An interview with another fabulous Gather...

What is your book and what is it about? :

My book's title is Rabbit in the Moon by Deborah and Joel Shlian. My website is http://www.shlian.com Rabbit in the Moon, is the story of independent Dr. Lili Quan, American born medical resident in Los Angeles, who accepts an invitation to study in China -ostensibly to fulfill her mother's dying wish. Little does she know that she will become a pawn in a deadly international scheme as greedy and ambitious men vie to gain control of her grandfather's discovery of shou, the secret of longevity. Lili's story is set against the most tumultuous seven weeks in recent Chinese history: from the rise of the democracy movement on April 15th to its fall with the June 4th massacre at Tiananmen Square.

What inspired your book?

One of the main themes in Rabbit in the Moon is the search for the secret of longevity. For years, scientists around the world have been engaged in aging research. The idea that someone in China might have already discovered the elixir of life came as a result of our visit to a hospital in Xian. Although we were allowed to tour the facility, we were forbidden from entering one particular area. When we asked our guide to translate the name over the locked door, he said: "Longevity Institute". That then became the locked lab in our fictitious Xian Institute where Dr. Ni-Fu Cheng conducts his longevity research.

Once we knew the story would take place in China, we needed to decide on the time period. The idea of using the period around the Tiananmen massacre came as a result of our interaction with students from Mainland China studying at UCLA in 1989. They viewed the student democracy movement as a generational conflict between the elders who traditionally have ruled the country and the increasingly restless, ambitious and politically outspoken young student leaders. In our story, three of the "old timers" conspire to steal the secret of longevity in order to maintain their power.

When you write, how much do you plan ahead of time and how much do you make up as you go along?

Since my husband and I write together, we try to outline the whole novel before we start. But as most writers know, the characters often begin to have a life of their own and may take the story in directions you hadn't expected.

Are your characters "good or evil" or are they all both?

We hope we have created characters who are complex people with both good and bad qualities. How they face various moral dilemmas is what makes them interesting.

Where can we find your book?

The book was released in June to coincide with the 19th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre and the coming Olympics. It should be in local bookstores now, but can be ordered at all bookstores. It is in many libraries around the country. It is also online at Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, etc. It is in hardback, Kindle and e-book versions.

What did you read in school for fun?

I have been a reader as long as I can remember. My parents were voracious readers. I can still remember how happy I was to get my first library card. Early on books became a way for me to travel to other places, to explore other people's lives. From Nancy Drew to Johnny Tremain to Tom Sawyer, I was hooked. Books like Microbe Hunters and Arrowsmith were especially influential in my decision to become a doctor. As an adult, I am lost if I'm not reading a book and I often read two or three at the same time. My husband also started reading as a young kid. Unlike me though, his parents did not read much and there were no books in my house. However, like me, the library was a refuge. He took the bus every Saturday and spent hours reading there, then carried a load of books home. His favorites as a youngster adventure books like Moby Dick and Treasure Island.