Romance Reviewed Here

 An Interview with the Author...

Midori by Moonlight

Wendy Tokunaga: The book is about Midori Saito, a young Japanese woman who has always felt like a stranger in her native land. So when she falls in love with Kevin, an American English teacher, she readily agrees to leave home and start a new life with him in San Francisco—as his fiancée. Kevin seems to be the perfect man for Midori. That is, until he dumps her for his blond ex, who Midori never even knew existed. With just a smattering of fractured English, not much cash, and a visa set to expire in sixty days, Midori realizes she's in for quite a struggle. Unable to face the humiliation of telling her parents she's been jilted, she decides to go it alone, surprising even herself as she proves she will do almost anything to hang on to her American Dream.

Lauren Smith: Where did you get the idea for this book?

Wendy Tokunaga: My husband, like Midori, is also from Japan and always felt like he never fit in there. He came to the United States to attend college, but never returned home. I wanted to explore this theme of why people might feel at odds in their native country and want to make an escape.

Wendy Tokunaga: I feel that some people latch on to different cultures for attributes that are lacking in their own. Japan, for a lot of people, can be a stifling society when it comes to the personal freedom to live your life the way you want. Roles, in general, are dictated a lot along gender lines. On the other hand, there are a number of Westerners seeking a new cultural identity who fall in love with Japan and either end up staying there forever or feel lost in translation when they return home.

Lauren Smith: How much of this book is based on real life experiences?

Wendy Tokunaga: I have met a number of young Japanese women who have felt the need to leave Japan's "straitjacket society" and make their way to the United States for greater fulfillment in both their personal and professional lives. I also did language exchange practice with a couple of Japanese women who came to the U.S. because their husbands were transferred here. A lot of their humorous struggles with English are depicted in MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT.

Lauren Smith: What was it like living in Tokyo? How long did you live there?

Wendy Tokunaga: Tokyo is an amazing place and I fell in love with it immediately the first time I went, which was when I won a prize in a songwriting contest sponsored by JVC Victor. I love the vibrancy, the pop culture exuded on every corner, the energy. You can be in the middle of the biggest crowd of people you have ever experienced (Manhattan pales in comparison), but then can walk only a few blocks and find a quiet temple garden where you can meditate. Elderly women donning kimonos ride alongside Harajuku Lolita Goth girls on the train and no one bats an eye. I lived in Tokyo for about a year, but I have taken about 25 trips to Japan, mainly staying in Tokyo and also Osaka, which is where my in-laws live.

Lauren Smith: So you got a two book deal, what's your next book? Can you tell us about it?

Wendy Tokunaga: My next book will be about an American woman who unexpectedly finds herself in Tokyo and ends up discovering a family secret.

Lauren Smith: You started out as a self-published author, didn't you? What's the most surprising piece about this (publishing) process?

Wendy Tokunaga: I did self-publish a novel called "No Kidding" in 2000 that still sells a few copies here and there. But it is a completely different experience to have a large publishing company behind you, especially on the distribution front, although I am still employing techniques of self-marketing for MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT that I honed when I was promoting my self-published book.