Welcome to my stop on the excerpt tour for Nuclear Power Nuclear Game by Helen Huang. This tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an exclusive excerpt from the book. There's also the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $15 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to visit the rest of the stops on the tour for more exclusive excerpts. Enjoy!
--
Author: Helen Huang
Publisher: Tellwell Talent
Publication Date: March 31st 2021
Print Length: 201 pages
Genre: Political Thriller
~
The year is 1950. Zoe and John, two young nuclear scientists from Berkeley, seem to have the perfect life, with promising careers and marriage plans. But their innocence is soon shattered when the Chinese Communist Party seizes power. Choosing to postpone the wedding and return back to her home country, Zoe finds herself locked in a political cage and separated from John indefinitely.
Caught in a complex web of revolutionary propaganda and forced to participate in dangerous research, Zoe must confront the looming question of where her true loyalties lie: with her country or with John back in America?
Set during China's march towards nuclear power amidst the political turmoil of the Cold War, Nuclear Power Nuclear Game spans multiple decades and countries across the globe to tell the story of two nuclear scientists' fight for world peace and a love torn apart by conflicting ideologies.
Goodreads * Amazon * Apple Books *
IndieBound * Indigo * Kobo * Smashwords
---
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:
He sat down on the sofa to eat and opened the Los Angeles Times. In his opinion, the newspaper focused too much on sports and entertainment, but Marian liked it. She said it kept her connected to the sophisticated metropolitan life she missed. Flipping through the sections, he paused when a photo on the international news page caught his eye. The caption read, “China successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb yesterday on the remote Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in northern China. Chinese Communist leader Chairman Mao Zedong, above center, congratulated the team of nuclear scientists, claiming that this development will be a major contribution to the cause of world peace.” John stared at the photo for a long time, transfixed. In the front row, a slight, delicate woman reminded him of Zoe. How well he remembered those eyes and lips and smile! Only the military uniform and the hair, cropped short under the army cap, distorted the image in his mind. If it was Zoe, she was still alive and building nuclear weapons.
“God, what a horrible thought! She chose bombs over me?” John cried in disgust. He shook his head abruptly to dispel the thought of such an unthinkable betrayal. Goosebumps prickled his arms. He got up and poured himself a glass of whisky, downing it in one gulp, and quickly poured himself another before returning to the photo. But that doesn’t sound like her at all, he thought. She was from an intellectual family, fundamentally against violence and war … unless she’d been forced into joining the research project. Or maybe the shift was patriotism? Perhaps the Chinese government had brainwashed her
…When he woke up a few hours later, stiff and sore, it took him a few minutes to muster the strength to stand up and make a cup of coffee. He sat, rubbing his arms and flexing his ankles to get the blood flowing again. Fingers and toes tingled as he welcomed the burn that seemed to bring him back to life despite the gaping void he felt inside. He knew that ache, recognized it as the love he still felt for Zoe, buried deep inside for so long. He picked the newspaper up off the floor and looked at the photo again. The woman dressed in the army uniform had a similar build to Zoe, even her distinctive facial features with a slightly curved upper lip were all too familiar. It was Zoe, he decided. Everything fits together too well to be a coincidence. Obviously, she was happy, smiling and celebrating her achievement, her successful career and political life. She had changed. Their life together, the love they shared, was over. He put the newspaper down on the table, smoothing his hand across the newsprint like a caress, feeling the bitterness, regret, and anger drain out of his fingertips. He couldn’t hate her or himself any longer. It was time to move on.
---
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born and raised in Shanghai, Helen Huang now resides in Melbourne, Australia. Nuclear Power Nuclear Game is her first novel, inspired by her own experience living under the Communist regime and working at a nuclear institute in China.
To be a novelist was Helen’s childhood dream. She started writing Nuclear Power Nuclear Game when she was a housewife looking after her four daughters. It took her sixteen years to write, as she raised her children and grew her house design and construction business. Helen hopes to finish a sequel to Nuclear Power Nuclear Game next year.
---
GIVEAWAY:
Helen Huang will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Good luck!
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks Goddess Fish Promotions for organizing this blog tour.
DeleteBest wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
How long was the writing process?
ReplyDeleteHi Deborah,
DeleteThank you for being interested in my book.
Thank you for being interested in the book NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME.
I started writing this book when I was at home looking after my four little daughters. As the girls were old enough to go to school, I started home design and construction business. I continued writing whenever I had time. Sometimes I didn't write even a word for a year when I was too busy with my building projects. And meanwhile I also experience some personal issues. That's why it took me sixteen years to finally get the book published.
Hope you will enjoy reading the book.
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Hi Deborah,
ReplyDeleteThank you for being interested in the book NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME.
I started writing this book when I was at home looking after my four little daughters. As the girls were old enough to go to school, I started home design and construction business. I continued writing whenever I had time. Sometimes I didn't write even a word for a year when I was too busy with my building projects. Any meanwhile I also experience some personal issues. That's way it took me sixteen year to finally get the book published.
Hope you will enjoy reading the book.
Best regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
congrats on the release
ReplyDeleteThank you Wendy.
DeleteBest wishes
Helen Huang, author-Nuclear Power Nuclear Game
Love the cover and the excerpt sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Thomas
DeleteThe cover is specially designed by one of my daughters who just finished university on photo and media design, and she is also an actor.
Hope you will enjoy reading the book.
