Hello all. Its been a long while I hope you all are doing well and been staying safe.
Today’s author interview, I am featuring Sowon Kim- a South Korean author, translator, and social entrepreneur who lives in Peru.
As the daughter of missionaries, she moved to Peru with her family when she was just three months old. She wants to raise awareness about the diverse social issues happening around the world through her stories, as well as inspire fellow teenagers to raise their voices.
And today, in light of her publishing her debut novel- A Gleaming Shard of Glass, I am interviewing her on this blog. ( I am also on her street team, by the way 🙂 )
So here we go:
- Firstly, what do you want your readers to know? Consider here your likes and dislikes, your interests and hobbies, your favorite ways to unwind — whatever comes to mind.
There’s lots of things I’d like my readers to know – my hobbies and interests include video editing (I even have a Youtube channel for Attack on Titan edits :0), playing sports (I swim competitively but I also enjoy basketball, softball, surf, tennis, ping pong, and pretty much everything in between), language learning, and EATING (I have a sweet tooth.) My MBTI is INTP (though I used to be an INTJ) and my Enneagram type is 8w7.
- Give us three “Good to Know” facts about your book. Tell us any fun details that would enliven your book.
My book was originally about a 5-year-old running away from her mom. XD.
Each major character represents a theme in the book.
The friendship between Viktor and Grecia was inspired by an in-real-life friendship of mine!
- Favourite books to give/get as gifts (list as many as u want)
I love to get and gift any kind of indie-published book! Supporting fellow indie authors fills me with joy 🙂
- Favourite films and music?
I don’t really watch films, but my favorite shows are Attack on Titan and Arcane. I listen to literally all kinds of music (pop, R&B, rock, instrumental, soundtracks, k-pop, and everything in between.) Everything excluding reggaeton. - What did you want to be when you get older?
Throughout my childhood, I’ve wanted to be a variety of things, including a zoologist, a scientist, a biologist, a figure skater, a soccer player, a historian, and an archaeologist. As of now, I’m living my dream, being an author.
- Publishing a book at any age is a huge accomplishment, but I’m sure it’s even more so when you are 15. How do you feel?
I feel amazing, and excited for what the future holds for me! - What other projects do you have in mind outside of A Gleaming Shard of Glass?
Some of the projects that have been on my mind include a poetry collection (co-written with a good friend of mine, Halen Lock) and a morally-gray, dark fantasy Young Adult series. - What do you do to celebrate your book launch?
I eat a good cake, post a ton of stuff on social media, and then lay on my bed and finally get some sleep XD. - Would you consider writing a sequel for A Gleaming Shard of Glass?
Not really. I’m really happy with A Gleaming Shard of Glass’s ending as it is, but I have been considering writing a prequel. Not sure yet though 😉 - If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?
As of now, I’d probably just be a normal teen attending school and living life. I can’t really imagine myself being something other than a writer right now. But as of the future, I’d probably dedicate myself to social entrepreneurship full-time, though I’m also interested in sports psychology and sports coaching. - Who is your biggest inspiration?
My biggest inspiration is definitely Graci Kim. We have a ton of things in common, and her story always motivates me to the core. - What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
It’s pretty messy…organization isn’t my forte. I pretty much write in-between my short free time periods and work with my normal schedule.
15.Do you have any interesting writing quirks?
I love descriptions, so during first drafts I tend to over describe in an extreme measure – almost to the point where a whole chapter could be filled with descriptions.
- Ok, a fun question…do you have pets? Or do you have plans for having pets 😀 ?
Yup! I have a cat named Lucky. We adopted him when he was only two months old 🙂 - Do you have any advice for your beginner writers out there?
My main advice for beginner writers is to know the difference between constructive criticism and hateful comments. Constructive criticism is meant to make you better, but hateful comments are just there to tear you down. Be mindful of what kind of comments you listen to. - Who are the people who had supported you from Day One. (You can shout them out here :D)
Some people who supported me along the way include my mom and dad and Mel Torrefranca, author of Leaving Wishville and Capsule. - Have you considered writing under a pen name?
Yes! I was originally planning on writing under my Peruvian name, Esperanza Kim. However, I decided to go for my real name to embrace my Korean heritage. - When did you first call yourself a writer?
I first called myself a writer when I got my short story, Psychodrama, published by the popular organization Dear Asian Youth. - The cover for A Gleaming Shard of Glass is stunning! Who was the designer?
It really is! Credits go to the amazing designer Rakit Roket. - Ok….final question. How do you use social media as an author?
I use it as a personal diary where I post updates on my projects and on my daily life. Connecting with my audience is my priority!
If you guys wish to connect with Sowon here, you can check out her website https://www.sowonkim.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOW9rr3Daf4ADx0dn0XQeg
Instagram: @esperanzakim__
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21767214.Sowon_Kim
Varrick Kwang 