The Portland Haifu has a new novelette out

Do you guys remember back when I talked about an urban fantasy featuring Japanese youkai in the American northwest? K. Bird Lincoln’s Dream Eater was a fun ride featuring one of the less popularized youkai and Native American entities as well, in the fun setting of Portland. (Fun fact: I read my copy en route to Portland.)

Then I read (again on a business trip to Portland, though pure dumb luck) the sequel, Black Pearl Dreaming, which was even better. (Yes, there’s probably some personal bias in that, because I’m always gonna be a sucker for supernatural power plays and I admit it — but it was still a good read.) This time we got to visit Japan and meet a wider circle of youkai, including some more familiar to western audiences, and pick up additional historical-political implications.

And I just learned that there’s now a side novelette to accompany the soon-to-be-trilogy, all about Kennosuke the kitsune. And you can get Bringer-of-Death for free or 99c, your choice, here at K. Bird Lincoln’s blog.

(I’m posting this from extremely limited internet and cannot successfully upload a cover pic. Just click through to look at the cute fox.)

Note: I have only just acquired my copy as I write this and haven’t read it yet, but it appears that Bringer-of-Death may have some spoilers for Black Pearl Dreaming. Bear that in mind if you’re a spoiler-averse type like myself.

Happy reading!

Youkai Charms

youkai phone charmsOkay, lemme be honest: I have never liked phone charms. I don’t like dangling things which catch and snag and serve no useful purpose (I rarely wear bracelets) and frankly most charms just aren’t that, well, charming.

So you know that these charms have to be adorable, because I kind of want one. Or two. Or a set.

There are five of these available now, and I’m thrilled to see some variation on the usual youkai offerings. Not that I don’t love kitsune and kappa, because I do (especially the older, scarier versions), but because there are more youkai than just the kitsune and kappa, okay?

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