[reviews plan]

Apologize for not updating this blog. I think the blogger's server was down for days... Anyway, currently we can expect some formal reviews (resensi) to be posted here...
1. Dr Dede Selamat Sutedja (yes, he has a profound medical background, and will read my novel although not all at once due to time constraints) *he reassures that hehehe* Updated: review from Dr Dede will not be posted in anywhere as it is meant to be strictly private and confidential :)
2. Pak Harry Suhartanto from Radio Singapore International -- Radio Singapura Indonesia Updated: review from Pak Harry will not be posted in anywhere as it is meant to be strictly private and confidential :)
3. Mbak Nunik Utami Susilo (her review ever got posted in Batam Pos)

Congratulatory Notes

I should not post these congratulatory notes on the launch of my first novel... But I couldn't help sharing some of the "good words" - especially those that are written beautifully...

An example of "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" (Proverbs 25:11)... from the top of my VIP list in Singapore...
Many congratulations Yunisa on your maiden novel ! I am sure nobody except yourself can feel the level of emotions that come with this ... I feel honoured that you had mentioned my name cos I didn't think it make such an impact on you ... will definitely buy to read it !!! (Dr Dede Selamat Sutedja, 15 April 2006).

From my colleagues @ The Gallup Organization
Hearty congratulations!! I know how difficult it is to write up a novel, to pursue one's dreams and I admire you for having accomplished this feat of having a book published. Continue to write, to improve and to chase your dreams - life is the better for it (Sajith Sivanandan, 17 April 2006).

Congrats, this is extremely impressive. I am sure that there will be many reprints (Ashok Gopal, 17 April 2006).

What a wonderful accomplishment! Congratulations Yunisa! (Jerry Hansen, 17 April 2006)

Wow! Congratulations Yunisa!!! I hope to get my hands on it someday! What a great accomplishment! =) (Charlotte Lourdes, 17 April 2006)

Congrats on being published! I bet your family is so proud! (Catherine Heron, 17 April 2006 from the US side).

And many, many more... Some with enquiries, e.g. whether I will publish this novel in English... and being teased in weekly meeting...
My answer: Well, maybe someday?

Rooms for improvement...

1. Editing
Arkhia, the editor of my novel was not as meticulous as me :( (I didn't involve in proofing in novel format). For those who encounter problems in converting MS Word to PDF or even Latext, you know what I mean... What you see in MS Word is not what you get in PDF or Latext. Incompatibility of systems, e.g. the paragraph indents, the default of CAPS for the beginning of the line, missing punctuation marks...

Indonesian spelling is also very different from English, and there are a lot of mistakes in cutting the syllables in my first print. Hope the 1,500 are sold out, and I have a chance to proof my 2nd print! I know I'm rather a pain in small little things given my work experience in Singapore, where I am paid to find mistakes!

2. Cover
Erix, the cover designer has done a great job in choosing the colours! If you see the initial design -- Yuki looks like Marina, the Filipino mermaid -- you'll know why I insist to use manga-like sketch. Unfortunately, I rather feel that Yuki's lips are a bit "too up", not quite proportional...


3. My picture
They did some touch up, i.e. they painted my lips bright red! Alamak hahaha... The original picture is the same as my blogger's profile, i.e. natural colour lipgloss. And they put some shiny effect, too, so my face looks so oily... My sisters comment that I'm much more prettier in person. The photo is really deceiving hahahaha...

The looks

Fig. 1. Front cover

Size: 12x18 cm
436 pages+ xii
First print, March 2006
My first novel in Indonesian language: Sakura Bersemi di Yokohama (literally it is translated as Cherries Blossom in Yokohama).
ISBN: 979-25-0631-4
Price: Rp 39.000,-
Publisher: Theriza Books, Bandung
Tel: 62-22-91144469 / 62-85220234275, Fax : 62-22-5205603 (in case you want to ask them more about my book). First print run is only 1,500 copies.


Fig. 2. Front cover with folded wing for Author's comment

My publisher apparently is still negotiating with three big book stores, i.e. Gramedia, Gunung Agung, Kharisma. That is why for those who have tried to find my novel in Jakarta, you guys have not found it although it is scheduled to be distributed in Jakarta, Bandung (fully available), and Surabaya... Hopefully, by May, my novel is really displayed on the shelves everywhere!

Fig. 3. Back cover

Currently I only have very limited copies in Singapore after blood and tears shed to convince my mom that my novel is worth sending... Thank God that my father surprisingly cares enough to read my novel and loves it, and promotes it to everyone drops by at our home in Jogja... and he makes my sisters there almost cry because he insists to give their copies to his friends! (And I'm still getting difficulties to order extra copies. Sigh!)

