Japan-Inspired Novels - Part 3

Welcome back! While I could talk about good novels I've read with an Asian-theme for posts and posts, I won't bore you by trying to. This will be the last one you'll get for a while. Mainly because I'll probably be busy with book release stuff for the next little while (and because the next book on my to-read list is Jade City by Fonda Lee and I'm really looking forward to it).

Now, I said that today's books would all be more books from the fantasy genre and they are. Two of them are also available translated from the original language. I still suggest reading them, but I will admit that sometimes the writing can come across as a little wooden because of this. I highly suggest reading these books anyway, as they are ones that have stuck with me through the years and favourites of mine. You know what they say, "Know Me, Know My Bookshelf". Okay, they probably don't say that, but they should. Anyway, with no further adieu... Let's Begin!

 Dragon Sword and Wind Child by Noriko Ogiwara(Author), Cathy Hirano(Translator) & Miho Satake(Illustrator)

This book was published in 1988 but was translated and republished in 2007. I didn't get a chance to read it until 2015, but I was so impressed when I did. Dragon Sword and Wind Child is an engaging story about a girl, born to be a priestess to the Dark, but raised to love the Light and hate the Dark. Things reach a head when she goes to the palace and becomes a servant to the twin deities who rule the Light. While there, she meets their brother, known as the Wind Child, who has been locked away so that he can spend all his time controlling the Dragon Sword, an artifact of the Dark. While this is a good book on its own, it should be on your reading list especially if you have an interest in Japanese Fantasy. Before this story fantasy was a very unpopular genre in Japan, dismissed for the most part (in her own words) "contemptuously as fairy tales without citizenship, folklore lacking the legitimacy of nationality". The author thought that was where her story would be relegated to as well, only realizing afterward that her deities mirrored the trinity of kami, Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. She had also consciously decided to present the story predominantly through a character inspired by the Oharai Norito in the Engi Shiki. This prayer was written about kami that carry away human corruption and deliver it to a wandering goddess of a kingdom below the Earth. With so much of her history wound up in the story, her tale was immediately relatable to everyone in Japan and started a new wave of interest in Japanese-inspired stories that has continued to today. While even the author doesn't deny that there were popular fantasy novels written before her, she is attributed with bringing the interest of the Japanese people back to it. So, if you want to know where it all began, start with this one.

Seven Times a Woman by Sara M. Harvey

Seven times a woman is a story that I found in one of my exhaustive and continuing search for novels about Kitsune. The story is about a kitsune given a task that will take her away from her true love. Though the premise is simple, the task is not. Rei-Rei must "tame a dragon". It takes her seven lives to do so, keeping her away from her true love. What is so interesting about this book is that the main characters lives are all quite sad, poignantly told and by the third or fourth life, she is having none of it anymore. She wants out of her duty, but is always aware of it, even when she as a character is unaware of anything but the fact that she has a connection with the others of her past. A story of reincarnation, love, punishment and redemption, the author has a way of keeping your heart trapped within its pages, hoping, dreaming, punishing and redeeming right along with Rei-Rei even though most of the story isn't told through her perspective. I found it a really good read. Even if you aren't a fan of romance, this book will keep you going as her love is a motivation, but not a constant condition that intrudes upon the story. Pick this one up if you want a drama/action novel to keep you warm over a weekend. 

Spice & Wolf, Vol. 1 (Light Novel) by Isuna Hasekura,  Juu Ayakura (Illustrator), Paul Starr (Translator)

