D.K. Furutani: We All Have a Place in This World to Reflect Upon
In this interview, author D.K. Furutani discusses his love of reading, the importance of giving yourself grace as a writer, and more.
Born and raised in Southern California, D.K. Furutani is the author of When Mikan Road Was Ours, winner of Simon & Schuster’s third-annual Books Like Us contest. His work has received support from the Periplus Collective and the Tin House workshops. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three cats.
In this interview, Furutani discusses how writing reignited his love of reading, the importance of giving yourself grace as a writer, and more.
Name: D.K. Furutani
Literary agent: Julia Kardon, HG Literary
Book title: When Mikan Road Was Ours
Publisher: Atria Books
Release date: July 28, 2026
Genre/category: Literary Fiction/Historical
Elevator pitch: When a mixed-race Japanese American English teacher unexpectedly receives a copy of his estranged great-uncle’s memoir, he uncovers long-buried family secrets and is forced to contend with all he’s inherited, willingly and unwillingly.
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What prompted you to write this book?
I started writing this book in the summer of 2020. The murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd, along with the rise of anti-Asian hate speak permeating our society, had sparked a national reckoning with racial injustice, and on a more personal level for me, a desire for a deeper connection to a heritage I knew little about.
I felt the urge to not only understand my own family’s history in a more meaningful way, but was also searching for an outlet to work through the feelings of confusion, disappointment, helplessness, and rage I was experiencing. As I researched and learned more about Japanese American history, the idea to create a character who contends with his own current difficulties by relying on the stories of the past was a narrative I wanted to explore as a novel.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It was six years bringing this book into the world. The core idea never changed, as I always wanted to write a multi-POV and dual timeline novel. But I struggled a lot with fleshing out the modern-day narrator. The first 20 pages were also a stumbling block. After countless drafts, a few workshops, and many conversations with very sharp readers, a path for introducing the narrator was made clear to me. From there, I wrote and rewrote for two years.
It wasn’t until I received an email from a writer friend, Janet Tay (Early Mornings at the Laksa Café, Harvill), urging me to apply to the BOOKS LIKE US contest, that I actually thought the story was in the shape it needed to be for publication. So I just went for it and submitted to the contest.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
As a debut writer who won a contest, I feel as if every step of the way has been either a joyful surprise or a necessary learning moment. Of course, winning the Books Like Us contest was a thrilling surprise, and through that I was fortunate enough to meet my amazing agent who has been a steadfast guide in steering me through the whole process. Additionally, I had never worked with an editor before, which was one of the most rewarding writing experiences of my life.
Beyond that, seeing how production unfolds, from copyediting to interior book design to cover design to marketing and publicity, has been fascinating and enriching. The team at Atria is not only brilliant, but everyone has been so nice and encouraging and better than I could have imagined, and I owe so much to their investment in giving life to this story.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I think the most surprising aspect of writing this book was how much the process reignited my love for reading. I was so inspired to encounter new authors and revisit old favorites for craft reasons. With each iteration of the novel, I found myself seeking out specific writers who could help me work through what I was struggling to get right on the page, which in turn only made me want to sit down at my desk and write.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers will pause to think about their own family and their place within it. No matter our heritage or story, we all have a place in this world to reflect upon, and I hope Murano’s journey reminds readers of that.
Additionally, I hope readers can walk away from this book more aware of a period in American history when American-born citizens were forcibly removed from their homes and communities to be surveilled by guard towers and locked behind barbed wire in the remotest of deserts. Unfortunately, that feels all too familiar right now.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Keep the faith! Especially in your characters and your story. And remember to give yourself grace in the moments when it feels like things aren’t going as planned.
