Fear Not: Author Christine Son Finds Her Ambition OFF THE MENU

PLANO, TEXAS–The fear of failure lurked in her mind. So Christine Son kept her ambition to herself.

“Only my husband knew,” she said. “I didn’t tell anyone else in case I failed.”

Already a successful litigator at an international law firm, now Son wanted more. She wanted to be a writer.

The Texas resident and University of Texas graduate is now sharing her excitement of a dream fulfilled. Not only did Son “get published”, but her debut novel—OFF THE MENU—was acquired by one of the world’s largest publishing houses. Penguin Books/NAL will release Son’s book in August.

“So my secret is out now,” Son said, smiling. “I’m both excited and curious as to how it will be accepted, who will read it and connect with it.”

It’s only natural that OFF THE MENU would be about three successful women who keep their true ambitions a secret…precisely for the fear of public failure. They don’t even tell each other. Like Son, the three lead characters are Asian American females and as Son describes it, “these women are struggling to deal with expectations and obligations endemic with their environment. Yet they also want to follow their passion. We all spend time talking about what we want to do when we grow up. I know people who do still talk about it and they’re in their thirties and forties.”

That’s why Son believes many who read OFF THE MENU will relate to the three high-achieving women named Whitney, Hercules and Audrey, all still trying to quench the passion for what they want out of life…while keeping it quiet. “So many can relate to high-expectation-high-success demands.” she said. “It certainly doesn’t exist solely as an Asian American culture and stereotype. It’s universal.”

Already busy with her legal career, Son found writing time at odd hours. “I was up until one in the morning and then back at it at 4 in the morning writing the manuscript,” she recalled. “The book reflects the tension between expectation and desire, which I was living and understood viscerally. Yes, there are bits and pieces of me in each character.

Son and her husband live in Texas. Born of Korean parents, Son graduated from the University of Texas and earned her law degree at Duke University School of Law.

Media contact:
Tom Robinson
Tcr811@aol.com
615-794-2998