Writer of the Week #11: C.E. Hyun

C.E. Hyun was most recently published in the February 2012 issue of Underneath the Juniper Tree.

Name:  C.E. Hyun
Age:  26
Website:  www.cehyun.com
Location:  Chapel Hill, North Carolina

When did you realize you wanted to be a published author?
I’ve been writing and drawing since I was little and took a few creative writing classes in high school and college, but I didn’t start submitting stories for publication until 2009-2010-ish.

Name 5 authors and 5 books (do not necessarily have to be your favorites).
Mary Gaitskill
Carson McCullers
S.E. Hinton
Laura Ingalls Wilder
K.A. Applegate

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower
Batman: The Long Halloween written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale
The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan
Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Totally depends on the individual story.  I get it from real-life people and situations.  From my own life.  Places I’ve been or places I wish existed.  Books/movies/TV.  Current food obsessions.  Inspiration from my iPod.  Et cetera.

What do you think is the best quality a writer can have?
Compassion.  A sense of play.  A willingness to be vulnerable and emotionally honest.  I’m all about character-driven work, and love authors who care about their characters—both major and minor—and recognize their possibilities even while acknowledging their weaknesses and flaws.

Any last words? (Fun facts, comments, something you'd like to share with the world, etc.)
My one-sentence story was inspired by my current obsession with kale chips!  It’s just chopped up kale tossed and baked with olive oil, fresh ground pepper, and lemon juice.  Amazingly delicious, and a nice snack to recharge the creative writing brain.

Challenge: Write a one-sentence story!
That ridiculous guild and all their rules on poisonous apples! the witch thought as she furiously baked up a batch of deadly kale chips.


Thanks so much, C.E.! If anyone else would like to be a Writer of the Week, please follow the instructions here.