East meets West in new novel about China

Jeffrey Meyer's A Call to China tells the story of two sisters unknown to each other—Victoria disappears at a Beijing festival and learns to survive in rural China while Olivia grows up in urban America. Divided by continents and culture, a yearning for the unknown unites them each on a path to find personal identity and discover the meaning of family.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Aug. 23, 2017 - PRLog -- IngramElliott is excited to announce the release of A Call to China, an unforgettable tale of family and the search for spiritual identity. This poetic and moving debut novel is based on the author's life-long study of China and extended residency in China and Taiwan. "A Call to China" refers to the initial calling which took a missionary family to China and, later, a personal call felt by the younger daughter to return to China to find her lost sister.

"I've been fascinated with China for most of my life," says Meyer. "I spent my career researching and teaching about it, but when my wife and I adopted a Chinese daughter in 1990, I realized it was more than a strong academic interest. I think 'love' would be the word."

A Call to China traces the spiritual biography of two sisters, as they grow and mature in their very different traditions.  Set against a backdrop of historical, revolutionary change in 20th-century China and America, the novel contrasts the stark cultural and spiritual differences of the time.

Ian Johnson, Pulitzer-Prize winning writer covering China as a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and author of The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao, recommends the novel to "anyone who wants a fast-paced plot and deep, insightful background that teaches us much about China's spiritual life . . . showcasing the author's deep knowledge of China, religion, and faith."

"Jeffrey's deep connection to Chinese culture is so evident in the novel," says Charlotte Piel, Acquisitions Editor at IngramElliott. "Although fictional, the novel's setting is historically and culturally accurate. It's highly relevant to our relationship with China today. This intriguing story and fascinating characters will resonate with readers on many levels."

Main Street Books has scheduled an author reading and book signing at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, September 23, 2017.  A Call to China can be found in major retailers in hardback, softcover and eBook. Preview A Call to China and read advanced reviews.

About the author

Jeffrey Meyer has always felt a connection to China. He heard his own "call to China" as a young boy after reading Pearl Buck's The Good Earth and Lin Yutang's The Importance of Living. He would go on to devote his life and career to researching and teaching Chinese culture. A professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for thirty-five years, Jeffrey taught Asian religions in the Religious Studies department, with a focus on Buddhism and Daoism. His academic publications include The Dragons of Tiananmen: Beijing as a Sacred City and Myths in Stone: Religious Dimensions of Washington, DC. He is married with three grown children, currently living in Davidson, North Carolina.  A Call to China is his first novel.

About IngramElliott
IngramElliott delights in traditionally publishing unconventional and alternative literature.

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