Third Moon Passing follows two Korean girls from different families whose lives are intertwined and thrust into the world of the gods who walk the earth. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Inspiration for the basic narrative came from the different folktales I listened to as a child, as well as the ones I discovered in Internet searches when I became increasingly interested in my heritage. As a zainichi Korean, I spent my childhood largely disconnected from my Korean roots and heritage, and as I approached high school I became very curious as to what life must have been like for my ancestors (hence my efforts to realistically portray life in a seaside village during the Joseon dynasty, instead of remaining strictly in the realm of the deities). In addition, it was around this time that I, looking to connect with my roots, discovered an article about the 1871 American Expedition to Joseon Korea. While it took some time, this tidbit of history eventually began to dominate my imagination and nag at me to write about it. I couldn’t shut it off—the history, the setting, the plot, and the characters were all there begging for attention. This was when the story began to construct itself in my head: the historical tensions and battle would serve as the backdrop for the book, while Korean folklore and shamanism would propel the narrative forward.

As for the structural setup and the placement of each character in the story, I was against putting one main character in the midst of all the turmoil. There had to be two—that was a rule that I created for this book long before I realized it. This way, they would be able to bring out the distinct qualities in each other that would help them take on this quest. I realize now that I could have easily written Third Moon Passing from the perspective of one of these girls in the first person, or entirely in third person, or even alternated between the two throughout the narrative, but after some reflection I truly think that telling it from the POV of Chansol was best. By telling Third Moon Passing from the perspective of a god, I was able to explore this character from the first-person POV, as well as achieve the fly-on-the-wall perspective that I dabbled in throughout the narrative. It also made including scenes of the American soldiers and war planning a much easier task.

The writing in your story is very artful and creative. Was it a conscious effort to create a story in this fashion or is this style of writing reflective of your writing style in general?

I can’t recall forcing myself to take on a certain voice—my characters simply told me a story, and I listened and wrote everything down. The majority of Third Moon Passing is the writing style that I’m comfortable with, but in every writing project that I take on—be it a novel, short story, poem, etc.—I’m always open to experimenting with different voices and styles. Third Moon Passing was an experiment in the use of a first-person point-of-view but from a goddess’s point of view, which meant that I could alter between the first-person and a fly-on-the-wall perspective. This made it easier for me to create a balance between folklore and history, as well as to keep—at the very least—a version of my own writing style throughout the work.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

With the inclusion of gods and divine intervention, the theme of fate and the power of individual choices began to emerge. The idea of fate and the fine line between what-must-happen vs. what-could-happen, whether or not fate itself exists, and how much control one can exert over a situation before it grows too big for a single individual to handle were themes that I found myself toying with. Defying social hierarchies was also something that wound up in Third Moon Passing: none of the main characters want to take on the responsibilities that are given to them by birthrights and strict social customs, and this goes back to the idea of the impact individual choices can have. Family and the relationships between generations have always been important to me, and such themes also found their way into the book.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?

Third Moon Passing is the first book of the Haedong Chronicles, a planned four-book series through which I intend to explore the four invasions of Korea during this time period: first by the French, then the Americans, the Japanese, and lastly the British. I’m currently polishing my final draft of Book Two, The Water Stricken, a prequel that revolves around the murder of a nobleman’s concubine amidst the French Invasion of Ganghwa-do in 1866. In it, I try to explore the choice that many Korean Catholics were forced to make at this point in time: your country or your faith. The main characters will all be different, but I’m excited to say that there will be some cameo appearances made by the characters in Third Moon Passing! I hope to have it done by the end of 2023, and out sometime next year—I can’t wait to share it with everybody!

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