资深电视新闻记者周璇明谈新作《如果不是你……》（If Not You···）

作者讲座：资深电视新闻记者周璇明谈新作《如果不是你……》

时间：2026年9月3日（星期四）

* 下午6:30：酒会（仅供应饮品）

* 晚上7:00：新书分享会

* 晚上8:00：图书签名会

“为了爱情、家庭，以及一次改写命运的机会，你愿意牺牲什么？”

这是资深电视新闻记者、作家周璇明在其首部长篇小说《如果不是你……》（If Not You…）中探讨的核心问题。这是一部关于勇气、正直，以及人们为了挚爱之人作出重大牺牲的感人作品。

小说根据真实事件创作，讲述了一名小女孩在一场毁灭性大火中幸存下来，并在几乎无人看好的情况下，走出印度贫民窟，一路进入全球顶尖的MD安德森癌症中心（MD Anderson Cancer Center) 研究实验室。直到今天，她仍在那里从事癌症研究工作。

故事跨越30年、横跨两大洲，深入探讨禁忌之爱、社会期望、责任担当，以及教育改变人生的力量。小说真挚动人、引人入胜，展现了人类精神的坚韧，以及人与人之间的深厚情感如何塑造人生。

在一次难得的公开露面中，书中故事的女主人公将通过Zoom视频连线参加现场对谈。

每张25美元的门票包含一本《如果不是你……》。讲座结束后，周璇明将为读者现场签名。

购票链接：

https://asiasocietytexascenter.my.salesforcesites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0FPh00000NUBIXMA5

也可扫描二维码购票。

关于作者

周璇明是一位曾获美联社奖和艾美奖的资深新闻记者。她在德克萨斯州电视新闻行业工作了30多年，并曾往返亚洲和北美，采访报道世界各地的重要事件。

在新闻职业生涯中，周璇明完成了约一万篇新闻报道。她以真实事件为基础，将《如果不是你……》创作成一部长篇小说。

周璇明毕业于耶鲁大学历史系，能够使用普通话和上海话进行日常交流。她还学习过西班牙语、法语和德语。

周璇明与大学时代的恋人结为夫妻，两人育有两个儿子，分别毕业于莱斯大学和麻省理工学院。

关于主持人

Mayank Istwal是休斯顿米其林星级印度高级餐厅Musaafer的企业行政总厨，也是该餐厅广受赞誉的纽约翠贝卡分店背后的创意推动者。

在Mayank主厨的领导下，Musaafer于2024年和2025年连续获得米其林一星，成为德克萨斯州第一家、也是目前唯一一家获得米其林星级荣誉的印度餐厅。

Mayank出生于印度，并接受过豪华酒店服务行业的专业培训。他以现代手法诠释印度各地区传统美食而闻名，将饮食历史、文化叙事、阿育吠陀香料知识与当代菜肴呈现方式融为一体。

他的职业生涯包括在印度及海外的豪华酒店、国际邮轮公司和获奖餐厅担任领导职务。他曾用100天走遍印度全部29个邦，研究逐渐被遗忘的传统食谱、本土食材和地方烹饪传统。这些经历如今成为Musaafer菜单设计的重要灵感来源。

他的工作获得了《时代》杂志、米其林指南、世界粮食日及众多国际餐饮组织的认可。

AUTHOR TALK: SHERN-MIN CHOW ON “IF NOT YOU…”

 Thursday, September 3, 2026

6:30 p.m. Drinks-Only Reception

7 p.m. Book Talk

8 p.m. Book Signing

"What would you sacrifice for love, family, and a chance to rewrite your destiny?" 

These are the questions explored in veteran television journalist and author Shern-Min Chow's debut novel, If Not You... — a moving story of courage, integrity, and the profound sacrifices made for loved ones.

Inspired by true events, the novel follows a young girl who survives a devastating fire and against all expectations, rises from the slums of India to the elite cancer research labs at MD Anderson, where she works to this day. Spanning three decades and two continents, the novel explores forbidden love, societal expectations, duty, and the transformative power of education. Heartfelt and compelling, the novel highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the bonds that shape people's lives.

In a rare public appearance, the heroine of the story will join the conversation via Zoom. A copy of If Not You... is included with $25 ticket purchase, and Shern-Min will be available to sign copies of the book following the talk.

Link for tickets: https://asiasocietytexascenter.my.salesforcesites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0FPh00000NUBIXMA5

Scan QR code for tickets:      

 About the Author

Shern-Min Chow is an A.P. and Emmy award-winning journalist. She has spent more than three decades in television news in Texas and traveled from Asia to North America covering world events. Chow has filed some 10,000 news reports over her career and chose to turn If Not You..., based on true events, into a full-length novel.

A history graduate from Yale University, Shern-Min speaks conversational Mandarin and Shang Hai dialects of Chinese. She has also studied Spanish, French, and German.

Chow is married to her college sweetheart. They have two sons, graduates of Rice University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About the Moderator

Chef Mayank Istwal is the executive corporate chef of Musaafer, the Michelin-starred Indian fine dining destination in Houston and the creative force behind its acclaimed TriBeCa New York location. Under his culinary leadership, Musaafer became the first and only Indian restaurant in Texas to earn a MICHELIN Star in both 2024 and 2025.

Born in India and trained in luxury hospitality, Chef Mayank is celebrated for his modern interpretation of regional Indian cuisine, blending culinary history, storytelling, Ayurvedainspired spice knowledge, and contemporary presentation. His career has included leadership roles with luxury hotels, international cruise lines, and award-winning restaurants across India and abroad. He embarked on a 100-day journey across all 29 states of India to research forgotten recipes, indigenous ingredients, and regional cooking traditions that now inspire Musaafer's menus. His work has earned international recognition from TIME Magazine, MICHELIN Guide, World Food Day, and numerous culinary organizations.