Enjoying White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton out from Lake Union Publishing:

“…Once, she had seen some young men at the market staring at her sister like this—like she was something they wanted to own. While Bohbeh had blushed at the men’s attention, Miyoung had thrust herself into their view. Born in the Year of the Dragon, she was ready to fight, even at eleven years old; she would torch this enemy with her fire breath and swat him with her mighty tail….”

In Easton’s lyrical and taut opening, Miyoung dreams of a future filled with study and authenticity in 1928 Japan-occupied Korea. Easton’s prose is beautiful and surgical, drawing the reader into Miyoung’s bravery, “ready to fight, even at eleven years old….” READ NOW

About  White Mulberry

About Rosa Kwon Easton

Rosa Kwon Easton is a writer, attorney, elected trustee of the Palos Verdes Library District, and mother of two adult children.  She is an Anaphora Writing Residency Fellow and has been published in CRAFT Literary, Writer’s Digest, StoryCenter.org and others.  She has 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.  She believes in the power of story to educate, broaden cultural understanding, and inspire others to discover their own stories. Read more at rosakwoneaston.com.

About Openings

Openings is a recommendation column for Eckleburg readers, featuring fantastic books with fantastic openings, where readers first meet intriguing characters, settings and moments in which the mind can explore what is and what might be. Explore more great Openings with us at Eckleburg.

Rae Cline

Rae Cline is the author of PRECIOUS UGLY, a debut novel (coming August 18, 2026 from 7.13 Books). She is also the author of the short story collection The Indefinite State of Imaginary Morals. Her stories, essays, and prose poetry have appeared in The Paris Review, McSweeney’s, and more. She earned an M.A. in Writing from John Hopkins University and an M.F.A. in Fiction and Creative Nonfiction from American University. A teacher for thirty-five years, she taught writing and literature at the secondary level as well as at her alma maters, the International Writing Program at Iowa State University, and other campuses. She is the founding editor of Eckleburg, where she writes the Openings column, and the founder of the Warm Words Project, a homeless and domestic violence outreach initiative. Born in Ohio, she now splits her time between New York City and the Gulf of Mexico. PRECIOUS UGLY is now available for preorder. Read more at raecline.com.