Stories for Sendai is an anthology of stories by twenty authors, and all proceeds will be donated to charity to help those affected by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. To find out more, go visit their site.
And now, the guest post:
I’d like to thank the Golden Eagle for hosting me up here in her aerie! If you enjoy this
post, then please follow the rest of the Stories for Sendai Blog Tour de Force: check out the schedule here!
The Golden Eagle asked me a very interesting question: how did the earthquake and tsunami
in Japan affect me personally? Well, to be perfectly honest, it didn’t—at least, not directly!
I was born in Malaysia, spending the first eighteen years of my life there, and whilst I’ve
been living in the UK for more than ten years now, my parents and most of my family are
still based in Malaysia. I am still proud to call myself a true Malaysian, one who adores
food, particularly satay and roti canai, and I feel especially patriotic whenever our legendary
badminton team kick a** in international tournaments and events!
The natural disaster that struck closest to home for me was the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004,
when an earthquake in the Indian Ocean spawned a massive tsunami that devastated the
coasts of pretty much every country in southeast Asia. While my family and friends lived far
inland, and were thankfully spared, it was still a close enough call to make me stop and think:
there were beaches I frequented as a child that were affected by the waves, and the extent and
reach of the tsunami astounded me; Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India...even places as far
away as the Maldives, Seychelles and Tanzania were affected!
The official death toll for the Boxing Day tsunami stands at over 180,000, with more than
45,000 people still missing. Nearly 1.7 million people were displaced. Not only were homes
and lives immediately destroyed, but these are all relatively poor countries that rely heavily
on the tourism industry, an industry hit hard by the tsunami. With so many livelihoods
affected, the long term effects of that natural disaster are still being felt in many of the
stricken places today.
When the earthquake and tsunami happened in 2004, I was living thousands of miles away
in London. At the time, I was still a student, relying on financial support from my parents.
I felt powerless to help. Although I gave what I could for charity, I felt my efforts were as
insignificant as a drop in the ocean.
Now, although I have zero connections with Japan, aside from a shared affinity for raw fish,
Japan is close enough to Malaysia for the aftershocks and rough waves to reach the eastern
shores of Borneo. The off-shore quake, the resulting tidal waves, the coastal destruction...it
was a haunting re-creation of the last disaster seven years ago: different place, same tragedy.
This time though, I intend to do something about it. I feel I’m in a better position to help: I’ve
just begun to pursue my writing career seriously, and I’m in the midst of building a modest
online platform. So instead of trying to act as an individual, why not try and rally aid from
my fellow bloggers worldwide?
With that in mind, Stories for Sendai was born. And with your help, we could really try and
make a difference! By buying a copy of Stories for Sendai, you’ll not only be donating to
a worthwhile cause (all proceeds from the anthology will be donated to Global Giving, a
project which disburses funds to aid and rescue efforts on the ground that needs it most),
you’ll also be getting a wonderfully designed book with 20 uplifting and inspirational stories
about the strength of the human spirit!
Also, we’re running a CONTEST! Just purchase a copy of the anthology and email us the
receipt, and you’ll be entered in a draw for uber-cool prizes, including manuscript or query
critiques! Visit the Stories for Sendai site for more details!
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A bit about J. C.:
Rabid writer, aspiring author. Also bookworm, kung fu fighter, teacher, gourmand, slave to three dogs, child at heart, dreamer.
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Did the Japan earthquake affect you in any way, readers?
-----The Golden Eagle
