Tales from the Jade Court are a series of Chinese fables, fairy tales and legends retold for modern audiences. These tales have been expanded and work within a world where the gods and goddesses of the Jade King and his court mingle with mortals and other deities. While the Jade Court is in the "once upon a time", the sensibilities and behaviors of the characters are reflective of those of the modern day. Each individual story explores different aspects of belonging: knowing and understanding one's place in the world and finding like-minded people with whom to share one's life.

Shirley Chan loves stories: telling, reading, writing. Her first English book was likely a Dr. Seuss but she graduated to Dr. Dolittle and then found the science fiction section of her library. She grew up on Eastern fairy tales and is working on her own versions to publish as a collection.