Category Archives: Blog

New Year, Old Thoughts

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Empress Jingu

I want to share with you a line from one of my poems: Sexism is the last racism What do I mean by this? Sexism has proved itself to be the last bastion of prejudice. From the first question we ask when babies are born, “boy or girl?” to the language we speak, the way we act (which for my money is also language), to legal and political rights and privileges. This is every country, every nation, everywhere. male forms If you’re questioning this, good.… Continue reading →

The ABC’s of GRATITUDE — perfect for the season

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A friend of mine and I were talking about gratitude. Who doesn’t at this time of year? She’s been reading Dr. Rick Hanson’s books and she summarized what he said about exactly HOW we can be grateful with ABC: A     be mindful of your ASSETS B      be aware of the BEAUTIFUL C      take in how people CARE about you I love mnemonics and I really like this one. A—be mindful of your ASSETS Thanks to everyone who attended or shared… Continue reading →

#4 Historical Fiction — Character, Character, Character

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Tomoe Gozen by Yoshitoshi 1880

If you’re a  reader or a writer, unforgettable characters are what we look for and strive for. Since late Heian Japan (12th century), people have been drawn to the extraordinary Tomoe Gozen, female samurai and wife of  Minamoto no Yoshinaka.(above) These past couple of days I have been validated on this  CHARACTER point several times: 1. Sunday, December 1, 2013 the New York Times Magazine has an article called, “The Big Picture Strikes Back.” I won’t sum it up for you, I think it’s better… Continue reading →

#2 IN HISTORICAL FICTION—THE STORY!

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  2. THE STORY What do all of these have in common: Alison Weir, Anne Perry, Ann Woodward, Laura Joh Rowland, Stephen Saylor, Elizabeth Peters, Mary Renault, the early Jean Auel, Philippa Gregory, James Melville and Diana Gabaldon? THE STORY. Amazing plot-driven, character-driven, conflict-driven, history-driven, stories.     The STORY is what draws me into historical fiction and the historical background is what keeps me there.  IF the history is accurate (See my previous post) i.e. no anachronisms, or egregious errors. I was reading a… Continue reading →

#1 In Historical Fiction—ACCURACY!

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ancient traditional lacquered pillow

There are four characteristics I value in historical fiction. I’ll be talking about each one in the next few posts. 1. Most important for me is ACCURACY.  I truly like the facts to be correct. For example, I noticed that Harlequin Romances was advertising for historical romance. Great. I know a little (okay, a lot) about the late Heian period. BUT. But, I am familiar with their standards. The way the romances are supposed to go—is nowhere near the path the romances of the Heian… Continue reading →

PERSISTENCE

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The Seven Luck Gods

The Japanese, especially in the Heian period and perhaps later,  world we would call superstitious. Like  Western Europeans they believe that illness could be caused by “bad spirits” and that their minute actions could cause disastrous consequences not only for themselves but for others. Naturally they would turn to the Seven Gods of Luck, displayed above and below. As I write this I take out a special package friend of mine gave me in which I keep buttons. But these buttons have the faces of… Continue reading →

On the road — on the road again — and again

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While I haven’t been everywhere, I have been on the road.  I personally want to thank all the people with whom I spoke. I had a marvelous time! And if you did happen to purchase  Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai and have a comment, question or concern, please write me.   Special kudos to my husband who took the pictures and followed me around carrying lots of stuff. He is a great playmate and I am grateful for him every day.      … Continue reading →

The Bow and Arrow: Another Weapon Also Used by Women

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The bow and arrow provided the majority of weaponry in Heian and early Kamakura Japan. the predominance of the sword did not actually come “into” use, although it was used, until later. The actual ascendancy of the bow and arrow began during the wars before and the Genpei War. Shooting the bow and arrow became, like most of the arts in Japan, an elaborate and systematic process which required much practice. There are actually eight named stages of shooting an arrow: 1.ASHIBUMI (footing) 2. DOZUKURI… Continue reading →

Women’s Weapons: The Naginata

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Between the 12th and approximately the 15th centuries  women defended themselves, their families and their homes. They concealed daggers in their sleeves or sashes and delivered their deadly blades with great accuracy. Women also used the naginata, which is a pole having a long, curved sword at the top.  For an ambush, women swung naginata  in narrowed places, cutting the legs of  horses to disable the enemy soldiers. Sometimes women fought alongside their husbands in battle. And they were expected to commit seppuku (ritual suicide)… Continue reading →

HISTORICAL FACT FROM HISTORICAL FICTION

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Two women sleeping under winter quilts

One of the things I love about historical fiction is that I am able to learn about the historical time, people and events. So — who were the real people and who are fictional characters in Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai? Kozaishō and all of the Taira:  Michimori, his family members, and even his ‘sidekick’, Tokikazu,were real. The Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Antoku did live as well.                   As did the Minamoto: Yoshitsune, Yoritomo, Yoshitomo, Yoshinaka, Noriyori, and Yukiie. Kozaishō’s family, Akio, Toshiko, the girls on the… Continue reading →

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