Reviews Posted

Several reviews of Art of the Ninja: Earth, Power of the Ninja: Fire and Heart of the Ninja: Water have popped up on Kindle and Goodreads.  I also put them on my website www.authorsden.com/tjperkins  and on Silver Leaf Books website www.silverleafbooks.com


It's awesome to get such wonderful feedback. Please feel free to post your comments!

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The Dark Ninja Arts

What is considered the Dark Ninja Arts?  As we all know the ninja uses trickery as much as he/she can to win a fight.  To loose means death.  There are no other options than to win.  But there is an honor to the fight/battle and to winning, and to do so using the utmost deceitful trickery is considered a dishonor.

Many may think, "So what? I would do what I can just to win if it meant living."  True. But to call on the dark forces to do your bidding is not honorable.  Think of it as cheating during a game or competition. If you win and get the trophy under deceitful terms was it really winning?

Duncan Kimura and his team face such foes in further books of the Shadow Legacy series.  They share inner struggles with what is right and wrong, honorable and dishonorable, during a battle.  "But they're ninja!" you say.  Yes, but there is deep honor in the ninja way.  Think about it....

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Ninja-Earth-Shadow-Legacy-ebook/dp/B004K1EVGE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1393865020&sr=8-3&keywords=tj+perkins+kindle

What's Shadow Legacy All About? (Radio Interview)

I think I explained it nicely on Geek Radio.  This link has the entire show, but you can get right to my interview by skipping ahead to time slot 57:32.

http://www.geekradiodaily.com/podpress_trac/web/5665/0/grdsweekly167.mp3

Truth of the Ninja: Air (Teaser Read)

Here is a taste of what book 4 holds:

     Out of the dark foliage a figure dressed all in black burst from the trees, cleared the distance in one tremendous leap and landed on the deck of the boat with katana drawn.  He quickly engaged me and I front snap kicked his sword out of his hand before he had a chance to blink and landed a series of kicks and punches to his midsection, all of which he blocked, and then retaliated with a few of his own.  A palm strike to the chest and leg sweep took me down as he moved for his sword and I, in turn, took his feet out from under him before he took two steps.  Once on the deck we continued to pummel each other with back leg kicks, side kicks, punches and double strikes.

     In the background I could hear Lady Gina and Uttam fussing at each other about the boat not wanting to start and out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of several black figures swimming for the boat.

     I side-kicked my opponent so hard he flew backwards and landed by the railing in a curled up position, holding his ribs.  “We have company!” I shouted and rushed toward the side of the boat to engage the new arrivals; brandishing my short sticks.  They came crawling up over the side, one at a time, and I encountered each one in turn; busting skulls, smashing fingers and breaking bones as fast as they tried to come on board.  Blood and bodies floated in the river and I knew it would only be a matter of time before the crocodiles would make their appearance, but that didn’t stop the assassins from surging forward.  More approached the boat as the poison darts resumed their deadly flight.  “Uttam!  We can’t wait any longer!”  I shouted as I spun and twisted and just barely missed being grazed by a dart, while I continued to kick and punch my way through the new wave of assassins trying to climb aboard.  “Hurry up!”

     I was suddenly grabbed from behind and used the distraction to my advantage.  I sunk low in my legs and landed several elbow strikes until my opponent cried out and his grip loosened, and then flung him over my head.  He landed in such a way that four assassins climbing on board were knocked back into the water, clearing the side completely of targets.  I heard the engine finally kick over then rumble to a full healthy start and knew I had to get rid of this last guy before we took off.  I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and hoisted him to his feet.

     “Who sent you?  Why are you here?” I shouted in his face.  He grunted and groaned and refused to answer, and just as I reached for his mask a cloud of darts headed my way.  I turned just in time and used the assassin as a body shield.  His back was pummeled and as the poison set in his eyes rolled back and his body went limp in my hands.  Death was quick and painless.  I tossed him over the rail just as the boat lurched forward and we sped down the river.

    

Cover Art Reveal for Truth of the Ninja: Air

Well, here it is at last.  For those who follow the series - can you guess who this ninja is?  He's become a favorite.  But I will tell you that the ninja fighting on the back cover is Duncan. You can tell by the long hair and two swords.

