JUNE HUR INTERVIEW AND THE SILENCE OF BONES GIVEAWAY AND IWSG POST

Happy Wednesday Everyone! I hope that you are all healthy and that all your family is healthy too in our challenging times. I'm looking forward to reading how everyone is and sharing how I'm doing in my IWSG post. 

Today I’m thrilled to have debut author June Hur here to share about her YA historical murder mystery THE SILENCE OF BONES. This is one of the books that I’m dying to read this year because I’m really murder mysteries these days, and it has the added bonus of being historical fiction set in Korea too. But first I have my IWSG post to share.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.

The co-hosts this month are Diane Burton, JH Moncrieff, Anna @ Emaginette, Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard!

Optional Question: The IWSG’s focus is on our writers. Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the covid-19 pandemic, our optional question this month is: how are things in your world?

At first, I was really overwhelmed by how quickly the coronavirus threat escalated. One night I went to dinner with a friend and planned to see my mother the next day. Then the very next day, her independent living facility closed to guests and I was shopping for both of us and planning to stay in as much as possible. I know this is all for the best and my mom's safety. Thankfully, no one there has gotten the virus.

Once I got over the shock, I have adjusted to my new life, which is mostly at home alone with my sweet dog. We're under a stay at home order in Michigan. I still go to my boyfriend's three nights a week, walk with a friend at a local park most days, and otherwise stay in unless I need to go to the grocery store.

As a contract writer for an online company, I can still work from home. My daughter and her boyfriend are hunkered in together and healthy. So I'm feeling grateful in these scary times. I also feel pretty strong and resilient. I feel up to doing my part to help get rid of this horrible virus and face this huge national crisis we're in the midst of.

I'm actually starting to enjoy a quieter, slower life for a bit. I am planning to support local restaurants by ordering delivery. And I'm hoping to read and write more during the six weeks to two months that we'll have to stay inside.

What about you? How you doing?

FOLLOWER NEWS

David Powers King's new YA THE DRAGON'S HEART releases today. Love his cover ! Here's a blurb:

Terrible things happen whenever Princess Celesia falls in love—she blacks out and attacks her suitors, which makes an alliance with a more powerful nation impossible. Believing that she’s cursed, Celesia is given two choices: marry without love, or be responsible for her kingdom’s demise. Instead, she sneaks off in search of a remedy. 

She doesn’t make it far when she encounters a dragon who bears a curse of his own—he is a prince, desperate to reclaim his humanity before the dragon takes over. He's heard of a stone that can lift both of their curses, but neither of them can find it alone, and they’re not the only ones after it. An evil alchemist is intent on using it to steal the land’s magic and dominate the realm. Only together, with the help of an even greater magic, can Celesia and the dragon stop this evil, or be bound forever by their curses.

And some links:

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Heart-LaV%C3%B3ndian-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B08696JQVJ

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7102558.David_Powers_King

Blog – https://www.davidpowersking.com

And I want to give another shout out to Jemi Fraser whose book 

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA released this week. Here's a blurb: Dementia slammed

into our family a few years ago. It took us by surprise and we missed a lot of clues. The book Dancing With Dementia is the story of our journey through the early stages of the disease.

Throughout the book, we share tips of what worked to help our Mom combat the disease. We share what didn’t work. What made us laugh and what made us cry. And here's a few links:

Amazon.com           Amazon.ca.          Apple Books.           Barnes & Noble          Kobo.     

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

June Hur's Interview

Now onto June's interview. Here’s a blurb of THE SILENCE OF BONES from Goodreads:

I have a mouth, but I mustn't speak;
Ears, but I mustn't hear;
Eyes, but I mustn't see.

1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.

As they delve deeper into the dead woman's secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.

But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.

June Hur's elegant and haunting debut The Silence of Bones is a bloody tale perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Renée Ahdieh.

Hi June! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

I was born in Korea and spent most of my life in Canada, except for the time I attended high school in Korea. I wasn't too fluent then in the Korean language, so I'd spend most of my time in class writing stories. But I never really considered pursuing a career in writing until I started querying, which was around the time I started university. Behind this dream were two books that really made me fall in love with storytelling: pride and prejudice, and Jane eyre!

2. I admire you starting to query when you started college. I can't imagine having the time to focus on writing. Where did you get the idea of THE SILENCE OF BONES? 

I got my idea while studying about Korean history, mainly the early 19th century when Korea (a closed-door kingdom) was trying to fight off any form of Western influence (i.e. Catholicism). It was a piece of history I didn't know about, and there were so many fascinating historical figures involved in this time period, so I ended up wanting to explore this world further and ended up basing my story on what I'd learned.

3. Your story is set in Korea. Your bio says that you lived in Korea while in high school. Did that help you with getting the setting and culture right? What research did you need to do?

