Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
I’m wicked happy bringing you a conversation I had recently with Ms Spann – the author of my beloved Cosy Historical Mysteries: the Hiro Hattori Novels, set in 16th Century Japan! For booklovers who have an appreciation of Japanese culture and tradition, this is a special treat to your readerly wanderings, as Ms Spann has a tenacious focus on maintaining authentic historical layers of insight & intrigue within her wickedly crafted mysteries!
The pleasure for me has been following her series since the second novel released whilst back-reading the debut! I have had the joy of following alongside Hiro & Father Mateo as they journey towards seeking out justice & truth in an age where secrecy ruled more in favour of conspiracies than honest revelations of what happened. The two are a duo of sleuths, each utilising their own personal approach to rooting out the truth from those who would seek to obliterate it from being discovered, striking a beautiful balance inside a friendship built on a foundation of trust & honour.
I love how through each new volume, the setting expands outward to encompass more of Japan and Japanese culture! This is visually an impressive series but it’s how through compassion and trans-culture awareness Spann stitches together a series that is more than a ‘Historical Mystery’ it’s a guiding map towards opening our own awareness of a culture we might not have had the pleasure of studying or knowing in such an inter-personal way as we do now!
As you will see in our conversation, Ms Spann has the joy of visiting Japan on yearly adventures wherein she curates research with a physical presence of seeing the cross-section of Ancient & Modern Japan. I am hoping you are as moved by her recollections and photographs of this beautiful country as I was myself! Whilst enthralled to find out a few ‘hintings’ of joy about what is coming to our bookish hearts *July 2017!*
Brew yourself a cuppa & enjoy the convo!
Why I love reading the Hiro Hattori Novels:
Ms Spann keeps you keenly invested in being aware of not only the current plot thickening before your eyes, but the concurrent story-lines which came prior to the one your reading! You have to keep observant and the wicked challenge is piecing all the lovely clues together which add into the depth of where the series is grounded. I love finding an author whose symmetry for carrying a series forward is never overshadowed by an installment but rather brightened by how all the stories within the series broaden the appeal of how far reaching the series has become! It’s a special treat, as you get to dig deeper into the background of where the Hiro Hattori novels are set and how everything is fused together properly through the characters who populate the series directly. -quoted from my review of The Ninja’s Daughter
book synopsis:
Autumn, 1565: When an actor’s daughter is murdered on the banks of Kyoto’s Kamo River, master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo are the victim’s only hope for justice.
As political tensions rise in the wake of the shogun’s recent death, and rival warlords threaten war, the Kyoto police forbid an investigation of the killing, to keep the peace–but Hiro has a personal connection to the girl, and must avenge her. The secret investigation leads Hiro and Father Mateo deep into the exclusive world of Kyoto’s theater guilds, where they quickly learn that nothing, and no one, is as it seems. With only a mysterious golden coin to guide them, the investigators uncover a forbidden love affair, a missing mask, and a dangerous link to corruption within the Kyoto police department that leaves Hiro and Father Mateo running for their lives.
On my connection to Susan Spann:
I started visiting the chats hosted by @LitChat in the latter months of 2013, as it was around the time of the conference at The Betsy in which I started to cross paths with regular chatters, amongst whom were Natalia Sylvester (début novelist of “Chasing the Sun”) and Susan Spann. I am unsure which month I first started to notice Ms. Spann as a friendly presence who always reminded me of myself — someone who provided cheerful commentary, engaging questions for each visiting guest author, and a wicked knowledge base on a variety of topics. Generally speaking, I always click-over to read a person’s Twitter profile, but whilst engaged in those #LitChat(s) I felt like it was this magical rendezvous for the bookish and those who are attuned to bookish culture.