I can't wait for this book to come out in a few months. People are really getting into the story as it builds into the final battle.  There will be special pricing for the new release, as well as a 1 week period where you can get this book for FREE on Kindle exclusively.

Book 4 in the Shadow Legacy series
Truth of the Ninja: Air

Truth of the Ninja: Air Coming Soon!

Book 4 in the Shadow Legacy series is coming and for those of you following the adventures of our young ninja, Duncan, you won't have too much longer to wait.  Projected release date for Truth of the Ninja: Air is early spring 2014, and soon after that the last book, Rebirth of the Ninja: Spirit may follow sometime during the summer.

Both of these final installments of the Shadow Legacy series are now in the editing process.  The cover art for Truth of the Ninja: Air is in progress and will be revealed end of Dec 2013!

Keep checking back for information, samples and sneak peaks!

Most Amazing Cover Art

Heart of the Ninja: Water

The cover art has to be the best my designer has come up with yet!  Take a look and save the link so you can get this book for FREE Sept 16 thru Sept 20 on Kindle ONLY.

http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Ninja-Shadow-Legacy-ebook/dp/B00DNI934K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374802698&sr=1-1&keywords=t.j.+perkins

Book 3 Heart of the Ninja: Water available now!

The story is building into an exciting tale of mystery, battles, and ninja magic.  With the introduction to crazed assassin cells tainted with a dark art of magic never before seen, this book promises to keep you on the edge of your seat!

The cover art is the absolute best ever!

Special holiday pricing available on Kindle, Nook and directly though the publisher.

www.silverleafbooks.com

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The Making of a 'Good' Villain

It is said that in order to create really great characters that your readers care about you must absorb yourself into their psyche; you must take a part of your own personality and place it into ‘them.’  I’m sure many of you have done that – think back – go on…ahhhh, so you remember how that damsel in distress was a part of you when you were going through a tough time, or how the great warrior in your latest fantasy novel resembled your thoughts and feelings on a matter.  This is all great and wonderful for the good guys in a story, but what about the bad guys?

The same holds true for the villains – yes, the author’s darker side.  Sure, everyone wants to see the hero triumph, but in order for that to happen you have to have a really good bad guy, someone that will challenge your hero, someone who will throw out all the obstacles that he can to make the hero really struggle.  But to love the hero one must also love the villain.

It’ll take an exceptional villain, one with much evil, dastardly doings and underhandedness to capture your reader’s hearts.  He or she will have to pull out all the stops and really be nasty to the hero, doing all they can to destroy him and thwart the whole saving the world thing.  But how do you do that?

Unfortunately, my friend, you’re going to have to get evil.  Yes, that’s what I said.  You need to think mean and nasty, and allow the dark corners of your demented mind (and yes, I know you have them) to trickle out.  You have to actually draw out from your being all the demented, twisted ideals from the very fabric of your soul and entwine these ideals throughout the story.  The villain will challenge the hero from the very beginning and the storyline must have a balanced roller-coaster ride of really bad stuff happening, then a lull, then more bad stuff happening.  All of which the villain is instigating.

If you’re having trouble coming up with great ideas for the bad guy to do to the good guy think of opposites.  Example:  In a store line someone may allow another person to cut in line.  What’s the opposite?  What mean thing could be done?  I’ve found a lot of negative, dastardly stuff in cartoon movies, anime, or even by watching some of the best villains in current HBO shows.

There are actually a lot of great ideas out there, you just have to look.  Once you find them you must embrace the dark side, allow your villain to be the most evil, scheming, conniving villain he/she can be, and make your readers love to hate him/her.  Give them a twisted since of humor.  Make them sarcastic.  Make them a complete asshole.  The choice is up to you.

Go, now, and create.  Enjoy the dastardly events that will make your hero miserable and the reader cheer, yet cry, when your villain is defeated.

Happy Writing!

TJ Perkins

Magick & Lore in Writing Your Next Novel

Fantasy is branching out and I'm coming at it full force in my next novel Runes & Relics.  I've already started writing it and I feel people are really going to jump on this transitional fantasy/spiritual lore based story.

I had a blog posted about this subject several months ago.  Have a peek.  http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/guest-post-magick-and-lore-in-writing-your-next-novel-by-tj-perkins/#comments

More coming in upcoming blogs