I have two very important things to share with you.
First, some of my writing appears in the above anthology, which is available now on Amazon and published by the very nice people at Camphor Press.
Second — and of far greater importance — after years of writing/typing under the pen/keyboard name of Muzuhashi, I can reveal for the first time on these pages that my real name is Tom Gibb.
Just to set the record straight, I am not, as far as I know, related to the Bee Gees, nor am I the Tom Gibb who works for the BBC and wrote a book about Fidel Castro (lovely fellow though I am sure he is).
Camphor contacted me out of the blue last autumn and asked if I would be interested in contributing to the anthology. They are also guiding me through the process of turning Gaijin on a Push Bike into a full-length travel book.
As some of you will remember, I posted GOAPB on Muzuhashi a few years ago and so as not to spoil the fun, have now un-posted it. The very tentative date for inflicting it on the world in its printed and Kindlified form is the summer of 2021, although the way things are currently progressing — steadily and successfully, but slowly — that deadline may prove over-optimistic.
If you do decide to buy Inaka (you are going to buy it, aren’t you? I thought so!), a glowing review on Amazon or Good Reads — or if you prefer, in a national newspaper or popular magazine — will be much appreciated.
Finally, thank you all for visiting and reading this blog over the years — particularly since I took a break from it for so long — and if anyone out there is an aspiring writer, my experience with Camphor proves that starting a blog is worth the effort. While it may feel as if you exist on the distant, unfrequented fringes of the internet, with a lot of hard work and a little luck, doing so can lead to bigger things.
Fantastic, well done Tom-san. I look forward to reading it.
Tom,
I’ve just finished reading Inaka and loved your two stories, especially the second one as I’m not in that “Russian island of Sakhalin”.
Sorry, there was a typo in my previous comment (I’m not a frequent user of a comment box). I meant “now”
Hello there Tanya
Thank you very much for visiting this blog and for taking the time to comment.
I’m so happy to hear that someone out there has read “Inaka” and intrigued by the fact that you’re in Sakhalin.
If you’re blogging or writing about it anywhere, do let me know as I would love to find out more. (All I can imagine is that at this time of the year it must be extremely cold…)
Just ordered it! Podcast connections!
Thanks, Ollie – hope you enjoy it!
Hi Tom,
My son sent me the book Inaka for Christmas.
It was wonderfully written and enthralling to read.
It offers up a wealth of interesting history, personal experiences and wonderful insight into old traditions and changes happening in rural Japan.
I was happy when your name came up with a second short story. I so enjoyed your first.
Having been to Japan numerous times Hokkaido and also Ibaraki are places I haven’t visited but would like to. Thank you!
Good Luck with your future endeavours!
Hello and thank you ever so much for your comment. I’m really glad to know that people out there are reading the book, and to get some positive feedback – particularly from a total stranger! I will let the book’s editor, John Ross, know, as I’m sure that he, too, will be pleased to hear that readers are enjoying it. If you ever come to Ibaraki, feel free to drop me a line and I’ll recommend some interesting places to visit!