The Girls of Good Fortune
Coming 5.20.25!
She came from a lineage known for good fortune...
by those who don't know the whole story.
Portland, 1888. Amid the subterranean labyrinth of the notorious Shanghai Tunnels, a woman awakens in an underground cell, drugged and disguised. Celia soon realizes she's a "shanghaied" victim on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor, leaving behind those she loves most. Although well accustomed to adapting for survival—being half-Chinese, passing as white during an era fraught with anti-Chinese sentiment—she fears that far more than her own fate hangs in the balance.
As she pieces together the twisting path that led to her abduction, from serving as a maid for the family of a dubious mayor to becoming entwined in the case of a gold miners' massacre, revelations emerge of a child left in peril. Desperate, Celia must find a way to escape and return to a place where unearthed secrets could prove deadlier than the dark recesses of Chinatown.
A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface.
Behind the Story
Despite essentially raised as an Oregon native, I discovered only a dozen years ago about the existence of Portland's mysterious Shanghai Tunnels. After my subsequent tour, the underground labyrinth periodically tugged at my mind as a setting ripe for a novel.
Eventually, further inspired by a photography book featuring "hapas" (a fond Hawaiian term for half-Asians, like me) and a marathon brainstorming session with a tremendously patient author pal, a story idea began to take shape. But only after a beloved history-buff friend asked if I was familiar with Oregon's Hells Canyon Massacre, thereby launching me down a research rabbit hole involving the shocking, long-buried atrocity from the late 1800s, did I solidify my premise.
The final result is a tale that explores the complexity of family and identity, the struggles and beauty of interwoven cultures, and the transcendent power of storytelling.
Special Links
- Visiting Portland? Find out about the Shanghai Tunnels Tour.
- Want to make Celia's favorite custard bao? Watch this to learn how.
