Weina Dai Randel is the acclaimed author of five historical novels. She is an award-winning author whose work has been translated into seventeen languages. We met some time ago at a Historical Novel Society conference.
It’s intriguing to reflect that Weina, who was born in China, switched to English when she came to the United States at the age of twenty-four. Let’s hear about her writing journey.
MKT: How do your more recent novels differ from earlier novels, particularly the first few novels you wrote?
Weina: My first two novels, The Moon in the Palace and The Empress of Bright Moon, are set in 7th-century China, describing the rise of Empress Wu, from a thirteen-year-old to the most powerful woman in China. My third novel, The Last Rose of Shanghai, tells of love and loss between a Chinese nightclub owner and a Jewish pianist who fled to Shanghai from Nazi Germany in 1940. This novel was followed up by Night Angels, which focuses on Dr. Ho Fengshan, a Chinese diplomat who resisted pressure to rescue Jews in Vienna in 1938. My latest, which was just published last week, is titled The Master Jeweler. It’s about a Faberge egg, a Jewish family, and a girl with nine fingers who will do whatever it takes to become a master jeweler, set in China, from 1925 to the 1950s.
So 7th century to 20th century, that’s an interesting shift! How has your writing process evolved since your first years as an author?
I have always had a special love for hero’s journey-type stories. This was something I was drawn to from a young age as a reader. However, different stories demand different types of structure and storytelling. Sometimes, it even surprises the writer. For instance, The Last Rose of Shanghai ended up with a dual timeline and dual narrative, and Night Angels with three POVs.
Has your readership changed over time? Do you have any insights on why your readership has or has not changed?
My readership has definitely changed over time. Empress Wu’s readers were younger, and many were K-pop and Kdrama fans. The Last Rose of Shanghai and Night Angels helped introduce me to Jewish as well as Indian American readers. I can’t say I have any insights on my readership, but I do think the Jewish main characters and Jewish history in China appealed to people who wished to know more about their history in China, which was not often told but something people vaguely recalled from their ancestors. The same goes with Indian American readers, who had heard of their ancestors’ presence in Shanghai and longed for stories about them. I was very surprised that my books caught their attention. When The Last Rose of Shanghai was published, readers on the West Coast called the bookstore in Boston at 5am, asking for autographed copies. Why? I think that’s because the novel features a Sikh police officer, who is a giant, intimidating, but gentle friend to the Jewish main character.
How have changes in the publishing landscape affected your writing or your success?
A few years ago, I sat next to Lisa Wingate for lunch, and somehow we were talking about publishing. She cracked up when I blurted out, “If you stay long enough in the publishing world, sooner or later, you’ll need to change three things: your agent, your publisher, or your husband.” The publishing landscape has changed my perception of life for sure!
Has there been a fork in the road that changed your writing? Some event, person, book or whatever that has changed what you write?
I think The Master Jeweler might fit your description. I’m not a jeweler, and I was never into jewelry; the profession of a jeweler is not particularly featured in Chinese culture either. But my mother-in-law, while she was alive, told me one of her uncles was a jeweler who survived the Holocaust by making jewelry for the Nazi guards during WWII. I had wanted to write a novel to honor him, but I couldn’t work it out. However, the idea of a jeweler stayed with me. It’s a unique profession and is rarely explored in fiction, so I continued to brainstorm and eventually came up with The Master Jeweler. And now when I see people wearing jewelry, I can’t take my eyes off them!
Have you tried a different genre? If so, which genre and to what effect?
I haven’t, but I will try a different genre in the future without a doubt. I’m very drawn to thrillers, mystery, and fantasy. Will my readers follow me there? I hope so!
Have you tried different eras? If so, to what effect?
I have. From ancient China to 20th century China and then Europe. I’d say the time period has not been a huge concern for me when it comes to a novel. The subject matter is, and also the hook.
What kind of historical fiction appeals to you as a reader?
I want to read historical fiction that reveals something I have never heard of or uncovers a previously unknown secret about a well-known historical event.
If there is something else you can share about your writing journey, please do so!
Publishing can break your heart, but as a writer, your heart will go on. I mean it in a good way!
Many thanks, Weina. I’ve had the pleasure of reading two of your novels – The Last Rose of Shanghai and The Master Jeweler. Both are superb in terms of characters, setting, and that very important attribute of historical fiction – transporting the reader in time and place.
Weina’s latest novel, The Master Jeweler, captivates readers with its exotic settings and its themes of family, love, passion, overcoming hardship, and the pursuit of artistry.
The Master Jeweler by Weina Dai Randel
From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Night Angels comes the epic story of a brilliant young woman’s dangerous rise to fame in the perilous world of jewelry in 1920s Shanghai―and the power of love and friendship.
Harbin, China, 1925. Fifteen-year-old Anyu Zhang discovers a priceless Fabergé egg in the snow and returns it to the owner, Isaac Mandelburg, a fugitive and former master jeweler for Russia’s imperial palace. In gratitude, he leaves her his address in Shanghai and a promise of hospitality, forever altering her fate.
A dazzling world of jewelry shrouded in secrecy and greed awaits, when later Anyu arrives at Mandelburg’s jewelry shop as an orphan. Single-minded and relentless, Anyu will stop at nothing until she masters the craft of jewelry making. But she soon finds herself entangled in the treacherous underbelly of the city, where violent gangsters stalk the streets, vicious rivals seek to exploit her, and obsessive collectors conspire to destroy the people she loves.
From snow-crowned land to diamond-sparkling showrooms to a pristine island on the brink of war, The Master Jeweler chronicles an exciting journey of a bold prodigy artisan―including her losses and triumphs―in a glamorous yet perilous world of treasure.
You can find links to purchase Weina Dai Randel’s novels on her website. In 2016, Weina was on A Writer of History with Four things you never thought women in seventh-century China would do.
FOR MORE ON READING & WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION FOLLOW A WRITER OF HISTORY. There’s a SUBSCRIBE function on the right hand side of the page.
M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel THAT WAS THEN is a contemporary thriller. Mary’s other novels, THE ADMIRAL’S WIFE, PARIS IN RUINS, TIME AND REGRET, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook or on her website www.mktod.com.
