I’m proud to be finally able to fully share my cover! And I’d love to hear what you think of it — you can let me know at shirin@shirinyimleos.com, or better yet, by posting it on Instagram and tagging me @shirinyimleos.

The novel is already available for pre-orders (pub date February 23, 2027), and I’d be delighted if you improved my chances of landing on the New York Times Bestseller List in February by ordering a copy now, and maybe even one for a friend. You can also do this at your local bookstore.

I also thought you might like to see two early glimpses of my book in the wild: it’s behind my editor in this recent WSJ article, and already loaded into the bookstore ordering system, Edelweiss, as you can see at this excellent bookstore.

Of course, these are the first glimpses but not the first mention — that came early when I sold the book and Publishers’ Weekly named it a deal of the week!

But it’s been a long time since that drink, so I’m just delighted to now have a public cover! Here it is in all it’s glory, just in case you want to see it again.

What is the book about? It’s a sweeping, multigenerational novel about three women married to the same man at the same time, that stretches from rural China to an emerging, mid-nineteenth century Seattle. Here’s how my publisher describes it:

Three women—one born married, one born enslaved, one born free—brought together by one man. 

Betrothed at birth, Yook Lan enters the Chun House as a teenager to become the household’s Great Wife—only to be left behind by a husband who must journey across the world to ensure the survival of his family. 

Forced to sleep on the floor of a storeroom, gambled away, and ransomed into the Chun household, Guai Fong finds herself cared for but isolated, as neither servant nor daughter.

Mary has only ever known the silver waters and green trees of Puget Sound. But her life is forever changed when she falls in love with a stranger who has come to America to make his fortune, but who must return to China to secure his legacy. 

The abandoned first wife, the ransomed slave, and the displaced young woman become inextricably linked, their happiness and purpose connected to one man, one household. Through decades, across oceans, and painting a vivid portrait of three women as they struggle against history’s constraints, OF WIND AND DUST is an unforgettable, intricately crafted story of striving, sacrifice, love, and loyalty inspired by my own family history.

_ _ _

And here’s what other authors have been saying about it:

"Each of Leos' s characters is so real, so persuasively embedded in time and place—and all of their stories are equally compelling. A wonderful piece of work. Brava!"
— KAREN JOY FOWLER, New York Times bestselling author of Booth

“History too often remembers the men who crossed oceans and forgets the women who paid for their journeys. In Of Wind and Dust, Shirin Yim Leos shines a lush historical spotlight on three brave women bound by marriage. It’s a gorgeous, heartfelt exploration of the distance between duty and desire, belonging and freedom. I so loved this book.”
— JAMIE FORD, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

"Deeply engrossing and gorgeously written, Of Wind and Dust is more than a complex intertwining of a multicultural family in 1860 China and America. Nestled between lush descriptions of Chinese rice paddies and burgeoning opportunities in the area now known as Seattle lies the larger theme: the harsh realities of women who had to make peace with destinies not of their own making. I could not put this book down!"
— ALKA JOSHI New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist

"From China to Gold Mountain, Of Wind and Dust follows the destinies of three exceptional women, each of whom will steal your heart. With achingly beautiful prose, this page-turner delves into eternal questions: Is love holding tightly or letting go? Is it best to follow tradition or our hearts? Stay with certainty or risk it all? This remarkable meditation on family, ambition, and sacrifice will appeal to readers who long to discover hidden chapters of history. Absolutely riveting!"
— JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and The Parisian Chapter

"Of Wind and Dust is a glorious, compassionate epic set in two countries, one ancient, the other which calls itself new. Encompassing almost seventy years and three striking women’s voices, it is a story of the power of culture, love, and duty, and the ways they can catalyze or entrap us. A masterpiece."
— ERICA BAUERMEISTER, New York Times bestselling author of The Scent Keeper

"In Of Wind and Dust, Shirin Yim Leos unearths little-known history and introduces us to women who insisted on asserting the courage to love, to etch their own legacy, and to stand for themselves. A braided, singular, and sweeping epic readers won't forget."
— QIAN JULIE WANG, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Country

"I was swept into this tale from the very first page, and I did not want to stop reading on the last one. This compelling story revolves around three complicated women, all wives of the same man, who each play a role in the rebuilding of a prominent Chinese family after war and famine devastate the country. Engrossing, heartbreaking, and hopeful, Of Wind and Dust is a beautiful novel I will carry with me for a long time."
— MARTHA CONWAY, author of We Meet Apart

"I would call this novel a great love story—not between a man and three women, but between three women and the remarkable lives they built for themselves, in spite of every heartwrenching and limiting circumstance they had to face. Of Wind and Dust is epic yet tender, and Shirin Yim Leos gives us not one, but three forces of nature, shaped by history."
— VANESSA CHAN, international bestselling author of The Storm We Made

"A triumphant debut. Exquisitely written, deeply researched, and a page-turner I never wanted to end. Leos asks a timeless question: Can women ever really choose their lives? If you love stories inspired by untold true events spanning oceans and decades, this book will captivate your heart and not let you go."
— ROSA KWON EASTON, international bestselling author of White Mulberry, and Red Seal

"Lush, knowing, and quietly devastating. Shirin Yim Leos has crafted an unforgettable portrait of a family shaped by ambition, war, and longing, illuminating a largely untold history."
— MICHAEL DAVID LUKAS, author of The Oracle of Stamboul and The Invisible Line

"These days, what a respite to fall into the world of women doing what women do: show courage, resilience and the fierce will to push on. From rural China to harbor-town Seattle, three wives of one man emerge from the sweep of history, the trap of family legacy and the complexities of love to stand, confront and finally own their tomorrows. An engrossing story by a storyteller of extraordinary insight. I didn't want it to end."
— STEPHANIE GANGI, author of Carry the Dog and The Next

Almost twelve years went into the research and writing of the novel. You can find out more about the story behind the story by clicking to download this fact sheet:

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your interest and support, and I hope you’ll join me for what promises to be an interesting ride by watching this space and following me on Instagram @shirinyimleos.

And don’t forget, I’m also happy to sign you a bookplate for any copies bought, and any of my children’s books! Just send proof of purchase and the name to which you’d like each bookplate dedicated to shirin@shirinyimleos.com. Don’t forget the address you’d like me to send the bookplate to!