Title: Cherry Moon
Subtitle: Where a Wish Shatters the Mirror
Series: Japanesque TS
Author: Yulia Yu. Sakurazawa
Welcome to the world of Cherry Moon: Where a Wish Shatters the Mirror, my new novel that I hope will challenge your assumptions about self, desire, and what it means to belong. As a writer who is always interested in exploring identity and boundaries, I wanted to create a story that went beyond the typical gender-swap tropes and delved into the more profound aspects of human experience. What if the body you inhabited suddenly became a shell? What if your reflection no longer recognized you? What if the desires you knew to be true were suddenly thrown into question by an impossible shift of flesh and bone?
In Cherry Moon, I invite you to join my protagonist, a young office worker whose life is thrown into chaos by an ancient, yet strangely immediate, magic unleashed under a full moon and cherry blossoms. The setting is, at first, the familiar neon-lit streets of Tokyo, but soon the protagonist is drawn to the nostalgic remoteness of Tsugaru, to places that speak of history, home, and a kind of melancholic beauty. This journey is not just a physical one, but a deep dive into the fragile nature of the self.
While I may categorize this as a “TS story,” I want to clarify that it is far more than a “gender-bender.” I am interested in examining the complexity of desires. My goal is not just to create characters who go through an external change. Rather, it is to examine how they come to understand their internal selves under this pressure. What happens when those parts of ourselves that we thought immutable become questioned or even swapped with that of another person? When the body and mind seem to be mismatched, do we discover something more true about ourselves?
Love, in all its forms, is a crucial aspect of this journey. The protagonist encounters unexpected connections and experiences powerful emotions, forcing him and others around him to challenge their own preconceived ideas about what it means to love. Are feelings defined by our bodies or the hearts within? When do we truly love somebody for who they are, and when do we get attracted to just their forms?
This novel is also deeply rooted in the atmospheric beauty and rich cultural heritage of Japan. The image of the Cherry Moon became the symbol for the transformation at the core of my story, creating a backdrop of both beauty and subtle melancholy. The locations in Tokyo and Tsugaru also provide a vibrant landscape for a story that is at once deeply personal and incredibly universal. I wanted to explore the power of place and memory, and question if “home” is a body or a location.
Cherry Moon: Where a Wish Shatters the Mirror is a story that is designed to make you think, feel, and question the world around you. If you are looking for a book that defies genres, explores complex characters, and is beautifully written with a unique touch of magic, I believe you will find that in these pages.
Please, allow yourself to be captivated by the journey and prepare to see the world, and perhaps even yourself, in a new light.
Warmly,
Yulia Yu. Sakurazawa