Who doesn't love a dragon? Seriously, the incorporation of folklore into the lives of Toki-Girl Azuki, Sparrow-Boy Shota, Crane-Woman Tsuruko, Dragon-Girl Renko and more allows a greater field for exploration and gives the material for great stories that showcase Japan's unique character while being a lot of fun.

In a span of about 50 years, Japan leapt from a decaying feudalism to a first-world power. That's amazing! So much happened so quickly! How did Japan make this transition so fast? How did Japan manage to do this while keeping its own unique cultural identity? What is there about Japan that make this possible? How were ordinary people affected? How did they cope? How did their lives change? I try to answer these questions with careful research into history as told through the lives of normal -- well, mostly -- citizens.

Japan has a unique and ancient culture that needs explication to be understood by others. As a first-world power that does business throughout the world, foreigners come into contact with Japan all the time, and yet it's often badly misunderstood. Lack of understanding stands in the way of profitable business relationships, pleasurable friendships and a lot of fun. It doesn't have to be that way.
I really like Japan! Japan is my quirky and interesting friend. I want to introduce this friend of mine to the English-speaking world, because once people know Japan, they'll like Japan, too.

The Library, various review sources, several newsletters. It's become harder to follow authors because I generally get my books for my much-loved Kindle.

My cat! No, he doesn't inspire, he demands. I look forward to my days.

Yes. I was 8. It was a cliche story, and not very good, but I had a grasp of story structure. Pretty good for a fourth-grader.

I think and research. I create a plot structure and story arc, then I work on character arcs. These are all in my head or in very cursory notes. Then I dive into my computer and write very quickly, except for stuck places, which require hard labor and swearing. From the draft, I go to another draft, then to a beta read, then to the editor, then to the copy editor and so on. Many times things change enormously based on the feedback I get.

Carefully.

Personally, I like adult mystery-thrillers for fun. Jeffery Deaver, Anne Cleeves -- too many to list. And I ike to revisit the Classics: Christie, Conan Doyle, Roberts Rhinehart, Ruth Rendell, Dorothy Sayersand more. I read all the time! I also like SF/Fantasy when it's complex and original, and sometimes read Literary Fiction like my cousin Marly Youmans writes. I now read a great deal of history for the Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy series, and am currently working on Japanese literature from the Meiji and Taisho eras.

No, I don't. I think I was born with my nose in a book. I didn't think I was allowed to read until I started kindergarden, so I snuck off and read whatever I could get my hands on.

I ski, I sail, I travel, I garden, I cook, I read. I am the most boring person in the world, I sometimes think, except on the page.

Asked and answered. Thrillers and mysteries.

Not possible. Five THOUSAND, maybe. Every book is a universe.

Having people enjoy my stories.

I LOVE and ADORE my Kindle.

I don't know.

A slate topped oak table up against a view window. There's a calendar under my keyboard, my mouse and cup of tea to my right. Big Momma Mac in front of me, the printer to her left. A short stack of memo pads rest on Big Momma's swivel, and stacks of files in process are to my left. Between my calendar and the computer swivel are my computer glasses and pens.

Seattle. I like the boats, the ocean, water and clouds. I have an enduring hatred of rain lasting more than 12 hours, more than once a month.

I am presently researching Book 6, as yet untitled, in The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy series and looking into a series of Japanese folklore stories for younger children.

I wrote my first play at age 8, in fourth grade. I've been writing ever since.

The Meiji-era was a wonderfully -- for a writer with hindsight -- complicated time. This era of growth and change allows me to explore authentic Japanese characters in a real historical context. I elaborate on the era and on Japan through incorporating folklore. Noriko's Journey was a natural outgrowth of the characters. In fact, the characters dictated it. What was supposed to be Book 5 will now be Book 6!

Smashwords makes it easy to market to a wide variety of retailers around the world in ebook format. I also produce print books because I think my tween through adult age range and my historical makes these books a natural for libraries and schools as well as individual readers.

There are so few traditional publishers left and those are so heavily oriented towards strict genre and celebrity books that I felt that if I wanted to reach my audience with these delightful and interesting stories, I would have to form my own small press, which I did.

Fans are everything! When I write, I constantly think of the ultimate reader and what will amuse and entertain that reader.

Fans are everything! When I write, I constantly think of the ultimate reader and what will amuse and entertain that reader.

Fans are everything! When I write, I constantly think of the ultimate reader and what will amuse and entertain that reader.