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Contributor

Sakumi Tayama

Contributor

Sakumi Tayama

Japan

Sakumi Tayama was born in Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Japan in 1966 but moved to the northernmost prefecture of Japan, Hokkaido, at the age of three. After studying English literature at Fuji Women’s Junior College in Sapporo she worked in the private sector for eleven years, before moving to Sendai city in Miyagi Prefecture. Though she had been writing for some time, she did not start submitting her work to literary magazines until 2003. She was awarded the Bungakkai New Writer’s Prize in 2006 for her story, “The Hole in the Garden” (translated here) and has since published five major works, including「かわいそうな鬼」(“The Poor Demon”) and「霊おろし」(“The Medium”) in 2008,「代理母豚」(“The Surrogate Sow”) in 2010 and「神さま」(“God”) in 2011.

Articles by Sakumi Tayama

Spirit Summoning, Part VI

By Sakumi Tayama

If you’re there, come to me. I’ll speak for you.

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

Spirit Summoning, Part V

By Sakumi Tayama

“These last few summonings . . . you haven’t been faking it, have you?”

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

Spirit Summoning, Part IV

By Sakumi Tayama

“They say that virgins make the best mediums so you don’t need to worry about me.”

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

Spirit Summoning, Part III

By Sakumi Tayama

My hands rose high above my head and crashed down onto the tatami mat with terrible force.

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

Spirit Summoning, Part II

By Sakumi Tayama

“I’m telling you, Mom, there’s no poltergeist.”

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

Spirit Summoning, Part I

By Sakumi Tayama

It was Yoko who made me become a fake medium six months ago.

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

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The Hole in the Garden, Part IV

By Sakumi Tayama

The voice seemed to be coming from the pig.

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

The Hole in the Garden, Part III

By Sakumi Tayama

“You expect me to believe you dug a hole just for the fun of it?”

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

The Hole in the Garden, Part II

By Sakumi Tayama

Did you know that your husband is cheating on you?

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

The Hole in the Garden, Part I

By Sakumi Tayama

“Asako, how do you like this dream?” she asked, not turning her head from the hole.

Translated from Japanese by Mark Gibeau

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