On Writing a Book a Year and Increasing Your Instagram Followers: Interview With June Hur and A Crane Among Wolves Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have author June Hur here to share about her YA historical A Crane Among Wolves. I interviewed June when she was a debut author in 2020, and you can read her interview here. A Crane Among Wolves is based on a true story in Korean history, and I’m excited to read it.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.

Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

 

Before I get to June’s interview post, I have my IWSG post.

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

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!

The awesome co-hosts this month are:  Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!

Optional Question: In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

I think the IWSG is doing a good job helping members. The group offers help to writers and authors whatever their publishing path is. The X pitch contest is really helpful for writers trying to get an agent.

One wish I have is that we could encourage more of our members to blog regularly, at least on the first Wednesday of the month, and follow the guidelines to visit bloggers who read their posts and comment. And to do so when they post during the month, and others stop by to support them. I comment on way more people’s posts than I receive comments from. It’s time-consuming and discouraging.

Another helpful resource would be to provide new marketing ideas for authors, such as good blog tour companies, to help them market their books to new audiences. I think that's a struggle for many traditional, indie, and self-published authors. Maybe one of our monthly questions could be to suggest ideas and then add them to the mareting page on the IWSG website. 

I’d also like our group to grow. It’s shrunk a lot over the years. If we could get members to see that blogging only one day a month, which is all many members blog, is not that much of a burden for the benefit of being part of a supportive group of writers and making much deeper friendships than we can on other social media sites.

Interview With June Hur

Hi June! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Where did you get the idea for A Crane Among Wolves and what is the true story it’s based on?

While researching for my previous book, I came across an article about King Yeonsan, a real Korean tyrant who kidnapped over 1,000 women with a dream of “owning” 10,000 by the end of his reign. This king also banned literacy in an attempt to censor people from writing slanders about him. I was horrified by the atrocities King Yeonsan committed, and also curious to learn about what happened to those 1,000 captured women. This interest is what initially sparked the idea for my books.

2. What research did you do in creating your story both in terms of the true story A Crane Among Wolves is based on and Korea in the 1500s?

I research extensively, relying on scholarly sources that I manage to find through Jstor or through googlebooks. I also rely on Korean sources, lectures, alongside the Daily Records of Yeonsangun, a primary source about the king’s reign.

3. Yes, it sounds like you did intensive research for your story. Share a bit about Iseul and Prince Daehyun as characters. Do you have a favorite?

Iseul may initially appear unlikeable due to her selfish and spoiled nature, but as the story unfolds, she undergoes a transformation, showing a newfound maturity and genuine care for others. As for Prince Daehyun, the half-brother of the tyrant king, he wrestles with the trauma of living in the tyrant’s shadow by shutting away his emotions. But his encounter with Iseul sparks a journey of self-discovery and purpose. My favorite character is definitely Prince Daehyun!

Your Writing Process and How You Are Able to Write a Book a Year

4. Are you a plotter, pantser, or a combination of them? How has your writing process changed since you wrote your debut book The Silence of Bones was released?

I used to be an intense plotter. I’d have every chapter broken down into outlines before I even began writing. But now I’m a combination. Now I use a beat sheet to write out a loose outline, to have some kind of goal post to guide me as I pants-write.

 5. I’m a combination writer, too. It’s good to know that this works for writing manuscripts fairly fast. What’s your writing schedule like? Has it changed over the years?

It has most definitely changed! I used to have whole days to write, but these days I usually only have two hours. I write every day after I put my kids to sleep, and that’s when I get most of my work done. I sometimes write when my son naps (and my daughter is in school), but not always.

6. It’s reassuring to know that you can be so productive in two hours every day. Since the Silence of Bones was released, you’ve had three books published: Forest of Stolen Girls in 2021, The Red Palace in 2022, and A Crane Among Wolves this year. And you have another book, Adoration, scheduled to be released in 2026. How long did it take you to write these manuscripts and what are your tips on finishing manuscripts at a faster pace like you have once your debut book was released?

For THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS and THE RED PALACE, I was under a one year contract, meaning I’d only have around six months to draft, followed by multiple rounds of revisions. I’ve found that to write fast, I need to get my first draft written quickly, as that becomes a foundation to build on. One method I rely on is to use an aesthetically unappealing font, like comic sans, as the font constantly reminds me that the purpose of a first draft is to just have fun, it doesn’t need to be perfect. I also rely heavily on beat sheets, as following a clear story structure early on saves me the time I might have spent rewriting.

I’ve found, though, that my creativity burnt out really fast from writing a book a year. So I slowed down to one book every two years with CRANE and ADORATION.

Your Journey to Publication

7. Your second book was part of a two-book contract with your debut book. What has been the process for getting your next three books published?

For THE RED PALACE and A CRANE AMONG WOLVES, my agent sold the book in a one-book contract to my editor at Feiwel and Friends based on a proposal (basically a synopsis + the first few pages). But because I’ve established a really amazing working relationship with my editor, and want to continue working with her, my agent and I recently proposed a two-book deal, which turned into a six-figure book contract. So my fifth book, ADORATION, is actually part of that two-book deal.

8. Congrats on your publishing success. What advice do you have for other authors about continuing to get publishing contracts after their initial contract?

My tip is pretty straightforward: Be kind and respectful to your editor and your publishing team. Try to meet the deadlines. At the same time, I think it’s also important to note that if your publishing team isn’t supportive of your book or career, it’s never a bad idea to shop the book around to find a new home. 

Promoting Your Book

8. How are you planning to promote A Crane Among Wolves? How have your marketing plans for your books changed since your debut book was released?

Initially, I focused on promoting my debut book through Twitter, but I rarely touch twitter these days. Instead, I've shifted my marketing efforts to Instagram reels, and it's been a great way to engage with both existing and new readers. Interestingly enough, I haven't had the same level of success on TikTok despite sharing identical content on both platforms. It's been quite a contrast, with some of my TikTok videos barely reaching 1k views, while on reels, they've gone viral, hitting over 1 million views.

9. You have 55.4K followers on Instagram. How did you reach so many followers? What’s your advice to other writers and authors who want to increase their followers on Instagram?

My key advice is to diversify your content beyond just promoting your book. I've noticed that my reels focused solely on book promotion tend to receive the lowest engagement. Instead, the majority of my followers are drawn to the Korean history content I share. So while it's important to promote your book, I think it’s also important to find a niche related to your book but distinct from it. By catering to a broader audience interested in this general topic, you not only expand your follower base but also increase the likelihood that they'll develop an interest in your book over time.

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

The next book I'm working on is a YA historical romance titled "Adoration," which is slated for a 2026 release. This Jane Austen homage set during the joseon dynasty follows a young woman transcribing forbidden books and an aloof, wealthy young man hiding his own literary secret, who must wrestle with questions of class, respectability, and carving out one's own destiny when a literary censor at the Ministry of Justice uncovers her secret and their connection. After this book, however, I'm hoping to write another dark historical/thriller again.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, June. You can find June at @junehwrites on tiktok and Instagram

Giveaway Details

June’s publisher is generously offering a hardback of A Crane Among Wolves for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by June 15th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or follow June on her social media sites, 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 book giveaway is U.S.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, June 10th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jenna Satterthwaite and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, June 16th I’m participating in the Dad-o-mite Giveaway Hop

Monday, June 17th I have an interview with debut author Leah Stecher and a giveaway of her MG magical realism The Things We Miss

Monday, June 22nd I have a guest post by author M.R. Fournet and a giveaway of her MG fantasy Darkness & Demon Song

Wednesday, June 24th I have an agent spotlight interview with Bethany Weaver and query critique giveaway 

Monday, July 1st I’m participating in the Sparkle Time Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, July 3rd I have an interview with debut author Amber Chen and a giveaway of her YA mystery fantasy Of Jade and Dragons and my IWSG post

Monday, July 8th I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Williamson and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you on Monday!