As you say, this sort of explanation is completely unnatural...the "talking
heads" approach is rarely the way to go. With something so ubiquitous in Japan
like purikura, having one character explain it to another would usually be very
unbelievable, unless the one being explained to were someone like Ranma who
might be less familiar with such common social practices. The best way is
usually to make it obvious in context. Even then, novels involving other
cultures, real or imagined, sometimes have a glossary at the back. Footnotes,
however, can be very distracting, so if you go this route you can just add word
explanations at the end of the post without having any in-text footnote
indicators.

In this case I don't see the use of introducing the term "print clubs" since it
is not colloquial in English. Using either "purikura" or "photo stickers" is
probably the way to go.

Gary Kleppe wrote:

"Jourdan M. Bickham" <bickhjm5@yahoo.com> wrote:

"Purikura" is the Japanese shortening of the word "Purinto Kurabu" (Print
Club), hence Michael's choice of the word in the text.  Perhaps a compromise
here... he should made a footnote or something to clarify this for those
readers who aren't aware of what one is...

Personally, I'd rather not have to flip back and forth between the text
of a story and footnotes. The only really good way to introduce new
words, IMO, is to work them into the story -- preferably by using them
in context, or having a character *naturally* explain them if the former
isn't possible or isn't sufficient. <snip>

(This is an example of what happens when you disregard "naturally." ^_^)

This bit aside, what did you guys think of the story?

I liked the story and would like to see what happens next. However, I don't like
depressing endings, and the title itself portends one.

But the writing was so well done that I couldn't think of any helpful comments
when I first read it. ^_^

Peter

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