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White Mulberry
Additional information
| Author | Rosa Kwon Easton |
|---|---|
| Release Date | December 1, 2024 |
| Genre | Adult – Historical, Women's Fiction |
| Publisher | Amazon, Lake Union |
Description
“A beautiful and deeply researched novel…If you loved Pachinko, you’ll love White Mulberry.” ―Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women
Inspired by the life of Easton’s grandmother, White Mulberry is a rich, deeply moving portrait of a young Korean woman in 1930s Japan who is torn between two worlds and must reclaim her true identity to provide a future for her family.
1928, Japan-occupied Korea. Eleven-year-old Miyoung has dreams too big for her tiny farming village near Pyongyang: to become a teacher, to avoid an arranged marriage, to write her own future. When she is offered the chance to live with her older sister in Japan and continue her education, she is elated, even though it means leaving her sick mother―and her very name―behind.
In Kyoto, anti-Korean sentiment is rising every day, and Miyoung quickly realizes she must pass as Japanese if she expects to survive. Her Japanese name, Miyoko, helps her find a new calling as a nurse, but as the years go by, she fears that her true self is slipping away. She seeks solace in a Korean church group and, within it, finds something she never expected: a romance with an activist that reignites her sense of purpose and gives her a cherished son.
As war looms on a new front and Miyoung feels the constraints of her adopted home tighten, she is faced with a choice that will change her life―and the lives of those she loves―forever.
About the Author
I
am a writer, attorney, elected trustee of the Palos Verdes Library District, and mother of two adult children. I am an Anaphora Writing Residency Fellow and have been published in CRAFT Literary, Writer’s Digest, StoryCenter.org and others. I have also been published in numerous newspapers and anthologies, performed a story on stage at the Expressing Motherhood show in L.A., and spoken in front of various organizations, including Kia USA and Peninsula Friends of the Library. I believe in the power of story to educate, broaden cultural understanding, and inspire others to discover their own stories.
I have always loved reading and writing, but decided to devote myself full-time to writing after my last child left for college. My previous experience writing professionally consisted of producing legal documents and having articles published in law reviews when I was in law school. After my second child was born, I decided to set aside practicing law for a while to raise my children and become more active in my community. It was then that I started exploring writing workshops and retreats, and attended programs at Author Accelerator, Ragdale, Sackett Street Writers, StoryStudio Chicago, and VONA.
As an elected trustee of the Palos Verdes Library District, I provide leadership and policy direction to ensure that library services are accessible to all. I am also on the Board of the Volunteers of America Los Angeles, whose mission is to help the most vulnerable change their life stories. I was the President of the parents’ association of my children’s former independent school and had the opportunity to travel to Korea where it has established a second campus.
I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Smith College, a Masters in International and Public Affairs from Columbia University and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. I was born in Seoul, Korea, and now live with my husband and Maltipoo in Palos Verdes, California.
