I am sentimental about Thailand. My first introduction to this country of fascinating contradictions dates back to when I was twelve, when my devil-may-care father took me with him to Bangkok on a night train and opened my eyes to her endless possibilities. Many decades have passed since; life has long lost its sheen. But Thailand has continued to thrill and inspire. This is the country I return to every year, like a migratory bird, to write. It is here that I am most inspired to spin tales. When I lie down at night in the midst of uh-oh-ing tokay geckos and serenading crickets, dreams of tropical serenity come to me. I awake at dawn filled to the brim with inspiration. Thailand’s charms are multi-faceted: the sweltering but liberating heat that instantly consigns all memories of harsh winter to oblivion; the Epicurean approach to food; the sapphire waves rolling beneath an azure sky; the gentle humility and quiet manners of the people that make every stranger feel