Tag Archives: KM Fawcett

What Does She Want From Her Hero?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by | 10 Comments

Scott and I on Tsuken Island (Okinawa, Japan)

After recently turning in my manuscript, synopsis, and blurb to my agent to pitch, I’ve been brainstorming my next novel and could use your help. The hero of this story is the brother of the last story’s hero, so his personality, goals, and motivation are pretty well defined already.

But…

This is a romance novel and my hero needs a heroine. I’ve been racking my gray matter trying to come up with the kind of woman this hero needs. I figured since he has a strong personality, and thinks a little too highly of himself, he needs a strong woman who isn’t impressed by his macho attitude (he’s not really macho, he just thinks he is…think Howard Wolowitz on the Big Bang Theory, only not as nerdy or creepy).

Back to the heroine.

I want her to be physically strong, confident and teach karate (hey, everyone says write what you know, so I figured why not a karate instructor?) and she comes from a big family. My hero only has one family member so this will be a big adjustment for him especially when confronted with a few protective older brothers. :)   Not that the heroine needs their protection. She’s pretty good at handling things herself. Oh, did I mention she’s the hero’s sensei? Yup, the hero figures he can’t become a vigilante if he doesn’t know how to fight, and so joins her karate dojo. But he soon learns there’s more to being a “superhero” than punching and kicking.

Now for the part I need your help with…

If the heroine is already a strong, confident woman who owns her own business, what can she learn or gain by being with the hero? What is her vulnerability? What is her character arc? How does she grow to be a better person? Why does she find love with this hero and not anyone else?

Perhaps the answer lies in her reasons for her becoming a dedicated martial artist. I just wish I knew what that reason was. Any suggestions?

~K.M. Fawcett

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Having Fun in Okinawa – Okinawa Part 4

Posted on October 24, 2011 by | 2 Comments

Today’s post is a picture potpourri of some experiences we had on our trip to Okinawa. Click here for Okinawa Part 1, Okinawa Part 2, or Okinawa Part 3.

We went to Tsuken Island, which is Sensei Advincula’s wife’s home island. While she visited relatives and friends, and prayed to honor her ancestors, we enjoyed time at the island resort swimming in crystal water and soaking up the sun. We also took some karate pictures in our gis by the coral rocks. A man came over and took some pictures of us, so I took a picture of him taking a picture of us. :)

 

 

One of the unique things for me was getting to drive on the “wrong” side of the street. I’ve never driven anywhere but the USA, so it felt odd to sit on the right side of the car and drive on the left side of the street. My co-pilot (my husband) wore a crash helmet. Apparently, he thinks he’s funny. (I wish I could find the picture.) I did well driving. I only turned on the windshield wipers once. I was informed that if you hit the wipers instead of the directional signal, you should immediately yell out that it was intentional. Since it wasn’t raining, I’m not sure that anyone would have believed me anyway.

Our friend and fellow instructor, Erik, is a police officer. So we made a point to find a police station so he could take a picture with Okinawa police. The officers were so nice, and happy to pose for pictures.

One night four of us visited a bar owned by a friend of another American karate sensei we know. We were the only Americans in the bar, and truly immersed in Okinawan culture. We drank and ate with the local people and made conversation the best we could with the language barrier. The band invited us on stage to play the taiko (drum) and sanshin (3 string banjo). Erik did well, the rest us…not so much, but the people appreciated that we took interest in their culture and tried. Our group also followed along with some Okinawa dancing, and Erik and I sang karaoke.

There’s an Okinawan proverb “Ichariba choodee” which means, “Once we meet and talk, we are brothers and sisters.” I truly felt like part of the family on this trip from the courtesy and friendship of our host family to the propriety of the strangers we met (see Part 1). I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to travel back to Okinawa with Sensei Advincula, his wife, my husband, and my friends in Isshinryu.

~K.M. Fawcett

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Experiencing Martial Arts – Okinawa Part 3

Posted on October 20, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Lead by the #1 tour guide, Sensei Advincula, our group set off on a walking tour of Agena, Okinawa. The Agena dojo was where Shimabuku Tatsuo (our style’s founder) trained my teacher’s teacher, Sensei Advincula (did I mention he’s the #1 tour guide?). Sensei spoke of how the dojo helped the local economy, as Okinawan and American students bought gi (uniforms), weapons, and makiwara from local businesses. Though the dojo and businesses no longer exist, it was important for us to see and document these old historical locations related to Isshinryu Karate.

Tenchi Dojo Instructors in front of the Isshinryu World Karate Association Headquarters

We walked to the town of Gushikawa to the Isshinryu Karate World Headquarters dojo, where Shimabuku’s first son, Kichiro is now the head of Isshinryu. The dojo was closed so we couldn’t see inside.

In the same town, we were able to locate the property of Shimabuku’s first dojo, where he officially named our style, Isshinryu (one heart way or whole heart way). When Shimabuku’s top student asked him, “Why such a funny name?” Shimabuku replied, “Because all things begin with one.” This is so true for any venture, be it karate, writing, or even a relationship. You have to start somewhere. You must take that first step.