Best regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
I like how this spans decades and not just the 1950s. Looking forward to reading.
ReplyDeleteThank you Katie.
DeleteOriginally I was going to publish the whole story in one book. However, having discussed with my daughters (They are all over 18 year old now and very mature), I decided to split the book into two. It makes the book less thick and heavy. More importantly the second book can be more focused on Little Red, an awakened Chinese who, unlike her mother gives in to the Communist dictatorship, rebels against the Chinese Communist and fights for freedom.
Hope you will enjoy reading the book.
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Sounds like a good read
ReplyDeleteThank you Danielle.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading the book
Best regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
It's great to learn about your book.
ReplyDeleteThank you Calvin.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading the book
With warmest regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Sounds like a very good book.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sherry.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading the book.
Best regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Sounds like a great book. I like the cover and except.
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan.
DeleteThe cover is specially designed by one of my daughters who just finished university on photo and media design, and she is also an actor. I'm a very lucky mother having a team of four daughters’ support behind.
Since I started writing this book, I have been drawn into the main character Zoe's life so much that I even created the email address with ZOE in it. For sixteen years the book has accompanied me going through many events. Particularly when I was sad, this book became my shelter. That's why in some ways the book is quite dark.
Hope you will enjoy reading it
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
This sounds like an exciting book that would keep you up reading past your bedtime!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Thank you Nancy.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading the book and have good sleeps as well.
With warmest regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
The book sounds very fascinating. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you Pippirose.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading this book.
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
looks like a fun one
ReplyDeleteThank you Daniel.
DeleteZoe and John's relation experienced decades long separation due to the war and the world politics changes. Yet this is not a single story happened in China, because people have been controlled by the household register system and not allowed to move from one province to another or from countryside to the city (of course going overseas is even harder), And it's still happening. The winter two years ago, the Beijing Municipal Government drove away thousands of peasants working in Beijing just in three days, and called them the low-end population…because they didn’t have the Beijing census register. The Chinese Communist has never stopped pushing its agenda of turning the world into the red communist community led by the CCP. This book hopefully will wake up free world people. NOBODY SHOULD BE BRANDED IS LOW-END POPULATION.
Hope you will enjoy reading this book
Kind regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLAR GAME
This sounds really intriguing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kim.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading it
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
The book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThank you Deb.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading it
Kind regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
The book sounds really great.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dale.
DeleteI have really enjoyed writing this book. Hope you will enjoy reading it.
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Looks like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest.
Thank you Slehan.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading it.
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Sounds like an awesome book! Very interesting ty for the chance!
ReplyDeleteThank you Drea.
DeleteSixteen years ago, I was very worried about writing this book. I wasn't sure if the book would be accepted by people because the Western countries were very positive about China. However, the free world people are seeing through the Communist China now. I thank all the people who have sent me nice comments and encouragement. And hope you will enjoy reading it.
With warmest regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLAEAR GAME
Yes, people are more open minded these days. Anyways, I’m glad people are reading your work and liking it!
DeleteThank you Drea for the encouragement.
DeleteHave a nice weekend
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThank you Deborah.
DeleteIt's Friday 6pm in Melbourne Australia. So have a nice weekend.
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLAEAR GAME
How many books do you read in a year?
ReplyDeleteHi Slehan,
ReplyDeleteMy readings are all over the place, from novel, finance, architecture...to politics. In terms of the novels, I read about five books every year.
Have a nice weekend
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLAEAR GAME
The cover is interesting. It sets the tone for the book.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanna.
DeleteThe cover is specially designed by one of my daughters Lucinda Keating, who just finished university on photo and media design, and she is also an actor.
Since the girls were little, I started telling them about China and my personal experience in China, including the people at the nuclear institute I worked. So Lucinda has a very good understanding about the book and been able to produce a masterpiece. She is a very talented artist, and she has made a very good decision of change her degree from law to art.
Hope you will enjoy reading the book.
Have a nice weekend.
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLAR GAME
I have an uncle who would love this book!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing it.
Thank you Barbara for recommending this book to your uncle.
DeleteI wish I could read the book to my parents, because they give me the endless source of life.
When I was little, my parents told me that they found me in a rubbish dump. I cried and thanked for their kindness. However, it never affected my thinking of them because they treated me as well as to my brothers and sister with full of love.
It was not until when I was at high school, my parents told me that I was nearly given away to a family in Ningpo, a city 200km away from Shanghai. Because my father’s wage was not enough to bring up five children and support a grandma at the home town. At that time Chairman Mao encouraged people to have more kids. (Using massive population to fight against the West has been one of the Chinese Communist Party’s tactics since 1949) In order to give me a better life, they decided to give me away to a university educated couple who had no children. At that stormy night my parents took me with a set of new clothes to the middle man’s home. They waited for hours, but the couple didn’t appear. Days later, the middle-man contacted my father again, saying the couple couldn’t come because the ferry was cancelled that night; and they would like to make another time. By then, my parents changed mind. So, I cried again and thanked for them not giving me away.
Since then I started believing fate.
Hope you and your uncle will enjoy reading the book
Best wishes
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
Sounds great, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading the book
Have a nice weekend
helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME
The book sounds fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThank you Christy.
DeleteHope you will enjoy reading the book.
With warmest regards
Helen Huang, author-NUCLEAR POWER NUCLEAR GAME