No coincidence in the world

Hello!

I was talking about something strange happened to me yesterday and it reminded me that there is no coincidence in this world.

I renewed my book contract with my Japanese publisher in this July and I had to send them a new contract signed for it.

In this lockdown, my publisher told me that I could send it any time when things are settled down so there was no rush at all.

However yesterday, all of sudden, I wanted to sign on it and can’t explain why. I sometimes feel like I have to do something and do it following the feeling.

Contracts with a Japanese publisher works much more formal, I say. I had to seal the stamp my own name curved in it in Japanese style on the documents in very special Japanese style.

Stamp on two sets of documents’ edges adjacent each other and half of the sealed stamp goes on one document for the counterpart and better half will be on another document of my copy.

Those are special Japanese style so it takes some focus and efforts to complete. I had to give my bank information for the guarantee and I had to write American bank information into a Japanese blank formats.

I procrastinated at all because of the special procedures though suddenly I felt like I would do it on the day for some reasons.

My publisher, Bungeisha is one of the major ones in Japan and they take care of me with kindness. They actually sent me some postal checks for the postage of sending the copies of contracts back to them.

I rarely go to the post office, you know the reason. I go to mail box services when I have to send something.

However this time, I had to go to a post office because I had to use the postal checks that they sent. I looked for a nearby office in map.

I have been to a big post office once or twice before though I had never gone to nearby one at all so I didn’t even know the location.

I got there and limited number of people could get into the office so some people were waiting in line outside. I waited at the end of the line patiently.

Finally I was inside and had to fill out special formats for the overseas dispatch to Japan. There was no pen available in the office at all because of the COVID-19 adjustments.

I was looking for a pen and talking to myself that I didn’t have a pen. Then strange lady came and gave me a pen. I was so happy because I waited so long so I wanted to make it work.

I realized that the office is the one that delivers packages to my house. I decided to ask if they held on any of my missing packages.

Some packages are missing but most of the time, Amazon refunded quickly when they were missing.

However I had one special package gone missed weeks ago.

I published a book in the US in English in this January 2020 and my New York publisher sent my first printed sample books in the mail.

You know, first printed books are special as copies. Of course, in 2nd print on, they are the same books though first print is always special.

Luckily first prints were almost sold out of my book and now in the process of printing again. There was some inconvenience so I hadn’t received my author copies yet and at the publisher there were only 5 copies left can be given to me.

Yes, those 5 copies were missing in the mail.

In this COVID-19 lockdown, the volume of packages are much more than before so packages were naturally missed even worse.

I was disappointed my package missing though I decided to release the kind of negative energy quickly so I did and asked the publisher to send me copies of 2nd printing.

In the background story, I casually asked the lady at the window of the post office about my package. She didn’t even stand up or look for it, she actually had it on her desk.

The envelop was torn apart though my books were there intact.

The lady told me that she could recognize my name when I filled out the form to send the contract to Japan. I was surprised.

My package was on her desk so others wouldn’t find it if I went to the different window. It had been two weeks since they sent me so it was truly surprising.

I was so happy and told her that those books were my first print book samples and thanked her repeatedly.

Again, I wouldn’t have got the package if I went to the different window.

The reason why the package didn’t even arrive was probably the envelop was torn. I had experience before package didn’t arrive because they were torn.

The lady asked me humbly if it was ok with torn envelope.

I didn’t know they held on my package because they never notified me either.

By the way, I couldn’t use the postal checks that were given by my publisher for some reasons so I sent them back to my publisher.

I wouldn’t have gone to the post office or even any post office if there was no postal check was given to me. I wouldn’t have found my first print books in the sense either.

It is strange, isn’t it?

I believe that there is no coincidence at all in this world so the universe wanted me to get my first print books anyway. Thank you, universe!

If you are interested in my book in English, please click here.

There is e-book too and this time, Japanese book got e-book too.

For Japanese reader, click here.

I will keep talking about strange things in my life in tomorrow’s column.

Have a wonderful day!