04:47 PM PST on Tuesday, January 27, 2004

By MIMI GAN / Evening Magazine

Amy Tan’s best-selling book became a box office hit, her children's book is the cat’s meow of television, and her talent now rocks the music world.

Amy came to Seattle for a special event – another important chapter in her storied career.

In 1989, Amy Tan rocked the literary world with her book “The Joy Luck Club” – the tragic but hopeful story of four Chinese mothers and their American-born daughters.

Amy Tan found it difficult to deal with all her success.

It was a glimpse into Amy's often difficult relationship with her own mother, accentuated by the loss of Amy's father and brother to brain tumors when she was 16.

The tremendous success of The Joy Luck Club catapulted Amy to fame.

“It's been both wonderful and difficult dealing with that kind of success, knowing what to do with it and being afraid it would change me as a person and hence change me as a writer,” she said.

Amy followed up with several well-received books, inluding “Sagwa the Siamese Cat,” now a popular children's show on PBS. The story was inspired by her own cat, Sagwa, who died of cancer.

“The inspiration for the story and the series stems from a dream. I actually have a lot of dreams that become parts of stories sometimes,” she said.

The Joy Luck Club propelled Amy Tan to instant success.

When Amy is not writing, she's performing with "The Rockbottom Remainders" – a band comprised of well-known authors such as Stephen King and Dave Barry who perform for charity.

“My mother actually saw me in the band one time and she thought it was hilarious,” she said.

Amy came to Seattle, her two terriers Bubba and Lilly in tow. for a standing-room-only appearance. But Amy's main reason for coming was to see the premiere of the Repertory Actors Theatre's stage production of "The Joy Luck Club."

Seattle's David Hsieh is the writer and director.

“She basically gave permission to move ahead with this project,” said David. “I was so excited when I found out she could come up.”

From the moment the actors set foot on stage, David had nothing to worry about. Amy loved it.

“I was laughing, I was crying a lot, I was very moved,” said Amy.

Amy will return to Seattle in April with her rock band.

“I was petrified. I've had many nightmares that she would storm out because she hated it,” said David.

From books to screen and now stage, Amy Tan has turned tragedy into hope. It's a tribute to her mother, a tribute to her work.

Amy's newest book, "The Opposite of Fate," is a book of musings. It was released in October 2003. It's called both hilarious and terrifying and offers a glimpse of Amy's often difficult relationship with her mother.