Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and summer/winter break. I went up in the mountains, to Takayama in Gifu. One of my favorite places in Japan! It has a lovely historical town, plus nice onsen (hot springs) and snowy mountain peaks. And the food is amazing. I highly recommend a... Continue Reading →
HAPPY RELEASE DAY: ‘SOUTHEAST ASIAN FANTASY DRABBLES’!
It's here! I've really enjoyed putting together this second drabble anthology; some of the contributors are from Japanese Fantasy Drabbles, but the majority are new contributors and it's wonderful to feature the work of so many native Southeast Asian writers as well. SOUTHEAST ASIAN FANTASY DRABBLES This anthology includes 83 drabbles (100-word stories) inspired by... Continue Reading →
INS8 Excerpt #4: ‘Dream Sequence’ by John H. Dromey
This excerpt is from a story by John H. Dromey, who is also a contributor in both Japanese Fantasy Drabbles and the upcoming Southeast Asian Fantasy Drabbles (Out Sept 24th). And look out for his poetry during Horror Matsuri in October! 'DREAM SEQUENCE' BY JOHN H. DROMEY Excerpt: Hoshiko was a born dreamer. As she... Continue Reading →
INS8 Excerpt #3: ‘Waiting by the Otogawa River’ by Kelly Matsuura
Today's excerpt is from me, Kelly Matsuura! It's a little weird promoting as the editor and also being a contributor, but this particular anthology is special to me because I LOVE Japanese castles, plus I have 2 stories in this collection. I also have a story in Japanese Fantasy Stories called 'The Waiting World' that's... Continue Reading →
INS8 Excerpt #2: ‘King Anisika’ by Tetsuya Sato & Toshiya Kamei (translator)
This second excerpt from 'Castles & Kimono' is from Japanese SFF author, Tetsuya Sato. Translated by Toshiya Kamei, it's a traditional-style Japanese piece and I'm proud to include it in the anthology. There was a short write-up about Tetsuya's story on the Japanese site Virtual Gorilla Plus recently (in Japanese only): https://virtualgorillaplus.com/nobel/king-anisika-insignia/ 'KING... Continue Reading →
INS8 Excerpt #1: ‘Portal to Miyashita’ by Carmen Indalecio
As you might have noticed, I love sharing excerpts! Well, Insignia: Castles & Kimono was just released on Sep 27th, so I'd like to introduce the authors and share a few teasers from the wonderful Japanese fantasy stories in this collection. This first excerpt is from new contributor, Carmen Indalecio. She also has work featured... Continue Reading →
August News: Pre-order ‘Castles & Kimono’, new ‘Horror Matsuri’ call, & more!
Hi everyone, can I first say a quick THANK YOU to everyone who has been following/ tweeting/sharing all our recent releases and promotions across social media. Sales are up, engagements are up, and I'm super pumped (even during these terrible times). And I'd also like to welcome all new followers. I hope you're enjoying our... Continue Reading →
Happy Release Day: ‘Insignia 2020’!
Insignia 2020: Best Asian Speculative Fiction features 9 short stories set in Japan, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, and India, as well as 6 Chinese fantasy poems (by Mary Soon Lee). This collection of reprinted works comes from familiar Insignia Series authors, new Insignia Drabbles authors, and first-time contributors, Tutu Dutta and Sayo Onoda. Special thanks (always!) goes to Toshiya Kamei... Continue Reading →
Coming Soon! Insignia Books in Progress
Hey, how's everyone going? I've had my ups and downs during Lockdown, but Insignia projects are giving me a reason to get out of bed and get busy every day! I actually have THREE new anthologies in production: a second drabbles anthology; a new Insignia Series (Vol.8.) short story anthology; and a reprint collection for... Continue Reading →
HAPPY RELEASE DAY! ‘Insignia: Asian Birds & Beasts’ (Vol. 6.)
Cheers to our second anthology release this summer! In this volume you'll find an array of animal shifters, magical creatures, gods, and spirits. Story settings include: India, Japan, Cambodia, China, and outer-space! ASIAN BIRDS & BEASTS INSIGNIA VOL. 6. includes 8 short stories with Asian characters, settings, and magical creatures. CONTENTS ‘Reborn’ by Nidhi... Continue Reading →