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Leslie Bratspis —

Read some reviews and a few chapters
In the News...

Author Reading & Book Signing on July 8th from 3 to 4 PM at:

Eagle Harbor Books
157 Winslow Way
East Bainbridge Island, WA
206-842-5332

Leslie be giving a short talk, will answer questions and then read a selection before selling and autographing books.

 

GOOD FORTUNE

by Leslie Bratspis


“Ancient Chinese wisdom secretly passed through handwritten fortunes guides the lives of two men from different cultures.”

Good Fortune is the tale of two men unknown to each other, connected by a shared source of enlightenment. Each overcomes adversity to achieve inner awareness through personal journeys. Michael Hamilton, successful San Francisco advertising executive, has his world shattered when he becomes a casualty of the 1994 California recession. He faces a bleak future — unemployed, despondent and alone. To pull himself together he must overcome emotional obstacles and accept a broader, unconventional vision of reality. A secret mentor will guide him.

Wu, the respected manager of the family-owned Good Fortune Chinese restaurant, enjoys financial security. He has been a loving husband and father, but is at odds with his aging father, Chow Lee Tong, the restaurant’s bookkeeper. Gradually, Wu neglects his wife and sons due to his assiduous attention to business.

Wu and Michael each face challenges that, like the mirrored images of the Yin-Yang symbol, are identical yet reversed. Good Fortune awaits them, but first they must discover happiness is less tied to outward goals than inner awareness. Tong’s gentle wisdom shows them the way.


362 pages, 6" x 9"
ISBN: 978-1-61170-028-2

Published by: Robertson Publishing (RP)

Good Fortune by Leslie Bratspis

Purchase your copy of " Good Fortune" from Ingram Books, your favorite webstore.
The links below will take you to the book on the selected site:

5 starsA wonderful, character study ~ Marvin Stamm
I enjoyed very much "Good Fortune," written by Leslie Bratpis. Ms. Bratpis' writing style and the development of her characters kept me interested from beginning to end. This story is a very good read, and while traveling through the maze of emotions experienced by all of her characters, one will find him- or herself reflecting upon their own life experiences. Finally, it is a pleasure to read a book with a positive and uplifting outcome. Definitely recommended!

5 starsEmbrace Good Fortune ~ Lorraine Z
I was hooked by the prologue and the promise(and delivery)of insight into Chinese culture. The characters grabbed my interest and I was invested in their dilemmas and transformations. A wonderful story of learning to listen to your heart and having the strength and courage to follow it. The guidance of a very wise secret mentor motivated Michael to change his life's direction and learn we all have the ability within us to create our own good fortune.

I have recommended this book to my book group because of the excellent discussion possibilities.

5 starsA Fortunate Read is "Good Fortune" ~ Sylvia Krask
Good Fortune is a great read. I was captivated by the writing about 2 cultures that melded into one. I loved learning about the culture of the Chinese and was so impressed with the beautiful writing of the author. I was captivated by the first chapter and could not put the book down until i finished it. The story is very unique and yet very real. I would highly recommend this book. A very fast read!

5 starsRemember Forever ~ Me, Yusem
A first for me. Never felt so moved to render an opinion. This book- Good Fortune - is that good. A story and characters that have penetrated my emotions and sensibilities. Thank you, Leslie Bratspis for creating a most entertaining, educational and beautifully written novel that I will enjoy rereading many times over. I highly recommend!

5 stars A fascinating read ~ Pat Soussan
In her book "Good Fortune," Leslie Bratspis has created believable and captivating characters who take hold of your interest from the first chapter and hold you until the last page. I found it fascinating how she interwove into the story, with great skill and knowledge, the way dreams, symbols and proverbs influenced the lives of the main characters. It is a compelling novel.

5 starsGoes on my all time "Top 10" list of favorites! ~ Rainbow
I found "Good Fortune" to be a beautifully written entertaining and emotional story of the lives of a Chinese immigrant family who came to the United States to start a new life and a successful business, while still honoring the traditions of the country they left behind. "Good Fortune" is a contemporary tale that pays great respect to the past with fascinating insight into the Chinese culture, while dealing with the present. It follows the lives of a Chinese family in San Francisco as they deal with all of the changes in their lives over the years, and of an American born business man who is going through a personal crisis, and how he finds that "Good Fortune" awaits him as he becomes the recipient of Chinese wisdom. This is a novel filled with beautifully defined characters who will touch your heart and remain there. By the end of the book, I was left wanting to know more about their lives - perhaps one day, we will have the "Good Fortune" to follow their continuing story.

5 starsGood Fortune = A Good Read ~ Jeanine
Good Fortune is a lovely story that grabs you from the start as it is easy to read, well-written and easy to identify with the various characters, their individual struggles and their hopes for a brighter future. While Michael is searching for a renewed life purpose after losing his job, Anna longing for her husband to be present in family life at home, and Jennie hoping Michael will commit after finally finding love, each obstacle is a gentle reminder that everyone faces challenges in life. I especially enjoyed how the author encompassed the wisdom and insight of Tong, the older Chinese-born grandfather, as he seeks to share and preserve his grandfather's knowledge, skills and culture with his younger, American-born family members and a complete stranger. Good Fortune is a great book to read anywhere!

5 starsThis is one of my favorite books I've read this year!!! ~ Paula M. Lawrence
Leslie, You did a fabulous job writing this very entertaining story! I especially like the deep heartfelt wisdom, and the location of the story it fit like a puzzle! Keep up the good work, I will be looking forward to your next book!

