SALT LAKE CITY, UT December 12, 2012
Hyungsook Kim of Berkeley, California submitted her self-published book, Flying Arrow, to WiDo Publishing™ in hopes of getting a wider audience for her novel.
Flying Arrow, which will be released with a different title and cover design, is the first self-published book that WiDo has accepted. Submissions editor Allie Maldonado stated, “Due to the quality and originality of the work, we were happy to take this on. We feel that Ms. Kim, a writer of unusual talent, has written a very marketable novel.”
Kim’s epic story is set in feudal 19th century Korea. Politics, religion, love and betrayal emerge in a tangled maze. This extraordinary historical fiction is written like a folktale told by the main character, indomitable midwife Mrs. Huang.
Hyungsook Kim talks about her writing life: “Writing, for me, is like cooking from scratch without a recipe. It feels daunting and frustrating at times, but once you get used to it then you begin to enjoy the freedom of exploring the immense dominions of your imagination. What intrigues me very much about writing is the unpredictability of the outcome. When I can no longer control the characters I created, I feel the squeaky wheels start to move forward, and soon I am going really fast. This stage is exhilarating, and it’s when I do my best writing. With the last sentence, they evaporate into nothingness, and I mourn for the people who once lived colorfully on the pages. At least I am always hopeful that they will live on in the minds of the readers.”
WiDo Publishing has scheduled the release of Ms. Kim’s debut novel for its 2013 line-up.