Fig. 4. Back cover with folded wing for Author's Profile

I will only distribute these few copies to VIP list in Singapore first; the rest, sorry, it's a loan and reservation needed! haha... Please keep supporting! Thanks!

Blurb

Blurb is a short synopsis on the back cover.

With a background in the time of Meiji Restoration, Yuki, the baby who was exiled in the middle of the snowstorm, found her first love for Shinichi Serizawa.
However, Shinichi decided to accept the arranged marriage with Masako Satsuma in order to repay the help from the Satsuma family that rescued the Serizawa company from closing down.
Though in fact Yuki was...

The involvement of Keiko Hattori, Shinichi's former fiance, the appearing of a well-known playboy, Dr Toru Toshiyuki, as well as an old friend, Takuya Tosha who also fall in love with Yuki, made the situation increasingly complicated...

Blurb adalah sinopsis versi pendek di sampul belakang
Berlatar belakang pada zaman Restorasi Meiji, Yuki, bayi yang dibuang di tengah badai salju, menemukan cinta pertamanya pada Shinichi Serizawa. Namun ternyata, Shinichi memutuskan untuk menerima perjodohan dengan Masako Satsuma demi membalas budi atas bantuan keluarga Satsuma yang menyelamatkan perusahaan Serizawa dari gulung tikar. Padahal sebenarnya Yuki adalah...

Keterlibatan Keiko Hattori, mantan tunangan Shinichi, munculnya seorang playboy kawakan, Dr Toru Toshiyuki, serta seorang kawan lama, Takuya Tosha yang juga jatuh hati pada Yuki membuat situasi semakin pelik...

Author's Profile

(Written on the folded back cover wing)

Yunisa, was born and raised in "gudeg" city Jogja. Her education from Primary School-Senior High School was completed in her place of birth. Starting to write "Sakura Bersemi di Yokohama" in the semester holiday in 1999 as a means of venting her feelings of being lost in Mathematics major, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore. Having obtained a Master's degree in Business from The University of Newcastle, Australia made her forget her ambition and motivation during High School to beat Chiung Yao. Fortunately, a kind word "Really think you have a word for prose," from Dr Dede S. Sutedja, National University the Hospital succeeded in ignating the 'old passion' and reminding this Gemini girl-- that previously also aspired to become a doctor -- that her language teachers had also told her to try out her luck in the literary world.

Profil Penulis (lipatan sampul belakang)
Yunisa, lahir dan besar di kota "gudeg" Jogja. Pendidikan dari SD-SMA diselesaikan di tempat kelahirannya.
Mulai menulis roman "Sakura Bersemi di Yokohama" pada liburan semester tahun 1999 sebagai pelampiasan ' rasa kesasar' di jurusan Matematika, Fakultas Sains, National University of Singapore. Gelar Master Bisnis yang didapatkan dari The University of Newcastle, Australia membuatnya melupakan ambisi dan motivasi semasa SMA untuk mengalahkan Chiung Yao.
Untungnya, ucapan "Really think you have a word for prose ," dari Dr Dede S. Sutedja, National University Hospital berhasil membangkitkan 'gairah lama' dan mengingatkan gadis Gemini yang dulunya juga bercita-cita menjadi dokter ini bahwa guru-guru bahasanya juga pernah menyuruhnya untuk menjajaki peruntungan di dunia sastra.

Author's Word

(written on the folded front cover wing)

"The plot of this romance is made intentionally to deviate from the storyline expected by public. Warning from the first reviewers: Once you pop, you can't stop! Not suitable for readers who have felt sleepy."
Cheers,
Yunisa

Kata Penulis
“Jalan cerita roman ini sengaja dibuat menyimpang dari jalur yang diharapkan khalayak. Peringatan dari para reviewer pertama: Once you pop, you can’t stop!
Tidak cocok untuk pembaca yang sudah mengantuk.”
Cheers,
Yunisa

Menjawab Papa soal Reinkarnasi

Sungguh tidak dinyana, ayah saya, Mr Edy Gunawan, juga membaca author's copy yang dikirim ke Jogja, dan berkata bahwa ceritanya seru... cuma ada satu yang tidak bermutu: kalau latarnya Kristiani, kenapa ada reinkarnasi?

