2024 has been an incredible year for me, with personal triumphs and professional milestones – the most significant being the publication of the first novel in my new series, My Dead Boyfriend.
The book is now officially available in paperback, hardcover, and digital formats, with an audiobook version coming soon through Digital Fabulist here in the United States with discussions underway to (hopefully) bring the story to readers in other territories.
Max had his dream job as a photojournalist living in Bangkok, and TJ – his hardworking (and totally devoted) boyfriend would soon be joining him, thus setting the stage for their “happily ever after.” But fate had other plans and TJ tragically dies in a sudden accident. Their dreams, their plans, their future is shattered, leaving Max lost and alone in a sea of grief.
Then TJ’s grandmother gives him the ring he had planned to propose with and as he slips it onto his finger, a wave of ancient magic awakens, pulling TJ’s spirit back to the living world. As a shade (a creature half in life half in death) Max cannot only see and hear TJ, but his dead boyfriend can also touch everything he own (as well as him, of course).
At first, it seems like a second chance at love, but this miraculous gift comes with a price and the ring’s magic draws the attention of powerful, otherworldly forces soon cause Max and TJ to find themselves caught in the middle of a war between the angelic Celestials and the demonic Sub-Terrestrials.
With time running out, Max and TJ team up with a ragtag group of supernatural allies: a mischievous shape-shifting fox, a fiercely loyal young werewolf, and a charismatic immortal pop idol. Together, they must navigate a dangerous world of magic, betrayal, and cosmic warfare to protect the love that defies even death—and safeguard the fragile beauty that still exists in their world.
I got the news that my publisher wanted a sequel for book as I was walking through the Meiji Jingu (明治神宮) shrine in Tokyo during my first-ever trip to Japan. It was an incredible moment for me as in the original first draft of the story, Max and TJ found themselves in the very shame shrine. I was in the place I put my characters without even knowing it.
During that trip, I had the chance to see one of my favorite groups, SixTONES, perform live at the Tokyo Dome alongside 55,000 other fans (I have NEVER felt sound like that before – it was incredible). I also interviewed Kento Nakajima and was captivated by three of the nine members of Snow Man (Iwamoto, Fukazawa, and Miyadate) in GALA, a groundbreaking fusion of Kabuki-inspired theatrics and Western pop music. I attended the stage play TONKATSU ROCK! featuring members of the Jr. group Bishonen and got lost in all the nerd-boy splendor of the Sailor Moon museum.
On top of all that, I experienced some incredible food—Hidaka-ya (日高屋) was amazing, and 7-11 in Japan is nothing like what we have in the States. Staying at one of the many APA Hotels in Tokyo, it was truly a whirlwind trip full of magic and inspiration. I loved it – except when I left my window open and was visited in the night by not one but two curious insects – the likes of which I had never seen before and called my friend crying.
Thanks to this blog, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing some incredible idols, including Taisei Fukumoto, a solo artist making waves in JPOP; Ken Kojima, leader of Ae! group (Aぇ! group); Noah Raquel, a rising star in Filipino Pop; and STARTO icon Shingo Murakami. I also spoke with producers from Thailand’s Studio Say-Yes about their stunning series Memory in the Letter, and even got to chat with one of JPOP’s ultimate bad boys, Juri Tanaka from SixTONES. With many more interviews lined up, I’m beyond excited for what’s to come.
Another highlight of the year? Seeing Travis Japan perform at the El Rey in Los Angeles. I’ve been following them since their time living here, and their music has been the soundtrack of my writing process for My Dead Boyfriend. I can’t wait to see them again on January 4th at the Yokohama Arena!
Closing out 2024, my novel My Dead Boyfriend was officially released in hardcover on Halloween—my favorite holiday—and I successfully pitched a new series to my publisher. While I can’t reveal too much yet, I’m thrilled to be collaborating with one of my favorite artists on the designs. It’s going to be an exciting project!
I’ll be ending this incredible year in the air, on my way back to Tokyo—not just to see Travis Japan again but also to catch a few STARTO productions and reconnect with friends who have made 2024 one of the best years of my life.
There’s so much more to come in 2025, so…
Stay tuned!
Life In Cartoon Motion 