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An Attitude of Gratitude

Hey all, welcome back. Has it been a week already?

Speaking of a week, the Aurora Awards voting closes on September 4, 2021 (in just over a week at the time this has been posted). For those of you who may not be aware, I have had the honour of once again being nominated for an Aurora Award this time for my short story “Breathe” which was published in Prairie Soul Press’ anthology entitled “Prairie Gothic” (which has also been nominated for an Aurora Award for Best Related Work). There are so many great nominees this year including “Grass Gods,” another short story in Prairie Gothic.

The other times I have been nominated for an Aurora Award was in 2013 for my editing skills as co-editor for that labour of love, Shanghai Steam and in 2018 my short story entitled “Rose’s Arm” published in Laksa Media’s “Where the Stars Rise.”

I am humbled and grateful that my stories are touching people and that my writing peers feel my work is good enough to be nominated and to make the short list as best speculative short fiction in Canada. There are so many other speculative fiction writers writing their hearts out who never get nominated. Even once. The feeling of validation can be overwhelming at times.

Writing is a solitary and sometimes lonely avocation. So when we see an author’s name on the cover of a book, it is easy to make the assumption that the novel was written and came out whole cloth from the writer’s mind and dumped onto the page. A quick perusal through the front pages quickly dispels that idea. Usually there is a dedication page wherein the author thanks all the people who have assisted in the writing of that project.

However, for short stories, there is little or no dedication page in anthologies except for the editors. So short story authors never get to thank anyone unless they win and give an acceptance speech.

So I thought I’d rectify that. I haven’t won the Aurora Award yet and even if I don’t win, the people who helped and supported me should not remain anonymous.

So here are the people I want to thank.

First, I want to thank Jennifer Cheung, my partner in life, for all her love and support all these years. Without her, I could not have the long stretches of time to let my mind wander through imaginary worlds.

I also want to thank my sons, Kiyoshi and Toshiro who keep me grounded and let me know what is really important in life and family.

Thank you to my parents who are my most outspoken critics but my biggest cheerleaders. Thanks for raising me, keeping me on the straight and narrow, and picking me up when I was down.

Thank you to the editors at Prairie Soul and Laksa Media. You have made this author’s ordinary words look fantastic.

Thank you to IFWA, the best writing group on the planet. You have all helped me grow as a writer whether through a critique, skills session, or generally sharing your knowledge. You all deserve recognition.

Thank you to the WWC which has made it possible to allow me to give something back to the writing community.

Thank you to all the editors and publishers who have accepted my work. You are the unsung heroes of the publishing world. You fight for our stories and mold our words from lumps of clay to works of art.

Thank you to the Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Association. Your hard work and dedication allows the Aurora Awards to exist.

Thank you to all those who nominated me for this or for previous works. Your validation is so important to an old curmudgeon like me.

And finally, thank you to everyone who has read my whimsical little tales. I am glad I have given some joy and wonder to you all. Without you, there would be no stories. There are so many people to thank for all the time, wisdom, and support I have received over the years. There are too many to count. But this is a good beginning.

So at this point in the blog post, there would normally be a call to action. I could ask that you go to the Prix-Aurora Award page, buy a membership (if you haven’t already), and vote for my story or the anthology it has been published in. You have until September 4, 2021.

Instead, I just want to thank you for reading this far into this post. It means a lot to me. It means that you have already discovered my writing and may be waiting for more.

So, time to get back to the writing so it may be possible that one day I might give this acceptance speech aloud or write that dedication page in that novel.

Thank you.


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This Little Doll of Mine…

Hey there. Welcome back. It’s been a while.

My Japanese Daruma Doll. Don’t know what it is? Read on and find out.

The 2021 When Words Collide Writers’ and Readers’ Festival is over for another year, and what a festival it was. It was, because of some pandemic which shall remain nameless, online again this year. The scramble to get Zoom Hosts lined up at the last minute was frantic, but somehow, Randy made it work. And indeed it turned out fantastic. Big shout out to everyone who volunteered as a Zoom Host or otherwise. It was a huge job. Without the volunteers, this festival would never get off the ground.

So, during the WWC, I got to be part of a panel entitled “Moments of Joy.” It was to launch Laksa Media’s newest anthology entitled Seasons Between Us where my story (written under the pseudonym C.J. Cheung) entitled “Clear Water” appeared. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Anyway, as typical for a Laksa Media launch, it was not a typical book launch. Each author who was present gave us their moment of joy. Here’s mine:

“I thought about this a lot, but I couldn’t come up with just one thing, one moment that I could point to and say “that is the moment of Joy” I wish to talk about. I could talk about my wedding day, a truly joyous day tinged with the sadness of my father’s passing less than a month earlier. I could talk about the birth of my sons, now both teenagers, and the feelings I had on that day. But for me, moments are ephemeral. They don’t last. They are fleeting.

Instead I chose to look at the journey: my journey as a writer, as an artist.

Of course, I didn’t start out as an artist.

When I was young, I was told I couldn’t become one. At that time, I wanted to pursue a career in acting, but everyone told me that was not the route I could go. I couldn’t earn a living as an actor. I was good, but there weren’t any roles for Chinese actors. So I chose to take my art underground: I did some theatre at University. I played role playing games. I LARPed. I went to law school (not only to please my parents, but because the thought of becoming a litigator and getting up in Court enthralled me. Of course, reality was much different than the fantasy and I soon realized the passion wasn’t there. I needed to live the life I wanted.

