Miss Fortune Cookie
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” — Confucius
“Miss Fortune Cookie, the popular San Francisco advice columnist, dispenses wisdom via the popular after dinner treat with grace, kindness, and insight. But Erin, the mousy, nerdy 17-year-old girl behind Miss Fortune, feels pretty clueless in her all-too-real life. In this tale of growing up and apart, Bjorkman (My Invented Life, 2009) does a fine job capturing the intense pressures and disappointments students face when college-admission time rolls around. It becomes apparent that each girl has a destiny that will physically take her far away from the others, yet their bond is solid, and readers will root for Erin and her friends to discover themselves and each other as they work toward their futures.” — Courtney Jones, Booklist
“Lauren Bjorkman’s honest and charming portrayal of love, loyalty, and friendship will leave readers with a sense of having figured out Something Big about life, while enjoying giggles along the way. “–Jennifer Brown, Hate List
“Miss Fortune Cookie is a delicious coming of age story as addictive as the fortunes that open each chapter. You’ll find yourself cheering for Erin as she dishes out advice and eventually finds her own way in the world. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.” — Janet Gurtler, I’m Not Her
“She who reads Miss Fortune Cookie is in for a total treat!” — Sarah MacLean, A Rogue by Any Other Name
“Touching and fun; refreshing and original. A story about the big decisions at the end of high school; and the perils and benefits of friendly advice.” — Jennifer R. Hubbard, The Secret Year
Miss Fortune Cookie - Free Chapter
My friends and I were riding home from school on Muni, clinging to an assortment of slippery handholds, when Linny almost blew my secret identity. Intentionally…
When a fan made a trailer for My Invented Life, I sent him a thank you. Fausto Umanzor and I have been friends ever since. I was looking for his videos recently and ran across a fan trailer of Miss Fortune Cookie that I’d never seen. I love it. If you made this video, send me a message! I have questions.
Why did you write Miss Fortune Cookie?
Growing up on a sailboat and traveling the world expanded my world view and made me feel as if I belonged precisely nowhere. Thus, Erin was born. She started life in China, lives in San Francisco Chinatown, and attends a predominantly Asian-American public high school. Though she’s white, she feels Chinese American.
I chose Chinese American culture because I studied Chinese language, history, literature, philosophy, mythology, and art. But my husband is the true inspiration for Erin’s inner life. Despite emigrating from Sweden to the US in early childhood, he has a Chinese soul. I have no idea how that happened. It just did.
The novel is set at Lowell High School where my cousin went. After he graduated, I befriended several Lowell students, who became my on-site consultants. While I was writing, a hate group called The Westboro Church, picketed the school. I included the amazing and beautiful student response to the picketing in the book.
Lastly but not leastly, I’m a lifelong fan of advice columns.
After finishing the book, some fans sent letters like this:
“Dear Miss Fortune Cookie,
My best friend stole my boyfriend. Now she’s going to the prom with him. Is it wrong to give her Mono by drinking from her soda can at lunch?
Tempted”
Read Miss Fortune Cookie’s answer to letters like this …
I’ve created a bit of a mess for myself …