Marked is the first Korean adoptee novel that mashes together influences from fantasy, Korean-Dramas, and illustrated books. The story revolves around Kevin Larson, a Korean adoptee raised on a farm in the midwest, whose life turns upside down when a mysterious Korean woman named Soo-ah Kim arrives on his birthday, calls him by name, and says, "I am here to fulfill your [Korean] father's wishes." The story is trippy. It has magic, love triangles, death, taboo love (?), a powerful and secretive organization. And individuals searching for identity and redemption.
Marked is a project hatched by the three of us -- Matthew Salesses, Emily Evanowski, and Kevin Vollmers. (We're all Korean adoptees.) It's nearing completion, and the plan is to release it this coming November (National Adoption Month) K-Drama style -- two episodes a week, each Monday/Tuesday, for a 16-episode season - on the Gazillion Strong website for the price of $.50 p/chapter. Before we get there, though, we have some work to do.
This is just one of those stories that makes me shake my head in wonder on so many levels - and I won't ever pass judgement in that way on how Adam has lived his life and the decisions he's made. I'm not absolving him from his actions because at some point in our lives we make choices - we have to make choices - but at the same time - when someone's been thrown into a system that literally beats them down and they just have to survive - you get some leeway. But no matter what you might think about his life - I think everyone can agree he's a citizen of the U.S. - and deporting him would be a heinous and shameful act. Listen to the story below and then sign the petition.
Definitely check out the Gazillion Strong site/projects and see what they are up to - which is a lot, and both stories above have been pushed/created/started in large part by them - and see how you can help them achieve their mission of developing resources and tools that aid marginalized communities, such as adopted people, foster alums, immigrants, people of color, and LGBTQ community members, to speak and advocate for themselves and others.