soul, lingering with the reader long after the pages of the book are closed." You can read the entire review by clicking HERE.

Also stuffed in my Christmas stocking was a short and sweet email to let me know that In the Shadow of Green Bamboos had been picked up by a book club to read in the new year. All together, these good tidings brought a dash of sunshine into my dreary Holiday lockdown, and for that I'm truly thankful.



Dreary though it was, the lockdown did allow me an opportunity to work on a couple of video trailers to accompany the short audio samples (3 to 4 minutes each) from the audio versions of Once upon a Mulberry Field and In the Shadow of Green Bamboos. I now invite you to kick back and enjoy them.

The first sample is from Green Bamboos, narrated by Leyna Nguyen, the four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and TV Host from Los Angeles. Click HERE to view and listen to it.

The second sample is from Mulberry Field, narrated by Treg Monty, an actor and voiceover artist. Click HERE to view and listen to it.

I hope the trailers bring you a bit of fun diversion from all the noises out there---a dash of sunshine in your wintry day.

Before signing off, I would like to ask you a favor: If you've had a chance to read or listen to In the Shadow of Green Bamboos, would you consider leaving a quick review on Amazon and/or Audible? Your feedback does matter. It helps authors know whether our books entertained you, gives us motivation to keep on writing, and help other readers learn about our books. I thank you for your kind support.

May 2021 bring you and your loved ones all the great things and happiness that you deserve but didn't get in the past year, and so much more.


C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/3irSIRO



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2XdywMr



C.L. Hoang
Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/39Ml0Cn