Talon Marks on the Snow

The book tells the story of Chia family, and the traditional ceremonies that accompany marriage, death, and birth. The family''s peaceful life is up-ended with the Japanese invasion and the family flees to the countryside. As the country falls into turmoil, the household head, Chia Hao-tz''u is kidnapped. The family''s burdens fall on the shoulders of his wife, Tu Hua. After the long war ends, civil war breaks out. The Communists take over the mainland and confiscate the family''s property. Tu Hua makes her way south to her youngest daughter Chia Chen''s home. Together, they fly to Taiwan. Tu Hua lives on the island for several decades. She returns to the mainland to her older daughter Chia Wei''s home. This title is author''s second story and it took author more than ten years to finish, and is loosely based on author family''s experiences during the Chinese civil war and World War II.

My name is Grace Chang, and Yu Lu is my pen name. Before moving to the United States in 1974, I was a certified junior high school teacher in Taiwan.

I graduated from Pima Community College with an Associate Degree in General Studies in 1984. In 1987 I received a B.A. in Literary Chinese from the Department of Oriental Studies at The University of Arizona, and received a M.A. from the same department in 1992.

Later, I decided that I wanted to write stories based on my experiences both in China and the United States. I knew this would be a difficult endeavor because I did not learn English until the age of 55.

In 2003, I wrote a short story and published it myself. I produced only a small number of copies for family and friends, rather than for commercial interest.

Now, I have finished my second story entitled "Talon Marks on the Snow." This novel took me more than ten years to finish, and is loosely based on my family''s experiences during the Chinese civil war and World War II.