Sweet Innocence

Book excerpt: Author Chan Mei Yuet's life began in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but when her parents separate, Yuet and her mother return to the little town of Muar. Due to the increasing pressure of a new, unhealthy baby and the shame of giving birth out of wedlock, Yuet is sent to live with her grandmother. In an attempt to escape the pain of being unloved and unwanted by her family, Yuet begins traveling throughout Europe. Yuet's life improves significantly when she meets a young French man named Jean-Pierre. Despite their communication problems and cultural differences, their relationship blossoms. The couple is soon talking marriage and sharing a flat in Cagnes-Sur-Mer. The turmoil in Yuet's life is compounded further by her future in-laws' constant and malicious intrusions and the insistence that she abort her baby or face deportation. However, the birth of Christel begins to fill the empty void created by Yuet's dreadful childhood and current circumstances and allows the wounds of her adolescence to begin healing. She now has a new focus in life: the joy of motherhood. Sweet Innocence chronicles the life of globe-trotting author Chan Mei Yuet, who shares her emotional story--from a life filled with bitterness to one filled with joy.