The Series

Novels in the contemporary series Half Lives are in various stages of planning, researching, writing, and editing.

Old Fashioned

Marry the man her family has chosen, or reveal her secret life?

“Princess” Mimi Ko is idling in neutral. As the baby sister of a famous K-pop idol, she lives a life of luxury. She’s fed up with being a decoration, but her brother’s fame – and the expectations of their traditional family – make her ambitions impossible. Her alter ego, though, can have the life Mimi craves… as long as no one finds out.
When she meets a provocative Irish bartender, life gets even more complicated. Mimi needs to figure it out quickly; her family is selecting an appropriate Catholic husband, and her secret identity is becoming uncomfortably popular.
Mimi grapples with abandoning the gilded cage of privilege for the terrifying and exhilarating prospect of life on her own terms.

Coming Unstuck

She lost her job and found her life.

Kit, an isolated middle-aged woman in rural Ireland, is wallowing in despair after unexpectedly being made redundant. Unemployed, childless, and on the shelf, Kit wonders where her life went wrong. When a mysterious letter arrives, Kit suddenly has a purpose: follow the clues, which promise an opportunity to revisit prior paths not taken. The clues lead to Seoul, where she meets Minnie Lee, a twenty-four-year-old photographer with a huge social media following and a mysterious past. Transcending age and culture differences, Kit and Minnie become friends and allies. As they define their destiny, each must navigate desire, their Catholic upbringing, and the conflicting expectations of women in a changing world.

Sibling Rivalry

A Hallyu star’s compulsory military service opened a window into another world, leading him to question his choices. His sister struggles with the stigma of being outspokenly single by choice. When the star suggests the solution is simple, the siblings’ relationship implodes. He meets an older woman at a poetry reading; with her by his side everything makes sense. There are only two problems: she doesn’t know he’s That Guy, and she’s his sister’s best friend.

Distant Vision

The first novel of an Irish author is being made into a K-drama series. When the lead actor pulls out, the production is thrown into chaos. The new lead has a secret: he’s been in love with her for years. As her artistic vision collides with interpersonal and economic forces, the author learns the hard way that control is an illusion.