Claire Youmans first went to Japan in 1992 and was immediately captivated.  After years of travel and study, she continues to be charmed and amazed by a fascinating history and a culture that's both endearingly quirky and entirely unique. She is a retired lawyer who now lives in Tokyo. Her family, including her daughter and two grandsons, live in Seattle, USA.

In 2014, she started Tales of the Meiji Era with The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy's unparalleled blend of historical fantasy in the first book of the series, Coming Home.  She continues exploring the combination of history and folklore to share her love and fascination with a very different country and culture. 

Exciting adventures continue to unfold in this delightful fantastical yet historical world as social and political changes expand, technology explodes, and two very unusual children grow up.  



The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy

"Shhh," Renko whispered. "We don't want her to hear us!"


"She won't hear us," Shota said. "She sleeps like the dead."


"Your uncle doesn't," Renko countered. "Come on, let's get it in here."


They pushed, pulled and shoved and slowly the ungainly machine slid through the garden-side door to the workroom.


"I don't know why you couldn't have just materialized it in here," Shota complained.


"You think I can do anything!" Renko started detaching the pedal mechanism from the mechanical loom.


"Can't you?" Shota grinned. "Let me do that!" He used a wrench, another of Renko's products, to detach the bolts from the geared connections that would hook the engine to the mechanical loom.


"It's too dark in here," he muttered. "I'll lose something."


Chapter 141