www.debito.org: Info on how to order IN APPROPRIATE: A novel of culture, kidnapping, and revenge in modern Japan

Gary Schmidt, a small-town American boy, meets a Japanese girl in college and follows her to Japan to start a family. Little does he know that her conservative Japanese clan has hidden agendas and secret intentions. Gary eventually realizes that he must escape their clutches – and convince his family to do the same before it's too late!

More plot synopsis for Debito.org Readers:
IN APPROPRIATE is a book about child abductions in Japan, where after a divorce, a non-Japanese man comes back to Japan to retrieve his children back to America. Although a work of fiction, it is an amalgam of several true stories of divorce and Left-Behind Parents in Japan.

Debito adds: "IN APPROPRIATE is about more than just divorce: I wanted to describe how a person would find fascination in Japan and Japanese people, come over during Japan's Bubble Era to see Japan ripe with opportunity, and find how Japan went sour as an economy over the past two decades. It was wonderful to recount as a Bubble-Era veteran -- when in the late 1980's Japan looked poised to take over the world, and even challenge notions of how capitalism works -- and see how, step-by-step, Japanese society would be squeezed and squeezed, convinced that recovery was right around the corner just like Godot. How a person could assimilate himself to the point of founding his own company, becoming bilingual in Japanese, even taking Japanese citizenship, yet be blindsided by events that were nearly always beyond his control. IN APPROPRIATE is also a time capsule charting Japan's descent into mediocrity and comparative international irrelevance."

"Novels about Japan are a dime a dozen, but rarely is there one that takes the reader on a journey that is not only unique but also has a real social message attached to it. IN APPROPRIATE does just that -- it transports the reader to a side of Japan that few ever get a chance to read about in a novel, even more rare in the mainstream media, and it offers insight into an issue regarding Japanese society that has been largely ignored by the publishing elite in print and film. I especially appreciated the historical references sprinkled throughout which gave the reader a clear understanding of the itme period and social condition of Japan, which helps to explain the main character's behavior and that of his wife and in-laws... (read full review). -- Dr. Todd Jay Leonard, author of An Indiana Hoosier in Lord Tsugaru's Court, East Meets West, et al.
"Kidnapping in Japan is a serious issue that deserves attention, and the author's personal experience as a left-behind parent -- along with his decade-plus of observing and commenting on the rights of non-Japanese in Japan -- is evident throughout. They say write what you know, and I think Debito's done a brave thing chronicling his and others' not-always-positive experiences in Japan in this book. IN APPROPRIATE raises a lot of questions, and those with open minds are invited to read my interview with the author for more on the subject here. -- Justin Tedaldi, Examiner.com, JETAA-NY
"Finished IN APPROPRIATE last night. Books on Japan can sometimes be a real chore to get through, but ARUDOU Debito writes fluidly and smoothly. It also helps that he clearly has a thorough grasp of the subject matter, based on his own experiences and those who he has met and worked with over the years. It's a well-constructed story which highlights a number of important issues regarding the rights of Non-Japanese in Japan, with more than a few pointers for anyone considering setting up here. Thankfully, my experience with Japan is very different to that described in the novel, and I don't think the book is intended in any way to represent a "typical" experience. But it graphically brings home what can happen if things don't work out. Recommended." -- Steve King, Facebook review.
"A short, quick read regarding Japan's unfavorable custody laws for foreigners, particularly men, divorced from Japanese. Interesting in that neither of the book's two main characters, Gary and Keiko, fall into the classic antagonist or protagonist roles; both seem flawed and selfish in their own cultural ways, but seemingly harmless -- until the convention nuclear family unit is totally destroyed; there are no heroes. The characters are who they are, warts and all... Overall, an interesting read for those curious about Japan. -- Albrecht Stahmer, Amazon.com review (read full review).
"ARUDOU Debito's depiction of how quickly life gets turned upside down by the crazy family rules in Japan will do more than just grab your attention. It will make you cry at the strange and deplorable tale of love lost in Japan. IN APPROPRIATE sheds necessary light on the twisted norms and laws in Japan that not only allow, but also encourage parents to abduct their children from one another. A must-read primer on the issue." -- Eric Kalmus, Children's Rights Network Japan (www.crnjapan.net), and Left-Behind Parent.
"ARUDOU Debito, or David Aldwinckle as I know him, has written an unbelievable novel called IN APPROPRIATE. I say 'unbelievable' because if you haven't experienced a divorce in Japan, you would simply not believe this sort of thing could happen. Drawing on true stories, Debito has managed to weave together a heartbreaking tale around the injustice that sadly exists in modern Japan. Perhaps this will be a legacy for those of us who lived through this experience, and for our children who suffered under this system." -- John Evans, Left-Behind Parent
"I am not a left-behind parent but I am a Japan Veteran. I first went to Japan planning to spend a year and in the end spent 7 years of my life there. I married a Japanese, have two kids, and now live back in my home country with my wife and kids. Reading through Gary's early experiences with Japan and the culture was like reading my own diary. Thankfully the second half of the book wasn't. The book is engaging, informative, and authentic. I highly recommend IN APPROPRIATE. At the end I wanted more. Some will take that as a criticism but it's because I began to care about some of the characters and I wanted to know more. Without a doubt the book will appeal more to us Japanophiles, but a good story is a good story. I've read a lot of Japan-centric fiction, both good and bad. I classify this as great, and look forward to future fictional works by Debito." -- Steve Fylypchuk
"GREAT BOOK! Wow! I am an avid reader of Mr. Arudou's Japan Times columns and academic works, but I think Mr. Arudou needs to continue his work as a creative writer of fiction. He is a left-behind parent, losing his two Japanese daughters in 2002, so his thoughts, feelings, and perspective on this topic are amazing. IN APPROPRIATE is fast-paced, very descriptive, and overall is an exciting and interesting read. It is exceptionally accurate in its descriptions of places in Japanese society (I am a Japanese researcher / PhD who has lived in Japan -- so I know a thing or two), and some parts of the book make me feel like I'm right there back in Japan. This is a great story -- and while he states that it has some elements of truth from various happenings, it is a work of fiction. Like many other stories that have been written on other social problems, such as segregation, war, social injustice, and even slavery, have brought the issues to light and sometimes even helped resolve them". -- Jennifer Beamer
"IN APPROPRIATE by ARUDOU Debito is a work of fiction, full of fact... I read the book twice; once to check the facts and once to feel the emotions. There is no other way to describe this but say that on both fronts, the book hits home. Many people reading this will not believe it, but as somebody that has 'been there and done that"' I can honestly say this is one of the most powerful books I have ever read... If an inside, in-depth view of Japan is what you are after, then this book is for you." -- John Evans (updated recommendation via LinkedIn).
"I just finished IN APPROPRIATE. It is gripping, fascinating, shocking, thought-provoking, and illuminating. I highly recommend it." -- Rod Lampart (recommendation via Linkedin and Facebook)
Sound too good to be true? Then read a mixed but very thoughtful review of IN APPROPRIATE from Amanda Harlow of BeingABroad.com here.