Although I have put Vol. 1 on the title above, I think this entire series should be read. Kraft Lawrence is a merchant just trying to make a little money when, Holo, a wolf whose spirit is tied to the wheat, takes possession of his and begs him to return her to her home in the North. Beguiled, curious and lonely, he agrees. What follows is a delightful series of light novels, focussing on merchanting, money, church strategy and tactics in a world where peasants still hold festivals to gods of harvest (among others) and nothing is ever simple. The dialogue between Holo and Lawrence is always witty, engaging and awesome. And while over the course of the entire series it is telling a love story, you are left with the feeling that the romance may never take hold at every turn. It makes you think, running to try to keep up with the merchanting tricks used to keep Lawrence and Holo making a profit while travelling. As a friendly word of advice, the Japanese genre of light novels is a genre that hasn't really taken off here in the West. They are 50,000 words long (about as long as Douglas Adam's The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy), written primarily towards high school and middle school students, and usually have a few manga-esque drawings in each book to introduce you to the characters and show a particular scene. Despite being written for a young audience, Spice & Wolf doesn't talk down to their readers and expects their readers to do some work to keep up with the main characters. This is not only my favourite anime but one of my favourite books. I have all the books currently available (18 in the main series and 1 in the sequel series, Wolf & Parchment, plus the hardcover that has the entire first series in a single book; pictures of that below; plus many of the manga(I believe I'm missing one so far). If you read nothing else on this list, check out Spice & Wolf. If you absolutely cannot pick up a book, the manga is also very good, as is the anime adaptation. Engaging with whichever form is fine, but engage it! You will not be disappointed. 

The full book with embossed cover. This book is legit so wonderful, I have looked into buying one of those glass pedestals so that I can display in a protected case.

Of course, I don't read this copy... I have the entire set in individual books. Not only are they more portable, but I only have a minor heart attack if those copies get damaged. Yes, that means I did spend an ungodly amount of money just to have this to display and never actually read. I consider it worth the expense, an art piece all its own.

Where the Stars Rise: Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy by Various Authors

This anthology came out two years ago and quickly gathered critical acclaim with at least two of the stories being nominated for awards. As with all anthologies, it can be hit and miss, though with authors like Laura Van Arendonk Baugh and Amanda Sun contributing (you'll remember both authors were named in the original blog post from World Weaver Press and on my personal list from the first blog about it), I found more stories that I liked than ones I didn't. If you're looking for a place to start and don't really want to go with a full novel, this would be a great place to start as well. And while I usually only suggest choosing a book based on a cover at the beginning of the year, you have to admit that the cover is stellar. 

Alright, and that is the end to a very long set of blog posts. I promise I'll try to keep the next couple weeks to shorter posts (mostly). If you made it this far into my list, you deserve an award. If you did, let me know if you've read any of these and if there's anything on your list of Asian novels that I absolutely have to read. I've started Fonda Lee's Jade City finally. If you're interested, let me know and maybe, I'll post on here or on Facebook with an occasional update on it. We could even have a group chat on my FB page if we get enough interest in doing so.


Also, don't forget, my novel, Hunter's Gambit, will be coming out in just three weeks time! If you want a physical copy you should be able to order them as of March 15th directly from me, on Amazon and, of course, digitally on Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and Apple books. As soon as I have proper links for each, I'll update them here. Remember, if you're coming to Calgary for When Words Collide in August, I will be doing an author signing at the event, so you can even get them signed there. Don't worry, I'll remind you closer to the actual event, as well! I'm so excited. I can't wait to share it with all of you!

Cover Reveal!!!

Today is the day! Thank you so much for coming by everyone! I'm a writer, but I don't think it's possible to convey in words just how excited (and terrified) I am to finally have my novel coming out. I wrote the vast majority of the book in 2015, managing to finish it off in early 2016. I then spent the next three years essentially working on edits for it. I have found out that my editing can be described simply as a rewrite, with the edits thereafter becoming smaller and smaller with each round. It took forever, but the day when it is out will be very soon! But I'll tell you about the release date after showing you what you came here for. The gorgeous cover! 

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Created by Starla Huchton at Designed by Starla

Isn’t it amazing?! I fell in love with it the moment I saw it! 

Hunter's Gambit will be coming out on March 15, 2019. It will be available at all the usual digital locations; Kobo, Kindle, Nook and iBooks, but I will also have a physical copy being sold! You can purchase one from Amazon or directly from me and have it signed, but it may take longer to get to you. Another option is, of course, to come and see me in Calgary for When Words Collide this year. I will have copies of the book selling at one of the tables in their merchant room, as well as a few at my table during the signing. I will hopefully have more info on that as the date gets closer!

Expect links to be released soon... it can take a few weeks for each of the companies to provide those, but as soon as I have them, I'll release them here. Next week, I'll be continuing with Part 3 of my Asian Literature discussion, but make sure you come back on March 1st. I'll be posting the first chapter for you to read over. 

