CBS Radio’s Benji Cole interviews Maija Rhee Devine, the author of “The Voices of Heaven”

Maija Rhee Devine, the author of “The Voices of Heaven,” was interviewed by CBS Radio’s Benji Cole. The interview in the program of People of Distinction is about the discussion of the message of the book as well as the author’s purpose for writing this masterpiece.
People of Distinction is one of the most wide-ranging radio shows in the United States, hosted by Benji Cole and Al Cole from CBS Radio. People of Distinction is the right fit for authors and readers to discover newly published books, mostly written by passionate and independent authors.
Benji Cole, the host of the program, is a world-class interviewer, video formulator, Los Angeles actor, and filmmaker. He’s shared the acting stage with superstar Tom Hanks.
“The Voices of Heaven” by Maija Rhee Devine is a “beautifully written novel that grabs readers with its plot and characters,” as it is described by the US Review of Books (USRB).
The author, Maija Rhee Devine, is a Korean-born writer whose fiction, nonfiction, and poetry have appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, Boulevard, North American Review, The Kenyon Review, and anthologies.
She holds a BA in English from Sogang University in Seoul and an MA in English from St. Louis University. Writing honors include an NEA grant and nominations for the Pushcart Prize and the O. Henry Award.
She is married to Michael J. Devine, the retired director of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library in Independence, MO.
Moreover, the author was commended by the USRB, which highlighted that “the author presents the narrative in descriptive language, which at times reads like poetry. Sentences such as “Dull peach colored the sky like persimmon juice spreading through gauze” evoke vivid mental images. Devine has a gift for storytelling and character building, leading the reader to truly relate to her characters as they struggle through life. She delves into the feelings of her players as they each succumb to their positions. She also captures the fear and anxiety of people as they face the advances of the North Koreans.”
“The Voices of Heaven” is a tale of love and loss that takes place just before, during, and after the 1950 North Korean invasion of South Korea. Mi-na is the adopted daughter of Gui-yon and Eum-chun, a working-class family living on the outskirts of Seoul.
However, the peace of the family is greatly disturbed when Gui-yon takes a live-in mistress to produce the sons that Eum-chun cannot.
This book won the following book awards:
- Winner: 2013 ForeWord Reviews Book of The Year Award: Silver Award: Multicultural; Bronze Award: Military & War
- Bronze Medal, 2014 Independent Publisher Book Award, Best Adult Fiction E-Book Category
- Honorable Mention, 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Award for Short Prose & Independent Books, Category Prizes, E-book Fiction
- Longlisted for the 2014 Chautauqua Institution Book Award. The Voices of Heaven is available to buy in the following online
Get to know more about the author and her masterpiece as you listen to the full interview below: