Get a sneak peak of Gene Oishi’s forthcoming novel Fox Drum Bebop (November 2014) in this special “Diaspora” feature of Asymptote Journal, featuring artwork by Hidetoshi Yamada.

“It should not have been a surprise that the FBI arrested her husband on the first night of the war. Seiji was the leader of the community, and he had a position to uphold. Kifu, it was always kifu—for the Japanese school, for the Buddhist church, for the annual community picnic, the kabuki association. “Kifu, kifu, kifu, it’s going to be my ruin,” he used to grumble. He might have been right. Not only was he the biggest contributor to the Japanese war relief fund, he was chairman of the drive. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Seiji said he was proud. He and his friends had gathered at the farmers’ association where they had drunk sake and shouted “Banzai!” to the Emperor. They had done so to show each other their spirit. That’s how men were. It was a foolish, reckless, heedless thing to do, but they couldn’t help themselves.”

Stay tuned for more news on this exciting novel about the traumas of war.