The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Alan Rose will be discussing and reading from his new novel, Tales of Tokyo, at the next WordFest gathering on October 5, 6 p.m., at The Brits, 1427 Commerce Avenue in Longview.

Rose is the author of the 2007 paranormal mystery, The Legacy of Emily Hargraves.

“Emily was a modern ghost story, my attempt to understand paranormal phenomena utilizing psychological categories and parapsychological research,” said Rose.

Portland’s Just Out magazine called the mystery “emotionally moving, sophisticated and funny … -LESS-THAN-00404-and-GREATER-THAN-00404- as gratifying as a supernatural thriller can get.”

The reviewer from The Columbia River Reader noted its “sharp wit, great sex scenes, legitimate scares, and several genuine surprises. My head and heart were thrumming to the last page.”

And The Feminist Review called it “a perfect blend of laughs and fright … an excellent read for those looking for something a little more substantial than a good scare.”

“This new novel is very different and a much more personal book,” said Rose.

Tales of Tokyo is a quest novel, the story of four young people who go to Japan to teach for a year. Each of them is on a personal quest--Chris is looking for love; Sally is searching for an identity; Jason is seeking a God in whom he doesn't believe; and Delia is out to reform the world, starting with Japan. Their time in Tokyo becomes a shared journey where each assists the others in their quests.

“Oh, and there are several ghost stories thrown in, too,” adds Rose.

Rose lived and taught in Tokyo in the 1980s and a number of incidents from that time helped shape the book. He organizes the WordFest gatherings and hosts the KLTV program, “Book Chat.”

Tales of Tokyo and The Legacy of Emily Hargraves are $19.95 each, and available at Paperbacks Galore and The Brits, as well as on Amazon.com and from Barnes & Noble at BN.com.

WordFest is the monthly gathering of readers and writers. The events are free and open to the public.

For more information about Rose's novels and about WordFest, go to http://www.alan-rose.com.