Attended the Abroad Writers Conference in Lake Como, Italy. Workshop leaders included Jane Smiley, Rae Armantrout, Alex Shoumatoff, and Nikky Finney. I gave a reading from The Voices of Heaven, Long Walks on Short Days, and 2 new poems about comfort women. The reading, I must admit, was a hit! Photo with Alex Shoumatoff and Delta Willis, terrific writers and promoters for the Save African Elephants project! Their panel discussion and their readings inspired us all!
Author Archive
Writers Conference/Lake Como
The Latest Award
The latest awards The Voices of Heaven won are at:
Winner: 2013 ForeWord Reviews Book of The Year Award: Silver Award: Multicultural; Bronze: Military & War
https://indiefab.forewordreviews.com/winners/2013/multicultural/
https://indiefab.forewordreviews.com/winners/2013/war-and-military/
For more info. on awards, please go to “Awards.”
Memorial Day/Abraham Lincoln Pres. Library news release
98-14 Memorial Day column Mark DePue, the oral historian of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, has written a news release in observance of the upcoming Memorial Day. The release tells the childhood story of Maija’s first interaction with American soldiers during the Korean War. It’s a story of essential human connections and of S. Koreans’ gratitude toward U.N. and American soldiers. Americans can use some appreciation from abroad! I hope the story will warm the hearts of thousands to whom Memorial Day brings extra special meaning, soul searching, and rejuvenation. I wish all of you a wonderful Memorial Day!
Maija’s TEDx Talk of 2/22/2014, Seoul, Korea
The talk focuses on my autobiographical novel set during the Korean War, The Voices of Heaven, and how the theme of son preference and patriarchal values portrayed in the novel still persist in today’s technologically and economically much-transformed Korean society and how they have led to estimated half a million female fetuses being aborted since late 1970’s solely in preference for sons. The link is:
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Oral History Interview of Maija
Maija’s oral history interview of her life during the Korean War and her immigrant life in the U.S.A. conducted by Mark DePue, oral historian, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, IL, 2013. The website:
http://www2.illinois.gov/alplm/library/collections/oralhistory/ImmigrantStories/
Pages/Devine%2cMaija.aspx
The Kansas City Star article on The Voices of Heaven, 3/4/2014
http://www.kansascity.com/2014/03/03/4863494/revealing-the-cultural-shame-endured.html
Chautauqua Institution Book Award Long List
The Voices of Heaven made the long list for the 2014 Chautauqua Institution Book Award. Last year’s winner was Timothy Egan, a Pulitzer Prize winner.