Author Q&A with Qin Sun Stubis

We’re excited to welcome Qin Sun Stubis for a special live Q&A following our October 9th book club discussion of her powerful memoir, Once Our Lives, Life, Death, and Love in the Middle Kingdom.

About Qin
Qin Sun Stubis was born in a Shanghai shantytown during the Great Chinese Famine and came of age amid the Cultural Revolution. As a child, she witnessed her father’s imprisonment for speaking truth to power. Her family found refuge in stories—her mother’s vivid tales and the Western literature she discovered through a borrowed radio, a British teacher, and work as a library assistant.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and English Literature at Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages. With the help of a U.S. Senator, she secured a visa to study in the U.S.—where she went on to earn a master’s degree. Today, she writes essays, poems, stories, and original Chinese tall tales, blending Eastern and Western storytelling traditions.

Her debut memoir, Once Our Lives: Life, Death and Love in the Middle Kingdom (Guernica Editions, 2023), traces four generations of Chinese women through famine, revolution, and superstition. It made Amazon’s #1 new-release list for 41 days and has received recognition, including:

• Readers’ Favorite 2023 International Book Award for Cultural Nonfiction
• First Place, Chanticleer International Nellie Bly Award for Journalistic Nonfiction

Her writing is praised for its folkloric richness, emotional depth, and ability to illuminate overlooked chapters of history with grace and clarity. For over 15 years, she has also served as a columnist for the Santa Monica Star and other publications.

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And if you'd like to join our book discussion on October 9th (without the author), RSVP here:
👉 Memoir Mentors Book Club - October 9

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