Jen Sookfong Lee wrote her first serious short story at the age of 10, a horror tale featuring a witch, a scrappy little girl and a casserole dish. She hasn't stopped writing since.

Her first novel, The End of East (Vintage Canada and Thomas Dunne Books), explores themes of isolation, immigration, romance and sanity through the eyes of its narrator, Sammy Chan, a Chinese Canadian woman in her early 20s, and through the experiences of her parents and grandparents. The End of East is a novel with poetry at its heart, mixing character study, history, place and sexuality for a story that is both edgy and evocative.

The End of East, which spans almost the entire 20th century, delves into the underside of Chinese North American history, exploring the repercussions of systemic racism, Chinatown bachelor societies and the years of separation between working men abroad and their wives and children who remained in China. Both global and intimate, The End of East is about the Chan family's journey westward and their struggle to understand each other and the shape their lives have taken.

Critics have called The End of East "impressive," "an emotional powerhouse of a novel" and "accomplished," while Jen has been hailed as "a novelist to watch." An energetic and engaged stage presence, Jen has appeared at a number of literary festivals, including the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, the Vancouver International Writers Festival and International Readings at the Harbourfront Centre. She has spoken at universities and high schools across Canada and was the first debut novelist to be featured on CBC's Studio One Book Club.

Jen is represented by the Carolyn Swayze Literary Agency. For more detailed information about Jen and the work she's doing, visit her website at www.sookfong.com.

Photo of Jen by Sherri Koop Photography