Alice Nash is part of the first generation of immigrants from China to the United Kingdom during the initial stage of the Chinese Economic Reform of the late 1980s. The migration was not much of a personal choice, but rather it was a choice paved by the circumstance of the time.
Historically, during the 1980s, China was experiencing huge changes in its policies, economy, and even culture. Alice has been living in London since the Autumn of 1990. She has an M.A. in Diplomatic Studies at the University of Westminster, London, in 1994.
It may be true that she left the country, but as someone born and raised in Sichuan, China, the heritage has been a part of her heart. It's always an amazing feeling how one can be physically far away yet still feels so close in thoughts and heart of the persons (in her book, Philip and Lee), a place (the tropical harbor city of Haikou) through the memories, even the memories of a bygone era. And that is precisely the connection of our author with her home country - China. Along with its rich culture and long-standing history, the happy memories of the childhood and youth that have been deeply embedded throughout her existence ensuring a vivid description, breathing life into the novel "Colour of Mind."
Veritably, it's acknowledged that the infinite complexity of little things made up significant life events. In Alice's case, it only took her one song to spark her will into a recreation of the past through a fictional novel. The song "I love you, China" she came across on that warm Autumn afternoon of 2013 after missing it for two decades, truly inspiriting her with a flow of the stream of consciousness resulted in this sweeping tale of complicated romance: "Colour of Mind."
The first book, titled "The Sound of Ripples," was finished in just six months, followed by the second book, "Colour of Mind." Both books were fictions but were created with historical relevance, background, and real-life experience from China during the late 1980s.
The second book, "Colour of Mind," is different yet connected to the first book of Alice Nash. It speaks much of the leading character Kathy Liao, the character in her prime age of 27, to face and conquer the world as a young professional. And just like many young professionals in their unworldly age, there is no other way to take, but towards the social ladder and a green pasture, even it means going out of their comfort zones. Usually, most of us sense that our existences are outside of ourselves; therefore, we tend to hold an attitude of not challenging life. That philosophy ensures most of us do not take a rough ride to avoid any confrontation be taken shape when the situation gets tough. But our leading character Kathy Liao was uniquely prepared to rebel rather than indiscriminately back off when life presenting her with no choice. And that purity is too arresting for readers to dismiss.
Indeed, the writing rules of the Three-Acts Structures have been closely followed in the plots and structures of this book: meeting the leading character who lives in her own comfortable world; the disturbances (deaths of her two siblings and a loveless marriage) knocks her out of her comfort zone of no return, into the highly unpredictable world and creating great interests to the readers. This is a reminder that there is no such way as perfect nor smooth sailing life throughout one's existence. No matter how much we wish, there will always be challenges by trials and error that one must face.
With that, let us join Kathy Liao on an adventure inspired by life's coincidences. Be with her as she takes us into that high-speed train ride on a chilly, fresh morning of March 1998, joining her in seeking better life driven with vigor, optimism, and a great leap of faith to get out of her comfort zone of no return, with a sense of inevitability that must send the leading character Kathy hurtling towards the outside world, the great unknown, and, as the writing requires, a huge setback or crisis in waiting.
For a personal look at our reputable author, Alice Nash, and a glance at her interview (waiting to be updated), you may visit her website at https://authoralicenash.com/.