ANNOUNCEMENT

NEW SUN RISING: STORIES FOR JAPAN – an anthology

I remember when the call went out asking writers to submit work for an anthology to raise money to help in Japan after the disaster. I remember the shock of the tragedy and the wanting to do something, anything. I remember one call in particular which gave a list of the things still missing from the proposed anthology that they would like to see included. On that list it said they wanted schoolgirls and mythology and in that was the seed of my story ‘Kimika and the Ants’.

It’s been an e-book for a wee while and on 16^th November it’s to be a hold-in-your-hands physical paper-and-print book.

I saw a tv programme recently – well a snatched bit of a programme… something about the millions promised by the Japanese government to help rebuild the worst hit areas not having reached the stricken communities and no new buildings yet to replace what had been so dramatically wiped away. There were pictures of the places where the tsunami had struck hardest and they were no less desperate in their appearance today than they had been over 18 months ago.

What this says is that help is still needed… as it is in so many places in the world… so why give here? I have no particular drum to beat with Japan; the family of a close colleague live there and that’s all the bridge that I have. I do not think you have to give here specifically; I give everywhere and I simply urge you to give too – and I expect that you do. But if you are looking for an interesting Christmas present to buy and to give, then this anthology can’t be bad… and you’d be giving twice: once of the book and once of your money which will go to help those still in need in Japan.

I wish you well and wish everyone everywhere well.