Stories for Sendai Release

I’ve always had a soft spot for Japan, so when the earthquake, tsunami and subsequent disasters hit them, I really wanted to help. However, I was pretty much broke, and any contribution would have been, as put so nicely below, puny.

What really hit me was how the Japanese people reacted after the disaster. They didn’t run around, looting and pillaging. They moved in an orderly fashion, following the directions given. Really a great example to follow.

When J.C. announced the creation of Stories for Sendai, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. So I thought and thought, trying to come up with something. I think I wrote three stories before I got one that seemed right to me. I sent it in and waited.

I was really glad when I heard that my story had been accepted. This is my first published work, and I’m glad that it can be connected with such a noble effort.

Yesterday, Stories for Sendai was officially released. If you haven’t bought a copy yet, go over to Amazon (or whichever place also sells it; i.e. Take2 if you’re in South Africa) and get yourself one. You get 19 short stories and a poem, plus you get to help the people of Japan. A bargain if I ever saw one.

Anthology Information:
One of the largest earthquakes ever recorded hit the city of Sendai in the Tohoku region of Japan on Friday March 11. The magnitude 9.0 quake unleashed a deadly tsunami that slammed into Japan's east coast, leaving a swathe of devastation in its wake. Thousands of people lost their lives, and many are still missing or injured. Thousands more have been left homeless and destitute.
As a testament to the generosity of the world's citizens, emergency appeals have been swiftly set up in the aftermath of the quake, but I'm sure many of you, as we did, had the same thought: our donations seem so puny. There must be some other way we could make a difference!

With that in mind, Stories for Sendai was born!

Here’s a link to Amazon for the print and the Kindle editions.

Finally, there is even a prize draw!  Email a copy of your receipt to storiesforsendai (at) ymail (dot) com, and be entered for a draw for cool prizes! Here’s what’s on offer:

1 x $10 or £10 Amazon gift voucher

1 x First Chapter/Query/Synopsis Critique by Michelle Davidson Argyle!

2 x First Chapter / Query / Synopsis Critiques by J.C. Martin!

2 x e-book copies of CELESTIAL SEDUCTION by Jessica E. Subject, donated by author!

1 x ebook copy of MIDDLEWITCH MAYHEM by Heather Parker, donated by author!

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Stories for Sendai

Stories for Sendai is a collection of short stories and poems based loosely on the theme ‘strength of the human spirit’. All proceeds (minus the overhead costs as far as I’m aware) go to GlobalGiving, an organisation that has a part in aiding the victims of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan.

In addition to the monetary implications of the anthology, the stories and poems provide a message of strength in adversity. Hopefully, the positive message will help in a time of crisis.

Not only is this a great cause, if you buy it, you will also get a collection of short stories and poems by some great writers (see a complete list of them here). Plus, my story was accepted too, so if you ever wanted to read something I wrote, buy a copy of the anthology.

The Japanese are some pretty awesome folk. Do what you can to help them and buy a copy when it is (scheduled to be) published on 30 June this year. See the website for more information.

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Objects that Inspire : Origami Cranes

A crane is one of the mystical creatures of Japanese culture. It is said that a crane lives for a thousand years.

Origami (the art of paper folding) cranes have a special meaning to the people of Japan. It is said that the one who folds a thousand paper cranes can be granted his or her wish. The most famous example of this is Sadako Sasaki.

Sadako was a victim of radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and she was dying of leukaemia as a result. To prolong her life, she started folding cranes, hoping that she could wish for a recovery if she folded 1000 of them. Some sources say that she only folded 644 before she died, and her friends finished the rest and buried it with her. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum on the other hand, says that she actually completed all one thousand.

As a result of Sadako, the paper crane has become a symbol for world peace and people often give them to temples that burn eternal flames for world peace.

The thousand cranes also serve as gifts, for couples, marriages and family in general. By giving someone a thousand cranes, you are wishing them good fortune and happiness for a thousand years.

Paper cranes have huge cultural significance to the people of Japan and can breed all sorts of stories. The obvious one being the granting of a wish when one completes the feat of a thousand cranes. Sadako is also a great inspiration, especially the mystery about the amount of cranes she was able to finish. If she did fold a thousand cranes, maybe she wished for something else instead of getting better? The cranes can also be used as a symbol in a story, delivering a message otherwise not mentioned.

I specifically chose paper cranes for today’s post for the people of Japan that was hit by the tsunami. If you have the money for it, please donate some to help the victims of the disaster. If you don’t know where to go to do so, here is a link to Maureen Johnson’s page where you can donate for Shelterbox and even win prizes! LINK

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