Today, I’m honored to host author and martial artist Lorna Suzuki, whose fantasy series THE IMAGO CHRONICLES have been optioned for a major motion picture trilogy! I met Lorna through Twitter, where we connected over a mutual love of writing and martial arts, and a deep respect for the true historical ninja (aka, “shinobi”). I’m honored Lorna could join us today to share a little more about her writing and inspirations. Lorna Suzuki is a martial arts practitioner/instructor with 30+ years experience in a discipline based on 6 traditional samurai schools and 3 schools of ninjutsu. When not teaching, she is the
Read moreMonth: July 2014
Shinobi News: July 5, 2014
Welcome to the penultimate Shinobi News before the release of Blade of the Samurai! I’m just as excited about this book as I was about last year’s debut, Claws of the Cat. I’m looking forward to all the excitement and fun of the release, and even more to sharing the new Shinobi Mystery with readers. I hope you’ll join me at one of my signings (please check the Events page for all the upcoming fun!) or on one or more of the virtual tour stops I’ve lined up this month. Several of them include giveaways of Blade of the Samurai! Here’s the plan for the coming
Read moreAn Author’s Declaration of Independence
This originally posted July 4, 2013. I’ve made some minor edits, but the message is the same: Happy Independence Day. July 4 has always had special significance for me. First, it’s close enough to my birthday that Independence Day fireworks can double as birthday fun (and, really, who doesn’t like a pyrotechnic birthday?). More importantly, I value the freedoms my country offers. I have the right to speak my mind, to believe what I choose to believe, and to pursue the dreams of my heart. Not all people have these rights, and I am grateful for them (and for the
Read moreAn Interview with Lori Rader-Day
Please help me welcome novelist Lori Rader-Day, whose debut mystery, THE BLACK HOUR (Seventh Street Books), releases on July 8. THE BLACK HOUR is the story of the aftermath of a campus shooting. Chicago sociology professor Amelia Emmet studies violence, until she’s the victim of an attack by a student she’s never met. The student kills himself, but Amelia survives—only to find that the court of public opinion has rendered her guilty of something. With the help of an overly earnest graduate student, Nathaniel, who may have an agenda of his own, Amelia seeks an answer to the question she can’t
Read moreShould Writers Work for “Exposure”?
Short answer: Yes. And also, Absolutely Not. The honest answer is: it depends. For those who might not follow: “working for exposure” means writing for free, and allowing your work to be published in one or more places without pay. There are good reasons to write for exposure–and also very bad ones. Ultimately, writing “for free” is a business decision authors must evaluate on a case-by-case basis. Let’s look at some factors authors should consider when evaluating an opportunity to write “for exposure” (without pay): 1. Always keep your copyrights, and the right to re-publish and re-use the work. This is a deal
Read moreThe Reef is a Different World at Night
Most people don’t spend very much time considering the coral reef at night. The daylight reef swarms with activity – fish and corals, along with other invertebrates of every shape and size. At night, the fish are mostly sleeping, but other creatures come out to play. One example: bristle worms. These stinging invertebrates hide in crevices during daylight hours, and emerge at night to clean detritus off the reef. The corals change by night as well. This green star polyp colony looks full and bushy by daylight…. … but those fuzzy polyps pull back into themselves almost completely within minutes after
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