If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I’m obsessed with June Hur. Talk about murder mysteries meets historical fiction. I can never predict how the story will go and June is one of my go-to historical fiction recommendations! Check out this fabulous author interview!
Summary
Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father’s approval.
But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon’s closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher’s innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.
In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.
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Find The Red Palace on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
Author Interview
What were some unexpected challenges going into THE RED PALACE? Unexpected joys?
Regarding challenges, I found it tricky trying to figure out how much of Prince Sado’s life to unveil in this book. And as for unexpected joys, I was so filled with doubt and a bit of dread when I decided to write a romantic arc into TRP. I hadn’t written romance in years. But I had so much fun with it in the end!
Did you have to do anything differently while writing/drafting THE RED PALACE than your other books?
Yes! With TRP, I permitted myself to have fun, and not to take every single scene so seriously. That’s how the MC’s friend, Jieun, came into being. She was just me allowing myself to be a bit silly.
In a world with all of your main characters, who do you think would be best friends? What are each of their favorite TV shows or dramas?
I think Seol from THE SILENCE OF BONES would be friends with Maewol from THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS. And Maewol’s older sister, Hwani, would be friends with Hyeon from THE RED PALACE.
They’d all binge-watch detective shows, like CSI, Broadchurch, etc. And I also feel like they’d really enjoy those long Korean family dramas.
What is your ideal drafting environment/routine? How do you like to work on projects? Are you able to put one down and come back to it?
My writing routine is shaped around my toddler! I usually get most of my work done when her grandparents babysit, and at night when she’s asleep. I focus on one project at a time, and only put a project aside to take a break in-between revisions.
What was the journey inspiration for THE RED PALACE and did anything significantly change during drafting?
I’ve been fascinated by the history of Crown Prince Sado since 2015. I tried a few times to write a story centered around his life but gave up on it each time. It wasn’t until my editor suggested a book based on a nurse x royal inspector duo that the idea for THE RED PALACE came to life. As for significant changes, the biggest one was regarding the mystery. The mystery was totally different in the first draft. It involved a baby (haha) and this baby no longer exists in the final version.
Do you have any favorite lines from THE RED PALACE you can share?
“If you enter the palace your either die or you survive and become another monster within its walls”
Find The Red Palace on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
About June Hur
June Hur is the author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, both finalists for an Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel, as well as The Red Palace and A Crane Among Wolves. Born in South Korea and raised in Canada, she studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and daughter.
Great interview. It was interesting reading about June’s writing schedule and what she found fun about writing this book. I’m reading The Red Palace now and am really enjoying it. Natalie @ Literary Rambles
Oh yay! I feel like STOLEN GIRLS might be my fave of June’s books so far!