Remembering Japan 1945 – 1946: Chapter Eleven: Madame Butterfly

From October 1945 to June 1946 my father, a Navy signalman, was stationed in Japan  at Toriga-saki by the town of Kamoi, at the entrance to Tokyo Bay. He was then nineteen years old, a young Danish-American man from rural Oregon. The experience made a profound impression on him and he spoke of it often.

 

In Chapter Eleven, he recounts the story of a young Japanese woman that left a deep impression on him.

 

Chapter Eleven: Madame Butterfly

Chapter Ten: Japanese Hot Tub

Chapter Nine: A Social Call

Chapter Eight:The Cold War Begins?

Chapter Seven: The Toriga Saki Fleet

Chapter Six: General Douglas MacArthur

Chapter Five: Japanese Signalmen

Chapter Four: Work and Play

Chapter Three: Kamoi

Chapter Two: Harbor Entrance Control Post Toriga Saki, Tokyo Bay

Chapter One: The Sea Devil to Japan.

Introduction can be read here.

Kirkus Reviews on COURT OF FIVES

A rendition of the library at Alexandria (although I have my doubts about the terrain).

 

A very positive review for COURT OF FIVES (August 2015) at Kirkus Reviews.

If you don’t like spoilers of any kind, don’t read it as most of the review synopsizes the plot. (Why? WHY???)  I hasten to add there is nothing wrong with how the synopsis is written; it just reveals much of the plot, which perhaps is part of the point of a review journal aimed toward people buying books for schools, libraries, and stores who don’t have time to read everything new.

The last two lines are gold, and I’m very chuffed indeed:

This series opener, the auspicious teen debut of a seasoned author of adult fantasy and World Fantasy Award finalist, features a gripping, original plot; vivid, complicated characters; and layered, convincingly detailed worldbuilding.

A compelling look at racial and social identity wrapped in a page-turning adventure.

Remembering Japan: 1945 – 1946: Chapter Ten: Japanese Hot Tub

From October 1945 to June 1946 my father, a Navy signalman, was stationed in Japan  at Toriga-saki by the town of Kamoi, at the entrance to Tokyo Bay. He was then nineteen years old, a young Danish-American man from rural Oregon. The experience made a profound impression on him and he spoke of it often.

 

In Chapter Ten, the American sailors get a quiet lesson in how to bathe properly.

 

Chapter Ten: Japanese Hot Tub

Chapter Nine: A Social Call

Chapter Eight:The Cold War Begins?

Chapter Seven: The Toriga Saki Fleet

Chapter Six: General Douglas MacArthur

Chapter Five: Japanese Signalmen

Chapter Four: Work and Play

Chapter Three: Kamoi

Chapter Two: Harbor Entrance Control Post Toriga Saki, Tokyo Bay

Chapter One: The Sea Devil to Japan.

Introduction can be read here.

 

 

COURT OF FIVES giveaway

It’s that time. The long wait has been whittled down to a mere 4 months (okay, that still seems like a long time to me, but less than 12 months, all right?)

SO: I am giving away TWO COPIES of the ARC for COURT OF FIVES (publication date 18 August 2015). (ETA TWO copies)

 

Elliott_CourtOfFives_web

 

Little, Brown Books for Young Reader says: “In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott’s first young adult novel weaves an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.”

I say: This book was inspired by Little Women, Sasuke/American Ninja Warrior, the Count of Monte Cristo, and Greco-Roman Egypt, and is also my love letter to girls who play sports.

