WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A DEBUT NOVELIST:

THE UPS, THE DOWNS, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

In 2019, one year before my debut novel A Good Family was due to be published, I came up with the idea of blogging about the experience of being a debut novelist — the lead-up, promotion, launch day, and bookstore events. Little did I know then that 2020 would usher in a world-wide emergency and throw my debut dreams, along with pretty much everything else, into the trash heap.

Today, I’m grateful to have a real-time account of that fateful year with all of its ups and downs. Special thanks to Suleika Jaouad (author of Between Two Kingdoms and subject of American Symphony) and her pandemic-inspired project The Isolation Journals for giving me inspiration to write every day of April 2020. If you’re interested in finding out more about the writing life, being a debut author, or navigating through challenging times, I’d love for you to give my blog a read!

Ann Kim Ann Kim

LET’S GET REAL

My older son recently got his first full-time job, and he called to ask about which health plan he should join. It was in that moment that I realized he was an adult. Health benefits = real adult.

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Ann Kim Ann Kim

SIMPLE GIFTS

I began this blog to share the highs and lows of being a debut author, but with the year-end onslaught of work deadlines and holiday shopping (not to mention a flu that had me in bed for several days), I’ve been remiss in sharing one of the all-time highs: getting my box of Advance Reader Copies (ARCs).

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Ann Kim Ann Kim

MY EVENING WITH JACQUELINE AND JASMINE

My parents will proudly tell you I have always been a good student. They never had to tell me to do my homework. They never worried if I studied for the test. If I got anything less than a perfect score, they never said a word — I was already obsessing about what I got wrong.

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Ann Kim Ann Kim

WORDS WITH AUTHOR FRIENDS: CHRISTOPHER DELORENZO

One of the first hurdles I had to overcome in my quest to become a published author was my fear — abject terror would not be an overstatement — of sharing my writing with other people. The person I credit with helping me get over this hurdle is my dear friend and writing coach Christopher DeLorenzo.

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Ann Kim Ann Kim

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

In my July 14 post “Chasing the Dream,” I said the original title of my book was FALSE CLAIMS. It was the title I had in mind the whole time I was writing the book. It was the title I used in my query letter to my agent, and the title we used when we sent the book out to publishers. It was the title my editor and I repeated over the months we polished the book into final form, and the title I spent many dreamy hours imagining on the glossy cover of my debut novel.

Then one day, my editor told me the publishers wanted to change the title.

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Ann Kim Ann Kim

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.

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Ann Kim Ann Kim

CHASING THE DREAM

One of the first questions I get from my writer friends when I tell them about my forthcoming book is: how did you get an agent?

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Ann Kim Ann Kim

MR. WATSON, COME HERE*

I was on vacation with my family when I picked up a copy of John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars. I’ve always been a fan of children’s and YA literature, and the book was getting tons of buzz. By the time I finished, I was a blubbering mess. After wiping my eyes and catching my breath, I was left with one very clear thought: I wanted to write a novel. And because that wasn’t crazy enough, I decided I wanted to be published by the time I was 50.

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