Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Fear and Trepidation
Katsuren is in its second edition. I am one of those writers who finds it hard to put down the pen, close the book, and declare a manuscript done. There is always something that could be better, and a lot of the readers of the first edition were very generous with feedback about exactly what they thought could be made better. The second edition incorporates my own second thoughts as well as reader feedback.
It's the same story. Same characters, same location, same events, and same ending...
BUT
...the book design is better, the editing is better, and it has a brilliant new cover.
I am waiting for the author's proof copy with fear and trepidation. It's like in the old days, when we were born, and our parents didn't even know if we would be boys or girls until the moment of our birth, never mind what our faces would look like or if we would have the right number of fingers and toes.
I hope the second edition of Katsuren is exactly how I dreamed it would be.
It's the same story. Same characters, same location, same events, and same ending...
BUT
...the book design is better, the editing is better, and it has a brilliant new cover.
I am waiting for the author's proof copy with fear and trepidation. It's like in the old days, when we were born, and our parents didn't even know if we would be boys or girls until the moment of our birth, never mind what our faces would look like or if we would have the right number of fingers and toes.
I hope the second edition of Katsuren is exactly how I dreamed it would be.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Oh! Oh! Disaster at Katsuren
This world heritage site is the setting for my novel, Katsuren. On February 27, an earthquake of Magnitude 5 on the Japanese scale rattled Okinawa and sent many remnants of ancient fortifications tumbling down, including this section of wall at Katsuren Castle.
(photo copied from The Okinawa Times, Feb 27 online edition)
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
New Year, New Look
Katsuren is getting a flashier cover and a new internal layout.
A lot of people liked having bunches of white space to break up the pages--and to write notes in, since many readers bought this book as a way to brush up their English. But other readers said they preferred a more traditional look to the pages. Thus, there will be two versions.
Look for the new format and the new cover in March.
A lot of people liked having bunches of white space to break up the pages--and to write notes in, since many readers bought this book as a way to brush up their English. But other readers said they preferred a more traditional look to the pages. Thus, there will be two versions.
Look for the new format and the new cover in March.
Friday, December 25, 2009
From the Land of Sunshine--A Bright Thought
Saturnalia—the ancient Roman festivities that took place in mid-December—may be the earliest verifiable ancestor of our Christmas/New Year festivities. Evergreens and holly probably have more to do with this tradition from frosty Europe than with the events in Mediterranean Bethlehem, as they symbolize faith in the return of the sun’s warmth and the regeneration of all that is green and growing, not to mention edible.
Japan has a tradition of reverence for the sun, too. Just look at the national flag—a red circle on a white background representing the rising sun. One of Japan’s preeminent geographers, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, wrote in one of his works that this showed a certain ecological wisdom. The American environmentalist Hazel Henderson would agree. Asked to place an economic value on solar energy, she replied, “Should we figure in the value of pre-warming the planet?” Without the sun, we might as well be Pluto.
Japan, too, tries to celebrate Christmas, but the festivities are more like Saturnalia—a way to brighten up a cold season that contains the shortest day and the longest night. Frankly, I like it. I like the idea of taking the given circumstances and making something out of them.
Makiguchi, the Japanese philosopher who gave our ancestors credit for recognizing the worth of solar light and warmth, didn’t advocate worshiping the sun as a god/goddess. Instead, he advocated a philosophy that asked, “Given your circumstances, what are you putting forth? What are you creating? What value are you adding to society?”
I like that thought a lot. Joy, cheer, an appropriate gift, breaking bread together! There are so many ways to put forth creative contributions out of our own particular circumstances.
Happy Holidays to All!
Japan has a tradition of reverence for the sun, too. Just look at the national flag—a red circle on a white background representing the rising sun. One of Japan’s preeminent geographers, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, wrote in one of his works that this showed a certain ecological wisdom. The American environmentalist Hazel Henderson would agree. Asked to place an economic value on solar energy, she replied, “Should we figure in the value of pre-warming the planet?” Without the sun, we might as well be Pluto.
Japan, too, tries to celebrate Christmas, but the festivities are more like Saturnalia—a way to brighten up a cold season that contains the shortest day and the longest night. Frankly, I like it. I like the idea of taking the given circumstances and making something out of them.
Makiguchi, the Japanese philosopher who gave our ancestors credit for recognizing the worth of solar light and warmth, didn’t advocate worshiping the sun as a god/goddess. Instead, he advocated a philosophy that asked, “Given your circumstances, what are you putting forth? What are you creating? What value are you adding to society?”
