Happy New Year!
I hope everyone has had a good first week or so of 2019. From my place in Seoul, I think everything looks unnerving (especially in the US). My own life has changed for the coming year - I'm returning to the US in March.
It was unexpected and not unexpected. It was a bit of relief when I learned I would not be rehired at my school. It was the answer to the question I had had - What will I do next year? I had grown a little tired in Seoul. A lot of it is the pollution, but living in another country can wear on anyone.
As it is the new year, there are always many things we evaluate and decide upon. For me, I want to focus on a couple avenues this coming year. Writing, of course (and I'm planning on publishing a short novella after I settle in the US) will be a big part. Though, as a writer, I'm learning that I need to expand my horizons.
To that end, I will focus on reading outside my comfort zones. I'm reading books from other non-Western countries, non-white authors, and non-English words. The last one is part of my process to build up my French and Spanish skills.
Once a month, I'll add a book that I've been reading. I want to encourage you to read the book as well so we can talk about it.
This month's book is Gilded by Christina Farley. I chose the book because it is set in Korea and deals with a few Korean legends. It is a YA fantasy novel and the first in a trilogy.
The main character is Jae Hwa Lee who grew up in America and has returned to Korea with her father. Her mother died before the book begins. She struggles to navigate the space between her two worlds, and the relations with her father's family. Unfortunately for her, a Korean demi-god, Haemosu has other plans, and attempts to make her his.
The set up is like many YA novels, but is that really a problem?
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