In this way, it wasn’t until I learnt of Blade of the Samurai was going on a blog tour that I decided to discover a bit more about her! In so doing, I learnt who she was ‘behind the curtain’ so to speak! I always considered her one of my ‘friends in the twitterverse’ but I never disclosed this to her until I was on the (Blade of the Samurai) blog tour in September 2014! Such serendipity as the tour brought us a bit closer and I am grateful that Twitter is a social-positive method of reaching past our distances in geography to connect to people who share a passion for the written word. We have continued to remain in touch although we do not get to ‘meet-up’ on Twitter as often as we once did due to our schedules in recent years.
I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with Ms Spann through our respective love & passion of reading inside the twitterverse whilst attending #LitChat or in private convos. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author, whether I am reading a book by them for the first time or continuing to read their series in sequence of publication.
How did you originally conceive the idea of setting a series in 16th Century Japan in order to draw attention to the samurai war most of us have never heard of? What was the impetus to anchour Hiro and Father Mateo to this very authentic turbulent time of Japanese History?
Spann responds: The initial idea for the series came to me on its own, one morning, when I was getting ready for work. A voice in my head said, “Most ninjas commit murders, but Hiro Hattori solves them” – and I knew instantly that this was a story (a series of stories…) I had to write.
Historical ninjas (known as shinobi in Japanese) were at the height of their power during the 15th and 16th centuries, and since I knew I wanted to include a Portuguese priest as a type of “Watson” or sidekick, I needed to set the series during the narrow 16th century window when Portuguese priests were allowed to live and work in Japan.
I love how your creative muse reached out to you so early in the dawn of a new morning! A similar revelation came to me whilst I came to realise what ‘Jorie Loves A Story’ was meant to be! It is incredible how our minds & spirit align to give us foreknowledge of something that will one day become a bigger part of our lives.
I love how you fashioned the two together – a Portuguese Watson you so very aptly created to be a wicked compliment to his shinobi partner-in-crime! For me, it’s how Father Mateo helps Hiro become a better version of himself, as prior to meeting him, Hiro was a bit more one-sided. I felt Father Mateo helps expand the empathy Hiro was not always allowed to express or internalise due to his background. It’s a clever partnership, for sure!
Most mystery series are stationary and do not travel too far outside their ‘working environ’, however the beauty of reading a Hiro Hattori novel is the fact the series has a setting which is transitional depending on the action within each installment. Why was it important to keep both characters a bit rooted around Father Mateo’s house initially before proceeding to take them further outside that comfort of safety? Even if safety is relative.
Spann responds: Ultimately, series work best when the characters feel real – and most real people do live lives that center around a “home” or similar location. For that reason, it made sense to give Hiro and Father Mateo a home, and to keep at least the first few novels centered on that location.
Within that narrow limitation, however, I wanted the series to stay fresh and interesting to readers, and fortunately 16th century Japan was a rich and multi-faceted culture, allowing me to set each murder in a different part of society. Changing the setting, victim, and social class of the suspects allows me to create vastly different stories within the same series world.
It’s how you fuse everything together that makes retreating inside your series so wicked lovely! I like you found a way to cross-stitch the culture, tradition, setting & social class of the 16th Century in such an intimate confluence of knowledge for that era where we each feel as if we’re left behind the modern world to such a degree, that everything makes plausible sense to you as you read the story-lines – meaning, even if you disagree with what is being said or decided (from our 21st mentality) you can fully respect what is happening ‘then’ as it’s so authentic to it’s ‘time’. You’ve definitely set a high standard for infusing a cultural heritage into the background of a serial rooted in a setting outside of your own homeland.
What stood out to you about the men Lord Oda & Matsunaga Hisahide whose composites play a role in your world? What did you want the reader to feel about these men who are not the easiest to like or warm to?
Spann responds: Both Oda Nobunaga and Matsunaga Hisahide are real historical figures who played pivotal roles in Japanese history. Unlike in the West, where powerful historical figures are often either admired or reviled, with little crossover, Japanese culture allows more room for complexities, and for admiring the positive aspects of a historical figure while still disapproving of his (or her) more negative choices.
