Hope you had a good Christmas. Mine was the best ever.

Since then, I’ve been delving hard into my Chineseness. It’s a long winding tunnel, lit partially by red lanterns, consistently smelling delicious, and usually with a dark spot here and there that I just don’t understand at all.

Today, I’ve begun authoring my second book. I use the term, “second book” loosely, because to say the phrase, “second book” implies that the first has been completed and published, and this is not true at all.

However, the call of the Ancestors is strong, and I have learned better than to ignore them. My nainai is particulary present with me and always has been. I’ve been having a chat to her a lot lately. It’s time to tell her story.

I began the book and have already knocked out a really good half-page so easily that it has the feel of, “This is flowing from somewhere else” about it. The last time I recall feeling this way about a creative work was when I was sitting on a bed in a motel down in Mollymook one day, penning the best song I’ve ever written. Well, it’s my favourite, anyway. It’s funny how I was sort of satisfied with my songwriting career after I wrote and recorded that song. Some part of me knew I had done some good work and that it was time to move on and do something else.

For a long time, I’ve known that I’d write books. I guess it’s time to start now.

---

Helpful links if you’re an ABC wanting to find out more about your Chinese ancestors:

Chinese Last Names: A History of Culture and Family: https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/chinese-last-names

How to Find my Chinese Ancestors: https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/find-chinese-family-tree-jiapu