Let me know what you think of the cover! Like I said, I am so excited to be sharing it with all you finally!

Book Blurb 

Kuzunoha is running out of options. In just a month she’ll be an adult but as the illegitimate younger daughter of a rich noble, she can only see two possible futures. Both leave her a pawn in her elder sister’s game as family matriarch, a future as unacceptable to Kuzunoha as it is unavoidable.

That changes when Kuzunoha saves the life of a stranger. In return for her help, the stranger offers her a way to have a future that doesn’t tie her to her family. He’s heard of a forgotten treasure nearby and needs a guide to help him search for it. Her family and friends don’t trust this dangerous man's offer, but Kuzunoha accepts, knowing that she can’t live the life her sister wants for her anymore.

Will she succeed in proving she can have a life outside of her sister’s shadow? Or will it all fall to pieces around her?

Hunter's Reveal; Part 3

I have a very diverse cast in my novel, but I didn't want to create all new names that simply sound like ones from the cultures each person in my book is based on. Instead, I chose names that came from our world! Despite that, only one or two of the characters have common English names, with the rest having Japanese names, one Germanic, and one is actually a Romani name. 

However, one of the characters does break this tradition. She has a parent from two different cultures, and no matter how hard I searched for a name none of them seemed to work. Instead, while looking for names I created an entirely new name for her based on a few names I found that had similar names and sounds to them from the base languages. Her name is Isashi.

Other names in my Story

Kuzunoha - Japanese
Himiko     - Japanese
Richard     - British
Deckard    - Germanic

Hunter's Reveal; Part 2

The full name for this book is Hunter's Gambit, Book 1 of the Kitsune-Ken Series. Kitsune-ken is a game they play in Japan and its a lot like Rock, Paper and Scissors over here. There are three positions. If your palms are flat against your legs, you have chosen Lord (more correctly Lord translates to Village Head, but lord is faster for my purposes here). If your hands are up to your temple with your index and middle fingers extended and the rest closed (like fox ears), you have chosen Fox. If you keep your hands up in between (making it look like you're holding a rifle), then you have chosen Hunter. The Lord beats Hunter, because the hunter is the lord's loyal vassal. The Fox beats Lord, because the fox can lock the lord into an illusion that he can't escape from. The Hunter beats Fox, because he has a gun and therefore a way to kill the fox before they can ensnare the hunter. 

Here is a video of some people teaching the game to a few people. I am none of the people in this video, I simply grabbed it as a fun example of how to play, because sometimes you need to see to understand it. 

I chose this as my series name since it seems as though the main characters of my book interact in this way with each other. One always beats the other and some are always coming out on top of certain situations. And while the characters are people, not a game and therefore it doesn't always work, it does make me smile to imagine my characters growling at each other and then frowning and holding their hands out, ready to play their own version of Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who is right.

Hunter's Reveal; Part 1

Today we're going to talk music lists! 

I have been making music lists for my all my books for years. Each book tends to have its own set of songs. However, since I get bored easily, I tend to choose over 100 songs. Despite my boredom, most novels in the same series tend to share songs. To cut down on my whole list, I'll share a song that connects to them. While these songs don't define the characters, they are my go-to songs when I'm trying to get into the characters POV.

Kuzunoha

Richard

Deckard 

That's it for today. Please come back tomorrow for some more tidbits about Hunter's Gambit and make sure you're back on Friday for the Cover Reveal!!!

Japan-Inspired Fantasy Novels; Part 2

Today in this sequel post, we're talking about stories that use Asia as a storytelling conduit, whether they are written by Asian writers or not. While there are hundreds out already and more coming out every day, they do tend to be overshadowed in the West. I can understand why... people tend to fall back on what they've always known and if you've never jumped into Asian storytelling before, they can be a bit difficult to understand. There is a reason their anime, manga and television shows always seem weird to us. They have different tropes and different ways of telling their stories than a Western storyteller would. While I find this difference fascinating, especially since I write in what I consider a mixture of both Eastern and Western styles, I know that most people would be snoring by the end of the first paragraph, so I'll spare you and simply say if you're interested in the subject, take a look at this Reddit discussion (I found the first five or so comments give a good primer into the most obvious differences, though I haven't read all eighty-five yet, so I can't guarantee that it stays decent the whole way through). Instead, I will limit myself to suggesting a few of the books that I have felt really stand out and should be read by everyone. This set is going to be in the fiction and urban fantasy genres with the more traditional type of fantasy stories coming in the next installment.