I love that aspect of Japanese history, and try to stay true to the legacies of the real historical figures I fictionalize in my mystery novels. While both Oda Nobunaga and Matsunaga Hisahide play the roles of “historical villain” in the early parts of the series, I hope I can continue to portray them as complex, real men with positive qualities (as well as negative ones) as the series continues. Real people are complicated, and often difficult to label, and I hope my portrayal of these historical figures is true to that reality.
Yes, this is where I have difficulty in appreciating characters of whom challenge my perspective on villain vs psychologically complex characters who owned their choices in an era so far removed from my own it’s almost as if it’s hard to draw a connecting line towards understanding how they asserted their choices in such hard-line methods of action. I was never good at drawing empathy or compassion towards characters I felt lived outside the lines of law & order or what was morally or ethically just. I give you full credit for testing me on seeing both of these gentleman through a lens of how the Japanese have come to respect their time in their living histories – it’s a life lesson of it’s own to seek understanding out of people who lived lives that are hard to digest (in sympathy or acceptance). I definitely think you’ve accomplished what you set out to do – they are wonderfully complex & true to themselves.
How do you think the Japanese evolved philosophically to accept those of whom they do not necessary accept on personal grounds but will allow themselves to admire as a hero despite the fact some of a defined heroes actions are not always understood?
Spann responds: The structured nature of Japanese feudal society, plus the influence of Buddhism (with its influence on “do no harm to others”), created an environment where people learned to tolerate (if not approve of) differences in ways that differ from the culture of the West. Japan also has a heavy cultural emphasis on not inconveniencing others, or dishonoring yourself, which tends to result in greater levels of tolerance as well.
I loved this response – as it was what I was leaning towards thinking might be the root of the answer but I loved how you’ve expressed exactly what separates East vs West through philosophy, culture and mind-set of understanding ‘differences’ and the acceptance of things that are ‘hard to understand’ but simply are a part of the collective whole. I love studying Buddhism myself – thus, I know exactly what your referencing, here. It’s such a beautiful mantra of a living practice of self-control & self-respect for everyone.
My last question hints towards the Japanese concept of ‘complex feelings’ where they do not always yield to letting everyone know their internal thoughts or feelings on any one subject or person. What do you think originally developed this quality and strength?
Spann responds: In feudal Japanese society, every person had a designated role, which he or she was expected to perform. The flip side of that is that every person also had a place, and “belonged” within society in some context. The nature of the system was not open to question—everyone was expected to fulfill his or her role—and the idea of “feelings” having an impact on a person’s expected behavior would have been a foreign concept. Feelings were distinct from obligations—and duty/obligations were the more important of the two. For that reason, feelings were supposed to be personal, and largely kept that way.
I oft wondered how this made Feudal Japan different from other caste systems – one of my favourite parts of History was studying the different organisations of culture & tradition per each country we were studying. The differences by class, caste and the organisation of how everyone functions out of the network of individual systems was always a fascination. Mostly as most class divides are a bit more blurred in today’s modern era – not always – mind you, but we do co-habitat and co-exist across class divides, whilst not allowing ‘class’ to dictate certain things as much as they had in the historical past. This isn’t to say we don’t have difficulties yet to overcome but I noticed especially in the 16th Century your presenting – there were fine distinctions between each class & thus, structured accordingly.
This was especially present in “The Ninja’s Daughter” in regards to even communicating with people in your local community who were not ‘equal’ in your class standing.
The emotional stability of the Japanese made me draw an analogy from Star Trek as they remind me of the Vulcan. Do you think within the framework of the 16th Century, their fortitude to maintain non-transparent emotions is what allowed them to survive through the different uprisings or was it a double-blade sword? Equally positive and negative given different situations therein?