Heather, Sensei and Scott at Shimabuku Tatsuo's Tomb

We drove to the tombs of  Shimabuku Tatsuo, and his second son Shinsho (who had been instrumental in passing on his father’s karate) to pay our respects. On the way back, the group got to see livestock, a dam, and a garbage dump. Twice! Both our navigator and driver (*cough*Scott*cough*) told us that it was intentional, as they wanted us to see ALL of Okinawa. The #1 tour guide and the rest of us didn’t quite buy it.

Shimabuku Shinsho (Ciso)'s Tomb

Okinawa Prefectural Budokan

Also during our trip, we visited the Budokan, a huge martial center, where the Okinawan Karatedo Kobudo World Tournament took place. The first floor of the three story dojo houses a weight room and a karate dojo, kendo is on the second floor, and judo is on the third. There was also a small cultural room but it was closed.

Kendo floor of the Budokan

Our group also had the honor of training at the Ryukonkai dojo under Grand Master Iha Kotaro and Iha Mitsutada Sensei, the 2009 Okinawan Karatedo Kobudo World Champion in bo (6 foot staff). Ryukonkai is a kobudo school, meaning they teach traditional Okinawan weapons. The dojo, located on the second floor, had no air conditioning…oh yeah, and it was August. You bet I was dripping in sweat before I stepped out onto the hardwood floors! We learned some of their kata (forms), which uses a much deeper stance than we were used to. Good leg workout! Iha Kotaro Hanshi’s favorite quote is “You should not love to fight, but not, even for a moment, forget to prepare for fighting” by Miyamoto Musashi, The book of Five Rings.

The Codes of Conduct posted in the Ryukonkai dojo state:

  • Be civil, courteous, disciplined and well behaved.
  • Aim to train your mental and spiritual power as well as your physical power.
  • Endurance is the key to success.
  • Respect your seniors and love your juniors.
  • Regard every member of the dojo as brothers and sisters and treat them as such.
  • Try to master the most efficient skill of self-defense; preparing for the emergency.

Did you notice the first code of conduct? In Okinawa, everything comes back to courtesy.

~K.M. Fawcett

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Courtesy, Kings & Castles, Oh My! – Okinawa Part 2

Posted on October 13, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Because of the courtesy shown to us by the Okinawan people, our trip was dubbed the 2011 Ryukyu Propriety Cultural and Martial Arts Tour. Ryukyu was the old name for Okinawa before the Japanese renamed it (Remember Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan, like New Jersey is a state of the USA).

Tenchi Dojo Instructors at the Gate of Courtesy

Okinawa is known for the gate of courtesy, Shureimon (or Shurei no mon). This gate is at the entrance of Shuri-jo, a castle originally built in the fifteenth century that was the political, economic and cultural center of the Ryukyu kingdom for hundreds of years. Written on the gate’s plaque are four Chinese characters shu, rei, no, and kuni,which means “land of propriety” or “country of good manners and hospitality”.  Unfortunately, Shuri Castle was

Shuri-jo Castle

destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa during World War II. When rebuilding began in 1958 using pre-war photographs and original plans, guess which structure was reconstructed first. Yup, Shureimon – The Gate of Courtesy. That’s how important courtesy/propriety is to the Okinawan people.

While at the castle, we were entertained by some very talented ladies dancing traditional Okinawan dances. These dancers were impressive with their accuracy and fluidity of movement. This trip has given me an appreciation for these women’s skills. Although their movements might appear slow and uncomplicated to an untrained eye, they are in fact difficult in their precision and grace. Trust me, I had the opportunity to learn a piece of the fan dance, Kagiyadefu and…well… let’s just say it wasn’t pretty, graceful, or accurate. We’ll leave it at that. I also like watching the dances to see the hidden karate techniques in them.

While I’ve seen the traditional Okinawan dances before, what struck me on this trip was that Okinawan women have been performing these dances for hundreds of years.  The exact same precise dances!  And it made me sad to realize there are no traditional American dances in the US.

Heather, me, and Lorena in front of the King's throne

Our tour of Shuri-jo continued inside the castle where we saw many artifacts and special rooms, including the throne room and the tearoom.  I was excited to sit on the tatami mat, sip tea and eat delicious cookies that had been prepared for royalty hundred of years ago. Er…the cookies I ate hadn’t been prepared then, you know what I mean.

Ryukyu tea and cookies

I bought some boxes of cookies to take home with me.  Unfortunately, I just opened my last box. I guess that means I need to take another trip to Okinawa to get some more. :)

Click here for Okinawa Part 3 – Experiencing Martial Arts

~ K.M. Fawcett

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So You Think You Know How To Party?

Posted on August 29, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Back to school is a great time for partying with friends. It’s also a great time for a safety reminder. The following tips on How to Party Safely have been posted on this blog in April of 2010. These tips are for anyone at any age, and can’t be repeated enough.

When going out to a party, club or bar, make a plan and stick to it. If for some reason things change during the night, have a back up plan.

