Jamie Ford
Jamie Ford (born July 9, 1968) is an American author of mixed Chinese and European descent, best known for his debut historical fiction novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (2009), which chronicles interracial friendship amid World War II-era Japanese American internment and became a New York Times bestseller for over two years.[1][2][3]
Ford, the great-grandson of Nevada mining pioneer Min Chung who emigrated from China to San Francisco in 1865, draws on his heritage to explore themes of identity, family, and historical injustice in Asian American contexts, often set in early 20th-century Seattle where he was raised.[2][4] His novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet won the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and has been adapted for theater, with options for film and musical versions.[2][5]
Subsequent works include Songs of Willow Frost (2013), Love and Other Consolation Prizes (2017), and The Many Daughters of Afong Moy (2022), the last named a #1 IndieNext pick; collectively, Ford's books have sold over 2 million copies and been translated into 35 languages.[6][7][5] Before turning to full-time writing, he worked as an award-winning art director and creative director in advertising following graduation from the Art Institute of Seattle in 1988.[8] Ford also writes award-winning short stories in genres such as speculative fiction and has contributed to anthologies like Apocalypse Triptych.[2]