On mission to fulfill 'every girl's dream'
By Qiu Yijiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-15 10:28
 |
Large Medium Small |
Set in France, the story revolves around a beautiful but poor Chinese university student Hui Hui and a rich French playboy businessman Danis Haiguerre, in his 40s. Although Hui Hui doubts Haiguerre's love at first, they eventually come together as soul mates.
"Love stories with good endings still cheer up readers because every girl dreams of falling in love and being loved," Miao says.
The novel has sold more than 30,000 copies since it was published in October. Cheng Hongxi of Enjoy Reading Era, a Beijing-based publishing company, and editor of the book, says this is a high figure for a book of this genre.
She was attracted to the business scenarios in the story. She believes the novel is special as it is unlike most romantic stories that place the hero and heroine in a perfect, imaginary world where they talk about nothing but love.
"Romantic novels are often criticized as unrealistic and irrational, but I can sense Miao's knowledge of business and familiarity with France," Chen says.
Readers have praised Miao's vivid portrayal of the life of overseas Chinese students, written with wit and sympathy.
Miao, 29, once taught French at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, Jilin province. She also interpreted for French companies and the local government and credits this experience for her insights into business and politics.
In 2005, the negotiations and meetings she took part in inspired her to pen her maiden work, Interpreter (Fanyi Guan). She first posted her work on Jinjiang.com, a leading online Chinese literature website that is targeted at women. It became so popular that the People's Literature Publishing House soon rolled it off the press.
Miao met her husband, a French engineer, while she worked as an interpreter and moved to France in 2008. The couple now lives at the foot of the Alps.
Her latest novel draws on not just on her experiences but also those of her friends. To make it more enjoyable, she decided to include 50 photos she took in France and Switzerland.
"My heroines are beautiful and the heroes, rich and talented," Miao says. "But my heroines are tough and strong. They are quite independent and sometimes, very stubborn."
Her overseas experience has changed her writing style a bit. Miao now writes long monologues to emphasize her characters' inner conflicts.
Many women read romantic novels to escape their problems but continue to feel helpless after reading them, she says. "A good romantic novel should provide some inspiration.
"I hope after readers finish this novel, they will have the courage to face the challenges of the real world."