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A 2006 alumnus, Jamie expanded his Boot Camp short story, originally titled "The Button" into "I Am Chinese" -- a noble romantic tragedy that became a finalist in Glimmer Train's 2006 Short-Story Award For New Writers.

After being told by an editor that "the moral territory was novel length," Jamie wrote Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, a novel based on his short story. It was also heavily influenced by his own experiences growing up near Seattle's Chinatown.

Now represented by Kristin Nelson of The Nelson Agency, Hotel was recently sold at auction for six-figures to Ballantine, a Random House imprint, where it will be the lead debut in their Spring/Summer 2009 season.

When asked about his Boot Camp experience he said, "Holy cannoli -- being in that environment was the perfect alchemy of inspiration, camaraderie and tough-love. Not only did it motivate and enlighten, but I arrived as a writer and left as a storyteller -- it was cathartic. Scott deserves all the credit for setting my feet on that path. He also introduced us to funky Brazilian food, but that's another story."

Jamie is working on his next novel, tentatively titled Short Bus. He hangs out at www.jamieford.com and has been known to eat jellyfish, sea cucumber and chicken feet on occasion.

http://www.hatrack.com/writers/news/jamieford.shtml