新年快樂 (Xīnnián kuàilè) from Formosa Files! As we head into the Year of the Horse, we have something different: pirates in the Taiwan Strait, both factual and fictional. We look at a Japanese woman who became a notorious pirate leader in the 1930s. And we follow the Shadow, a mysterious crime-fighter whose 1945 novel The Taiwan Joss centers around a jewel-studded statue of Koxinga (the Ming loyalist who defeated the Dutch in Tainan in the 1660s).

Speaking of fiction, Plum Rain Press – our publishing side-venture – released three new titles last year: China Running Dog, The Cuttlefish, and The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers. Readers thirsting for a historical novel set in Taiwan should get our debut release, A Tale of Three Tribes in Dutch Formosa.

Other Formosa Files spin-offs which might be of interest are: the Chinese-language version of Formosa Files which American Eryk does with Taiwanese Eric. John is involved with two other podcasts: Bookish Asia with Plum Rain Press, and more recently the Books on Asia podcast. And Eryk has launched an English-language newspaper for southern Taiwan.

Warm wishes from the Formosa Files team,

Eric, Eryk, and John