Let's start with the first two that just about everyone has read.

Under the Hawthorn Tree by Ai Mi

Originally written as a series of blog posts, the story gained international fame when it was picked up by a publisher. Since its first publishing in 2007, it has sold over a million copies in China alone and been made into a movie. Adding to the mystery is that the author's name Ai Mi is a pen name, meaning that nobody knows who the actual author is. Those interesting factoids aside, the story tells a poignant tale of innocence and love during China's cultural revolution between 1966 and 1976. The main character, Jingqiu, is a young girl sent for "re-education" in the countryside. While there she meets the young son of a high-ranking military official. Their love can't happen, yet they can't stay apart, even before love blooms. When I finished reading it, I actually cried. Despite the translation making the story seem a bit wooden, this is a book that will make you feel for the main characters lost in a changing world. If you aren't one of the millions who have already read this book, pick it up.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

I realize that I will probably take some flak from purists for putting this book on the list. While it is in no way an actual representation of the life of a Geisha, it is a beautifully written story and I will say that I enjoyed it much more than Geisha, A Life, written in response by Mineko Iwasaki (the geisha Arthur Golden spoke to and based his story very loosely on) & Randy Brown. I think that this is due to the story being told as a story and not as a memoir. Chiyo/Sayuri is an active force in her story and her life, even when she's outwardly calm and talking about how she has no power in her own life. On the other hand, Mineko's story is very realistic but she as a person is passive and I found her real-life memoir much less to my taste. On the other hand, I fully admit that I don't generally read memoirs as a genre and if you tend to prefer them, then you may prefer Geisha; A Life to Memoirs of a Geisha. However, it still makes my list as a well-written love story that I think is an engaging surface view into Japan during the early twentieth century.  

Red Winter by Annette Marie

I discovered this book randomly through an Amazon ad or something mid-last year and I was drawn in by the cover. Still, I didn't buy it, and just sort of hovered around it until November last year. I visited my husband's work for a day and ran out of books to read. That one had recently come up on my list again and it was on sale, so I grabbed it and started reading... and couldn't put it down. I think it took me all of a day or two to read it and within moments of finishing it, I had picked up the next two. The main character, Emi, is the chosen of Amaterasu, the sun goddess of Japan and the one to which Japan's royal family supposedly trace their family roots to(I've included the link to her Wikipedia page here, as I find Japanese mythology incredibly interesting). Unfortunately, Emi's life changes when she saves the life of a kitsune and discovers that being the chosen of Amaterasu may mean giving up her life to the goddess. The series is an urban fantasy that kept me entertained and hooked the entire ride. In addition, the author has put 2-3 pictures in the book, showing the characters. It was a really nice touch, and something I'm hoping to do with my books one day (though probably not with my first few)

The Good Brother by E.L. Chen

I picked up this novel when I happened to get lucky and see the cover at the 2016 When Words Collide convention. I started reading it soon after and pretty much couldn't put it down. This novel doesn't quite fit in with the other novels in this list for one main reason; it doesn't take place in Japan or any part of Asia. Instead, it takes place in Toronto, Canada. The main character, Tori, is a first-generation Canadian haunted by the death of her elder brother, trying to come to terms with not only his death but her own guilt over not wanting to follow the path her well-meaning parents have set for her while trying to understand who she wants to be. I won't say anymore so that I don't spoil the ending, but I will say go out and buy this one. This is a book that does not get enough love considering how incredibly well-written it is. The twist at the end of the story isn't surprising, but it hits hard, almost like a physical punch to the gut and the catharsis at the end of the book brings everything to a close brilliantly. If you haven't already, this book is one to pick up. 

I have four more books to do but unfortunately, those won't be coming out next week as I have a surprise for you all... Drum roll, please.........

I'll be revealing my cover on 

FEBRUARY 15th!!!!

