Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Shinobi 7 Character Insight: Hanran Nigaru

Heyo, readers! I hope you're all doing fantastic. The first month of the new year is almost at its end and hopefully you have gotten one step closer to your resolution. Or you can be like me, who was like "My resolution is to do nothing" and then you went off and did nothing, thus completing your resolution. 

Lol. 

Actually my resolution was to be a better me. A better daughter, sister, student, author, and ninja. So there are some feels for ya. Revel in them feels. 

I'm pleased to present my first character insight in the Shinobi 7 Series. Fans of the S7 Series, get ready, because I'm starting off with one of my most popular characters. The silent, skilled, and apathetic Hanran Nigaru! 

The feedback on Hanran's character is really amazing to hear. Thank you to every fan who has gone out of their way to tell me your favorite characters and give me feedback, it's truly appreciated.



In the initial conception of Hanran, I wanted to create a character that emulated the stereotype ninja. A character that was quiet, observant, and very deadly with a weapon. Hanran is the ninja with the mental focus and heightened senses, even if he's still considered a student and not yet acknowledged as a full shinobi. Although, Hanran is the type of guy who wouldn't care if he were recognized as a full shinobi or a fresh meat student. So long as he is stronger than his enemies, he is content. He is a character that is not easily distracted with details. He always focuses on the bottom line.

Hanran (反乱) means "rebellion", "revolt". Nigaru means (苦る) "to feel bitter", "to scowl".

As skilled as he is, it was also important for me to emphasize the void that he has emotionally. Why is he so guarded? Why does he always feel like he must have his weapon on him? What is the true reason he trains as hard as he does?

Most importantly, who is he training to fight? 

I've never really felt safe, I've never really felt at ease. I know that we're in a time of war, and I've immersed myself as a soldier in battle. There is no safety, there is no peace. There's just war.
Chaos.
~Hanran's POV, Shinobi 7: Trials of a Warrior (book #1) 


One important note about him is that he absolutely-positively-undeniably-without-question wants to be alone. Which is great, yeah, except for the fact that Hanran Nigaru is on Sector 7 with five other teammates, three of them being younger children, the team leader a complete ego-maniac, and a girl who's bound and determined to talk to him, no matter how awkward she is. The disgruntled lone wolf now has a pack. Whether he likes it or not, he must learn how to work with his new teammates. 


“H-hi I’m Teruko Cassie."
“I never asked for an introduction."

~Cassie and Hanran, their first meeting 

The reader will get to know more of Hanran's character as the Shinobi 7 Series goes on. They'll understand his struggles and motivations. His character will grow with his teammates as he learns that he is a vital part of the Sector 7 team. They rely on him as much as he relies on them. 

And yes, Hanran will have to learn how to deal with his teammate, Luna. 



Get Shinobi 7: Trials of a Warrior (Book #1) on paperback and on Kindle for $2.99. If you've read the first book, the sequel Poisoned Battleground is also available in print and Kindle editions HERE 

Sunday, January 4, 2015

My Review-- The Mayonnaise Murders Part One by Keith A. Owens

Hello readers! I'm happy to share my review of The Mayonnaise Murders by Keith A. Owens. 



Synopsis:

Whoever killed Johnny Beardy ruined a perfectly good sandwich in the process. I was hungry when I found him, so that's the first thing came to my mind. For the record, my name is Vid. It's short for a name you don't wanna bother trying to pronounce if you're from Earth. Anyway, I solve problems. It's not what I always did, but things change and here I am. Stuck up to my gills in other critters' problems on good ole Planet 10. Once again, if you're an Earthling reading this, I meant that literally. You folks have a habit of making up cute little sayings and whatnot. Working your tail off. Sweatin’ like a pig. Up to your neck in. This ain't one of those. I have gills. Deal with it. On Planet 10, pork is fine but mayonnaise is illegal. Used as an essential ingredient in the highly addictive drug MayoMadd, mayonnaise has long been banned for the safety of the colonies which has been free of the MayoMadd craze for years. So then where did the mayonnaise come from? And who has enough pull to get it delivered to Planet 10? Or is somebody manufacturing it, and if so where are they getting the ingredients? Is sandwich spread really that important to a critter, and where does a dead rock star fit into all this? That’s what Vid has to find out, with more than a little help from Vee, a shapely news reporter with no shortage of attitude and an arsenal of quick comebacks wrapped in as much barbed wire as humor. What they eventually uncover is the biggest story of Vee’s career, but it could also pose one of the biggest threats to Earth’s teenagers – especially those with a taste for chemical thrills. The whole twisted affair could turn both Vid and Vee into wanted criminals just for playing too close to the fire.

My review:

This sci-fi adventure was a fun ride to strap on for. It was insane, filled with great quotes, wacky characters, and a plotline that kept getting better and better. 
 
The author Owens has his own voice and writing style that is very definable and enjoyable for me. He wrote to entertain and he succeeded.The book is fast-paced and the main character, Vid, was a well-developed lead to guide the reader through the plot. I saw some similarities in Owens writing as I did my own. To me, it seems that Mr. Owens writes to the beat of his own drum. This book may not be for everyone, but whoever wants to be entertained by a sci-fi novel should definitely have this book on their bookshelf.

Oh, and it's a detective/crime novel too. There's also that element of mystery. The character kinetics are great. 

All in all, this was a fantastically zany book and I look forward to reading more. 

Follow these links so you can get a copy of the Mayonnaise Murders for yourself! 

Goodreads
 

Amazon 
Author's Goodreads Profile