5 starsExquisite, Emotional Read ~ Jo Dennis
Leslie Bratspis has created a captivating story of men and their loved ones who come from different cultures but are brought together through the mystique of Chinese fortune-telling. The book is brimming with well-researched, fascinating cultural lessons and details that draw the reader in and make it hard to put down. The author's sensitive and realistic portrayal of the characters' thoughts and emotions makes Good Fortune a pleasure to read, from start to finish.

5 starsGrabs you from the start! ~ Enid Richey, Ph.D.
I was hooked from the start! Stage is set from the very beginning for an intriguing personal journey through the characters that Leslie created. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore their own life potential and find deeper meaning. Humor, music, art, and a cup of coffee is all you need to become part of this book.

5 stars Excellent Read ~ Lorrain Eep
Good Fortune by Leslie Bratspis is an excellent read. I was captivated from the first chapter and unable to concentrate on much else until I had finished reading the book. The descriptive language put me directly in the middle of the story and I was easily able to envision all the characters and locations. I also found that I learned some interesting facts from the well researched history of the dynamics of a Chinese family. This is a book that I would highly recommend and shall do so to many personal friends that I know enjoy a well written story. Buy this book; you won't be able to put it down!

5 starsSummer Read ~ Lil Mistep
"Good Fortune" by Leslie Bratspis is definitely among my book recommendations for this summer's reading. The author truly engages the reader in self reflection...especially concerning the cycle of life. Her heart-warming characters remind us of our human vulnerabilities and foibles, but also of the strength of the human spirit. I enjoyed learning about these Chinese immigrants' love of family, honor, and deep tradition. The non-Chinese characters were a pleasant contrast and are an intrinsic part of this enchanting story.



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The Author:

Leslie Bratspis


Leslie Bratspis
is the daughter of acclaimed novelist and screenwriter, Irving Shulman. She grew up in Hollywood, California and graduated from Los Angeles Valley College with an Associate of Arts in English. She continued her education and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Standard Elementary Teaching Credential from California State University Northridge.

Her combined interests in cultural anthropology and metaphysics prompted her to write her debut novel, "Good Fortune."

In 2005 she and her husband, and three Golden Retrievers relocated from southern California to Gig Harbor, Washington. She is a member of Lakebay Writers, Friends of the Library.

Leslie would love your comments about her book.
Send emails to:  lesliebratspis@yahoo.com

Leslie's Amazon's Author Page.

Visit Leslie's Blog: http://goodfortune-wisdom.blogspot.com


Leslie Bratspis launches her book.

Gateway


Local author writes about fortunes

Leslie Bratspis has come a long way since finding the manuscript for her book tucked away in a box.Leslie Bratspis

Susan Schell ; of the Gateway
Published: 09/28

     Leslie Bratspis has come a long way since finding the manuscript for her book tucked away in a box.
     “When I came to Gig Harbor it was packed away in a plastic storage bin,” she said. “I was looking for something else. It had been in there for three years.”
       After a long and discouraging attempt to have an authorized publisher print her work, she had given up and put the book away.
       Now Bratspis is looking forward to signing copies of her book, “Good Fortune,” Oct. 15 at Mostly Books in Gig Harbor. She ended up picking up her manuscript, editing it again, and publishing it herself with the help of Robertson Publishing.
       “I believe in this project,” she said. “When I wrote the book I envisioned it as becoming a movie. I think it would be a great movie.”
       Bratspis is well familiar with the industry. She worked in the Walt Disney studios in California and grew up in “the business.” Her father, Irving Shulman, was an author and Hollywood screenwriter.
      “I didn’t want to follow in his footsteps,” Bratspis said. “I had been thinking about writing a novel for many years but couldn’t think of anything. Nothing was inspiring me.”
       As inspiration often comes in the oddest forms, the spark for her novel came over cups of tea and Chinese takeout with her husband. They talked about how great it would be if everyone had their own old, wise Chinese man to write personalized fortunes for their fortune cookies. The fortunes would give advice and foresight for the person who opened it, offering help for whatever situation the person was experiencing at that particular point in their lives.
       The idea intrigued Bratspis, a lover of foreign cultures. With her background in English and cultural anthropology, Bratspis began writing a novel that would take her all of 16 years to complete.
       It’s about a Chinese man who works in a restaurant, who overhears a patron’s conversation. Wanting to offer his own insight, he anonymously writes a personalized fortune for the patron and puts it inside his fortune cookie.
She describes the book as being “very unusual.”
      “It follows the lives of two men who are changed by the same man, but they don’t know it,” she said. “The two men are like mirror images; they are exactly alike, but reversed. When the Chinese man secretly switches the fortunes, it begins a relationship.”
Bratspis said the underlying theme is a hero’s journey, taking them through a time of challenge, overcoming obstacles and succeeding. It’s about how life delivers messages to people, but skepticism often buries those messages.
      “It’s about recurring themes and messages from unusual and unexpected sources,” she said. “It’s a lot of thinking about having an open mind and heart.”
       The author is a member of Lakebay Writers, Friends of the Library and a volunteer for Evergreen Golden Retriever Rescue.


News Article Sept 2011


 

News Article 9-22-11


Key Peninsula News

Article
by Colleen Slater, FP News

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could have someone write fortunes that would solve your problems and guide you through life?"

Click here to download a PDF of the full article.


 



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