[The Tale of Genji] Raising People Right in the Kokiden Palace

(My next novel is set in the Heian period: a lighthearted, sweet palace romance about a young married couple's everyday life. The outline is finished, and I'll start drafting in August 2026. As of October 11, I have 110,000 words drafted. The ending is so wildly imaginative that it makes me laugh. Please add it to your reading list! The more readers, the sooner I'll start posting.)

In an old palace, a new dream unfolds...

The great Fujiwara family of Heian-kyo is quite the odd bunch:

The powerful family patriarch is a real attention seeker,

and his daughter, Ieko, whom he hopes will become a beloved consort, secretly loves to mock him.

Ieko has always thought the grandest palace in the imperial court, the Kokiden, must have terrible feng shui:

Neither of her two aunts who lived there became empress, even though each came so close...

Ieko is starting to question everything.

Let's see who the unlucky new mistress of the Kokiden is.

Oh, it's me.

(Smiling.)

Actually, it's quite splendid and comfortable here. It's a nice place to live.

And the handsome emperor comes by every day.

The beautiful, aloof Emperor Reizei tilts his head. "Do you like me, Ieko?"

"I'll give you everything good in the world."

At first, Ieko thought that making it through life in peace would be lucky enough.

Later, she sat in the Shishinden,

wearing the empress's ceremonial robes, holding her adorable daughter,

while the officials paid homage to her.

Blurb saved on July 11, 2026

Initial outline saved on July 14, 2026

Complete outline saved on July 20, 2026

You can enjoy this even if you haven't read the original. It's a lighthearted, angst-free palace romance with plenty of dramatic twists.

The protagonists are the young Kokiden lady-in-waiting (the daughter of the Middle Captain, whom I've named Ieko) and Emperor Reizei.

Both are each other's first and only partners, and both are incredibly beautiful.

A slightly sharp-tongued, mature heroine vs. a charming, beautiful hero. They're six months apart in age, so they're basically the same age: a young married couple.

She seems unruffled and unconcerned with rules, but in truth she doesn't care about them. He seems innocent and cheerful, but has a lot on his mind.

The heroine can carry out outrageous acts without changing her expression.

But the hero will proactively offer her everything good in the world, so she doesn't have to lift a finger.

The "old palace" on the cover refers to the Kokiden, where the three aunt-and-niece characters lived. The "new dream" is the life Ieko leads, different from the original novel.

Notes:

1. This is a spin-off set in the world of The Tale of Genji, but it is entirely fictional and does not correspond to any real events. You don't need to have read the original to enjoy it.

2. As the blurb says, this is a lighthearted palace romance with both a love story and a plot. The heroine's daughter will ascend the throne, corresponding to the original story's eldest princess.

3. The customs and setting are inspired by The Tale of Genji, The Pillow Book, The Gossamer Years, The Sarashina Diary, The Izumi Shikibu Diary, The Diary of Lady Murasaki's Courtier, and other works. I'm not an expert, so please don't scrutinize the details too closely.

4. Some period customs can be frustrating. Please don't blame the heroine or the author; blame the feudal era.

5. If you like anything else in my author page, please check it out!

Theme: Respect and love yourself. Believe in yourself and grow stronger.