The Heart of a Fox

by T. Isilwath

  “Douitashimashite,” she replied. She felt him chuckle and looked at him. He smiled, his eyes full with the promise of a bright (and now unknown) future, but she knew that, no matter what that future might bring them, they would face it together.

  A Few Last Words

  I want to thank all of my readers, especially my very generous volunteers who helped me write this novel. Without their help and support, Heart would never have been finished.

  Many readers will see how much time and research I put into Heart in order to make sure I portrayed the characters and culture of the times as accurately as I could. That being said, I know some astute readers will have some questions about a couple of things, and I wish to address them here.

  Firstly, I am aware that, in traditional Japanese folklore, the product of a kitsune and a human is a human child with fox traits, and not a half-fox like Akihiro. I based Akihiro on folklore I had learned through contemporary Japanese manga and anime, not realizing that the Japanese often ignore their own mythology for the sake of their creative process. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, it means that in traditional Japanese mythos, Akihiro doesn’t exist.

  When I discovered this, I almost stopped writing and scrapped the whole thing, but I came to realize that Akihiro was who he was and he wanted the story told as-is. So much of the plot is based upon what Akihiro can do because his father was a powerful kitsune, and the essence of much of the story would have been lost if I had to change him.

  There were many routes I could have chosen to “fix” the problem. Numerous suggestions involving alternate realities and String Theory were put forth, but in the end I chose none of them. The story stands as it is, flawed though it may be. I leave it for you to resolve it for yourselves if you need to.

  Secondly, I did my best to portray the Native American and Cherokee culture as accurately and respectfully as possible. I am third-generation Italian American, and I do not have a drop of Indian blood in me. Everything I wrote about Cherokee culture and beliefs came from my research through books, the Internet, and speaking with those who had Native blood. The draft of the novel was read and screened by gracious volunteers who offered to make sure I hadn’t committed any grievous errors. However, if I missed something or portrayed something inaccurately, I deeply apologize.

  Lastly, I am sure some readers will notice that there are a few unresolved issues at the end of the story. I did not address these issues on purpose. Rest assured, all the plot holes and dangling devices will be filled and resolved in the next book.

  Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.

  T. Isilwath is a native of Pennsylvania where she still resides with her husband and a menagerie of animals. The Heart of a Fox is her second novel.