* Bronze Medal (Cultural Fiction), 2015 Readers' Favorite Book Award
* Honorable Mention (General Fiction), 2015 Eric Hoffer Literary Award
* Honorable Mention (Fiction), Writer's Digest 22nd Annual Book Awards (2014)
* Gold Medal Winner (Historical Literature Fiction), 2014 Global Ebook Awards
* Grand Prize Winner (Fiction), 2014 LuckyCinda Book Contest
* Finalist (Historical Fiction), 2014 National Indie Excellence Book Awards
* Finalist (Unpublished Novel), 2012 San Diego Book Awards
* As Roger Connors, a widower with no children, ponders whether to pursue aggressive treatment for his cancer, a cryptic note arrives from a long-lost USAF buddy announcing the visit of an acquaintance from Vietnam. The startling news resurrects ghosts of fallen comrades and haunting memories of the great love he once knew.
Shocking revelations from his visitor uncover a missing part of Roger's life he never dreamed possible. Peeling back one layer at a time, he delves into a decades-old secret in search of answers and traces of a passion unfulfilled.
From the jungles of Vietnam through the minefields of the heart, ONCE UPON A MULBERRY FIELD follows one man's journey to self-discovery, fraught with disillusionment and despair but ultimately redeemed by the power of love.
* REVIEWS
The story goes beyond the events and makes the thoughtful reader contemplate the larger issues of life and death we all must face. With deep inner and outer conflict, romance, characters we can all care about, and a superb plot, ONCE UPON A MULBERRY FIELD is a book well worth the reader's time ...
—Judges' comments, 2014 Writer's Digest Book Awards
Beautifully written . . . As much a historical account as an epic, heartfelt journey of the human spirit . . . Brilliant!
—Judges' comments, 2014 LuckyCinda Book Contest
Compelling story . . . written with much thought and preparation . . . The content is so rich and wonderful . . . (This book) is different from anything I've ever read or judged before.
—Judge's comments, 2012 San Diego Book Awards
This is a poignant, heartrending story of American and South Vietnamese friendship, respect and love, at the height of the Vietnam War. Through a unique insider's view, this intriguing novel gives the reader a close-up look at personal aspects of the war. C.L. Hoang has masterfully captured that turbulent chapter in the US and South Vietnam history. Readers will be moved by this historically important, unforgettable book. I could not recommend it more highly.
—Dave Carey, Captain, USN retired, former POW in the Hanoi Hilton,
Author of "The ways We Choose: Lessons for Life from a POW's Experience"
C. L. Hoang's novel, ONCE UPON A MULBERRY FIELD, brings gripping authenticity and new perspective to the Vietnam War. Through an array of American and Vietnamese characters, we experience the charm and beauty of this lush, war-torn country—interludes of love stolen between unspeakable loss. Set at Bien-Hoa Air Base near Saigon in 1967, the height of the war and the Tet Offensive, as well as decades afterward in California, this book will move you to tears. Yet it ends with a redemption impossible to foresee.
—Kathryn Jordan,
Author of "Hot Water," "Gladys and Capone," and "In the Time of Apricots"
ONCE UPON A MULBERRY FIELD is a captivating story that rings true and will bring back countless memories for those who served in Vietnam. For others, it provides insight into the ironies and tragedies that were part of the Vietnam experience.
—Peter Caldwell,...
