Given that you live in New York, could you explain why you want to belong to Writers in Kyoto?
I have visited Kyoto several times since my son made it his home. In that time, I have found an unusual connection to the city that isn’t explained only by my connection to him. When I visit, besides the joy of being in an exciting and beautiful place, I experience a peacefulness that I believe is innate to the city. Even with the increased tourism, there remains a sense of tranquility. I miss the city when I am not there, and when I am in Kyoto, I feel like I belong.
That famous Japanese paradox, especially noticeable in Kyoto, of celebrating the traditional while indulging in modernity, is such a rich resource for story writers. I have written short stories set in Japan with many more on the back burner.
I intend to make my visits to Kyoto more frequent and lengthier. I am looking to have a connection to the city beyond my son’s very busy life. Being a part of WiK is a wonderful way for me to have my own community.
Your son is apparently engaged with media production in Kyoto. Could you tell us more about that?
I’d love to! Alessandro is a director, producer, and digital artist. He creates traditional and 3D media for cultural preservation/promotion of Kyoto traditions and artistry for local and international audiences. Some of his more prominent projects include partnerships creating 3D content for Gion Matsuri, Furoshiki Paris, and exhibiting Kyoto culture with Virtual Reality at the Grammy Awards. Most recently he is a member of SKYART, a subsidiary of Kawasaki Kikai. I am very proud of him and the niche he has made for himself as a foreign artist breaking into the Japanese market.
For a long time you wrote secretly but only recently after turning 50 decided to go public. Why was that?
My personal story doesn’t start in the same way as many other writers. I wasn’t writing from an early age and submitting to story contests. I didn’t get degrees in Creative Writing or English. But at the same time, since I felt these credentials were necessary to claim the title of writer, I always remained under-confident. I wrote but I never did anything with my writing and I certainly didn’t want to share with anyone my pipe dream of being a published writer. I suffered from imposter syndrome. Luckily, my confidence grew as I aged, and seven years ago my husband Denis and I (semi-)retired. We moved to the countryside with the intention that I would write seriously and pursue publication. It was a big step for me since I had never taken the small steps that many writers take. At a certain age, I guess I felt that I had the right to assert my dreams and try them out and hopefully not fall on my face.
Some members of WiK might well want to emulate your success. What advice would you have for them?
Besides finding a supportive community, which you all have here with WiK, I would say networking was the most important thing I did to promote my writing. By attending writer conferences and other events I met accomplished authors I admired, I met struggling new writers who helped me understand I wasn’t alone, I found Beta readers and critique partners, and I had the opportunity to pitch to agents and publishers. Becoming a part of the writing community allowed me to believe getting published was just a matter of time and gave me the tools and the confidence to pursue it.
You have won competitions for flash fiction. Could you comment on our Short Shorts competition and how it differs from those you are used to (please see for example this year’s winner, https://archived.writersinkyoto.com/2020/06/wik-competition-2020-first-prize/)?
Your competition is most noticeably different in that you give few guidelines. You accept all types of writing in the same competition. I have found that prose, poetry, essays etc are generally separated into different competition categories. But it is the writer’s ability to capture the essence of Kyoto that you seek, regardless of form. The lack of prompt and strict guidelines must make it hard for the judges, but at the same time it is obvious that you know what you are looking for when you see it. The three winning pieces from this year are so effectively evocative of Kyoto – all beautiful, all winners.
You write in three different genres, novels, short fiction and flash fiction. How do you feel about the differences between them, and which is your favourite?
This is an impossible question. When I’m working on a novel, the characters, the long story arcs and sub-arcs draw me in and keep my mind churning. Once I delve into the world, I have trouble stepping out.
The challenge of writing a flash fiction nugget that imparts everything is intoxicating. Once I start, I can’t stop until I have something viable to refine. Sometimes the story I want to tell can’t work as flash so I turn it into a short story. But when I succeed at a good piece of flash, I am particularly proud of myself. I feel as if I discovered or rather uncovered something.
If I had to choose, I have a love affair with the short story. It’s the perfect storytelling length. I write until I’m done and I find most of my stories run about a similar size
From your experiences with literary matters and publishing in the USA, do you feel optimistic or pessimistic about the future from the viewpoint of authors?
I am feeling optimistic. Smaller presses are popping up everywhere. The internet has made community much easier to sustain, and along with it, support, promotion etc. When I entered the field I wasn’t as optimistic. As far as I could tell there were just a few big publishing houses and no way to gain access. But as I researched, I realized that there are plenty of publication avenues.
I also learned about the power of the internet to reach readers and publication opportunities. For example, I started writing short stories and flash between finishing my first novel and getting up the nerve to find a publisher. I found it easy to locate short fiction competitions and to stay in touch with the community of writers pursuing these competitions.
I am happily discovering that smaller presses are more willing to accept your work as it exists, less interested in fitting you into a tried and true box that they know will sell. It seems that smaller publishers are in it for the long haul with their writers, it’s not as necessary to make a bang right out of the box. Overall, I think there is room for all of us.
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