POSTSCRIPT

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The volume Dark Nocturne is the only collection of novellas in the entire Vampire Hunter D series. What’s more, aside from the most recent book in Japan—Throng of Heretics—it’s also the only one that was originally serialized. At the time, Asahi Sonorama (which unfortunately was dissolved last October) was publishing a literary magazine called Shishi-Oh, and that’s where all the novellas in Dark Nocturne were serialized. Up until that point, the Vampire Hunter D series had been exclusively full-length novels. Not that I was dissatisfied with that, but I always had the feeling I’d like to write some stories that wouldn’t work in the regular novel length. So that was why when series editor Mr. Ishii suggested, “How about a serialization?” I responded, “Yes, yes, yes!” [laughs].

For whatever reason, it seems that authors fall into the category of “novelist,” “short story writer,” or “can do either.” You often hear people say, “He specializes in novels,” or, “He can only write short stories.” Although it’s naturally best to be well-rounded and able to write both long and short works, that doesn’t necessarily suit every author’s temperament. To be honest, when I was still an amateur, I aspired to be a short story writer. I hadn’t written anything novel-length myself, and I was enthralled by short stories by the likes of Ray Bradbury, Jack Finney, Fredric Brown, Richard Matheson, and Theodore Sturgeon—strange and frightening, stylish and intelligent, and beautiful tales, to boot. Even now I think the whole reason I became a writer was to try and write gems like those. However, the gilding tends to come off in the cold, harsh light of reality.

At present, it’s extremely difficult for an author to specialize in short stories here in Japan. The field of “otherworldly tales”—horror and science fiction—is particularly brutal. For starters, there are no magazines to carry such stories. Unless it’s some kind of special edition, a monthly periodically might carry at most two or three short stories in an issue. And there are times when there are none at all. Their readers like stories that cleave to reality (such as mysteries or romances). At that rate, it would take years to get enough short stories for an anthology, and even if you got such a volume printed, the number actually sold would be surprisingly low. There are no Bradburys in Japan.

Fortunately, I had the ability to write novels (whether I write them well or not is another matter). And I’ve even managed to pull off some short stories. (Though there’s little call for them. The reason for that should be clear by now). According to a more experienced writer, “A novelist is an artist working in oils. The short story writer is a watercolor artist. Although an artist who uses oil paints can quickly adjust to using watercolors, the watercolor specialist can’t necessarily make an oil painting.” I think there may be some truth to that.

It would give me great pleasure to someday show my English readers a collection of my short stories. I wonder if you’d be interested in a tale that combines Japanese swordplay and specters?

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Hideyuki Kikuchi

November 5, 2007

While watching Dracula’s Daughter