Behind the scenes: how Fish Tree Tales came to be
When I was just a little girl, my mother asked me, what will you be? Then Daddy asked me, and my Aunt Nellie, Uncle Bob... so much pressure!
People ask little kids what they want to be when they grow up, all the time, right? I always answered this way: "I don't know, but I don't want to be a secretary or a teacher!"
Over the next few decades, I simply began writing. Letters at first, and private journals (diaries with locks, when I was still that little girl). High school writing class, college papers, grad school papers, a two-year writing course, finally it dawned on me: I like to write.
Now I've started writing a blog, Fish Tree Tales, about my years living in Japan. Finding old letters and journals, going through old photographs, spending time simply remembering the times I lived there, and things are beginning to take shape.
A few months ago it occurred to me: publish a book. So that's my goal, but I'm documenting the process, here.
My Fascination with Japan
(Alternate Title for this Lens)
I lived in Japan for about seven years. I learned the basics of the language early on and then sporadically improved. About two years into my time there, I made a mistake when walking under the gorgeous blooming cherry trees, singing their glory only to accidentally substitute the word "sakana" for "sakura." Easy enough mistake, right? But "sakura" means cherry blossom, while "sakana" means fish.That's how I began writing my stories of Japan. I've been a few other places, but Japan is "IT" for me. Totally.
Fish Tree Tales Updates
RSS Feed from the book website
As I write a new story about Japan ~ stories that are not in the book ~ I update the website. I want my "fans" to keep coming back for more!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byForeigner Meets Japan
Books & movies to prove it's not just my imagination
![Lost in Translation [HD DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AiENe-4HL._SL75_.jpg)
Featured news coming out of Japan
From The Japan Times
For those who want to keep up with the latest in that country.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThe joyous and the unsettling
How the moments of love/hate combine into a life
It must be said that I don't like crowds. Small crowds where it's me with my friends, that's great! Wonderful! Let's do it more often! But "crowds", where I'm out among.... "the public" .... well, I'd just as soon not do that.It's hard to avoid in Japan though. It's a pretty crowded country, and being a foreigner means I stick out in every situation. But for the most part, the fascination with Japan ~ and certainly the stories worth writing about ~ only happens with I'm out and about among the people.
Nothing happens sitting at my desk in my apartment. Everything happens when I'm out there in the post office, grocery stores, department stores, coffee shops, restaurants, you name it! LIVING among the Japanese is the experience. And without the experiences, there's not much to write.
Love Japan? Wear it on your shirt!
Or your clock, or notebook, or hat.... just wear it!
Writing the Fish Tree Tales
Steps in the process. The slow, slow process.
Next came writing stories in letters. Again, these were the days before computers and email, even before word processors were inexpensive enough for the average person to have of their own. I was a student ~ a poor student, all on my own dime ~ with just my pens, paper, and a typewriter. Electric typewriter, sure, but a typewriter nonetheless. Ribbon, correction tape or fluid, no saving my work to come back to later while I worked on something else. Fantastic in their time, but agonizingly tedious compared to the computers I use today.
So I wrote letters by hand. One of my friends kept all my letters I'd sent to her, knowing my dreams of becoming a published author someday. A couple years ago, she sent them all to me, tied with a pretty ribbon, with a note of good wishes that I find the gems within them to start writing "for real."
And so I read. And began to write. Slowly, short tales have shown their little faces. Suddenly I'll discover someone who would make a perfect character in another tale. Some tales get woven together to create a longer story. Bit by bit, I see a book of tales coming to life.
Today, as I write this on Memorial Day 2008, thunderstorms brewing in the south and west, I am ready to point my toes toward the next step.
Publishing.
As I began my research, I ran across this super lens: Want to publish your book? Read this first!
Now, armed with information, I'm heading off to see what I can see about entering the world of... da da da duhhhhhh: Published Author.
Other great sites on Japan
Feel free to vote, or add your own!
Hey, I'm not the first person and I won't be the last who is so smitten with something that she wants to write about it. These are some of the links out there online that I think are just great!
Kofu, Japan
Guide to Kofu, Japan. Information for visitors to more...1 point
Living in Japan : Welcome to all those who are new in Japan and those who are thinking about coming!
Welcome to all those who are new in Japan and thos more...0 points
Planet Japan Podcast with Amy and Doug
Join Amy, a humor writer for The Japan Times and D more...0 points
Living in Japan
A comprehensive guide to living in Japan, whether more...0 points
On Sale at Amazon.com
Fish Tree Tales: Stories from Japan
Amazon Price: $21.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
List Price: $21.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
Kofu Japan, my second home
- Kofu, Japan
- I've lived in Japan six times, in five cities. Without any question, my favorite place is Kofu, in Yamanashi Prefecture. There were good times in the other places ~ Fukuoka, Kansai, Tsuchiura, and Hyogo, but Kofu is the place I lived not once, not twice, but three different times. I taught English in...
- Foreign Language Study
- All over the world, people are studying and learning English as a foreign or second language. When I visit Europe, I am impressed with how many people there speak several languages ~ fluently! English is always among those languages.One complaint I hear about the United States, over and over again,
"From the publisher ~ Fish Tree Tales"
More of Rokusan's lenses
- My Favorite Things about Christmas
- As soon as Halloween is over, I turn my thoughts to ... The Holidays. I love the entire season, from November 1st clear through to the first few days of January. There's lots to love ~ the clear cold weather, potential for snow, rosy cheeks, steamy hot food, lots of get-togethers, special....
- Losing Weight ~ Stage 3: Chaos
- This is my story about how, after trying everything that came along to lose weight, I finally discovered what works. My search began when I was only 12 years old, and here I am decades later, finally having success. Part of the success, I think, comes from having identified four stages....
- Great Ways to Learn Japanese
- People think Japanese is hard. And they're right... to a point. What lots of people don't realize is, there is a really easy way to learn some basic Japanese ~ enough to have simple conversations with people. You may not be able to read much, and you won't be talking about nuclear physics, but to....
- Memories of Daddy
- Daddy was a simple-living kind of man. He worked hard, being a dairy farmer who was up before the sun every morning, yet who stayed up to watch the news every night. He used to take what are now called 'power naps' right after lunch. Twenty minutes every afternoon, on the couch in the kitchen...
- Planting Trees and Other Ways to Help
- I just ran across this link online that allows me to 'plant' a tree on my website, and for every tree I virtually plant, they'll plant a real one. Isn't that cool? Check it out! Every Day is Earth Day. But it's not just planting trees ~ it's a whole mind-set, a lifestyle. Earth Day is nice, but we can...
Have you lived abroad?
Japan, Italy, Nigeria, Spain ~ anywhere not your native home
If you've lived in a foreign country, you know the joy and the frustration of being in unfamiliar territory. Whether it's the language, the food, or the daily habits of people, if it's not what you grew up with, there will be days that challenge even the staunchest expatriate spirit. Tell us about it!
|
qlcoach
Well crafted lens with the power of squidoo! Thanks for interacting at our publishing club. Also congrats on your book. Feel free to check out our book marketing lens too and join the debate: http://www.squidoo.com/book-marketing-eby Posted August 16, 2008 |