My father’s passing became my opportunity. It meant I had to relocate to Alberta. It meant I had to restart my life. And this time, I was determined to live as an artist. By this time, I had started writing. It wasn’t good, but I thought this was where I could go with my art and to my surprise, I found that people liked what they read.

It is often a truth in life that moments of sadness can lead to moments of joy. And my moment of Joy isn’t really a moment. It’s a life. Make no mistake, writing is hard and there are days it is difficult and I feel unmotivated. But this is where I want to be – what I want to be doing. The journey continues and I’m grateful to share this journey with all of you.”

So, to commemorate my future journey, I presented my Daruma Doll (pictured above) to the audience.

Anyone who knows what a Daruma Doll is, knows why the eye on it has been dotted. You see, in Japanese lore, each Daruma doll has the spirit of a Kami inside it. By dotting one eye, I have asked to make a request. If, over the next year I struggle and endeavour to make that wish come true, the Daruma Doll will grant that request. Well, I publicly announced what that request is at one of the panels entitled “Moments of Joy” (this was the Laksa Media launch of Seasons Between Us wherein my story, Clear Waters appears).

So my request? To finish drafting and revising my third novel (at the very least – there might be more – including a novel with certain Jiangshi in them) by the time the next WWC rolls around. A tall order I know, but if I get it completed, I will complete the Daruma Doll’s ritual and dot the other eye thereby granting the Kami of the Daruma Doll full sight. I can then set the Kami free (how you ask? Well that is a story for another time).

Wish me luck.

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Phase IV? I’m IN

A Breathe In, Breathe Out Post

Coming February 12, 2021.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) just announced it’s Phase IV lineup. I wouldn’t normally talk about it, but I’m really excited for one of their projects (okay, I like most of the movie ones – but this one, I’m really excited for): Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

I’ll admit that I was never all that excited about martial arts movies or comics as a kid and I pretty well stayed away from them. I didn’t get the appeal of Bruce Lee, didn’t start watching Jackie Chan until I was well into my 20s, and the likes of Shang Chi, Master of Kung Fu just didn’t interest me.

So why now? Well, first, it’s the MCU. They’ve earned my money and respect. They’ve put my childhood on the big screen and I like almost everything they put up on it. So I have a lot of confidence that this movie will be done right. And the casting is off to a great start. Simu Liu will star as Shang Chi and the movie co-stars Awkwafina and Tony freakin’ Leung as the Mandarin. The REAL Mandarin. Not that fake one from Iron Man 3.

And second, it’s another movie with Asian actors on screen in leading roles. And that’s my jam. Stories set in Asia with Asian characters. Of course I’m excited. I write this stuff.

Can’t wait. I’ll keep you posted. February 12, 2021 can’t get here soon enough.

Personal Update

The writing never ends. This past few weeks, I’ve been mentoring several writers online. It’s something I never thought I would do, but joining a few Facebook groups dedicated to writing and helping other writers has opened up the opportunity.

I am starting my outline for a novel. It is still in the planning stages and I’ll have more for you when I get something more solid. Right now, all I can say is that it involves Yokai. And steampunk.

Ghost　from　a　lamp　by　Kunisada | by timtak

Speaking of Yokai, I got yet another idea for a story. I don’t know if it is a short story or a longer piece, but I cannot see it becoming a novel. It has been on my mind lately, so I thought I’d share it with you. My main character exorcises apartments and other places haunted by Yūrei, Japanese ghosts. Doesn’t sound too original, does it? The twist is that he is a real estate agent who specializes in cleaning and then flipping “stigmatized” properties – properties that have have dead bodies found in them. How the people died is irrelevant. It could be murder, suicide, or natural causes. Whatever the cause, he cleans them out. Sound gruesome? Yeah, I thought so too. Yet I can’t get it out of my head. I’ll let you know when I finish it.

Schedule for When Words Collide

When Words Collide is only a few weeks away and oh, man do I have a busy schedule. If you wish to find me, here is a list of panels I’ll be on during the festival:

The Stories We Hide (Friday 5 PM – Fireside )
Join the editors and authors of this year’s Enigma Front anthology. I am one of the authors in this year’s anthology. My story is entitled “I Travelled the World Between.”

How to Write for Roleplay Game Companies (Friday 9 PM – Canmore )
Which are the A-list RPG companies you want to write for? What makes one better than the others? What are they looking for? How familiar do you need to be with their worlds and rules? Must you stick to their Bible, or can you bring in your own creative ideas?

Living in a Multi-Cultural World (Saturday 11 AM – Bonavista )
We live in a world made up of peoples of diverse races, ethnicities, and cultures. Yet, as readers and writers, we often forget that we live in such a world. Panellists will discuss their experiences living as an ethnic minority in North America. Panellists may also have suggestions on further reading, favourite authors, and tips on writing characters who are persons of colour. Come with your questions and an open mind.

East and West: How Our Mindset Changes the Way We Tell Stories
(Sunday 10 AM – Parkland )
If you’ve read manga, watched K-drama, or enjoyed a Kurosawa film, you may have noticed eastern storytelling often differs from western. Why aren’t the protagonists protag-ing? Why aren’t characters standing up for themselves? Why are there more than three acts? Join us to explore Asian storytelling, an ancient structure with millions of fans, as we discuss style differences, cultural shaping of art, and how you can use these tools to make your own work stronger.

#ownvoices: How Diversity is Taking the Writing World by Storm
(Sunday 2 PM – Canmore )
#ownvoices is a movement that encourages diverse writers to include the lived experiences of their community in their stories. Why has this trend taken off, and why is it good for the literary world?

Hope to see you all at the festival.