The main way my experience in Korea helped me with the writing of my debut was by allowing me to immerse myself in the Korean language. Knowing the language made a huge difference when it came to researching, which I needed to do a lot of since my book is a historical. While there are English translated Korean resources, the very niche information are difficult to find unless you research in Korean. But besides the research, the lived experience as a Korean in Korea helped me represent the culture as accurately as I could.

4. That's so interesting that you feel learning the language was so important. How did you plot out your story and the mystery elements of it? Do you have any tips for other writers who want to write a murder mystery?

I plotted out my story by choosing certain historical events I wanted to write about, and used plot as a

vehicle to narrate those events. As for the mystery aspect, I found it quite challenging as I'd never written a mystery before. I spent the first few drafts trying to figure out who the killer was, and the remaining drafts connecting the dots and refining the killer's motive. Throughout this experience, what really helped me, besides reading mystery novels and writing books, was watching and studying a really good mystery TV show. Something about the visual aspect of television helped me understand the structure of a mystery better. An excellent example of great mystery storytelling would be Broadchurch.

5. I added Broadchurch to my Netflix wishlist as I'm interested in learning how to write a mystery. Share a bit about your main character, Seol, and something that surprised you about her as you wrote her story.

When I first began to draft THE SILENCE OF BONES, Seol was supposed to be a cynical woman in her 20s whose loyalty to the Queen Regent would be tested. But draft by draft, I kept seeing the image of Seol as a 16-year-old teen, smiling and skipping down stairs, totally clueless about the horrors awaiting her. This is why I love writing. It’s moments when suddenly the characters come to life and take over the story!

6. Your agent is Amy Bishop. How did she become your agent and what was your road to publication like? 

8 years and two failed rounds of querying later, I put aside my first book and decided to work on a new project. A korean historical mystery. I didn't think anyone would be interested in a police drama set in 1800s Korea, but I didn't care at this point and just wrote the book for myself. Fortunately, as I was browsing through Manuscript Wish List, I found an agent who was passionate about diverse literature, and so I decided to send a query her way. I didn't think Amy Bishop would actually offer. But then on September 20, Amy emailed me with an offer and shared that my debut was a book she wished had existed when she was a teen.

7. What an awesome road to getting an agent.I noticed that you have a large twitter follower—over 5000 followers. How did you build up your following and how long did it take? Do you have any tips for the rest of us on using Twitter?

Over a span of two years, I had two tweets go viral and that's where I gained a good chunk of my followers. After that, most of the followers were gained from maintaining a steady presence and engaging with others, being honest and transparent about the ups and downs of publication. So that would be my tip—to be consistent and to engage with the writing/bookish community, to be open and vulnerable, but also to make sure you know your boundaries so twitter doesn’t end up becoming toxic.

8. How are you marketing your book? What are you doing to connect with your readers in the United States given that you live in Canada?

I'm not marketing myself as much as I'd like! I have a baby so I've had to be very selective about how I use my time. Often, it's either a question of: do I spend my time working on the second contracted book, or do I use that time to market myself? Usually I end up choosing to write, but if I do decide to focus on marketing, I usually make pretty graphics, or I share interesting facts about the Joseon dynasty-era Korea.

Also, thanks to Twitter and Instagram, even though I live in Canada, I’m able to engage with many U.S. readers, and even readers all around the world. It’s wonderful how encouraging and supportive bookish people can be.

9. You also work in a library in Toronto. How can debut authors connect with libraries that aren’t in their home town?

Many libraries these days have an online presence via Twitter or Instagram, mainly through the librarians. So in order to connect with libraries, I’d definitely encourage that authors get to know the librarians who work there.

10. That's great advice. What are you working on now?

I'm working on the second book of my contract, titled THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS. It's about two estranged sisters who are forced to work together in search of their missing father, who happens to be the greatest detective in Joseon Dynasty-era Korea.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, June. You can find June at:

Blog: junehur.com

Twitter: @writerjunehur

Instagram: @junehwrites

June has generously offered an e-book of THE SILENCE OF BONES from Amazon for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower  of my blog and leave a comment that includes your email address by April 18th. 

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is international.

Here's what's coming up:

Monday, April 6 I have an interview with debut author Jessica Kim and a giveaway of her MG contemporary STAND UP YUMI CHUNG

Tuesday, April 14 I am participating in the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop 

Monday, April 20th I have a guest post with debut author Lorial Ryon and her agent Kristy Hunter and a giveaway of Lorial's MG magical realism INTO THE TALL, TALL GRASS and a query critique by Kristy

Monday, April 27th I have an agent spotlight interview with Lindsay Davis and query critique giveaway 

Hope to see you on Monday!