Spann responds: Truthfully, samurai culture wasn’t about the suppression of emotion—as Vulcans did in the Star Trek series—but rather about controlling them. Samurai were expected to feel quite strongly when contemplating art, or looking at beautiful landscapes. However, the realm of emotion was circumscribed in ways that often seem unfamiliar in the West, and thus are sometimes mistaken for an absence of emotion.
Ah. I can see how this can be misunderstood! As I think I felt myself they were more akin to the Vulcans than they honestly were! I can fully respect their self-control for being able to feel deeply when situations called for it but then to be able to push those emotions out from the surface of their being when it was expected of them to be more resolute. It’s an interesting protocol of their behaviour and one I would imagine took time to ‘train’ their reactions not to be emotionally driven.
In each of your novels, you thread in the mortality and the humanity of choices; you grant your characters full license to make mistakes as much as rectify personal faults. How important is it to keep the sociological perspective threading through the series?
Spann responds: I try to create characters who are as close to “fully human” as possible – which means instilling them with negative qualities, faults, and failings as well as heroic ones. I believe that heroism is more about the choices a person makes when confronted with difficult situations and less about innate characteristics (except that those characteristics admittedly do influence the person’s choices).
Since I believe that our choices reveal a lot about our character, I like placing my characters in positions where they must make—and live with—difficult choices.
It’s how you lay down the intricacies of those difficult choices and thread in the humanity into the backbone of your character’s individual moral codes that leaves you with such a well-rounded story to soak inside! It’s the depth and breadth of what your writing that pulls me back inside the stories as they alight in my life to read! Such incredible joy to follow where your pen takes us next!
I gathered at the conclusion of The Ninja’s Daughter Ana might have been placed in Father Mateo’s life in a similar fashion as Hiro Hattori. Can you share anything about Ana’s true role in the priest’s life?
Spann responds: Ana is actually exactly what she seems to be: an aging, crotchety housekeeper whose years of experience leave her more like a member of the family than a servant. She’s far more intelligent than many people give members of the servant classes credit for being, highly observant, and has a mind of her own.
Her role will continue to develop as the series goes on, but exactly how . . . I’ll leave you to find out in future books.
I was so surprised by this response! I thought for sure there was ‘something’ more hidden just under the surface with Ana! Hmm. Perhaps it’s simply too early to reveal but I have a suspicion Ana will surprise all of us! I love her spunky personality! It’s what made her endear me to her originally – as she had this moxie inside her that is a blessing to have around Father Mateo & Hiro! She definitely gives them something to reckon with more times than naught! Love!
In the fifth volume of the series, we’re entering new territory as the entire series shifts forward to Hiro’s stomping grounds; will the next climax stay in that district for the 6th novel before moving forward again? I was curious about the scope of territory the series is going to be visiting in regards to which cities or regions of Japan we can look forward to visiting next?
Spann responds: The ending of The Ninja’s Daughter forces Hiro and Father Mateo (and their household) to leave Kyoto, and Betrayal At Iga (scheduled for release in July 2017) will find Hiro and Father Mateo visiting Hiro’s home in Iga village, the mountain stronghold of his ninja clan, the Iga ryu.
At the end of that novel, Hiro and Father Mateo will once again find themselves on the road, and over the next few books the series will move across Japan, with readers catching a glimpse of everything from sacred Mt. Koya (Koyasan) south of Kyoto to the Tokaidō travel road (which connected Kyoto with Edo during the feudal period), to the city of Edo—now known as Tokyo—and even Mt. Fuji.
I love how we’re switching into Hiro’s home village – I have a sneaking suspicion this will give us more of Hiro’s hidden layers of who he was before he met Father Mateo as well as give us a lot more questions to ponder about Hiro & his life prior to when he became the priest’s bodyguard. It’s the search for answers and the hidden truths along the route of the series that keeps me moving forward – even little bits of inclusion towards understanding both men better is a joy to find! This is seriously going to be an EPIC travelogue across Japan! I cannot wait to see how each new locale will be realised through your imagination!
