What does a wizard, a politician, a bodybuilder, and a goblin have in common? They can all be created by the same author—in a single novel, or even in a short story. As a writer myself, I find this to be one of the great joys of the craft: creating rich worlds and the people who inhabit them. And really, there are no limits.

There are drug addicts. There are alcohol addicts. And then there are writing addicts. I belong to the latter.

Kendo is an old martial art that reflects the spirit of the samurai. Unlike other martial arts that focus on specific aspects of samurai swordsmanship, kendo tends to be highly competitive. In practice, this means that kendo practitioners often engage in one-on-one fights. This naturally leads to a stronger focus on techniques that are effective in actual combat.