Turning Japanese | Five Novels about Japan

I'm an avid reader and if I'm not too busy with creative projects or planning trips, I'm reading. Most of the time, reading is how I relax. I love the feeling of being able to forget all my stress and escape into another world. I noticed recently that most of the books I've been reading lately were somehow related to Japan. I think I subconsciously chose those books with the intention of hyping myself up for my trip. I wanted to share these books and a few other favorites. Even if you can't travel to Japan, you can still experience Japanese culture through these novels!

1. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
I feel a bit silly having this on the list because by now, everyone has at least heard of this book or film. This was probably one of the first books I read that was set in Japan. If you've never heard of the novel, it's the story of a young geisha in Kyoto during World War II. Before reading this book, I didn't know much about the world of the geisha. I knew it was very secretive and a very special. I always wondered what it was like to be a geisha. It's actually quite an interesting story and although it's not my favorite, it showed me a world that would've always been a mystery.

2. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
This novel is set in Tokyo and is a coming of age story of a young Japanese man named Toru Watanabe. I really loved the story and read it in two days. I really liked the tone of Norwegian Wood. I tend to read a lot of coming of age novels and really enjoyed reading about Toru's troubles with two very different women in his life. It was interesting reading about what relationships are like in Japan. Even though we come from different cultures, one thing will always be the same, the endless search for love and a connection with another.

3. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
I know it's very strange that I have such a violent book on a list about traveling to Japan, but I think it deserves to be noted. Back when I read Hunger Games, Markus told me that it was just a tamer version of Battle Royale. I didn't believe him, but after reading it, the similarities were uncanny. There is no doubt that this book is violent and to a certain degree, soul crushing. It doesn't waste any time and gets right into the battle. It's pretty intense and I would probably never read it again. Despite all of this, it's such a Japanese book. It has that sort of signature style that you would expect from a Japanese film or anime.

4. Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Just a few weeks ago, I finished reading my second Murakami novel. As I stated before, I really enjoyed Norwegian Wood and Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is one of his most popular. When Markus asked me to describe this book to him, it was a bit hard. I basically said, "It's about this guy that loses his cat and his wife and he has a lot of weird dreams." It wasn't my favorite book by Murikami but it when it was good, it was good. While I was reading this book, I was also planning our Japan trip. As I continued to read, I started to feel excited because I knew that soon I would be visiting the places that he was describing.

5. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
This is the latest book I've read and it's quite good. The concept is quite interesting and really unique. Ruth in British Columbia finds a diary on the beach and features the world of sixteen year old Nao from Tokyo. I enjoyed Nao's story more than Ruth's because Nao felt so real. I could imagine her pain and her struggles. I could empathize with her constant loneliness and bullying from her classmates. It's an amazing book because of this. Also, there is so much about Japanese pop-culture and history. It's a story that connects the past, the present and the future. I loved this book and was the the perfect book to read before a trip to Japan.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my top five Japanese novels. Were there any novels that I left out or ones that I should read? I love to hear from my readers, so please leave me a comment! 

Homes & Masks | Harry Potter Studio Tour 4 of 6

Hagrid's Home

The other areas of the first studio had sets and props from other famous places in the world of Harry Potter. There were the homes of Hagrid, Sirius Black and the Weasley family. I will say that it's super awkward seeing this sort of headless mannequins dressed as all the characters. I do like that they had something, but seeing my favorite characters clothing without heads is slightly off putting.

The Leaky Cauldron

Weasley's Home

Sirius Black's Home

The second studio was filled with even more interesting things. The first part delved into special effects and showcased a lot of the monsters and makeup. It was crazy seeing how detailed and intricate the masks were for some of the characters. I'm pretty sure being a make-up artist for films like these is an awesome job. Although, I do think they could've displayed Dobby a bit better. It was a bit jarring seeing his head propped up on a desk. Poor Dobby, murdered and displayed for all the world to see. 

Typography and Publications | Harry Potter Studio Tour 3 of 6

Lately, I've found myself drawn to typography and graphic design. I've found that it's very inspiring and it helps my writing. I know it's a bit strange that looking at book covers and calligraphy can spark ideas, but it does. So at this point, whatever works right? 

While on the Harry Potter Studio Tour, there was a small little section in the first studio. It wasn't one of the highlights, and it was right before the exit. In a huge glass display they showcased of all the publications created for the films. It was probably my favorite part of the tour. I took heaps of photos and was so excited to see the actual letters and newspapers. They always look amazing on camera, but up close they were gorgeous. The production crew spared no detail and everything was beautiful. Now if I could only create something just as awesome.

