Crimson China live webchat Monday 5 December 1-2pm

Enjoy!

Was delighted to get my free copy and enjoyed reading it but does anyone feel it ended too soon. I want to know what happened to the characters.

Yes, a few of us have made this comment on another thread - some ends left untied! Enjoyable, though.

It would be nice if there was a sequel.

I finished this book at 12.30 this morning - I couldn't put it down. Like several other people I would have liked the loose ends tied up but I did so love it.

I enjoyed the book immensely, felt it lost it's way a bit three quarters of the way through, and as others have commented, felt cheated when it ended so soon. On the whole though a very good read, I couldn't put it down until I had finished it. Well done Betsy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book feel the story would not stand further adventures as the characters could have to tackle authority. Well done Betsy.

Well maybe not further adventures, but just to know exactly how they all ended up, good or bad.

have started reading it & so far find it extremely well written (not far enough into the story to comment on that)

Enjoy!

Halfway through and enjoying it. I wondered whether Betsy had any connection to Morecambe or whether it was simply a news story that stuck in her mind?

I am interested to know how one goes about researching a novel such as this? I would love to know where one starts after picking the basic story line

I loved this book.

I live in Lancashire and visit Morecambe from time to time. My next visit is this week for a Christmas lunch at the Headway Hotel.

My son lives in Australia with his Australian wife. They have adopted two Chinese children. The first one a girl at nine months who is now 8 years old. Last year they went back with a group of parents and children to visit her orphanage. They were received by the head of the orphanage in the board room as 'successful graduates'. My grand child has had counselling offered by the adoption organisation in Australia to support her expression of identity and understand how to deal with questions both her own and other people's. Just as they got back from the orphanage last year they set out again to bring back an adopted son aged 22 months with a cleft palate. I spent 4 months in Australia with them shortly after they arrived back and then visited again this year. There has been a huge development of language, mutual play, brother sister interaction in the year. Before this in 2007 I did a Community Care visit to China with Master Travel. We were a group of social workers, psychologists teachers etc. and visited an orphanage, community centre, old people's home, Beijing Hospital, the Houtongs etc.

However, back to the book. Betsy Tobin is brilliant. Her understanding of May the adopted child in her family, and of the Chinese cockle picker, his relationship to his sister and to other people, I feel shows a very insightful and realistic understanding of relationships. I have attended some novel writing groups. It is difficult to write, and so I admire Betsy's skill. I found it hard to put the book down.

I ordered it on my Kindle the moment I read the review on Gransnet.

Do find us other books like this.

I would like to know about betsy tobin's research-been to China? been to morecombe? I'm still reading the book so will try to finish tonight-fell for the little girl-loved her

Hi Betsy, I realise I'm not going to make it tomorrow. I loved the book, though, and my question is about adoption, which is a theme that runs through the book: why did you focus on that?

I would like to know - does Betsy know what happens to Lili after the book is finished?!

I really enjoyed 'Crimson China', but I wonder why Angie had to be an alcoholic? There are many other reasons why she felt driven to the point of suicide, which led to her saving one of the drowning men.

I wanted to ask Betsy - who is your favourite writer, and how do you avoid just trying to copy them?

(I am trying to write myself, and I find my writing veers off in different directions, depending on what I've been reading. I think, "Oh, that's good, I'll try that." It ends up a bit of a mess!)

Ooh I haven't quite finished this yet, so don't want to read the thread too closely, but wanted to ask what Betsy feels we could do to help people like Wen in real life - particularly in medical situations.

The scene in the pharmacy where Wen watches a man refuse medical advice (and the anecdote about the man hit by a bus) really brought it home to me how terrible it is to not be able to trust anyone, or accept any proper help.

Do you know of any charities doing anything to help people who are here illegally but in life-threatening situations?

Betsy - how do you plan a book? Do you write the ending first? Or do you start from the beginning and ad lib the storyline, adding in what takes your fancy?