Exciting news! Fight, Magic, Items: The History of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and the Rise of Japanese RPGs is making its global debut in Saudi Arabia thanks to Yatakhayloon.

Here’s the announcement:

Here’s a cool piece about how Yatakhayloon is helping to bridge the gap between Arab mythology with western science fiction:

[Novelist Ibraheem Abbas] first novel, “HWJN,” is the story of forbidden love between a 90-year-old supernatural jinn, who experiences his first interactions with the human dimension through a relationship with a young woman.

The novel is told from the perspective of the supernatural creatures and cleverly conveys their standpoint on humans. (In Islam, jinn are extraterrestrial, invisible creatures believed to have been made from “smokeless fire by God.”)

In writing “HWJN,” Abbas had no intention of publishing the story. It was merely a medium where he could channel his “personal creative journey” in which he allowed his notions to roam free.

But when he ultimately decided to publish “HWJN,” Abbas and his partner, Yasser Bahjatt, hit a brick wall. Publishers didn’t want it. It was too fantastical for Arab tastes. As a result, they were compelled to launch Yatakhayloon where it was successfully published.

In addition to science fiction’s growth, gaming is booming in Saudi Arabia, and the country is Nintendo’s largest outside investor, owning 8.26% of the Japanese gaming company. It’s such a thrill to know that Arab gamers are going to get to experience my story about the rise of Japanese RPGs and the cultural exchange with western games that has created one of the most vibrant and interesting genres in the world.

I don’t know when the Yatakhayloon version will be released, but it’s happening sometime this year. AND. I’ve got two more announcements coming as soon as the ink is dry on the contracts (I just signed another international rights deal yesterday!) So, keep an eye out for those.