Juliette Mai Triozon
writes across continents and generations, weaving the magic of words to honor the women who shaped her and the cultures that live within her.
The Books
When the Frangipanis are in Bloom
Spanning war, love, sacrifice, and unbreakable bonds, When the Frangipanis are in Bloom tells the unforgettable story of Nam—a woman who gave everything for the child she didn’t bear, but loved as her own.
When the Frangipanis are in Bloom is Juliette Mai Triozon’s second book about Vietnam and her family, following Waltzing with the Dragons. Nam, the author’s beloved nanny and second mother, was orphaned young and raised by her uncle, one of the last Mandarins of North Vietnam. She and her cousin Ly fled the Japanese invasion during WWII, but were separated. Nam was saved by Hung, a follower of Ho Chi Minh, and fell in love with him—only to give him up out of loyalty to Ly.
In 1952, Ly gave birth to Mai-Tâm, and Nam devoted her life to raising her. But when Mai-Tâm was sent to France at age 15, Nam was left adrift. Later, she faced a life-altering choice: accept the marriage proposal of Wendy, an American officer, or stay in Vietnam, hoping for Mai-Tâm’s return.
Based on real people, the novel is a heartfelt tribute to Nam and the women of Juliette’s Vietnamese family, blending fact and fiction across the turbulent decades from WWII to the end of the Vietnam War.
Waltzing with the Dragons
From colonial Hanoi to wartime Saigon, Waltzing with the Dragons traces the extraordinary lives of two courageous women across decades of upheaval. Born into privilege in 1922, Ly defied tradition by refusing an arranged marriage and embracing French culture—only to lose her young husband in war, survive the Japanese occupation, and reinvent herself in Saigon’s criminal underworld. There, she found passion with a French army doctor and gave birth to her daughter, Mai-Tâm, whom she raised alone.
Mai-Tâm, born in the fading light of French Indochina, struggled with identity and belonging as a mixed-race child during the Vietnam War. Sent to France for safety, she would one day become Juliette—the voice behind this unforgettable story. Together, mother and daughter illuminate a world of resilience, love, and reinvention, proving that even in the darkest times, strength and spirit can shape destiny.
Read the reviews
All is fair in Love & War… ?
Juliette Mai Triozon takes us on a very passionate, heartfelt & soul revealing journey based on real life events of survival & adaptability in time of war & love. Engaging read! I look forward to reading more from this author.
From Dory, about Waltzing with the Dragons
A Page turner for the spirit
When I sat down to read “just a few pages” in the few minutes I had for the moment, I found myself immediately drawn into this beautifully written story. I read half the book in that sitting, and the other half the next day. Ms. Triozon’s writing style is rhythmic, and does literally dance you through this amazing telling of her mother’s life and of her own. […] Ms. Triozon so elegantly and believably captures the voice and heart of her mother during the turbulence of her banishment from the family at 13 to her eventual true love and the birth of her daughter, the author. […] These two women demonstrate the power of love, instinct, and self-worth to survive the most challenging of circumstances. This is a page turner for the spirit.
From Kate, about Waltzing with the Dragons
Heartwarming story of a mother and daughter
Thoroughly enjoyed the life story of a strong, determined Vietnamese woman […]. Reading this book I could feel Ly – Ana’s strength, determination and spirit, the love and hardships she experienced living in war torn Vietnam. While reading about her and her daughter Mai Tam’s – Juliette’s lives I could feel all the emotions they felt and it reminded me how strong the human spirit can be. […] Through it all this book was a reminder of how precious life is and how marvelous it is to experience strong love for family and friends. Waltzing with the Dragons was delightful to read.
From Joanne, about Waltzing with the Dragons
Powerful women’s stories of survival during the repeated colonization of Vietnam
Set in Vietnam, spanning multiple decades of mostly war and strife, this book reveals the incredible, inter-generational story of powerful women overcoming war, kidnapping and the separation of loved ones. Anyone interested in the history of the area once known as Indochine/Vietnam will be treated to intimate accounts of the situation as lived by the subjects of the foreign colonizers. […] A different view on influential men of the time pulls back the curtain on some of their relationships and dealings as seen by the women who accompanied them. This book covers a huge range of topics and periods of history. I enjoyed this book and hope there’s more to follow from this author.
From David, about Waltzing with the Dragons
About the Author
A true global citizen, Juliette Mai Triozon has resided on four continents and speaks six languages. Born from a Vietnamese mother and a French father, she began life in Vietnam before emigrating to France at fifteen, taking a degree from Université de Montpellier after attending Ecolint (International School of Geneva, Switzerland ).
From there life took her to the United States, Central and South America, before Juliette followed in her mother’s footsteps to pursue an independent professional life in New York, Florida,France, and Dubai.
Currently celebrating her seventh decade of life while residing in the south of France, her children and grandchildren are living half way across the globe.
Amidst her travels, she has always found the time to read and write one of her many passions, for her: “words are magical”.
She loves the arts and had always dreamed of becoming a second Sarah Bernhardt, a French comedian, painter and sculptor. Instead she took up writing.
Having recently published a biographical portrait of her mother Nguyen Thi Ly (Anna) and herself in “Waltzing with the Dragons” Juliette has now completed her next book, a historical fiction “When the Frangipanis are in Bloom”, an exciting novel set in her country of origin, Vietnam . The main character, Nam who was her nanny and second mother is featured along with other important members of her family.
It is her way of giving homage to the wonderful, resilient and loving women who inspired her to be “who” she truly wanted to become.
As she said: “in my veins runs the best of Vietnam and France.”
Latest Writings
- An Excerpt from “Waltzing with The Dragons” (Part Two)
Now that I am going to be fourteen, I understand better the on-going war and although it is intricate and complicated, my father and Vietnamese uncle (my mother’s older brother) are keeping me informed as I am constantly asking them questions since the terrible event I went through last year. Listening to the adults’ conversations,… Read more: An Excerpt from “Waltzing with The Dragons” (Part Two) - Chanel 5
I am shopping for food at my regular supermarket. I usually choose to go during lunch time, it’s less crowded. I am looking for a particular shampoo and hair conditioner, absorbed by the many brands on the shelves. A woman ‘s presence is felt, I don’t see her but I can smell her: the scent… Read more: Chanel 5 - A poem “Frangipanis in Bloom”Poem : “Frangipanis in Bloom” Will you come? When? I am still here…waiting And counting Sunrise after sunrise Until it sets inside My eyes And I can see The land drying and dying The dust falling from the sky Weighing on my shoulders Will you come? When? Do you hear The whistling of… Read more: A poem “Frangipanis in Bloom”
- An excerpt from “When the Frangipanis are in Bloom”
It was on April 30,1975, barely a month after I returned to France, that Master Sergeant Juan Jose Valdez became the last marine to board the last helicopter to leave from the roof of the U.S Embassy. Two hours later, the North Vietnamese forces rolled through the gate of the Presidential palace in Saigon, effectively… Read more: An excerpt from “When the Frangipanis are in Bloom” - A strange dreamA willow bending under the weight of thick droplets of rain, this is what she reminds me of: her back arched by carrying heavy bags, she is dragging her little feet, moving at the speed of a snail… It’s not just the bags she is carrying, but her many years too… My guilt is pushing… Read more: A strange dream