Euna Kwon Brossman will appear on Saturday, May 3, from noon to 3 p.m. at Borders in West Windsor to sign copies of her new book “Suburban Mom: Tales from the Minivan of Life.” The often-humorous look at the challenges of communicating with kids of all ages, many of the stories are drawn from “Suburban Mom,” Brossman’s bi-weekly column in “The News.” A percentage of sales from the $15 book will be donated to area organizations that benefit children and teenagers. “I always believe in giving back to the community,” she says.##M:[more]##
Brossman lives in Plainsboro with her husband, Bill Brossman, an attorney and chief compliance officer for Mercer Health and Benefits US; and their three children, Kate, a senior at Princeton Day School; Molly, a freshman at High School North; and Will, a third grade student at Town Center School. The family always provide her with new material for her columns.
“I chose pieces that are universal — there are ties that bind us no matter if you are urban or suburban,” she says. “I’ve developed my favorites and I wanted to put all of my favorites in one volume.”
Kim Waters, a graphic designer from Pennington, designed the book. “She was a motivator and kept me on track,” says Brossman. “The illustrations are just enough to capture that side of humor.”
Born in Taegu, Korea, Brossman moved to the United States with her family when she was four. “Those were the golden years of my childhood,” she says. “I remember lime green popsicles and riding my bicycle all over the neighborhood. I blended in and I do not remember any struggle to learn English,” she says. Her father, now retired, was a chemical engineer with a degree from MIT. Her mother, a homemaker who had difficulties with the new language, ran Dynasty gift shop in Morristown for a number of years. Her parents now live in Mendham.
Her brother Robert has a degree in biology from MIT, worked for Proctor & Gamble for 20 years, and has lived in Singapore for two years working as an Asian expertise scientist with a focus on understanding the consumer’s mind.
Her younger brother, Ron, the only one born in the U.S., graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology from Albright College, and is a freelance photographer in Hawaii.
Brossman, who graduated from Morristown High School in 1978, was editor in chief of the yearbook, secretary of the junior class, a cheerleader, and a member of the lacrosse team. Musically she has played piano since she was seven (and now has three piano students), played violin in the orchestra since fourth grade, and played harp in the chamber orchestra. Brossman enjoys playing showtunes on the piano. “I also like to sing and I don’t care what people think,” she says.
She graduated from Yale with degrees in political science and international relations. Her studies of Mandarin Chinese language landed her a job in China for close to two years where she worked for Associated Press as a researcher — and even swept floors when necessary.
Brossman was later a writer and on-air news reporter for the NBC affiliate in San Francisco and then the ABC affiliate in Sacramento, California.
In 1995 the family moved to Glen Cove, Long Island when Brossman was offered a job with Fox News as an on-air reporter in Manhattan, appearing on air as Euna Kwon. Brossman was added when she began to write. “The family wanted to be associated with me.”
The Brossmans moved to Plainsboro in 1998 when Bill had an opportunity to work with Mercer Human Resources in Carnegie Center. “We loved the farmland and the schools,” she says.
The family had several au pairs throughout the years. “I love the internationalism and they were like family to us,” she says. “As a result our children are open to cultural experiences.” The self-published book is also available at the Plainsboro Public Library, where sales benefit the library’s building fund. For information E-mail eunakwon@aol.com. — Lynn Miller
Author Event, Borders Books, 601 Nassau Park, 609-514-0040. www.bordersgroupinc.com Saturday, May 3, Noon to 3 p.m.
