Bien Hoa, Vietnam
This was taken shortly after arriving in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, where I worked as a volunteer teacher at a local teacher training college. It was at this time that I first started writing fiction seriously. (1994)
Kratie, Cambodia
Early one morning in Kratie, Cambodia, before continuing my research on river dolphins living in the Mekong River for an unfinished novel. (January 2014)
Da Lat, Vietnam
On a trip to escape the heat of HCMC where we were living from the end of 2013 until early 2015.
Hoi An, Vietnam
During a trip to Hoi An, Vietnam, where we enjoyed the town’s lantern festival. (2014)
HCMC, Vietnam
Reading at the pool in our apartment complex, in Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC. (2015)
HCMC, Vietnam
Eating freshly made banh tet at a friend’s home in HCMC, Vietnam. (2014)
HCMC, Vietnam
Dinner on the Saigon River, in District 2 of HCMC. (May 2014)
Mui Ne, Vietnam
In Mui Ne, Vietnam, our preferred winter destination. I’ve moved to this seaside resort town for short periods of between one and six months multiple times, often to refocus on my writing following intense work schedules. (January 2018)
HCMC, Vietnam
Me with So-chan, one of several cats we rescued off the streets of HCMC. He’s one of two we adopted and brought with us when we moved to Kanazawa. He’s also one of the main characters in my short publication Stray Cat City. (July 2014)
Angkor Wat
On my third or fourth trip to Angkor Wat. The advantage to living in HCMC is its proximity to some inexpensive but wonderful travel opportunities. (2014)
Bali, Indonesia
Horseback riding in western Bali after attending the Bali Writers and Readers Festival. (2014)
Toronto, Canada
Reading from Lotusland at Guernica Editions’ spring book launch. (April 2015.) I also did readings in Montreal and Calgary, for which I have no photos, and took part as a panelist on Vietnamese literature in the inaugural Prose in the Park in Ottawa. (April 2015)
Cleveland, Ohio
A reading for my novel Lotusland in Cleveland, OH. (April 2015)
Hanoi, Vietnam
With the Vietnamese TV crew that interviewed me about my novel Lotusland and the years I lived in Vietnam. (2015)
Hanoi, Vietnam
Doing a reading and Q&A at the US Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam. (July 2015)
Hanoi, Vietnam
Giving a reading and doing a Q&A session with the Vietnam Writers Association in Hanoi, Vietnam. (July 2015)
Hanoi, Vietnam
Taking part in a Q&A session following my keynote speech at the 7th Annual Engaging with Vietnam Conference. (July 2015)
Ottawa, Canada
Taking part as a panelist on Vietnamese literature alongside Giller Prize-winning novelist Vincent Lam, Caroline Vu, and Denise Chong at Prose in the Park. (June 2015)
Kyoto, Japan
Getting ready to give a presentation to members of Writers in Kyoto – of which I’m now a member myself – at Gael Irish Pub. (October 2015)
Cincinnati, Ohio
My first novel, Lotusland, on a Joseph Beth bookstore shelf in my hometown of Cincinnati. (2015)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Introducing my wife to the house I grew up in and where my parents still live. (2016)
Kyoto, Japan
A Xmas trip to Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion, or Kinkakuji. (December 2014)
Tokyo, Japan
Nothing like draft beer and okonomiyaki with friends after a hot summer day in Tokyo. (2015)
Oahu, Hawaii
On a Xmas trip to Hawaii, where I lived from 2007-2010. (December 2016)
Lake Garda, Italy
I’m not sure I’ve been anywhere as beautiful as Lake Garda. If I ever go back, I want to stay longer than only a week. (September 2016)
Tuscany, Italy
Standing amidst the rolling hills of Tuscany, eagerly anticipating lunch. (October 2016)
Kanazawa, Japan
In front of Omicho Market in Kanazawa, Japan. (October 2016)
Kanazawa, Japan
Drinking sake (and red wine) under the blooming cherry trees along the Sai River, a short walk from where we live. (April 2016)
Notojima, Japan
Camping with friends on Notojima, along the Sea of Japan in Ishikawa prefecture. (2018)
Hakusan, Japan
On the way down from Mt. Haku (2702 m) in Ishikawa prefecture where we live. The mountain features in my latest novel, Kanazawa. (September 2017)
Hakusan, Japan
At sunrise on the top of Hakusan, where the originator gods of Japan are enshrined. Mt. Haku and its summit featured in my most recently written novel, Kanazawa. (September 2017)
Hakusan, Japan
Sunrise on Hakusan. (September 2017)
Kanazawa, Japan
On TV in Kanazawa, discussing my Japanese friend’s Buddhist sculptures. (July 2018)
Shiramine, Japan
Shiramine is one of my favorite places in Ishikawa prefecture, and also in all Japan. It’s a very traditional mountain village, where the nature is virtually unspoiled. The village as well as the sumo tournament in this photo are featured in my most recently completed novel, Kanazawa. (September 2016)
Kanazawa, Japan
The rare occurrence of having a clean writing desk in our Kanazawa apartment. (November 2018)
Yamanaka Onsen
The abandoned house we bought and had renovated in Yamanaka Onsen – a small mountain town famous for its woodturning, lacquerware, pottery, and haiku written by Bashō in the late 1600s. We use it as a getaway from the city, and I’ve also turned it into a writing space. It’s also the setting for roughly half of my most recent novel, The Heron-Catchers, which is scheduled for publication in late 2023 or early 2024.
Yamanaka Onsen
As you can see in this photo of our house in Yamanaka Onsen, winters are worth escaping. At the same time, heavy snowfalls like this can result in caved-in rooftops, so it can be a risk to get away. (January 2018)
Yamanaka Onsen
My writing room at our house in Yamanaka Onsen. (2018)
Yamanaka Onsen
The village where we have a house. (March 2018)
Tucson, Arizona
Xmas in Tucson, Arizona, where I earned my MFA in Creative Writing and lived for five years. (December 2018)
Lisbon, Portugal
On our annual winter escape from winter in Kanazawa, this time to Lisbon, Portugal. (January 2019)
Tui, Spain
With the author Garry Powell in Tui, Spain. (January 2019)
Alhambra (Granada, Spain)
During a visit to The Alhambra in Granada, Spain. (February 2019)
Kanazawa, Japan
My three inspirations…
Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (Tokyo)
Giving a presentation on Kanazawa at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (December 1, 2022).
Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (Tokyo)
Discussing my novel Kanazawa with the writer Robert Whiting, who moderated the event.
Books Kinokuniya Tokyo (Shinjuku)
Posing before signed copies of my novel in Kinokuniya Bookstore in Tokyo (December 2022).
Four Seasons Hotel Otemachi (Tokyo)
After lunch with the Akutagawa Award-winning Japanese author Hirano Keiichiro, whose novels translated into English include A Man and At the End of the Matinee.
Kanazawa, Japan (November 2022)
Me standing beside British author Beth Kempton, who I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with on a trip she made to Kanazawa.
Kanazawa, Japan (November 2022)
As research for a new novel, here I am taking my first busshi lesson – learning to make a Buddhist sculpture from wood at a temple in Kanazawa.
Jomyōji temple, Kanazawa (November 2023)
Book launch for The Heron Catchers at Jomyōji temple, Kanazawa (November 2023).
Book launch (November 2023)
Interview with Kanazawa TV station MRO at book launch for The Heron Catchers (November 2023).