Current Projects
Aside from freelance editing, I'm also an author. The following are
projects that I have completed and/or started on the next book in
their respective series.
Shrine of Unanswered Prayers
Atheist Hinako doesn’t believe in gods. If they were real, they would’ve prevented her parents’ murder. So when she meets Aoi, who claims to be the god of unanswered prayers, she laughs him off. Her haughty, blatant disrespect for deities, however, enrages Aoi, who follows Hinako home and whisks her off to his shrine.
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As she attempts to flee she’s attacked by demons. Desperate for help, she strikes a deal with Aoi: in exchange for sparing her life, she agrees to assist him in granting the people of Japan their deepest desires -- forever.
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Though Hinako’s out of danger, she’s now bound to Aoi for eternity. Her only hope of returning to the Human Realm is to fully embrace the existence of the gods that failed her. Yet, the deeper she dives into the world of the spirits, the more she learns what really happened those years ago. Now Hinako must choose: hang on to the skepticism that’s kept her safe, or surrender to the spirits and uncover the truth of her parents’ murder.
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This YA novel is perfect for fans of devious yokai and folklore like in Red Winter by Annette Marie, and the quirky, loveable characters in Studio Ghibli films.
YA Japanese Folklore
Recommended for ages 12+
Once the Lights Go Out
Never go beyond the hedges. Never interact with the neighbors. Never go outside after curfew. For seventeen years, Leon has abided by the rules of the State, set in motion to keep the occupants of Zhang safe. For seventeen years, he's strived to be the perfect son and the perfect older brother.
That is, until he observes a gaunt, malformed creature in his backyard. Skulkers, as Leon names them, only appear at night, patrolling the grounds. With monstrous height and shadow-like bodies, Leon can't help but want to investigate. When he sneaks out, however, carving a hole into the hedges for stakeouts, he stumbles upon the one thing he didn't expect: Marshall, the handsome, jaded boy next door. In order to keep his rule breaking a secret from his parents and the State, Leon agrees to do anything in return for his silence.
The longer they spend together, gathering intel on Skulkers and the State, the more they realize they have the same goal: escape. Going beyond the hedges means death, but Marshall and Leon are willing to risk everything for the possibility of answers and a better life.
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This YA novel is perfect for fans of dystopian worlds like in Maze Runner by James Dashner and the sweet romance in Matched by Ali Condie.
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YA LGBT Dystopian
Recommended for ages 12+
NA Romantic Thriller
Recommended for ages 15+
Inmate #9
For most people, prison is a nightmare. For snarky, biracial Kiri, however, it's an escape from homelessness. After a childhood of evading cops and scrounging to stay alive, she's determined to change her luck and find a permanent place to live. So, she crafts a plan: steal an expensive engagement ring, have the cops arrest her, and transfer to a notorious prison.
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At first, things go off without a hitch. She's granted a 12 year sentence at Anori Prison and put on a plane. She even keeps her expectations low: spartan cell, mediocre food, and endless boredom. When she arrives, however, she discovers that Anori is a wonderland of gourmet food, spacious rooms, and endless entertainment. There’s just one catch: all of Kiri’s cell mates are men. In fact, she’s the only female in the entire complex.
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Not everyone is keen about her presence, though, and it’s not long before the inmates send her a message: leave or die. While Kiri’s cellmates are tripping over themselves to win her affections, she'll have to fight for equality among the sexist inmates who are rallying to keep her out of their prison permanently.
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This novel is perfect for fans of the grittiness in Orange is the New Black and the real life hardships found in The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner.
Mistreated Souls
Seventeen-year-old Soul Nakamura hates living on a farm. He doesn't want to marry a nice girl and settle down, following in the footsteps of his four older brothers. All he wants is spend time painting kitsune and relaxing beneath the zelkova trees.
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His father, however, has other plans. With no use for a lazy son, he banishes Soul from the farm and sends him to work at a Shrine, hoping it will set Soul straight.
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But the road leading up the mountain is dangerous at night--creatures killing anyone who dares travel it alone. To make matters worse, Soul meets Shinohara, a temple apprentice, awakening his sexuality.
Between the monk's condemnation and the piercing screams that haunt the darkness, Soul's forced to choose between his passion, his family, or his first love.
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This YA novel is perfect for fans of gut-wrenching emotion like The Untamed thrown together with the supernatural elements of Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa.
YA Japanese Folklore
Recommended for ages 15+