I like that thought a lot. Joy, cheer, an appropriate gift, breaking bread together! There are so many ways to put forth creative contributions out of our own particular circumstances.
Happy Holidays to All!
Friday, October 30, 2009
A Real Life Scary Story
Japan is a country of islands, and it is impossible to overestimate the influence of the sea. When a typhoon strikes, the coastal areas shudder. Wherever possible, the fishing boats are hauled up onto high and dry land for the duration.
Last week, a boat with a crew of 8 tried to get back to port before the typhoon, but didn't make it. When it capsized, 5 crew members got themselves off the boat and into a lifeboat. Three were below deck, in the sleeping quarters, when the boat capsized. To make matters worse for them, the refrigerator broke loose and fell on top of the hatch covering the sleeping area.
They were well and truly trapped. They made a promise to each other to drink a toast together when they met again in the afterlife.
With wind and waves raging, the 5 who escaped didn't have a choice: the sea knifed the lifeboat away from the ship in an instant.
Who lived to tell the story? After four days, the missing fishing boat was found. Coast Guard divers knocked on the upturned hull, just in case, and guess what? Their knock was answered.
The three who were trapped were the only ones saved. The boat's name was "Lucky", and for them, it surely was. The toppled refrigerator kept the hatch closed with just enough air inside to keep the men alive until help arrived.
Last week, a boat with a crew of 8 tried to get back to port before the typhoon, but didn't make it. When it capsized, 5 crew members got themselves off the boat and into a lifeboat. Three were below deck, in the sleeping quarters, when the boat capsized. To make matters worse for them, the refrigerator broke loose and fell on top of the hatch covering the sleeping area.
They were well and truly trapped. They made a promise to each other to drink a toast together when they met again in the afterlife.
With wind and waves raging, the 5 who escaped didn't have a choice: the sea knifed the lifeboat away from the ship in an instant.
Who lived to tell the story? After four days, the missing fishing boat was found. Coast Guard divers knocked on the upturned hull, just in case, and guess what? Their knock was answered.
The three who were trapped were the only ones saved. The boat's name was "Lucky", and for them, it surely was. The toppled refrigerator kept the hatch closed with just enough air inside to keep the men alive until help arrived.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
A Dog's Life (2)
What do you think of stories about talking dogs? Yep, my thoughts exactly. With the possible exception of Walt Disney's Goofy, who is not only allowed to talk but also gets to wear white gloves while poor Pluto has to walk around on all fours barefoot and say nothing but "Arf!", dogs haven't got the proper vocal anatomy, so why should they suddenly have the power to talk in stories?
However...
Dogs DO know how to communicate.
When they look at you in that certain way, and make their unique whimpers and groans and barks and grunts, you know they are doing their best to make contact with the human species. And you do your best to figure out what it is they would say, if only they could talk, which of course they can't.
Sometimes you get it right. Sometimes, you just don't know.
What makes J.F.'s dog detective stories fun is precisely that. Randolph does his best to communicate in his doggie way, and sometimes the human catches his drift and sometimes he's way out in left field.
When Randolph gets really desperate, he does what any good dog would do: he tries and tries again. And when he absolutely has to communicate a name or a date, well, he has his methods.
Books I've read on how to write a great book cover this topic. They say your story premise doesn't have to be a hundred percent believable. What they say is, it's your job as the writer to make people feel that just this once, the unbelievable is believable.
Having read two of J.F. Englert's Randolph books (A Dog at Sea will be number three), I can clap my hands in total honesty and say that I believe in Randolph.
However...
Dogs DO know how to communicate.
When they look at you in that certain way, and make their unique whimpers and groans and barks and grunts, you know they are doing their best to make contact with the human species. And you do your best to figure out what it is they would say, if only they could talk, which of course they can't.
Sometimes you get it right. Sometimes, you just don't know.
What makes J.F.'s dog detective stories fun is precisely that. Randolph does his best to communicate in his doggie way, and sometimes the human catches his drift and sometimes he's way out in left field.
When Randolph gets really desperate, he does what any good dog would do: he tries and tries again. And when he absolutely has to communicate a name or a date, well, he has his methods.
Books I've read on how to write a great book cover this topic. They say your story premise doesn't have to be a hundred percent believable. What they say is, it's your job as the writer to make people feel that just this once, the unbelievable is believable.
Having read two of J.F. Englert's Randolph books (A Dog at Sea will be number three), I can clap my hands in total honesty and say that I believe in Randolph.
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