But don’t take my word for it:

“Kate Elliott’s magic and mastery is better than ever. Court of Fives enchanted me from start to finish, with characters and worlds that lingered long after I turned the final page.” —Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series and the Young Elites series

“Haunting. Epic. Impassioned. Layered. Breathtaking. This isn’t just a novel; it is a coup d’état of the soul. Prepare to be ravished by Kate Elliott’s Court of Fives.”Ann Aguirre, New York Times bestselling author of the Razorland trilogy

“Fast-paced, tense, and riveting. I couldn’t put it down, and you won’t be able to either!”Tamora Pierce, author of the Tortall series and the Circle of Magic series

“This book is amazing. Kate Elliott combines everything I love best in a YA novel. Jes is a killer protagonist, tough and capable, but also lost in her upbringing and faced with impossible choices that test her character and her beliefs…. This book will not fail you.”Gail Carriger, New York Times bestselling author of the Parasol Protectorate series and the Finishing School series

 

To ENTER:

1. Tell me (in comments) why I should pick you to read it! Your answer can be short, long, funny, serious, both, neither, can include a gif or be a gif or art or music or merely text. “I’m so looking forward to it!” is just as acceptable as a 1000 word discussion of whether Cat Barahal prefers pie or cake. I’m drawing the winner randomly regardless. I just need to make you work for it.

2. Domestic USA and International entries welcome. World-wide, because I love and appreciate all my readers and I know you are everywhere.

ETA: LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE USA or INT’L, please (some of the early comments haven’t see this ETA–let me know if you see this later, thanks!)

3. Contest open from 15 April to 25 April, midnight USA Pacific Time (using that instead of Hawaii time because I don’t stay up until midnight)

 

As of April 20 you can also bid on an ARC at Con or Bust, a fundraiser to help fans of color attend sff conventions.

 

 

ETA: A copy is going out to winner Barbara M today (international!). The second winner hasn’t yet replied to my email so . . . I’m giving it two more days.

Remembering Japan: 1945-1946: Chapter Nine: A Social Call

From October 1945 to June 1946 my father, a Navy signalman, was stationed in Japan  at Toriga-saki by the town of Kamoi, at the entrance to Tokyo Bay. He was then nineteen years old, a young Danish-American man from rural Oregon. The experience made a profound impression on him and he spoke of it often.

Chapter Nine contains the most often-told — and our favorite — story. Naturally it is a humorous one.

 

Chapter Nine: A Social Call

Chapter Eight:The Cold War Begins?

Chapter Seven: The Toriga Saki Fleet

Chapter Six: General Douglas MacArthur

Chapter Five: Japanese Signalmen

Chapter Four: Work and Play

Chapter Three: Kamoi

Chapter Two: Harbor Entrance Control Post Toriga Saki, Tokyo Bay

Chapter One: The Sea Devil to Japan.

Introduction can be read here.

April 2015 Lightspeed Magazine includes a Crossroads Trilogy story

My story “On the Dying Winds of the Old Year, On the Birthing Winds of the New” appears in the April 2015 Lightspeed Magazine as part of the exclusive print/ebook content (as opposed to the free online content).

“On the Dying Winds of the Old Year, On the Birthing Winds of the New” stands alone, but will be of particular interest to people who have read the Crossroads Trilogy since it is written by the point of view of Mai, some years after the end of the trilogy.

 

http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/wp-content/files_mf/lightspeed_59_april_2015.jpg

 

You can find the Table of Contents and more information here.

Remembering Japan: 1945 – 1946: Chapter Eight: The Cold War Begins?

From October 1945 to June 1946 my father, a Navy signalman, was stationed in Japan  at Toriga-saki by the town of Kamoi, at the entrance to Tokyo Bay. He was then nineteen years old, a young Danish-American man from rural Oregon. The experience made a profound impression on him and he spoke of it often.

In Chapter Eight, an unusual ship encounter at the harbor entrance, and a flaming redhead to which the young sailors respond in completely predictable fashion.

 

Chapter Eight:The Cold War Begins?

Chapter Seven: The Toriga Saki Fleet

Chapter Six: General Douglas MacArthur

Chapter Five: Japanese Signalmen

Chapter Four: Work and Play

Chapter Three: Kamoi

Chapter Two: Harbor Entrance Control Post Toriga Saki, Tokyo Bay

Chapter One: The Sea Devil to Japan.

Introduction can be read here.