What I’ve Been Reading
Shadow Warrior by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
An imaginative, informative biography–of sorts–of the semi-legendary Chiyome Mochizuki, who owned and ran a school to train girls as ninjas in feudal Japan. Tanya Lloyd Kyi fills in much of the background of Chiyome’s life with invented scenes and characters, showing us just how a girl from Koga wound up running a powerful network of spies and assassins as the civil wars of Japan raged around her.
Chiyome is, of course, a central and formidable character in Deadly Flowers and Deadly Wish. I’m so happy to see her get a book of her own! My Chiyome is more nefarious than Tanya Lloyd Kyi’s. But you know right away that either one is not to be trifled with.
Anyone who enjoyed Deadly Flowers and Deadly Wish and who wants to know more about the historical background behind both books would do well to check out Shadow Warrior.
Read MoreHipple Collection of Young Adult Literature
A first draft pages from Deadly Wish. Am I the last writer alive to do first drafts longhand?
I was flattered and excited to be asked to donate signed copies and original manuscripts of Deadly Flowers and Deadly Wish to the Ted Hipple Collection of Young Adult Literature at the University of South Florida! My books will live on the shelves beside books by Judy Blume and S.E. Hinton, so you can see they’ll be in very good company.
I must confess I’m a little sad to give up the original first drafts, though. It’s funny–I save all my first drafts, although I don’t know why. I don’t look at them again. They just take up space. I don’t mind throwing away intermediate drafts, but those first, handwritten ones–they feel like part of me. I’m surprised by how much of a wrench it feels to send them away. Like sending a kid off to college, I imagine. You always hoped they’d get there, but they’re not all yours anymore. Time to see what they can offer the world!
Read MoreNinjas in the Library
We had an awesome Deadly Flowers event at the Portland Public Library last Saturday! Our fearless and stealthy readers hunted for clues in the stacks (learning just a tad about the Dewey Decimal system in the process), figured out a rope puzzle (not easy!) and practiced sneaking up silently on a blindfolded partner (no peeking!). And of course many left with signed copies of Deadly Flowers and the brand-new Deadly Wish.
All this was courtesy of the excellent game kit created by the brilliant Kirsten Cappy of Curious City. To recreate this event, download the kit and buy yourself a few dozen Japanese Kit-Kats for snack (we had them in raspberry, strawberry, and green tea flavors). I guarantee you an adventurous event!
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Sarah L. Thomson
A children’s book author publishing award-winning nonfiction, poetry, picture books and novels including…
“Readers will treasure the blossoming friendship between opposites in this whimsically illustrated tale. Short chapters and plenty of action make for an accessible and appealing reading experience. . . . Touching and inspiring.”
—Kirkus Reviews