About My Writing and Editing

I write about issues that interest me including (but not limited to) books, food, family, diversity, education, yoga, fine arts, and Asian America.

As an editor, I’ve provided developmental editing for two book manuscripts. I’ve copy-edited articles, history books, websites, newsletters, and other direct mass mailings. I’ve coached college and high school students in a number of writing assignments and contexts. I worked as managing editorial assistant at an academic journal for two years, which gave me a strong understanding of the editorial and publication process. As a former educator, I always try to encourage writers by pointing out the best parts of their writing, and then asking questions or making suggestions for making their work even stronger.

I’m always looking for interesting opportunities to work with interesting people and organizations. Please feel free to send me a message (kikugirl at kikugirl dot net) if you’d like to work with me or know more about my work. You can download my writing/editing resume as a PDF.

Current Projects (Spring 2013)

• I am a consulting writer for the Communications, Marketing, Outreach and Recruitment team at Tacoma Community College.
• I write for The Seattle Star as well as the International Examiner.
• I provide social media support (website maintenance, copywriting, blogging, Facebook, newsletter, Twitter) for Source Yoga in Tacoma and University Place, Washington.

Literary Magazines and Anthologies

• “My Log Cabin Sukiyaki Song,” Remedy Quarterly (Issue 7, December 2011). Reprinted in the Nikkei Chronicles Itadakimasu series, October 2012. Reprinted in the Nikkei Voice (Canada, March 2013). Also translated into Spanish and reprinted in the Perú Shimpo (February 2013), and Alternativa Nikkei (Argentina, April 2013), and translated into Japanese and reprinted in the Nikkey Shimbun (Brasil, April 2013).
• “How It Feels To Inherit Camp,” Kartika Review (Spring 2011). Republished in the anthology New California Writing 2012 (Heyday, April 2012) and the Kartika Review Anthology 2011.
• Faculty response to Andrei Kozlov’s “The Boxer,” Crosscurrents Literary Review (Spring 2011)
  

Web Writing Portfolio

The Seattle Star.net (Culture, Literature, previews, events)

• “Three Boxes, One Classroom: Another Argument for Food Banks” (3/3/13)
• Series: “The Finest Work Songs: A Tour of Seattle Artists Working Together” (on Seattle-area artistic collaborations): (10/9/12) (10/15/12, Alan Lau and Susie Kozawa) (1/17/13, Jürg Koch and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring) (4/17/13, Gabrielle Nomura and The Relay Dance Collective)
• “Life, Death, Computers, Books, Baseball: Seattle Star Interviews Laurie Frankel” (8/4/12)
• “Why Ichiro’s Departure Makes This Nikkei Girl Sad” (7/24/12). Reprinted (8/2/12) in Discover Nikkei, web project of the Japanese American National Museum.
• Series, “The Show Must Go On” (a “working artist” series about preparing for Drunken Telegraph, a storytelling show)  (4/10/12) (4/17/12) (4/27/12) (5/4/12) (5/16/12) (5/22/12) (6/1/12) (6/11/12) (7/6/12, includes link to audio)
• “From Puyallup to the Present: Day of Remembrance Events, 2012″(2/17/12)
• “Method Acting for Writers: Seattle Star Interviews Author Krys Lee” (2/7/12)

Seattlest.com (Ethnic food reviews, previews, Q&As, arts, and events)

• “Taking Down-Dog To the Streets: Q&A With Stephanie Toby, Director of Operations at Seattle’s Street Yoga” (12/20/11)
• ” The Politics of Adoption and Race: Seattlest Interviews Lisa Marie Rollins” (11/11/11)
• “Redistribution, Sherwood-Style: Robin Hood at Seattle Children’s Theater” (10/27/11)
• “‘History Is A Story’: Seattlest Interviews Novelist Monique Truong” (10/22/11)
• “Seattlest Bites #4: Apricot Danish from Fuji Bakery” (10/20/11)
• “Acknowledging Chinese American History: Seattle’s Connections to Senate Resolution 201″ (10/12/11)
• “Top 10 Kid-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Fall in Seattle” (10/9/11)
• Q&A Preview of the Wing Luke’s Food Exhibit: “From Fields To Family: Asian Pacific Americans And Food” (10/6/11)
• “Latest Greatest Resale Shop Idea: Hosekibako (Jewel Box) in the ID” (9/28/11)
• “‘What About The Kids?’” Making Sandwiches During The Tacoma Teacher’s Strike (9/22/11)
• “Seattlest Bites #3: Spicy Pork Torta at Marination Station” (9/15/11)
• “Nettletown Cafe Closing” (8/26/11)
• “Seattlest Bites #2: Pampeana Empanadas” (8/25/11)
• Seattlest Bites #1: Pupusas from Guanaco’s Pupuseria (8/19/11)
• The History of Teriyaki and Beyond: “Itadakimasu!” Exhibit at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center (8/12/11)
• “A Few Ways to Celebrate Farmers Market Week” (8/5/11)
• “Desperately Seeking Singaporean Food in Seattle: Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan’s A Tiger In The Kitchen (And A Special Recipe)” (6/29/11)
• “Sunset Enters the SEA/PDX Food Fight” (6/21/11)
• “Maruta Shoten: Japanese American Grocery (and Picnic) Goodness”(6/15/11)
• Q&As with Farmstead Meatsmith and Keren Brown (aka “Frantic Foodie”)

International Examiner (Asian American news, Book Reviews, and culture)

• Book review of Dear America: The Fences Between Us, by Kirby Larsen (6/20/12) (For Pacific Reader, IE’s Literary Supplement)
• Book review of Bitter In the Mouth, by Monique Truong (9/19/11)
• “Is the API Youth Movement We’ve Been Waiting For?” (9/7/11)
• Book review of Anshu (Dark Sorrow), by Juliet Kono (For Pacific Reader, IE’s Literary Supplement, 7/20/11)

Other Forums

• “I’ve been writing,” reprinted on Avidly (4/25/13) (part of their series on the experience and labor of writing)
• “As We Leave This Place,” reprinted on LovedLettered (8/1/12)
• Storyteller in Drunken Telegraph: From Pine Plank to Living Tree (Tacoma, 6/5/12)
• Featured on KUOW (Seattle NPR affiliate), “Chicken Adobo Tastes Like Home” (original air date 9/24/11)
• Book review and profile, Shauna James Ahern (Arches Magazine, Autumn 2010)
• Finalist excerpt, SheWrites “Passion Project” nonfiction contest (2010)