Fourteen-year-old Miya Skippingbird, aka Mega Miya, knows all about middle school struggles. She wants the perfect horse that will win every time so the rodeo kids will notice her in a good way and maybe even like her. However, Miya's hope is shattered when her "Dream" turns out to be a stubborn paint mare who has no interest in running, much less winning a barrel race. "She's the fattest horse I've ever seen. Yeah, she's stubborn. She wouldn't move. First, she was so barn-sour she acted like she couldn't gather up enough strength to leave that end of the arena. Then, no matter how hard I kicked her, she barely trotted. To top it off, when I asked her to lope, she tried to kill me. So, there you have it. She's not a dream. She's my worst nightmare." Can Miya overcome the viral videos and humiliation? Can she face her nightmares and stand up? Can she move forward? Take a chance? Sometimes you might win something unexpected. . . .
2023 Ontario Author Project Winner in Adult Fiction Rich with folklore and paranormal intrigue, The Hollow Gods is an atmospheric supernatural thriller that will satisfy lovers of Hannah Whitten's FOR THE WOLF, especially those craving a fable with a darker touch. hr Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret. For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker—an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women into the woods and possess them. Yet the boundary between fact and fable is blurred by a troubling statistic: occasionally, women do go missing. And after they return, they almost always end up dead. When Kai wakes up next to the lifeless body of a recently missing girl, his memory blank, he struggles to clear his already threadbare conscience. Miya, a floundering university student, experiences signs that she may be the Dreamwalker's next victim. Can she trust Kai as their paths collide, or does he herald her demise? And after losing a young patient, crestfallen oncologist, Mason, embarks on a quest to debunk the town's superstitions, only to find his sanity tested. A maelstrom of ancient grudges, forgotten traumas, and deadly secrets loom in the foggy forests of Black Hollow. Can three unlikely heroes put aside their fears and unite to confront a centuries-old evil? Will they uncover the truth behind the fable, or will the cycle repeat? "The writing sizzles with menace, and the dark mythology A.J. Vrana weaves from dreams and nightmares is unlike any I've ever encountered, in and out of books." – Katya de Becerra, author of OASIS and WHAT THE WOODS KEEP "Utterly consuming with palpable emotion, an engaging mystery, and absolutely delicious tension, this is one that lingers after you’ve turned the final page, an itch that needs to be scratched." – Verified Reviewer "I would highly recommend this book for anyone with interest in folklore, magical realism, and a dark touch of horror. An absolutely stunning debut from this author. I have pre-ordered my own copy of the book, and I am very much looking forward to the second book in The Chaos Cycle." – Verified Reviewer "The Hollow Gods is a striking debut about guilt, grief, and how the past sometimes finds a way to come back to haunt us. The roots of this story will be familiar to those who enjoy reading about fairytales and folklore, but Vrana has added her own touch to the genre that allows this novel to hold its own against the greats." – Verified Reviewer "A gem of a book. Can’t wait for the next one." – Verified Reviewer "Vrana crafts a unique local mythology and draws from existing lore to create a sense of creeping dread." – Publisher’s Weekly hr The Chaos Cycle Duology is best enjoyed in this order: Book 1: The Hollow Gods Book 2: The Echoed Realm
"Wildblood is a blood-thirsty, gritty urban adventure with a main character who can step on me whenever he wants." - Stacey McEwan, author of The Glacian Trilogy The Witcher meets October Daye with a splash of John Wick in this dark, gritty, and sexy urban fantasy-noir. hr Kai Donovan has always had sharp teeth. Earning his keep as an underground fighter in South Boston, he revels in well-earned notoriety. Wild. Irreverent. Vicious. His secret: he’s the monster from a fable. But when Kai loses a match against a mysterious opponent whose ferocity rivals his own, he finds himself beholden to the underworld. What he owes isn’t money, but the recovery of an elusive prize coveted by the city’s most dangerous criminals. His partner Miya—burdened with the ability to traverse dreams—spends her days investigating supernatural phenomena. When she receives a shadowy proposal to find a missing teenager, she’s confronted with the possibility that another like her exists. As Kai and Miya chase ghosts, the threads of their pursuits weave into a menacing tapestry. Kai’s dark past returns to haunt him, threatening the bonds he believed to be ironclad. Unhealed wounds fester as he’s faced with a ruinous choice: unravel his blood-soaked history or lose himself and the life he’s scavenged together. Bare your teeth. The nightmares are at your door. hr Wildblood is a companion novel to The Chaos Cycle Duology. It can be enjoyed as a standalone, though familiarity with the duology may enrich reader experience.
Japan and the Specter of Imperialism examines competing Japanese responses to the late nineteenth century unequal treaty regime as a confrontation with liberal imperialism, including the culture and gender politics of US territorial expansion into the Pacific.
Considered by many to be the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu is a masterpiece of narrative fiction rich in plot, character development, and compositional detail. The tale, written by a woman in service to Japan's imperial court in the early eleventh century, portrays a world of extraordinary romance, lyric beauty, and human vulnerability. Appraising Genji is the first work to bring the rich field of Genji reception to the attention of an English-language audience. Patrick W. Caddeau traces the tale's place in Japanese culture through diaries, critical treatises, newspaper accounts, cinematic adaptation, and modern stage productions. The centerpiece of this study is a treatise on Genji by Hagiwara Hiromichi (1815–1863), one of the most astute readers of the tale who, after becoming a masterless samurai, embarked on a massive study of Genji. Hiromichi challenged dominant modes of literary interpretation and cherished beliefs about the supremacy of the nation's aristocratic culture. In so doing, he inspired literary critics and authors as they struggled to articulate theories of fiction and the novel in early modern Japan. Appraising Genji promises to enhance our understanding of one of the greatest literary classics in terms of intellectual history, literary criticism, and the quest of scholars in early modern Japan to define their nation's place in the world.
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Poet, Zen Buddhist priest, renowned thinker, and seller of tea — Baisao was all of these things, as well as being a bit of an eccentric. Known to carry large wicker baskets filled with tea utensils through the streets and surrounding hills of Japan's capital, Baisao set up shop wherever he ended up and brewed tea for those who came to enjoy the scenery with him. Establishing a quiet, simple life, Baisao spent his final years composing poetry, brewing tea, and teaching Zen, in the process becoming a well–loved figure. These poems, memoirs, and letters tell us more about this endearing person and trace his long life's profound spiritual journey. This comprehensive translation includes nearly all of Baisao's writings, giving us a deep look at this remarkable man.
