Joh Sasaki, winner of the 2010 Naoki Award, releases an unpublished poem as an e-book for the iPad.
Sasaki received the142nd Naoki Award in January 2010, for his novel Silent Devastation (Haikyo-ni-kou). He is well-known for his police stories and historical novels. He has been creating these in Hokkaido, where he was born. The Circus Fire is his only poem for children. Written a few years ago, it had not been published. Miho Sasaki, an illustrator who is active in Hokkaido, has illustrated this poem, and La Zone, a Hokkaido-based bal-musette band has provided original music. The poem was convented to iPad format and released from Hokkaido to the world.
[Message from the author]
The Circus Fire was inspired by a personal experience. Im sure that many people from Sapporo who are older than I am remember the fire. It happened in June 1959. The circus caught fire during the Sapporo Festival. I was right outside the burning tent, and I saw it all. After writing the poem, I thought it might be more for adults than for kids. Im delighted its become an attractive picture book for the iPad. Its much greater than I could ever have expected. Im looking forward to responses from the every corner of the world.
[About the author]
Written by Joh Sasaki
Joh Sasaki was born in Yubari, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, in 1950. He spent his youth in Sapporo. After working as a copy writer at an advertisement company in Sapporo, he moved to Tokyo and worked as an in-house copy writer for an automobile company. His debut novel earned him the new novelist award of the All Yomimono literary magazine published by Bungeishunju Ltd., one of the largest publishing houses in Japan. Although many of his early works were categorized as mysteries, he later expanded into historical fiction, non-fiction and other genres. He has published more than 50 novels and articles, some of which have been awarded literary prizes. Many of his works have been adapted to TV, movies and the theater. He is a member of the Japanese Center of International PEN, and the Mystery Writers of Japan.
Illustrated by Miho Sasaki
Miho Sasaki was born in Kitami, a city in eastern Hokkaido. She lives in Sapporo. After working at a design firm for several years, she became a freelance illustrator in1997. She illustrates for many media in Hokkaido, creating art for newspaper ads, magazines, posters, leaflets and TV commercials.
She is a member of the Hokkaido Illustrators Club α, SAPPORO ADC and JAGDA.
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