Daily Prophet and Wanted Posters

3D Quibbler

The Daily Prophet

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Deathly Hallows Necklace

Letter from Lily Potter to Sirius Black

Dark Arts textbooks

The Perils of Writing | Finding Inspiration

For the past seven years, I've been writing a novel. I know what you're thinking, "Seven years? Is the chick crazy?" To answer your question, Yes, I am 100% crazy. The story I've been writing has changed so many times. It began with too many characters and then too little. It was once set in America, then it changed to Korea. It began as a coming of age story, then evolved to a love story and now it's a combination of both.  I re-wrote the first draft more times than I could count. Then, sometime in my fourth year, I scrapped it and started a second draft. Up until recently, I was writing the second draft. In November, I tossed that out the window and started all over again. Currently, I'm on my third draft and its nothing like the original story, but I'm glad how it's progressed.

I have a very vague idea of what the story is about, but the when and how, is still to be determined. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. There are some nights where I've been very inspired and the story just flows out. It's such a euphoric feeling. I haven't written like this in years. It's like the story is already written and I'm trying to catch up. Then, there are other days where I can't put down a single word. Those days are the worst and come more often then I would like. Thankfully, I've discovered a few ways to spark inspiration and decided to share with all of you. 

1. Make a playlist of songs that resemble your characters.
The other day, I was sitting on the bus and my music was on shuffle. Usually, I don't listen to the words of songs, just the melody and the way it sounds. That morning, a song caught my attention. It's like the words broke through and reached inside me. The song resonated with me so completely that I almost started crying. The song was a perfect description of my main characters struggle. For those three minutes, I was my main character and felt the same emotions. It was an amazing experience and later I wrote about 1800 words.

2. Create Pinterest boards specifically for your characters. 
Sometimes, I can't visualize my characters. I know what they like and how they dress, but when I'm in the thick of writing a story and at my wits end, it's helpful to have something to look at. Then I can focus on the descriptive part of my writing. I can pin anything about the character on their specific board, their favorite books or what they would wear. It's a valuable tool that can expand and grow as your character is fleshed out.

3. Play your favorite films in the background while you're writing. 
I always listen to music when I'm writing. I cannot function without music, but sometimes I get tired of it. When I want variety, I play movies. I tend to put on Wes Anderson movies. I put the volume down low, but can still hear it. Since I know his films quite well, I can write while it's playing. When a scene that I particularly enjoy comes on, I can take a break and watch it. I get a visual overload as well as examples of dialogue. It helps to be able to take a break in the middle of writing.

4. Step away from the computer and go outside. 
I know that when I've been sitting at a computer for eight hours and nothing is flowing, a change of scenery can help. I tend to just sit and ruminate at my computer for hours. I don't know how to quit. I can work on things for a whole day and only get up to eat and use the bathroom. Although this can be a good thing, it doesn't mean the quality of my writing is good. I like to go outside, find a place to sit and people watch. Markus and I loved to people watch back home, but people watching in Korea is nothing like it is in America. I've gotten so much inspiration from experiencing a new culture.

5. Re-read your favorite books, but pay attention to the details.
I love re-reading my favorite books. One of my favorite writers is Sarah Addison Allen. Her books are very whimsical and much more than love stories. She's a great writer and she has a great writing style. Sometimes, I re-read books, but only the bits that I like. This year, I started re-reading my favorite books, but looking for the things that you didn't notice before. Like, how does the author describe their characters? What are the characters movement while they're talking? It's these little details that we sometimes read quickly, but are important to the story. 

So, dear readers, these are the ways that I spark my creativity. I hope that they helped you! Do you have any interesting ways that you find inspiration? If you do, please share in the comments!

Credits:
Cute drawing of Markus and I/ Hairy at the Heels

Offices of Hogwarts | Harry Potter Studio Tour 2 of 6

After we were led out of the Great Hall, we were led into a large room filled with sets and locations from the films. I really felt like I was stepping into the films and the first part of the tour was filled with little bits of Hogwarts. There was the Headmaster's Office, Portrait Hall and the Potions Classroom.

I was really impressed with the Headmaster's Office. It was quite big and amazing. I loved the walls that were lined with old books. The walls were filled with portraits and I could easily imagine one of them coming to life and speaking. The Potions Classroom was filled with vials and jars of different specimens. It was definitely a wizard's dream.

Headmaster's Office Potions Classroom