A book signing and panel discussion of the novel, Pipawei, recently published by Jiangxi People's Publishing House, was held at the 30^th National Book Expo in Jinan, East China's Shandong province, on July 15.

At the event, author Wen Yanxia shared her inspiration and process in creating this realistic novel about the arduous journey of local cadres shaking off poverty in the village of Pipawei.

Wen was born in Anyuan in East China's Jiangxi province, a once poverty-stricken county. For her previous books and her work at the Jiangxi Radio and TV Station, she also visited many impoverished areas and developed an interest in writing a book about poverty alleviation.

While writing this book, she visited four counties, interviewed more than 200 villagers and local cadres, and based her novel and characters on these real people and their stories.

"I hope that the characters who are ordinary people and the presentation of social changes in this book can allow the readers to feel the breath of the earth and the pulse of the era," Wen said.