Why/Why Not: “Gilded”

Today I’d like to welcome Christina Farley, whose debut novel Gilded is being released on March 1!  Gilded stars a Korean-American teenaged protagonist who’s just been uprooted by her family to Seoul, where she discovers that an ancient Korean god has been kidnapping the first-born daughters of her family for generations. Fortunately, she’s got a black belt and an archery obsession and is determined to fight back . . .

Why was this a book you needed to write, or only you could write?

Christina Farley: It’s interesting that you asked this question because that was one of the things my editor told me when we first talked. She was like, “Only you could have written a story like this.”

I think it’s a combination of my love for Korea and understanding the difficulties that the students I taught at international schools face. I lived and taught at an international school in Korea for eight years. While there, I studied Korean history and mythology because I’m a history fanatic. I had just started writing for fun when I ran across the myth of Haemosu and Princess Yuhwa. I couldn’t get their story out of my mind. And before long, I was writing a retelling of that myth. I also took taekwondo classes while living in Korea so that element fit in nicely with the book as well!

What parts of the premise, plot, or characters speak to who you are as a person, your life experiences, or the things you want to see more of in books?

Pretty much most of the book are situations that I experienced or feelings that I dealt with as an expat moving to a new country. Writing GILDED was an outlet for me to express the emotions that I was experiencing. At the same time, I know many of my students were also going through these same struggles.

Why was this a book that you couldn’t write—why did it force you to grow as an author? What terrified you along the way? What parts of it stretched you, made you think, made you research? What parts were you  most afraid of getting wrong?

I really struggled with the ending of this book. I had originally written it one way (I can’t say what due to spoilers) and my hubby was like, “Your readers will hate you for that ending.” But I also didn’t want it to be cliché. I had worked so hard to create a story that felt unique and unexpected so the ending needed to have that same feel.

As far as the parts I was worried I’d get wrong, I would say the correct spelling for Korean. There are actually two kinds of spellings for English translations. I ended up going with the McCune-Reischauer system because of personal preference.

Give us a blurb or an excerpt from Gilded:

“Disbelief is the root of the impossible.”

Finally, give us a funny or unusual piece of trivia about yourself.

I’m a big Star Wars fan. I’ve purposely placed little references throughout all of my books to Star Wars. Maybe you can find them. :)

Thank you so much, Christina!  Gilded is is available for preorder through the following retailers:

Amazon

BAM

Indiebound

Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository

Powell’s

Christina Farley loves to explore and travel the world.  She holds a master’s degree in education and has taught for eighteen years, eight of which were in Seoul, Korea.  Check her out online:

Website: www.ChristinaFarley.com

Twitter: @ChristinaFarley

YouTube: www.youtube.com/chocolateinspired

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChristinaFarleyAuthor

Tumblr: http://christinafarley.tumblr.com/

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/16173250-gilded