As we get deeper into the evolving story-line that started as soon as we first met Father Mateo and Hiro, will be seeing both our beloved heroes facing more dangers than the crimes they are determined to solve to save innocent lives or will the series remain an equal balance between what is brewing behind them (politically) and what is happening right in front of them (locally)?
Spann responds: I plan to keep the series fairly well-balanced in that regard. While I love the extra tension created by the historical setting, and its ability to provide a unifying throughline for the series, I want each book to stand alone, which means ensuring a completely self-contained mystery, murder, and solution in every installment.
Yes, I can respect this choice. I know the series is read as ‘one-off’ treasures within the fabric of the ‘series’ but for me, the beauty is reading each story in sequence of order & continuing the journey from start to finish.
As you retreat to Japan for research purposes to extend the realism of the series, can you share your favourite photos from your last trip and explain why they moved you as much as they did on your return as they had on discovery?
Spann responds: It’s hard to pick a reasonable number of photographs to share! However, I’ll try to limit it to just a few…
Thank you for being so generous with the photographs! I love how you’ve framed the photographs to capture a ‘moment’ of being ‘there’ for all of us to appreciate ‘here’. Such lush scenery and such beautiful pieces of Japanese History & Culture all on display to enrich the conversation with a visual guide! Bless you!
The mountain paths leading to (and from) the summit of Fushimi Inari shrine are lined with torii
— gates that mark the entrance to a sacred space.
The mountain has over 10,000 gates, in total, and the hike to the summit and back is like a journey to another world. As cliché as it sounds, it changed me, and all I have to do is look at the images to feel the place all over again.
I felt as if I were right there with you, taking those steps and feeling as if I had entered a beautiful section of where the historical past cross-merges into our modern world. I love walking through the natural world and in settings like this, where you can feel at one with both nature & the soulfulness of being fully present in the ‘moment’ of where you are whilst nearly meditative for the scenery which inspires your spirit.
if this is your favourite: share the author’s tweet!
The food in Japan is amazing – a feast for the eyes, as well as the palate.
Although I didn’t take as many pictures of food last summer as I will on my return this autumn, this picture of a summer snack – a jelly confection with crushed peanuts and sweet syrup, along with a glass of uzi shimizu (sweetened matcha tea, served over ice) reminds me of the beauty and amazing tastes I savored on my journey.
I heart MATCHA tea!! I’ve not had the pleasure of having it cold; generally I have a penchant for hot brewed tea. I love Japanese foods! I used to go to a Japanese Steakhouse as a child, and I loved the unique plates & presentations of their foods! Being there in person, of course, is the ultimate gift for a foodie who has an appreciation for Japan; thus, thank you for this treat of a feast to see how the food is served in person!
We were fortunate enough to spend the night at Ryokan Iwaso on Miyajima Island, and to tour Itsukushima Shrine, home of the iconic Great Torii. At low tide, people can walk out on the sand and stand beneath the giant torii (which is surrounded by water to a height of over 5 feet at high tide).
This photograph shows the torii at low tide:
if this is your favourite: share the author’s tweet!
And this one displays its beauty just after dawn, when the tide is in:
Talk about an incredible presentation of how water can change the appearance of a landmark & how none of us are fully aware of how ever-changing the natural environment is until we can see evidence such as this! I have had a similar experience with a Cypress tree – where at low tide, the lakeshore isn’t even near it’s trunk and where at high tide after a season of rain, you cannot walk even 1,000 feet near the trunk! I love Cypress trees on one hand, as they are nature’s measuring stick for precipitation but also for how survival depends on adapting to your environ.
Finally, I’m including a picture that has a humorous story attached. The morning after our stay at Iwaso, my son and I took a cable car to a place near the top of sacred Mt. Mizen, hiked an hour to the summit, and then climbed all 4 miles back down. On the way, we experienced fog, rain, and a couple of scary slips on thousand-year old stone stairs.
