This week on YouTube I did a deep dive into the shapeshifting cats of Old Japan. I mean, I did a lot of research into Japanese folklore for the Yamada Monogatari series and I couldn’t use all of it at the time. Waste Not, Want Not!
The above image isYamada Monogatari: Troubled Spirits sitting at #15 in the Fantasy Anthologies & Short Stories category on Azon last night, just behind Brandon Sanderson. It was top 100 in a few other categories at the time. It’s since dropped a few points to #28, but still top 100.
Not too shabby. Thanks to everyone who made it happen!
Today the paperback proof copy of Troubled Spirits arrived, just in time for Halloween. I was fairly certain I’d gotten the book into presentable form as an actual, physical object, and so far I haven’t found any egregious errors. I did have some concerns about the gutter margins, but they look fine.
Frankly, I’m amazed to get it right the first time. Regardless, and unless I stumble upon something awful, the pb should be available within a few hours. I’ll include the link once I have one.
Yesterday First Reader and I went to cast our early votes. It was a Sunday, and according to the poll workers, they had been busy. I’ll take that as a good sign.
And we’re now live! Links below:
Now that the contracts are signed I see no reason to keep anything secret. Paula Guran has picked up “The Fox’s Daughter” from Beneath Ceaseless Skies #344 for the first issue of her new Year’s Best Fantasy series from Pyr Books. It’s nice to be working with Paula again. She was my line/copy editor for most of the Yamada Monogatari series when I was with Prime Books.
There have been a lot of YBF series over the years, and I’ve managed to appear in a few, but this is the first in a while. I remember the David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer Year’s Bests fondly, so it’s great to see a new one getting started. I’ll put up links as soon as Paula’s is out and I hope it does well. The field always benefits from a diversity of sources.
What is probably/maybe/I’m not really sure next to last Yamada story, “The Fox’s Daughter,” will go live at Beneath Ceaseless Skies on December 2nd. At which time this link which now points to issue #343 will show the first December issue which is #344. There is one more Yamada already written after this one, but I’m saving it for the eventual new Yamada collection which I am tentatively scheduling for December of next year.
“So whatsamaddawidyou? Can’t you just keep writing Yamada stories if you want to?”
It doesn’t work that way, at least not for me. The Yamada series always had a story arc, completed with The Emperor in Shadow. Frankly, the last few Yamada stories in BCS were a surprise to me. In hindsight, I was tidying up. That, I believe, is done now.
And, yes, I’ve been wrong before.
I’m not happy about it, but I do believe it’s the right thing to do, and will hold this truth come what may.
Unless another Yamada story kicks me in the butt. Never say never.
Richard Parks 