BooksChatter: ℚ♫ Eye of the Ninja: Eye of the Ninja Chronicles [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author D.M. Marlowe to talk about Eye of the Ninja (1 October 2015, D.M. Marlowe, 239 pages) a Young Adult Fantasy Adventure book one of the Eye of the Ninja Chronicles.

Eye of the Ninja is the first Young Adult novel by USA Today Bestseller Deb Marlowe, who also adores History, England and Men in Boots. Clearly she was destined to write Regency Historical Romance - and now Fantasy Adventure.

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

A big welcome to D.M. Marlowe, thank you for joining us today.

Here at BooksChatter we love music, so D.M. Marlowe has shared with us her music playlist for Eye of the Ninja - enjoy!

What was the inspiration for Eye of the Ninja?

"My kids were actually a big inspiration for this book. In my other author life, I am a USA Today Bestselling author of Regency Historical Romance, but I read a lot of YA with my kids and I wanted to write something that they could read. So, I took something that I wanted to learn more about—that I knew they would also be interested in—Japanese folklore—and I started to do the research. I added in something they are passionate about—parkour. And a few things that I find fascinating, like paper-making, kick butt heroines, ninjas, cute and mysterious boys, just to name a few. And boom! the Eye of the Ninja Chronicles was born."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"A lot. I think every author puts a lot of themselves in their work. Mei Barrett is the sort of tough, determined, yet good-hearted teen that I wished I could be. Ken and Reik and the others are all aspects of people that I find fascinating and want to explore."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Eye of the Ninja - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"I ADORE my cover! I knew what I wanted and was lucky enough to find a model that fit my image of Mei very closely. Then a friend pointed out Claudia McKinley’s work and I knew I had to have her bring the image in my head to life. It’s spooky how close she came! I think she has some sort of psychic gift she’s not telling us about. :-)"

Why should we read Eye of the Ninja and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"I don’t think there are very many books exploring the creatures and legends of Japanese folklore out there. Which is a shame, because it is fascinating! Readers get to learn along with Mei not only as she learns about her unknown heritage, but also as she learns to grow into the sort of person she wants to be—and that is always a valuable journey to tag along on, I think."

Can you tell us something quirky about Eye of the Ninja, its story and characters?

"Hmm...Reik is my version of an anime character come to life. And someone else in the book shares a lot of characteristics of my Youngest son, but I’m not allowed to tell which one. :-)"

Who would you recommend Eye of the Ninja to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"Anyone twelve and up could read this book, anyone interested in action, interesting creatures, in a fight against a greedy supernatural villain, or in the story of how you grow up bearing the burden of great expectations."

If you could / wished to turn Eye of the Ninja and the Eye of the Ninja Chronicles series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Director—Joss Whedon. He’s so amazing with ensemble casts of characters. Although I’d have to make sure he couldn’t kill off anyone I wasn’t expecting. LOL.

The locations would be amazing-from my hometown of Raleigh, NC to the mountains, to Seattle, to a devastated Seattle and Japan.

I haven’t based the characters on any actors—because they are so real in my head! I’d love to know who readers would recommend in the various roles."

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"As I said above, I also write Regency Historical Romance for adults. I’m loving switching it up to include YA in my routine!"

What is your writing process?

"I call myself a plotser—a hybrid between a plotter and a pantser. I have to have specific turning points lined up in the story—but I have to have the freedom to get there in any way my fingers and brain come up with."

What is in store next?

"The next book in the Eye of the Ninja Chronicles—Obsidian’s Eye—is coming in December. I’m also continuing on with my Half Moon House series in Regency Romance."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I have two spoiled kitties who love to hang out with me as I write. They lounge about while I work and when the evil printer is activated, they leap to my defense! I’ll attach a pic so you can see how cute they are!"