It's not every day one gets to edit a novel by a best-selling Japanese author that is

a. both fantasy and anti-fantasy,

b. in dialogue with one of my favorite short stories, The Repairer of Reputations by Robert W. Chambers, which means that of course it features

c. the King in Yellow, while also

d. referencing everything from the horrors of apartheid to Jean Gabin, despite the fact that it was

e. originally serialized in a Japanese newspaper, but that doesn't stop the English-language edition from

f. also having some fun flipbook animation on the margins.

Not every day, no, but some days last this year I got to edit The Book of Heroes.

See?


That's editor and cubiclemate Jann "The Martian Manhuntress" Jones holding up the fresh new copy that just came back from the printer. Note the revised cover with the glowly gold ink on the title.

Have I mentioned that the The Book of Heroes is for young adults? (Of all ages?)

Well, it is. Keep it in mind next month when you hit the bookstores with your holiday gift cards firmly in hand!