Cay Van Ash
Encyclopedia
Cay Van Ash was a Professor of English Literature at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...

 in Japan and a writer.

In 1935, the 17 year old pedalled his bicycle to interview his literary hero Sax Rohmer
Sax Rohmer
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward , better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr...

. The two struck up a friendship. Van Ash lived with the Rohmers for 15 months while Rohmer taught him the mechanics of writing.. He was employed as Rohmer's secretary for a number of years before moving to Japan in the 1950's. They continued to correspond until Rohmer's death in 1959.

Van Ash taught at Weseda University from 1961 until his death in 1994. In 1971, Rohmer's widow Elizabeth contacted Van Ash to help her complete a biography of her husband Master of Villainy which was published the following year.

Whilst teaching in Japan, Van Ash was licensed by the Rohmer Estate to write a continuation
Continuation
In computer science and programming, a continuation is an abstract representation of the control state of a computer program. A continuation reifies the program control state, i.e...

 Fu Manchu
Fu Manchu
Dr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...

 novel, Ten Years Beyond Baker Street (1984). Set in April 1914 in Sussex, it featured Dr. Petrie calling Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...

out of retirement after Nayland Smith is abducted. A second novel The Fires of Fu Manchu set during the First World War followed in 1987. A third novel The Seal of Fu Manchu was announced in 1988. At the time of his death in 1994, Van Ash and his wife were living in Paris where he was researching the novel's setting. The manuscript was unfinished at the time of his death and is now believed lost.

External links

  • A Footnote on the Yellow Peril http://www.njedge.net/~knapp/Schreiber_Article.htm
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