I want to say a huge thank you to my hosts - for their time, web space and support. Some are writers, some are storytellers and all are readers, passionate about children's books.
It's blog tour day 9 and I'm visiting the The Book Chook where writer, reviewer and children’s literature advocate Sue Stephenson will be interviewing me about how my children’s reading experiences have influenced my writing. The Book Chook is also the editor of Literacy Lava, a wonderful magazine focusing on childhood literacy. It's free and I recommend subscribing. I already do!
It's blog tour day 8 and I'm visiting Alphabet Soup magazine where editor Rebecca Newman is interviewing me about my research techniques and asking questions to discover whether all that historical research is really any fun.
It's blog tour day 7 and I'm visiting Writing Children’s Book with Robyn Opie where Robyn Opie, author of more than 75 books including "How to Write a Great Children's Book" and the novel “Black Baron adn I are discussing Zen and the Art of Writing for Children – my view on why the series has been so successful.
It's blog tour day 6 and I'm doing two things at once. Isn't cyberspace wonderful? Today I'm visiting Sally Murphy’s Writing For Children Blog to talk with Sally Murphy (author of many books for children including the verse novel, Pearl Verses the World) about book promotion and how to harness cyber resources.
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It's blog tour day 5 and I'm visiting Tales I Tell where Mabel Kaplan, storyteller and author of Connie and the Pigeons, is interviewing me about how my interest in Japanese and Chinese history has influenced the series. Mabel uncovers the meaning of Monkey Fist, the first person ever to ask me what the title means.
It's blog tour day 4 and I'm visiting Spinning Pearls where I'm talking with author and manuscript assessor Sally Odgers (too many books to name but the Jack Russell Dog Detective series and the e-Manual (Giving our Kids) A Reason to Write are just two examples) to discuss ‘the hour of the rat’ and how I get to Japan and China inside my head.
It's blog tour day 3 and I'm visiting Lets’ Have Words where I'm talking to Claire Saxby, children’s author (latest release Sheep, Goat and the creaking gate August 2009) about the unique challenge in writing a historical novel about a group of children with disabilities.
To find out more about life in 17th century samurai Japan visit the Samurai Kids website and download a fact sheet. Fact sheets cover a range of topics such as legendary samurai, gutsy girl samurai, sword testing on criminals, seppuku, castle defences and more.
It's blog tour day 1.
An easy day for me. Niya Moto, the narrator of the Samurai Kids series is doing all the talking. Check out his interview at Dee Scribe Writing where Dee White, author of the recently released YA novel, Letters to Leonardo will be finding out what it’s really like to be a Samurai Kid. "My name is Niya Moto and I’m the only one-legged samurai kid in Japan. Usually I miss my foot and land on my backside. Or flat on my face in the dirt." 
My virtual pen is ready and my virtual decorations are all in place. But the smile is real and the books are very real too.
