Rubies and Rucksacks
A debut novel
by Mel Christie William M Christie
The plan was to spend a year in Southeast Asia, China, and Japan, in search of life, love, and meaning. But with hustlers, mercenaries, jailors, and a Brotherhood of Nigerians in the way, the search took much longer—and it required going further afield.
For fans of THE WHITE LOTUS, this genre bending work is the budget version—think less Four Seasons, more Four Cockroaches in a Dorm. Its protagonist navigates the traveller guest houses with antics like Rick Steves in ON THE HIPPIE TRAIL, but the stories ratchet up the drama and pressure the unexpected, rather than remain wholly faithful to memory. Similar to Elizabeth Gilbert’s ambitions in EAT PRAY LOVE, the interconnected narratives of Seeking Sanook focus on our ever-youthful desire for escape while offering even more locations to get lost in.
一. Hong Kong, a Love Story
An ode to Hong Kong. Submitted to a select group of publications / competitions. (Semifinalist of the Action,Spectacle 2026 Prose and Poetry Prize. Inspired by the editors of the Bridport Prize who placed this story in its top 7% of short story submissions for 2025)