Today is release day for my third Shinobi Mystery, FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER!
Read moreMonth: July 2015
One More Day…One Day More!
Tomorrow is release day for the new Shinobi Mystery, Flask of the Drunken Master–it’s finally here!
Read moreFlask of the Drunken Master, Deer…and a Frog in a Glass
The title might seem random, but I promise the three things listed above have more in common than you might believe. I spent some time chatting with Erin from Oh, For the Hook of a Book about my recent travels in Japan (with brand-new photos I haven’t shared elsewhere!) , the upcoming release of Flask of the Drunken Master, and the samurai I’d like to invite to tea. Hop over and join us for all the fun–and pictures!–at Oh For the Hook of A Book! And if you’d like a chance to win a copy of Flask of the Drunken Master or Blade of
Read moreTenryuji: the Waterfall Without Water
During my recent trip to Japan, I visited Tenryuji, a Zen temple and monastery in the mountains northwest of Kyoto. The temple is famous not only for the “heavenly dragon” (Tenryu) painted on the ceiling of its worship hall, but also for its lovely botanical gardens and Zen landscape. The primary garden at Tenryuji was designed by Muso Soseki (1275-1351, also called Muso Kokushi), a follower of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. His major contributions to Zen garden design and landscaping include the “dry waterfall”–a stone arrangement designed to mimic the appearance of water without the use of any actual water
Read moreFive Tips for Successful Contract Negotiation
A truth of the publishing industry is that most authors negotiate from a position of relative weakness–the bottom of the proverbial totem pole. Many authors become discouraged or disillusioned with the relatively weak bargaining position they take into contract negotiations. However, the proper attitude and preparation can help the author’s position in contract negotiations. My Friday post at Writers in the Storm takes a look at preparation for contract negotiations, so today we’ll take a look at how the author’s attitude going in can help create a successful negotiation. Negotiating Tip #1: You are not obligated to accept any offer, ever. Especially not a bad
Read moreA Holiday Weekend Giveaway!
In the United States, we’re celebrating Independence Day this weekend, but in the UK, AFE Smith is celebrating the launch of her debut fantasy novel, DARKHAVEN. In honor of that, there’s a Facebook party going on with lots of book giveaways and prizes. Check out the Darkhaven release party for all of the details. As part of the fun, AFE Smith interviewed me about the upcoming release of Flask of the Drunken Master, and I’m giving away a Drunken Master Prize Pack: a signed hardback copy of Flask, a ninja mug, and some special candy I brought back from Japan! For a
Read moreWho Owns the Cover Art?
Today’s post takes a look at creation, use, and ownership of cover art for fiction and nonfiction works.
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