I'm long overdue in blogging about my Korean SCBWI's chapter dinner event with Anne Sibley O'Brien last month. We ate at a Korean kalbi restaurant complete with grilled beef, rice, various types of lettuce, garlic cloves, kimchi and pineapple. Yum! 
A little about Anne. She is an alumni of the school that my husband and I teach at, Seoul Foreign School. Her family were missionaries here in Korea in the 1960's until she graduated. A much different Korea than we see today.
Anne speaks fluent Korean and was a big help for us in ordering the food!
Throughout the dinner, Anne graciously answered our questions and even shared with us some of her upcoming projects like After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance and What Will You Be Sara Mee? published by Charlesbridge.
One of my son's favorite books of hers is the tale of The Legend of Hong Kil Dong. Many of us in the Korea chapter write multi cultural fiction and Anne had some excellent insight for us. She talked about using authe
ntic language to brings the mood and feel of the culture we are writing about. Yet at the same time, we as writers must still make the story relateable to readers of the modern culture too.
ntic language to brings the mood and feel of the culture we are writing about. Yet at the same time, we as writers must still make the story relateable to readers of the modern culture too. The balance is tricky: incorporating foreign words and objects of ancient cultures while capturing our modern day audience's attention.
The fascinating part of The Legend of Hong Kil Dong is that it's a graphic novel and one of the first of its kind. Anne explained how integral it is to have an editor excited about your projects and willing to back you up to try something innovative and new.
The fascinating part of The Legend of Hong Kil Dong is that it's a graphic novel and one of the first of its kind. Anne explained how integral it is to have an editor excited about your projects and willing to back you up to try something innovative and new.
What an honor it was to hear Anne speak to my students as well as chat with the authors of our chapter. And because I'm so excited about her book, The Legend of Hong Kil Dong, I bought two. One for myself and one for my fellow readers on my blog!
If you'd like to enter my contest to win a copy of The Legend of Hong Kil Dong, make a comment below. If you're a follower, you get an extra entry and if you post on your blog about this contest and Anne Sibley O'Brien, you'll get an extra entry too!
17 comments:
Cool! Thanks for posting and for the contest! :)
I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really want this book.
Seriously.
I saw your posting on the blog thread on verla kay's. I lived in Korea as a kid and am partial to any books set there, so your contest drew me in big time! Your blog brings back some great memories, even though I probably wouldn't recognize anything in Seoul these days.
This sounds like you had a wonderful time. :D
The book looks wonderful. I'm in!
Great post! It's fascinating and awesome that SCBWI has members all over the world and that we have the Internet so that members like you can tell us all about your experiences. Very cool.
Very cool! I have also written a book that takes place in Korea, and I'd love to see this one!
Sounds like a GREAT event!
Oh me! Me! Can I have the book? Please???
Please put my name in for this! Though now I'm worried about competing with Ello, who probably wants it even more than I do.
Hi, Christy,
I'm NOT looking to win a copy of the book, but I just wanted to say thanks so much for this great post.
And I want to urge any SCBWI members who might be passing through Seoul to be sure to check in with the Korea chapter. In addition to spending an evening with some smart and delightful women, you'll find the ripple effect of connecting with the group goes on and on! What a network!
Good luck to everyone in the contest!
Annie
Sounds like you had fun! And I'm totally jealous that you got to watch the Endeavor launch. Watching a space shuttle launch in person is on my Things To Do list. Especially since I've had the pleasure of working with a real, live shuttle astronaut.
Can I be entered even though I won your last blog contest? :-) If so, sign me up.
Ellen- You crack me up! Yes, you must have this book whether you win it or not. It's awesome!
Annie- I'm so glad you found my post! I was meaning to email you about this. What a great time and I can't wait for more of your stuff to come out.
Carmella- Yes, of course you can enter. I'll add your name into the pile just like everyone else.
What a fun evening that must have been. Thanks for sharing. It's such an inexpensive trip to Korea for me - living vicariously through you :)
Please enter me! I love Robin Hood stories!!
All that Korean food...yum. Sounds like a good time.
Hope I'm not too late to enter.
Sounds like it was a great time!
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