You'll finally get to see my beautiful cover and find out when the novel itself will be released! Keep an eye here over the next week! I'll be sharing little tidbit posts about the book all week to get you as hyped for the cover release as I am! Also, if you have any questions, please ask them here or on Facebook and those questions may show up in a post here as well!

Japan-Inspired Fantasy Novels

My novel that's coming out soon has a very diverse cast, some of which have come from my world's version of Asia. I did this, not because I felt the need to check off a box, but because I love reading stories that take place outside of Canada and usual medieval fantasy locations. Not-Medieval-Europe is a great location to place your stories, but there are other world locations that you can draw on. Of those other locations, Asia (and its fantasy equivalent, Not-Asia) is my favourite. I love the culture, the stories, the myths and I'm always hungry for more. 

That said, when I found this article from World Weaver Press called 8 Japan-Inspired Fantasy Books by Non-Japanese Writers who mostly get it Right I had to check it out. I figured I would know a few, but knew that I would find other books on it to read. I ended up knowing five of the eight, which was awesome and disappointing. After all, knowing them makes me well-read. On the other hand, it also means less new books to check out. Overall, I agreed with the books on the list that I knew, barring one which I read, but never got into. 

But I wanted to talk about more books than just the ones in this list, so I decided to make a few blog posts highlighting my favourite Asian inspired novels. Today, I'll talk about the ones on this list that I've read and why I think you'll like them, but I plan to have at least one more post talking about my other favourites. 

The first one up is Across the Nightingale Floor. I read this book way back in May of 2014, but despite its popularity, it never clicked with me. Its been years, but I remember that the book relied too heavily on tropes. Add that to the fact that I hated both of the main characters and it just didn't jive with me. Still, I know that a lot of people liked it, including one of my favourite authors, Jay Kristoff, so it clearly had somethings going for it. 

I read Daughter of the Sword in June of 2017 and loved it. The story follows a police detective in modern day Japan. When a priceless sword is nearly stolen, she gets assigned to the case. This story was great for taking you into modern day and historic Japan and keeping you interested and invested the entire time. I loved Mariko and the other characters. If you're looking for an urban fantasy set somewhere other than the USA, then travel to Tokyo with this book. 

I picked up Ink in August of 2015 after meeting the author at When Words Collide. I held off on reading the book for months worried about having to tell a friend that I didn't enjoy their book. Finally, I couldn't put it off any longer. And I couldn't believe I had been so worried. This urban fantasy is about a girl whose mother dies and she's sent to Japan to live with her great aunt. She meets a boy in school who can manipulate and create things out ink! The story comes across very naturally and I loved the voice of this book. It was a brilliant book and within days of ordering it, I had put in a pre-order with Indigo for the unreleased sequel. Plus, look at that cover. You can't go wrong with something that pretty. 

Every year, I pick up one book on based on nothing but "that cover is gorgeous and I don't know the author". This was the first one that I did it with, and probably why I continued with the practice. Stormdancer drags you through the mud in a steampunk-inspired medieval Japan and just when you think your heart can't take anymore, it yanks it out and squeezes until it bursts in front of your eyes. I loved every minute of it and eagerly picked up every new installment as it came out. It was amazing. Grab it!

I found Kitsune-Tsuki at When Words Collide a few years ago and eagerly squealed. When the polite girl behind the counter asked me where I'd seen the book before I admitted that I had found them on Goodreads and had been disappointed to not find them in my local bookstore, but I hadn't gotten a chance to buy them online yet. Laura was that store owner, and I'm pretty sure that I said I'd pick them up tomorrow, got about two tables down before I convinced myself that I didn't want to arrive tomorrow and have them all sold already, and picked them up that night. While the whole series rocks, I found the first book the weakest, probably since I'm less fond of the conceit of the book perspective. Despite that, the characters, plot and themes of the book resonated and I loved it. That said, I loved the second one, Kitsune-Mochi, even more, since it didn't have that particular writing style. I still heartily suggest reading both. Laura Vanarondonk Baugh is a master of her craft and her writing pulls you into the story hard and fast, immersing you in a gorgeous world of humans and oni that always feels too short when you invariably finish reading it.

Have you read any of these books? What about any of the others from the original article? What did you think of them? Personally, I'm looking forward to picking up the Tiger Lily story.