BOOK SPECS
"IN APPROPRIATE: A novel of culture, kidnapping, and revenge in Japan"
ISBN for paperback version: 978-1-257-02640-1
ISBN for ebook: 978-1-257-02648-7
Author: ARUDOU Debito
Language: English
Publisher: Lulu Enterprises Inc., New York
Date of Publication: March 15, 2011
Length: 149 pages
Price: USD$10.00 (downloadable eBook), USD$14.00 (paperback, plus postage)
Anchor site at publisher: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/arudoudebito

(NB: The author suggests that readers who are not aesthetically wedded to paper-bound books consider downloading electronic versions online. It's far cheaper, more ecologically friendly, and you get a copy within minutes. This is the future of publishing. Give it a try.)

If you would like to order a copy of IN APPROPRIATE, you have several options:

2) PAPERBACK VERSION FROM PUBLISHER (at USD$14.00 plus postage)
AVAILABLE NOW. Lulu.com has a site devoted to this book, from which you can order immediately as a print on demand paperbound copy (more ecologically sound than traditional first-run printing systems, with no stocks to take care of). The author gets more of the proceeds this way, too. Click below to purchase:

4) EBOOK at iBOOKSTORES, AMAZON, BARNES&NOBLE.COM, etc (at USD$10.00)
This should be downloadable at major online retailers (it takes a while for it to be listed) by now for reading on your iPad, Kindle, etc. If you see it come online, please let me know!

5) REGULAR BOOKSTORES (at prices they assess).
The paperback book has an ISBN (978-1-257-02640-1), so it can be ordered from any brick-and-mortar bookstore. Take the number to the clerk and put it on order.

If you like it, please consider recommending it to others.
Your support will enable me to write more novels and continue on in this direction.
ARUDOU Debito
(debito@debito.org)

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