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MYNIPPON:
How long have you been writing?
Have you written any other books that are not related to Japan?
Why did you choose to write about Japan?
Kemp:
For years I have started novels or stories that just sat there.
Last April I made up my mind to write Kyoto Connection,
and I have been going strong ever since.
I chose to write about Japan because I feel so connected to it.
I have been interested in the culture for years since I hosted my
first Japanese exchange
student. I
read everything I could get my hands on-Japanese novels by Japanese and
American writers, history books, travel books, you name it!
I wanted people to see Japan through my eyes.
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MYNIPPON:
A common question that writers often get asked is, “Do your books
have some elements of your personal experiences?”
What about you?
Kemp:
The experiences of seeing many of the places I write about are
the most obvious elements in my books.
Because I visited those places, I felt comfortable writing about
them. For example, I did
have the experience of attending a huge sumo basho in Nagoya one
July. Not a lot of
Americans do that! Both
times I stayed in Japan I had the luxury of seeing things the typical
tourist in Japan would never get to see. That
was because one of the students I had hosted, took me to restaurants and
bowling alleys, and places that Japanese frequent.
I was invited to dine at his family’s
house, an experience most
visitors to Japan would not have. The
other places in my books, like London or
Paris, are places I have
visited. I spent years as a
travel agent and was fortunate to stay in the kind of deluxe hotels that
Page and Kenji stay in!
As
far as the romance between an American woman and a Japanese
man - no
personal experience!
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 MYNIPPON:
In “Kyoto Connection”, the character Kenji is highly
admired by Page and they seem to have a great relationship.
In reality, however, a large number of foreign women report of
rather disappointing relationships with Japanese men.
Are there men like Kenji in real life?
What does it take to find them?
Kemp:
I would really hope there are men like Kenji in real life, and so
do most of my female readers! I often tell my husband he is Kenji, only
he’s not Asian! You say,
“A large number of foreign women report rather disappointing
relationships with Japanese men.”
A large number of women report disappointing relationships with
men, period! I can’t pretend to be an expert on Asian-American
relationships, but I would like to think that there are Japanese men who
could have a great relationship with an American woman.
One of my host students was a Japanese male, and he was very open
in his discussions about Japanese women.
After spending time here, I think many of his views changed, so
maybe it’s a question of exposure to different points of view.
The character of Kenji spent four years going to college in
America, and I see that as a huge influence on his social development.
During that time he had many relationships with American women,
and it would be hard not to say that would not influence his future
relationships in Japan. I
think he is not the “typical” Japanese man that most people think of
when they think of Japanese men, but even putting the ethnic issue
aside, he is not the “typical” man! Like I said earlier, most of my female readers want
him!
Continued
on next page
Related: Japan
is still a great place to visit Romance Guide for Japan Creative
writing skills Japanese
girlfriend Japanese
girlfriend at American university campus
Right approach
to dating Asians Obsession
with Japanese men
Move
to Japan Secrets
of Japanese women Manage
expectations in interracial romance Women
dating Asian men How
to get a Japanese girlfriend? Marriages
in Japan Seduction
of Japanese women One
night stand with a Japanese woman Romance
gone wrong with a Japanese African
American men and Japanese women What
to expect on your trip to Japan? Declining
marriage rate in Japan Breaking
up Japanese style A
Japanese man finds relationship with an American woman Relationships
with Japanese women Interracial
relationship with a Japanese Healthy
romantic relationship with a Japanese Meeting
Japanese women Challenges
of relationships with Japanese
Experiences
with Japanese women |
