Engaging with Tong Ge was truly enlightening and inspiring. She shared a wealth of knowledge about Chinese history with me. Her childhood was anything but easy; she faced numerous challenges that shaped her into the strong woman she is today. Tong Ge has experienced many things that no child should ever have to endure, and she has managed to transform those memories into something powerful. Tong Ge was born and raised in China. Tong Ge moved to Canada in the late 1980s as an international student, earning a Master of Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1992. Since 2012, she has written under both her real name and the pen name Tong Ge, publishing poetry, prose, and short stories in English and Chinese across North America, England, and Taiwan. A recipient of five literary awards and a finalist for five others. Her debut novel, The House Filler, was published in Canada in 2023. It is a finalist for the 2023 Eyelands Book Awards and the 2024 Canadian Book Club Awards for fiction and won the 2024 Independent Press Award for new fiction and National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) Award for Literary Fiction. Tong Ge fiction novel "The House Filler" is about a family saga set in China during the most tumultuous time of the twentieth century including the Japanese invasion, the civil war, and the Communist takeover. The House Filler unfolds through the gripping journey of Golden Phoenix, a resilient woman battling the ravages of war, poverty, and political strife in her quest for survival, freedom, and happiness. Following the tragic loss of her husband, she resolves to keep her family united. Yet, dire financial circumstances lead her to the heart-wrenching choice of entrusting her teenage twins to the Red Army. Amid the chaos of the Japanese invasion of her hometown, she becomes separated from her two young daughters, while her son departs to join the Nationalist forces. Together with her adopted son, Golden Phoenix faces the relentless challenges of war. As the civil war concludes with the Communists seizing power in 1949, one of her twins, who has aligned with the Communist Party, is falsely branded a traitor and sentenced to death. Now, Golden Phoenix and her family must navigate a treacherous path to save her son's life. The House Filler is a moving and powerful portrayal of one family' s struggle to survive in the face of an historical upheaval and political oppression. As a result, the captivating novel by Tong Ge has found its way into the world through publication by NAIWE. NAIWE is a professional association for all publishing professionals! They exist to help members succeed with their unique focus on creating multiple streams of income. They believe in professional freelancers and in-house publishing professionals who love the rhythm and cadence of the language and are committed to polishing even the humblest prose to its highest luster. Discover Tong Ge's captivating fiction novel available on Amazon, Goodreads, and at bookstores and websites everywhere! If you would like to book her, you can contact Mickey Mikkelson, Publicist Creative Edge -Co-Owner: Top Shelf Magazine Creative Edge Publicity - Home (creative-edge.services) 403.464.6925 Thank you for listening to and supporting the podcast. If you want to be heard email mscaramellucas@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @mscaramellucas - TikTok @caramellucas - Facebook - Caramel Lucas