Five years ago, if you were to tell me that I, Lana Lee, would be working full-time in my parents’ Chinese restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House, I would have laughed at you. Maniacally laughed. You know the kind. . .the kind that catches you when you’re walking in public by yourself and remember a funny joke out of the blue.

So you can imagine my surprise when I found myself in the position of asking my mother for a job. It was very uncomfortable and I think I spent more time staring at the floor than actually looking at her during the conversation. After fighting to keep my career-path free and clear of the family business, here I was asking to be her day-shift server.

Now I spend most of my mornings and afternoons re-filling soy sauce bottles, wiping down menus, and waiting tables. It’s not the most exciting of jobs, but it does have its perks. The restaurant is located in an Asian shopping plaza—Asia Village—so I have easy access to a grocery store, a book shop (super important stuff), a salon, and anything else I can think of right at my fingertips. I don’t even have to go outside. Another plus is, I have a flexible schedule, and I’ve managed to avoid working most weekends. But, the best part. . .all the free noodles I could ever want! Our head chef, Peter, is the greatest cook in all of Cleveland, if you ask me. I could probably eat noodles every day and never get sick of them as long as he’s the one in the kitchen.

The people that I’m surrounded by are pretty interesting too. A lot of them I have known my entire life. Take for example, my mother’s best friend, Esther who owns a gift shop in the plaza—if she’s not lecturing me on the proper etiquette of being a lady, she is ranting and raving about something or another going on with one of the shop owners. Of course, she doesn’t hold a candle to the Mahjong Matrons. Now those four ladies. . .if there’s anything you need to know about anyone, you go to them. They have the dirt on everyone. Then there’s Kimmy, my childhood friend, and fellow Asia Village employee. She’s a spitfire and definitely someone you don’t want on your bad side. We’ve grown apart with age, but we still try and keep up with one another. And, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my hair stylist, Jasmine. If you can trust anyone with a pair of scissors, it’s her. She holds an integral place in the gossip mill as well. You know how women like to talk while they get their hair done.

All in all, it’s a good place with good people.

So what’s the down side, you ask? For one, I’m back to wearing a uniform every day. That may sound nice because you don’t have to think about what to wear, but trust me, you can only look at yourself in a white shirt and black dress pants so many times before you just want to scream. On top of that, I smell like Asian food every night. When I get home, my dog, Kikko spends at least a good fifteen minutes smelling my pant legs. But, the biggest down side of all? I have to listen to my mother lecture me five days a week on my current relationship status—which is “single” in case you were wondering. Really, I’m okay with it. After the mess I called a relationship, I am content with having some quality “me” time.

The time I spend not working, I can usually be found hanging out with my best friend, Megan. She also happens to be my roommate. I’ve known her since high school and I couldn’t think of a better person to have as my roomie. We live a city over from Asia Village in a two-bedroom apartment that we are still striving to make “just right.”

And that’s my life in a nutshell.

My older sister, Anna May, tells me all the time that I should consider myself lucky things have worked themselves out the way they have. I have a solid roof over my head, food in my mouth, and a stable job. Deep down, I know she’s right, but you know what they say about luck. . .it’s bound to run out sometime.

You can read more about Lana in Death by Dumpling, the first book in the NEW “Noodle Shop” mystery series.

Welcome to the Ho-Lee Noodle House, where the Chinese food is to die for. . .

The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family’s restaurant. But after a brutal break-up and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she figures that helping wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. Even if that means having to put up with her mother, who is dead-set on finding her a husband.

Lana’s love life soon becomes yesterday’s news once the restaurant’s property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead―after a delivery of shrimp dumplings from Ho-Lee. But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about Mr. Feng’s severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy? Now, with the whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a feeding frenzy―to say nothing of the gorgeous police detective who keeps turning up for take-out―it’s up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng’s killer order. . . before her own number is up.

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Meet the author
Vivien Chien first started writing simple stories about adventures with her classmates when she was in elementary school. As she grew up, her love of books and the written word increased, leading to the attempt of her first novel at age 16. After many struggled beginnings and several different genres, she found her passion in the mystery world.

When she’s not writing, she can be found frolicking in the bookstore or searching for her next bowl of noodles. She has a soft spot for doughnuts, a healthy love for coffee, and an extreme need to participate in random acts of crafting.

She currently lives in Cleveland where she is hard at work on the third book in her Noodle Shop series and writes side-by-side with her toy fox terrier. Visit Vivien on Facebook.

All comments are welcomed.