“She couldn't see the homemade colored sprinkles, the tender yellow cake, or the pale pink frosting made with strawberry syrup enhanced with a little rosewater. Although our local strawberries weren...”

“When I lived in New York and went to Chinatown, I learned that these flavors and their meanings were actually a foundation of ancient Chinese medicine.Salty translated to fear and the frantic energ...”

“He had seen better days - though these had only served to embitter him against his current circumstances.”

“You askif I will write a poemI could,I supposewrite the mostsplendiferousone of allbut notrightnownot whenyour handsare brewingwarmcinnamon teaacross my skinnot when Imtrying to imaginewhat might h...”

“My fingers gripped his sweaty T-shirt. I kept kissingEagan until he groaned softly in his sleep.I love you, I murmured against his lips.I moved away from him. I forced myself to stand, Igrabbed my ...”

“I miss your silent stature, your avoided days of disaster, your present state of distress.Im cinnamon, cloves and fire, you are the rested cedarwood of desire.”

“Children betrayed their parents by becoming their own people.”

“But marrying within one's own family can get monotonous. One has heard all the same family stories, knows all the jokes and all the same recipes. No novelty.”

“She took comfort in the familiarity of his smell, knowing that if she lost all her possessions and her home, at least she would have her family.”