Friday, October 20, 2017

Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: Snakes Can't Run by Ed Lin @robertchow @GoddessFish


Snakes Can't Run
by Ed Lin
GENRE:   FICTION/Mystery & Thriller


BLURB:


Set in New York City in 1976, Snakes Can't Run finds NYPD detective Robert Chow still haunted by the horrors of his past and relegated to tedious undercover work. When the bodies of two undocumented Chinese men are found under the Brooklyn Bridge underpass, Chow is drawn into the case. Most of the officers in his precinct are concerned with a terrorist group targeting the police, but Chow's investigation puts him on the trail of a ring of ruthless human smugglers who call themselves the snakeheads. As Chow gets closer to solving the murder, dangerous truths about his own family's past begin to emerge. Steeped in retro urban attitude, and ripe with commentary on minorities' roles in American society, this gritty procedural will appeal to fans of George Pelecanos and S.J. Rozan.


Excerpt:

When I came back to the apartment, Paul surprised me by saying, "I was worried about you!"

"But Mom, I'm a big boy now," I said, taking off my shoes.

"Seriously, Robert. Don't get into a car with any of the association guys--KMT or Communist! It's bad news!"

"I can protect myself, Paul. I'm a big boy with a big gun." I patted the revolver on my back to reassure myself.

"Look, Robert. You know those associations hire gangs 9on a freelance basis to guard gambling halls and prostitution houses.

"Of course I know! You think you know more about it than me?"

"Well, what happens if the gang is unhappy about the amount it was paid? Do you want to be sitting in the car when there's a hail of bullets? Even if there isn't gunfire, do you want to be a passenger in a car that's photographed as it idles outside a massage parlor?"

"Don't tell me how to do my job! I was interviewing someone regarding my case!" I sulked off to the fridge. A year ago I would have been popping open a beer. Now I pulled out a can of Yoo-Hoo. "Want one?" I asked Paul as I propped the door open.

He shook his head. "Weren't you the one who warned me about getting too close to associations when I was working at the gambling joint?" he asked.

"That's different, Paul, and you know it. You're just a kid that they would take advantage of. They wouldn't try to mess with me."

"How do you think Internal Affairs would feel about you associating with them?"

"I've got nothing to hide. I'm not scared of anything."


Interview with Ed Lin
 

What inspired you to write Snakes Can’t Run?
I’ve been paying close attention to the continuing conversation about immigration and documentation in this country. My book is set in 1976 in New York’s Chinatown, but the essential arguments haven’t changed much. My cop narrator is on the hunt for snakeheads: human smugglers.
Can you tell us a little bit about the next books in the Robert Chow series or what you have planned for the future?
Well, for now, the Chow books end with the third, One Red Bastard. I have a series with Soho Crime set in Taipei that I’m pretty psyched about. I’m working on the third one of that.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Snakes Can’t Run?
I tried to think of it as a Golden Harvest classic good vs. bad showdown. There’s little middle ground and characters are either evil (the stingy, tip-stealing guy who runs the giant dimsum restaurant) or innocent (Chow’s girlfriend). But even the good guys have to resort to getting their hands dirty every once in awhile.
You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?
My favorite dead author is probably Charles Willeford. His books burst with an appreciation and celebration of life and the absurd, it’s impossible not to be incredibly moved by them.
If you could time-travel would you travel to the future or the past? Where would you like to go and why would you like to visit this particular time period?
Just visiting, not a permanent move, right? I think I’d want to get a peek at the New York City subway map and schedules five years from now. I want to know if things are going to improve or not, because I have personally been a victim of the awful subway situation this summer. I was stuck on that train that lost power and famously had to be pushed into the next station by the train behind it. Ugh!
Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?
I don’t currently, but I had dogs as a kid. I still favor German Shepherds because they’re smart and have a sense of humor.
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with us today.
It’s an honor and a pleasure.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Ed Lin, a native New Yorker of Taiwanese and Chinese descent, is the first author to win three Asian American Literary Awards and is an all-around standup kinda guy. His books include Waylaid and This Is a Bust, both published by Kaya Press in 2002 and 2007, respectively. Snakes Can't Run and One Red Bastard, which both continue the story of Robert Chow set in This Is a Bust, were published by Minotaur Books. His latest book, Ghost Month, a Taipei-based mystery, was published by Soho Crime in July 2014. Lin lives in Brooklyn with his wife, actress Cindy Cheung, and son.


Buy Link:


Giveaway:

A limited edition print copy of the book




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