We reached the bottom hungry and ready for lunch . . .
only to have one of Miyajima’s many sacred deer attempt to follow us into the restaurant!
Like the deer in Nara Park, the deer on Miyajima have no fear of humans, and this one seemed more than a little interested in sharing a meal with us. He waited at the door until we finished, watching through the glass as if wondering when his table would be ready!
I *love!* this capture of how the deer doesn’t realise how extraordinary his gesture of kindness is to those who are appreciating his spirit of welcome! The picture speaks so much to the connections we make with wildlife and how ever present our lives are entwined into their own.
Have you ever been truly awestruck by something you found whilst you travelled through Japan that you hadn’t realised could be used in your series to not only continue to anchour the country into the threads of a fictional series but to draw further attention to the traditions of the country you personally love?
Spann responds: There’s very little about Japan that I don’t adore – and very few intriguing historical facts I don’t plan to incorporate into the novels as and when I can. That said, one thing that impressed me during last year’s research trip that did have an immediate impact on the series was a kaiseki — a traditional coursed Japanese dinner — I enjoyed at Ryokan Iwaso on Miyajima Island.
Kaiseki is easy to experience in Japan, and normally involves specially prepared food served as a coursed, set menu. Often, these meals are designed to showcase the chef’s special skills and local ingredients or specialty dishes.
Upon my return, I immediately built a kaiseki-style meal into the opening sequence of Betrayal at Iga, although—as with many situations in the Hiro Hattori novels—the meal doesn’t go exactly according to plan.
As hinted about earlier – I’m a foodie! I cannot wait to read the opening of your next novel, now! Even if the joy of the hour is disrupted – just to smell & nearly taste the foods from how your going to set the scene will be a delight to my bookish heart!
Are you planning to write-in something that will personally affect your two lead characters in such a way as they might have to spend a considerable amount of time apart from each other? They are so tied to one another now (especially out of necessity to curb danger) I was curious if something could disrupt their trust and friendship to such a degree as shattering their well-established trust?
Spann responds: I don’t have any plans to disrupt the relationship between Hiro and Father Mateo, and they’ll definitely both be present in and working together to solve every mystery in the series. They will experience situations and issues that will test their friendship (and force it to grow), but I have no plans to force problems between them for the sake of plot or tension. They’re a team, and like any good team, they will fight for their friendship even when things are rough.
I’m wicked happy hearing this news! I wasn’t sure if you would do this, but sometimes I worried something might happen that could draw them apart. It’s hard knowing as there ae so many moving parts behind the core narrative direction of the novels.
Each title harbours a small clue towards the evolving story-line and the heart of the mystery centred at it’s core, can you share a bit how you developed this duality of purpose with the titles of your novels?
Spann responds: I love titles that have both clear initial meanings and hidden secondary meanings that become more clear as the reader moves through the book. Because of that, I try to bury secondary meanings in my titles, too. Most of the time, the title presents itself without too much effort, though on occasion I’ve had to struggle with them a little bit!
As do I! I love how you’ve found a way to make it a bit of a happy decoding puzzle for those of us who take pleasure in rooting out what you’ve left behind for us to find! I imagine the direct challenge is how to ‘say’ what you need to say without revealling too much ‘too soon’!
Can you share a small teaser about the fifth novel? A small nod towards what we can savour in curiosity until it’s released?
Spann responds: Betrayal at Iga takes Hiro and Father Mateo to the mountainous ninja stronghold of Iga Province, where they arrive just in time to participate in peace negotiations between Hiro’s Iga clan and the rival Koga ryu. When the Koga ambassador drops dead at the welcome feast, Hiro and Father Mateo must find his killer in time to prevent a devastating war between the rival ninja clans.
This shall hold me until next Summer!
Whilst you’re in Japan, do you host book signings or book store appearances? I was curious if you have readers in Japan who are equally fascinated by the series as much as we are here in America?! What are some of your favourite takeaways from those encounters!?