Jawab: baca kalimat terakhir dari novel dong, Pa... "hanyalah Tuhan yang tahu" :P

Memang konsep Kristiani tidak percaya pada adanya reinkarnasi (terlahir kembali di kehidupan lain). "Hidup hanya sekali, dan harus dipertanggungjawabkan pada saat Penghakiman Terakhir (dunia kiamat)"... Tapi dengan latar belakang negara Asia (terutama Jepang, Korea, Cina, India) yang percaya adanya reinkarnasi, mau tidak mau, tokoh-tokoh dalam cerita SBdY ini sedikit banyak dipengaruhi oleh pola pikir budaya itu, apalagi dalam kondisi putus asa (baca: putus cinta) hahahah... --> Mereka saking desperate nya berpikir, "Yah, siapa tahu di kehidupan lain..."

Saya pribadi sih berpikir kalau mungkin di kehidupan sekarang tidak berjodoh,ya tidak berjodoh. Mungkin tuh keturunannya yang berjodoh, atau malah nenek moyangnya sudah berjodoh :)

Menjawab Pak Harry Suhartanto, RSI

The following is my answer to Mr Harry Suhartanto, Radio Singapura Indonesia during our initial discussion on my novel...

Dear Yuni,

Boleh aku mengemukakan pendapat kan Yun? Maybe ini belum "fair" karena aku belum baca novelnya secara lengkap.

1. I am just wondering kenapa harus berlatar Restorasi Meiji?
What is so special about it? Kenapa misalnya nggak jaman sekarang aja?
Apalagi konsep playboy dalam diri Dr Toru kan baru muncul jauh setelah jaman Meiji..!!

Jawab: Waktu awal nulis, saya lagi tergila-gila sama komik Jepang yang latarnya zaman Jepang mulai dimasuki orang2 Barat (jadi bajunya mulai ada yang gak pakai kimono gitu)... Terus saat yang sama, I found this old history book in my cupboard (I think it belonged to my aunt) --> pas buka, wah ada Restorasi Meiji (pas SMP-SMA, saya tidak pernah belajar itu, jadi merasa tertarik sekali hehehe).

I think karakter playboy itu ada sejak zaman dulu, e.g. raja2 (baik kerajaan Hindu, Budha, Islam, kekaisaran Cina, raja2 Perancis) pasti punya istri banyaaakkkk (resmi dan tidak resmi). So I felt like putting one playboy character inside :P Kayaknya kalau bikin cerita, kurang afdol tanpa tokoh playboy hahhaha...

Terlalu banyak tokoh?
2. Kehadiran tokoh sentralnya, Yuki, agak kurang menonjol karena "banyaknya" tokoh-tokoh lain di sekitar dia.
Maybe pambaca awam akan merasa kehilangan fokus - kepada siapa sebenarnya perhatian harus diberikan.
Pembaca "awam" Indonesia tentu nggak terbiasa dengan nama-nama Jepang sebanyak itu. Maybe!

Sekali lagi mungkin aku perlu baca novelnya secara keseluruhan. So pendapatku nanti akan lebih komprehensif dan adil.

Jawab: Memang kebanyakan tokoh sih, kan gayanya drama -- telenovela (satu cewek diperebutkan banyak cowok) hahaha. Tapi gak sepanjang Tersanjung kok :P Kayaknya kalau difilmkan, ibu2 pasti inget wajahnya pemain rather than inget nama tokohnya yah?? hehehhe Mmm, mungkin buat pembaca yang tidak biasa sama nama Jepang, agak susah juga... Tapi kalau anak muda pecandu manga, pasti no problem hehehhe :D (di Bandung ada majalah Animonster?? khusus pecinta manga, wah kaget banget pas pulang kemarin... ternyata Indo lebih maju soal ginian dibanding Spore).

Saran
3. Kalo kamu memang senang dengan suasana Jepang, kenapa nggak nyoba nulis novel dengan background di
sekitar Pangkalan Militer Amerika di Pulau Okinawa. Cuma usul, siapa tau bisa dipertimbangkan.

Kamu hebat, aku aja yang lulusan Fak Sastra Inggris UI malah nggak minat nulis novel. He...he..!!

Jawab: Minat orang kan lain-lain, Pak... Kalau emang tidak minat, ya jangan dipaksa nulis novel hehehe...
Saya blm pernah ke Jepang, jadi benernya nekad banget nulis tempat yang belum pernah dikunjungi hahhaha... Pangkalan Militer Amerika di P. Okinawa, boleh dikunjungi publik??
Anyway, saya lagi plan to finish my trilogy of teen-lit, cuma belum sreg ending buku ke-3 nya, jadi sekarang lagi gathering ideas dulu... (I always change my mind about how the story should end hiks hiks).