The Cornell University Creative Writing Program, the Southern California Writers’ Conference, and Lambda Literary, for helping me and so many others become writers.

Supernova Martial Arts, Santa Monica College, and Carlos Monzón for keeping my non-writing life healthy, fulfilling, and running smoothly.

Jon Shirota, Leslie Feinberg, Robert Morgan, and King-Kok Cheung, for showing me what was possible.

KB Boyce, Daphne Gottlieb, Chris Warfield, Bridger Fox, and Amy Tien, for guiding me toward safer skies.

My sister, who is finally reading this.

My students, for all you have taught me.

My trans family, for being all sorts of beautiful.

Sam Woo BBQ, for years of incredible duck.

And, most of all, Jean Jenkins, my first editor, who midwifed the earliest drafts of this book, yet left this world before she could see it come of age. Cheerleader, drill instructor, mentor, and reality check—you will always be a most uncommon star.

Also by Ryka Aoki

ALSO BY RYKA AOKI

Seasonal Velocities

He Mele A Hilo

Why Dust Shall Never Settle Upon This Soul

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ryka Aoki (she/her) is a poet, composer, teacher, and novelist whose books include He Mele a Hilo and two Lambda Award finalists, Seasonal Velocities and Why Dust Shall Never Settle Upon This Soul. Her work has appeared or been recognized in publications including Vogue, Elle, Bustle, Autostraddle, PopSugar, and BuzzFeed. Her poetry was featured at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and she was honored by the California State Senate for “extraordinary commitment to the visiblity and well-being of Transgender people.” You can sign up for email updates here.

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