So many people to thank …

I thought writing a novel was difficult. Since the publication of Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety in spring of 2016, I’ve discovered selling books and getting them out into the world is even harder. And, there are so many more people involved! I wrote but did not share my writing with others for years. Then I took a Creative Writing class and shared stories with my…

Do writers need business cards?

Do writers need business cards? I’ve found them to be a great way to connect with others, especially potential readers. Using business cards is certainly more professional than scribbling my name, book title, and email address on a piece of paper. Even in today’s digital world, having a paper card has come in handy, especially to spark conversations. My card has the cover design…

Missing Poems

Few people know that my novel started out as a collection of poems that were written in the early ’90s. I wove them into the first draft of Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety. My editor advised me to remove them and avoid mixing poetry with prose. After focusing on novel writing for so long, I find myself wanting to go back and write poems. Some articles…

Does the Name Matter?

I had a great visit with a grade 12 Writer’s Craft class today. One of the things we talked about was author names and character names. In the post entitled, “Yu-Rhee Versus Mary: Does the Name Matter?” I reflected on how my characters were impacted upon being forced to take “Canadian-friendly” names by the school board. See also: How Canadians can be more inclusive…

80s songs played at Mary’s Prom

Listening to Billy Joel’s tunes reminded me of a wonderful blog entry by City Girl Scapes who posted a playlist of the songs that I imagined played at my protagonist’s high school prom. The prom scene from Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety, which takes place in June 1988, consists of mainly 80s hits. Mary’s Prom Playlist  If you visit City Girl Scapes’ website, you’ll find links to…

Learning English With Billy Joel

I’ve been thinking a lot about my early years as an ESL student and remembered something I wrote a while back for The Litter I See Project.  Canadian writers are given a picture of litter and asked to write a response inspired by  the debris.  All of this is done to support Frontier College and their work to promote literacy. I got an image…

When you don’t speak the language, it’s easy to be bullied

I shared the following with parents and staff who attended a Literacy Information Evening held at a downtown Toronto high school.  My family and I immigrated to Canada in 1975. I was seven years old. Because I didn’t speak any English and our family was very poor, my brothers and I were bullied very badly in school. A little boy who lived in my…

“We Don’t Often Talk About Sensitive Issues!”

My interview with Fabricio Correa in The GNU Journal  includes questions about the writing process and authors who influenced me. I also share that I am hoping to use my novel, Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety, as a resource to talk about sensitive issues like domestic violence, negative mental health, and racial tension. Click here to read the full interview.        

Author Names & Book Titles

One of my challenges after writing my book was deciding on what name to use as an author. It seemed like a simple decision, but in the end it proved to be a lot of work! I wrote an essay about it that was published by Writer’s Digest. You can read it here. The other question I get asked a lot is about my…

It’s December!!

There’s been a few changes since I last posted a blog in the spring … My debut novel, Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety, was released by Simon & Schuster Canada … I finished my MFA studies in Creative Writing … I’m now working on my second novel set in 1924 Korea … It’s December. I think I’ll take some time to reflect on this past…