WORDS WITH AUTHOR FRIENDS: ANGIE KIM
Ever since I got my book deal, I’ve been on the search for opportunities to support and interact with other writers, particularly debut authors. In May, I attended the Bay Area Book Festival in downtown Berkeley, where I had the good fortune to hear Angie Kim, Chia-Chia Lin, and Lauren Wilkinson talk about their debut novels. I’ve since read all three books, and they deserve every bit of acclaim they’ve received.
I researched the authors in advance of the book festival and was instantly drawn to Angie. We share the same last name, Korean heritage, and immigrant status. We both went to Harvard, worked as lawyers, and are mothers of sons. But what really sealed the deal was the excerpt she chose to read from her book: an affecting piece told from the perspective of the Korean immigrant father about the reversal of parent-child roles when you move to a new land and are unable to speak the language fluently. (It’s on page 163 of the U.S. hardcover edition.) It spoke to my heart.
After the reading, I made a beeline to the book signing table to chat with Angie, and she couldn’t have been more warm or welcoming. Recently, Angie was gracious enough to meet me for lunch at L’Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls, Virginia, a hidden gem of a restaurant that both of us love — yet another thing we have in common. Even though we had only met once before, we chatted easily and discovered we had even more people and experiences in common. It was like the best first date ever.
Words with Author Friends was supposed to be about friends who also happen to be authors. With Angie Kim, I’m happy to introduce you to an author who I’m now privileged to call my friend.
Name: Angie Kim
Book title: Miracle Creek
Favorite book(s): Jennifer Egan's A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD & Tim O'Brien's IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS
Favorite local bookstore: Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C. (where I got the idea for Miracle Creek, while sitting in the cafe)
Favorite (or notable) quote: "I hate writing. I love having written." -Dorothy Parker
Where and when do you write: In my tiny writing nook (closet in the corner of my bedroom), sitting on the floor. Whenever I have time. No set time.
Favorite thing to do when you’re not writing: Eating, drinking, reading, marathon-watching TV shows
How did you get your agent: Sent out query letter and was discovered through slush pile (yes, agents do actually read their slush piles!)
How did you get your first book offer: My agent sold through an auction
What advice would you give an aspiring author: Write and polish short fiction (or essays) and submit, submit, submit
What surprised you the most as a new author: The sheer number of great books that are published on a weekly basis!
What are you working on next: My second novel
What are you reading now: The Starless Sea, by Erin Morgenstern (out this November)
In the movie version of your life, who would you want to play you: Yikes! No one! (That would be a little creepy to have a movie version of my life!)
Any final thoughts: Thank you for reading Miracle Creek!