I’m new at writing a blog, so bear with me.
I spent nearly ten years working and living in the Far East, most of it in Korea. Naturally while in country I tried to learn as much as I could about the Korean people and their culture.
During the early sixties I dated a Korean woman who worked as a waitress in one of the 8th Army Officer Clubs. As our relationship progressed she told me she had a son. The father was a US Army officer. They were suppose to marry just before he was transferred back to the states. Because of family pressure he backed out of the marriage and left his girl friend as a single mother.
Because he was of mixed blood, and as a result of this, and to use a term familiar to all of us, he was bullied in school. I met the boy and he was a handsome young lad and extremely intelligent.
Over time and as I became more acquainted and familiar with the Korean people, their customs and culture I understood that they wanted to keep their race pure. This resulted in children of mixed blood to be ostracized, ridiculed and be bullied by their peers and adults. It made me think of what the blacks in our country encountered.
In 1964, I wanted to write a novel that was entertaining, meaningful and would pass on a message about the children in Korean who were of mixed blood. This was the start of me wanting to write this novel.
Ron Penczak 