Spann responds: I do have readers in Japan, but since my books are not yet translated into Japanese, my appearances in Japan are more of an educational nature. For example, I’m teaching two workshops at the upcoming Japan Writers’ Conference (held in Tokushima this October 28-29).
So far, my encounters with Japanese readers have been both gratifying and humbling; they have told me how much they appreciate my respect for the culture, my attention to detail, and my respect for the important figures of Japanese history. Hearing things like that makes me smile every time!
I am so happy to hear this! I wasn’t sure if you had readers reading the stories in English or if there were plans to cross-release them in Japanese. I am so happy knowing you’ve found readers who are appreciating your dedication to honouring Japanese culture & tradition as much as we have over here! They truly are special treasures for historical fiction appreciators!
Thank you for hosting me here today, Jorie,
and for giving me the chance to share a little more about my novels and about Japan!
The gratitude is mine, Ms Spann!
Bless you for giving me such a wonderful conversation! Especially sharing a bit more about the heart of what lies inside a Hiro Hattori Novel and how the timeline of Japan’s historical past has been influencing and guiding your series forward! I loved having a personal portrait of how one of your research trips has enhanced your writing life whilst giving my readers & visitors a bit of an introduction to what they can find inside the novels that have left me wicked happy for reading! Here’s to a long continuance of the series where we happily fall in step behind Father Mateo and Hiro – living alongside them for as long as they have to share their lives with us!
Converse via: #HiroHattori + #HistoricalMystery or #HistMyst
This author interview is courtesy of:
Seventh Street Books
whilst being featured in conjunction with the blog tour via
Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Previously I had the joy of returning to the series, within the chapters of ‘the ninja’s daughter’ wherein i was wicked happy finding we are on the verge of changing locales & peering inside the heritage of hiro hattori as we visit his home!
Be sure to check out my ruminative thoughts!
I look forward to reading your thoughts & commentary!
Be sure to leave your questions & comments for Ms Spann in the comment threads!
Love #Japan? Love #HistoricalMysteries? Have you been #amreading @SusanSpann's series? Read this convo! Click To Tweet
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Similar to blog tours where I feature book reviews, as I choose to highlight an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog. I provide the questions for interviews and topics for the guest posts; wherein I receive the responses back from publicists and authors directly. I am naturally curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of stories and the writers who pen them; I have a heap of joy bringing this content to my readers.
{SOURCES: Cover art of “The Ninja’s Daughter”, book synopsis of “The Ninja’s Daughter”, author photograph of Susan Spann and the tour badge were all provided by HFVBTs (Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours) and used with permission. All photographs of Japan are credited to the author Susan Spann and are used with permission. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie in Canva: Conversations with the Bookish Banner and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2016.
Comments on Twitter:
I heart #Japan
<3 #HistoricalMystery series #HiroHattori by @SusanSpann#TravelTuesday via https://t.co/y6T4hC7R8X@HFVBT @SeventhStBooks
— Jorie Loves A Story (@joriestory) August 30, 2016
Thank you so much for the interview and for hosting me, Jorie! It was fantastic to get to talk more with you about the novels!
Hallo, Hallo Ms Spann!
I loved being able to bring this conversation to my readers! Esp those of whom might not have yet had the pleasure of meeting your characters! I felt the travelogue additions were the best way in which to have everyone ‘feel’ as if they had travelled alongside you to Japan!
It’s always such a warm pleasure hosting you, Ms Spann! Wicked happy you’ve enjoyed where the conversation led, too!
Love the new look Jori! Wow, this series sounds so wonderful. You are worth every minute I read your blog! And Susan….the work is mind boggling
Thank you, for such a wonderful compliment, Andrea! :) Bless you for giving me such wonderful feedback – not only on the aesthetic appeal of my blog but how much you love absorbing what I am sharing with my readers! Have a blessed night!