"I certainly hope Townsend writes more such novels, as there’s an eager reader here waiting for them." —Karen Szymczyk, The Cascadia Subduction Zone magazine
Like most young women in late thirteenth century China, Feiyan dreams of living a respectable life, finding a good husband, and honoring her family. Those dreams end when she is swept from her home to become one of Emperor Duzong’s many concubines. As she struggles to adjust to her new environment, she is befriended by the enigmatic Hu Yuxiu who helps ...
"I certainly hope Townsend writes more such novels, as there’s an eager reader here waiting for them." —Karen Szymczyk, The Cascadia Subduction Zone magazine
Like most young women in late thirteenth century China, Feiyan dreams of living a respectable life, finding a good husband, and honoring her family. Those dreams end when she is swept from her home to become one of Emperor Duzong’s many concubines. As she struggles to adjust to her new environment, she is befriended by the enigmatic Hu Yuxiu who helps Feiyan navigate through the dismal existence within the palace walls. Feiyan’s life becomes nothing but long days of waiting and long nights of limbo. Until Yuxiu shows her a booklet that changes her life forever. Yuxiu teaches Feiyan nushu,” a secret script that introduces Feiyan into a strange new world of intrigue, deception, and hidden agendas. Distrust grows both inside and outside the court while Khubilai Khan marches toward the Imperial Palace in Hangzhou. As rumors of treason fill the court, Feiyan and Yuxiu discover themselves at its center.
Now, on the eve of the collapse of the Song Dynasty, Feiyan finds herself at a crossroads and must choose: follow her heart or serve her emperor. And in the end, perhaps find herself along the way.
K.L. Townsend has always had a passion for history, mythology, and writing. As a native to Massachusetts, she grew up in a rich historical setting. Even at a young age, she wished to discover more about the world and how culture helps shape the human spirit. She turned to history for those answers.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology, a Joint Master of Arts in anthropology and women’s studies, and is currently pursuing additional graduate work in history and education. Her academic credits include an essay on women in science fiction and a graduate thesis titled “A Pair of Phoenix Fly Together in a Pair: Marriage Motifs and Ritual in Nushu Communities,” which evaluates nushu writing in China.
In addition to her academic background, K.L. Townsend has several poems and short stories published. When she’s not writing, she enjoys the company of her family and pets, and continues to entertain delusions of grandeur.
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Overview
Like most young women in late thirteenth century China, Feiyan dreams of living a respectable life, finding a good husband, and honoring her family. Those dreams end when she is swept from her home to become one of Emperor Duzong’s many concubines. As she struggles to adjust to her new environment, she is befriended by the enigmatic Hu Yuxiu who helps ...