Reflecting on an immigrant experience

William Ping’s debut novel inspired by grandfather’s move from China to N.L. in 1930s

Who knew a project for his master's degree at Memorial University could result in a multi-book deal with one of the biggest English-language book publishers in the world? Certainly not William Ping.

The 26-year-old writer and journalist released his debut novel earlier this year, "Hollow Bamboo," through Harpercollins Publishers. A work of fiction with a fantasy twist in the form of a guiding spirit, the book is inspired by the life of his grandfather, also named William Ping. He immigrated to Newfoundland from China in the 1930s.

"It's delivered through this almost 'A Christmas Carol' type of frame, where there's a fictional version of myself that gets taken into the past, and I witness his life as he builds his life here in Newfoundland," said the author.

Ping had a longstanding curiosity about his grandfather's life, having only minuscule personal memories of the elder William Ping, who died when his grandson was only three years old.

"When I'd hear about it, it felt like a movie or a great book, and I always wanted to tell that story, but I didn't really know him that well," Ping said. "Sitting down to write this was my chance to dig into all the resources and listen to all the family stories, and paint a picture of who he was and what his life was like here."

Ping explored his grandfather's backstory for CBC Radio's "Atlantic Voice" documentary program and wrote a manuscript that impressed St. John's author Lisa Moore, who was teaching him at MUN. That got the ball rolling for the eventual publication of the book with Harpercollins — a significant milestone for a writer who is only 26. He did not envision finding a major publisher for his first book.

"It's exciting. It's daunting. It never felt real until the book was out. We did the book launch here Bannerman Brewing actually ... It never felt real until that night and seeing people walking around with copies of it."

Ping, who will do some travelling across the country later this year to help promote the book, is in the process of writing a second book. He expects to have a manuscript ready for editing before the end of 2023.