Copyright ©2023 by Amy Winters-Voss

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. Please respect the hard work of the authors and do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials.

This novel is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, folklore, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

First edition.

EBook ISBN: 978-1-7366720-2-0

Print ISBN: 978-1-7366720-3-7

Editing by Sarah Buhrman and Sarah Templeton

Sensitivity read by Rihoko Colwill

Cover art by Odette.A.Bach

Library of Congress Control Number: TBD

Author Notes

I’ve used aspects and events in Japanese myth, culture and history as the basis to write this tale, but the universe in the book series is a Japan-based fantasy world. Please note that any people, places, and beliefs in the Liminal Chronicles are used fictitiously, and I have done my best to treat them with respect.

In this series, I wrote out of an excuse to dig deeper after my trip to Japan in the fall of 2017 and to deal with the growing desire to return. Though I am not Japanese, I love Japan and only wish to do my best to portray the ‘Japan’ in Guardian as truthfully and close to the real one as I am able. While Japan is not a perfect country (there isn’t such a thing!), it has an incredible and unique culture. I feel even in researching and asking my Japanese friends—that I can only touch the surface of each topic’s depths.

I hope that this humble tribute to a land, society, and mythology I adore brings enjoyment and expanded interest in the country to all who read it. Many aspects this book shares are lessons I’ve learned after meeting amazing, patient, and kind people from Japan.

Also, I hope this tale will inspire my readers to take a stand and support others. Everyone, from every faith, can do this. Be the difference.

Cultural Notes

Just a few quick notes for you.

Names

In Japan (and many Asian countries), the family name is presented first. This ties in with the idea that the group is more important than the individual. People referred to each other by their family names until a certain level of familiarity is reached. Then they’ll use personal names.

Respect is king. A suffix is almost always used to show respect and levels of familiarity. Lack of a suffix is either rude or the speakers are on such a familiar basis that both sides agree the lack of a suffix is acceptable.

Name Suffixes

-bou - a less common suffix. In this book, it refers to an ascetic mountain hermit, though there are other uses.

-chan - an endearing and cute name suffix often used for children, young women, or by a significant other

-kun - friendly suffix for young people, especially boys and young men

-san - equivalent to Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss

-sama -polite, formal suffix to show great respect

-sensei - teacher, master, and professionals such as doctors and lawyers

Words

I have done my best to describe and give hints for words that aren’t native to English. Sometimes a loan word from Japanese that made its way into English doesn’t mean quite the same thing to a Japanese person as it does to a Westerner.

You’ll find this with words like ‘futon’ which is a stuffed mattress that is put on the floor to sleep on in Japan, but in America is a folding frame and mattress that can be used as a couch or bed. Same for the idea of the bath, American baths and Japanese ones differ greatly. In Japan, one washes and rinses off outside the tub, before getting in to soak. I just wanted to give you a heads up.

The vowel sounds are similar to Spanish, where ‘a’ is ‘ah’-as in father, ‘e’ is ‘eh’ as in elk, ‘i’ is ‘ee’ as in ‘eel’, ‘o’ is ‘oh’ as in boat, and ‘u’ is ‘oo’ as in ‘moon’. So the name Date is ‘Dah teh’. It doesn’t sound like ‘date’ the fruit.

Locations

Only the large cities such as Kyoto and Tokyo are actual locations in this book. All others are fictional, modeled after the area.

Further Help

I try to help you remember who everyone is, and what words mean along the way. That said, the Cast of Characters and Glossary are in the back of the book to help you with names and unfamiliar words.

Acknowledgements

To my readers - for your continued excitement for this story and for your patience.

To my husband, Mike - for your never ending support of my crazy endeavors.

To my friends - for your support, belief in me, and encouragement.

To Kyoko, my Sis - for always telling me to do my best and cheering me on.

To my beta readers—Angela and Laura, my editors—Sarah and Sarah, and my sensitivity reader—Rihoko - for your insight and honesty. Your remarks really helped shape Guardian.

Without all of you, this novel would not exist. どうもありがとうございます。 Thank you very much.