WELCOME TO FICTION IGNITION, A WRITER’S PLAYGROUND OF KNOWLEDGE
Hi! My name is Yoshi Maeshiro (aka The Flamekeeper), and I am the Founder and CEO of Fiction Ignition.
For 25 years, I dedicated my life to promoting reading and teaching literary and theater workshops everywhere. I worked in: schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, jails, you name it (once I even headlined the main stage at Mexico City’s Zocalo as a storyteller).
My job was to connect people with the transformative power of stories and the performing arts. Yet, through it all, I battled a persistent challenge: ADHD symptoms that made finishing projects feel like scaling a mountain.
From an early age, I knew my calling was to write. At just 13, I dropped out of junior high to pursue my dream of creating comic books, convinced the world needed my stories. The only problem? I had no idea how to bring those visions to life. My discipline was a disaster, and though the spark was there, my efforts often fizzled out before they could take shape. I managed to write and even produce and act in some of my plays (one of them got third prize in a contest and was published), but I mostly left a trail of wasted months (or even years) working on projects that ended up nowhere.
Still, my passion for storytelling never wavered. For years, stories and characters appeared in my head but I always postponed the moment when I would actually sit down every single day and make them come alive. Then came the pandemic—a moment of upheaval that, like so many, turned my world upside down. For me, it wasn’t just a crisis; it was a rebirth.
I decided to hit the reset button on my life and dedicate the time I have left to doing what I love most: writing fiction, playing music, and creating content that inspires others. This isn’t just a hobby for me; it’s a mission. Whether it’s crafting mysteries, science fiction, or horror stories, playing melodica on the streets, or building Fiction Ignition, everything I do is fueled by a simple mantra: create boldly, and live authentically.
When I’m not writing or making music, I’m at home in Mexico City taking care of my four cats, Janis, Jimi, Shanti, and Abhaya, and my incredible 88-year-old Mom. They’re my grounding force, my everyday joys, and my reminder that the simple moments are just as meaningful as the big creative ones.
I’ve spent most of my life running from the discipline needed to finish the stories that burn within me. But now, I’m running toward the flame.