FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Babs Chandrasoma, babs@prbythebook.com, 512-289-4339

Acclaimed Author Takes Readers on a Breathtaking Adventure through the

Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan
TORONTO –Elsie Sze brings to life the behind-the-scenes story of a vanished young woman in
her new book, The Heart of the Buddha (October 2009, ISBN 978-1-934572-30-6, $14.95,
Emerald Book Company). When a young Canadian woman disappears at the end of her six-
month assignment in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, her twin sister is left to unravel the
mystery.

When Marian, an earnest romantic and idealist, goes missing in the Himalayan kingdom of
Bhutan, her prim and pragmatic twin sister, Ruthie, journeys from Canada to search for her.
When Ruthie uncovers Marian’s passion for a Bhutanese monk and her hazardous trek over a
mountain pass to Tibet, she fears the worst. And those fears only intensify when a sinister
Tibetan reveals that he is also in pursuit of Marian. As the sisters struggle to reach each other,
they must overcome the demands of their own hearts and spirits.

In easy, poetic prose, Elsie Sze paints an enchanting picture of Bhutan as she spins a tale of
mystery, adventure, and romance, recounting the two sisters’ physical and spiritual journeys to
find each other and their true selves.

“In a captivating novel that sets the joys of the sisterly bond against the allure of impossible love,
Elsie Sze spins a fluid story of determination, devotion, and ethical dilemma. As Sze’s characters
grapple with disparities in cultures and spiritual beliefs, heartrending questions are laid bare—
questions of love’s meaning and its ultimate costs.” –Ania Szado, author of Beginning of Was

“Elsie Sze’s The Heart of the Buddha is a passionate story of two sister’s adventures in Bhutan.
Part travelogue, part love story, Sze’s elegant prose tells a suspenseful story. I couldn’t put this
book down.” –Leanne Lieberman, author of Gravity

“A triple treat, The Heart of the Buddha satisfies as a puzzling mystery, a heart-wrenching love
story, and a vivid travel guide to an exotic land.” –Cairns Media Magazine

Elsie Sze is a former teacher and librarian and now devotes her time to fiction writing. Her first
novel Hui Gui: A Chinese Story, was nominated for Foreword Magazine Fiction Book of the
Year Award in 2006. Sze’s short stories have been published in IMPRINT Magazine (an annual
publication of Women in Publishing Society, Hong Kong) and Cairns Media Magazine. Most
recently, New York’s InTheFray Magazine published her article on Bhutan. Sze meets regularly
with members of her writers’ group in Toronto to share writing and publishing news as well as
critique writings of fellow members. A native of Hong Kong, then a British colony, Sze is fluent
in Cantonese. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband.
The Heart of the Buddha by Elsie Sze (October 2009, ISBN 978-1-934572-30-6, $14.95,
Emerald Book Company)

For more information, visit www.elsiesze.com. To schedule an interview with Elsie Sze or
receive more information, please contact Babs Chandrasoma at babs@prbythebook.com or 512-
289-4339. Visit our website: www.prbythebook.com

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