Weina Dai Randel is a bestselling and award-winning author, known for her historical fiction and fantasy novels. She has written four novels, including "The Last Rose of Shanghai," "Night Angels," "The Moon in the Palace," and "The Empress of Bright Moon," which is a historical duology about Wu Zetian. Randel's works have received critical acclaim and have been translated into thirteen languages.
Randel was born in China and came to the United States in her early twenties. She received her MA in English from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. After living in Texas for several years, she now resides in Massachusetts with her family. Randel has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the RWA RITA® Award, a finalist of the National Jewish Book Awards, and a two-time Goodreads Choice Awards Best Historical Fiction nominee. She was also the recipient of the Mass Cultural Council's art grant in 2023.
Randel's novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness and have been recommended by the Texas Library Association’s 2017 Lariat Reading List. Her debut novel was also a San Francisco Book Festival Honorable Mention. Her novels explore complex themes and feature strong female protagonists, drawing on historical events and figures to create compelling narratives. Randel's writing is highly regarded for its ability to transport readers to another time and place, immersing them in the sights, sounds, and emotions of the story.
In addition to her work as a novelist, Randel has worked as the subject-matter expert for Southern New Hampshire University’s MFA program and as an adjunct professor. She has been interviewed on WFAA’s Good Morning Texas and in publications such as World Literature Today, Texas Jewish Post, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, and RT Book Reviews. Randel is passionate about the power of words and their ability to create vivid images and impart wisdom. Her website, weinarandel.com, provides more information about her writing career and publications.