PLAN A: There is usually safety in numbers, so go with a group of friends you trust, stay together and leave together. Don’t leave or let your girlfriends leave with a stranger. Be sure you have a designated driver. If you decide to stay out later, leave earlier or realize your designated driver has been drinking, go to PLAN B: call someone you trust to come get you or call a taxi. Always take a charged cell phone with you and money for cab fare.

PLAN A: Don’t share personal information (phone numbers, business cards) with strangers. If you really like the guy and want to talk again, go to PLAN B: Get his number instead.

PLAN A: Stay with friends and make sure they stay with you. Don’t wander off alone even if you need to find a quiet place to make a phone call. Buddy up when going to the restroom. If you get separated from your friends and a stranger starts bothering you, go to PLAN B: find help from someone you trust or an employee at the bar. If you can’t get away or he refuses to stop harassing you, implement PLAN C:

DEFEND YOURSELF!

PLAN A: Know how much you’re going to drink before going out. If you are going through your drinks faster than you anticipated, try PLAN B: Alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks. No one needs to know your second and fourth vodka and tonics are only tonics. Or that you filled up your beer bottle with water.

PLAN A: Drink only from bottles or cans you have opened or have watched the bartender pour. Don’t accept drinks that are in punch bowls or other open containers. Never accept drinks from strangers or people you don’t absolutely trust with your life. If you didn’t see what went into your glass, assume anything can be in it. Your nonalcoholic drink could be spiked with alcohol. Your alcoholic drink could be laced with drugs. And consider this, even if it isn’t drugged, the guy buying you a drink may think you now owe him something in return.

PLAN B: Get help immediately from someone you trust with your life if…

  • Your drink tastes bitter, is unusually salty, has a strange color, odor or has foam or residue on the surface. Makers of Rohypnol (“roofies”) changed the formula so when dissolved in liquid, the pill produces a blueish-green dye. Clear drinks turn blue, beer turns green and dark drinks turn murky. BE AWARE however, that many date rape drugs are colorless, odorless, tasteless and can dissolve quickly in liquid.
  • You begin to feel usually drunk for the amount of alcohol you’ve consumed
  • You feel dizzy, nauseous, drowsy, “out of it,” or hallucinate
  • Your girlfriend acts in the above manner. (Remember you’ve already made a buddy plan to watch out for each other!)

You or she may have been drugged and may only be alert for a moment longer.

PLAN A: Don’t leave your drink unattended. If you leave to go to the restroom, the dance floor or to make a phone call, then (PLAN B) throw out that drink when you return. You can always buy yourself another one.

Party Smart and Stay Safe!

~KM Fawcett

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An Emotionally Challenging Test

Posted on August 25, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Breaking out of a bear hug.

This year’s Tenchi Dojo Karate Camp was a special one for me. I had the honor of testing my first born for his black belt. Though I have to be honest and tell you it wasn’t an easy task testing my son. As a mother, my natural instinct is to protect my children, not pummel them (…even during those times when they test my patience and drive me so crazy the urge to kick their little butts give them a stern “talking to” runs strong…but I digress…).

Anyway…I never thought the emotional vortex of my own black belt testing could be rivaled. But it was on that weekend. The teacher in me wanted to push my student beyond his limits. The mother in me didn’t want my “little boy” to hurt. At one exhausted point during the four day camp, his body language screamed “Mom, I need to lean on you.” My arms ached to wrap him in a comforting hug. It killed me to walk away. He probably doesn’t even remember that, but it’s a moment I will NEVER forget. In the end, he got his hug (probably more hugs than he ever wanted to get in front of an audience), and his mother couldn’t have been more proud. Congratulations, Gregory, on your well deserved promotion to shodan (1st degree black belt). You are an amazing young man!

Mom congratulating her son. I wonder if he remembers what I whispered to him.

Notice the look on sister's face when she smells his filthy, sweaty gi (uniform)...priceless.

The new shodans with Sensei Fawcett. In case you were confused, Sensei Fawcett is the clean one in the middle. :)

That’s three Fawcetts down and one to go.  It won’t be long before our little girl is ready to test for her black belt. <Gulp> Why do I get the feeling that THAT testing will be my most emotionally challenging one yet?

~ K.M. Fawcett

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RWA Highlights…And An Embarrassing Lowlight

Posted on July 4, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Happy Independence Day!

I’m back from the Romance Writers of America Conference and while I’m re-energized with writing excitement, I’m exhausted. You would be too after five days of writing workshops, networking, book signings and fun!

Some conference highlights for me were seeing my agent, Michelle Grajkowski, meeting my favorite author, and giving the Kick Butt Heroes: Using Martial Arts in Your Action Scenes workshop with Melinda and Rayna. I also met a new writer friend, Katherine Lowry Logan, who took the above picture, and cheered Virginia Kantra as she won her first Rita award.

So who is my favorite author? Diana Gabaldon. And I got to meet twice. Which was a good thing because the first meeting didn’t go so well. Before I tell you how I embarrassed myself, I need to back up and explain that Diana had inspired me to begin writing. I’ve always wanted to write, but it was her three “rules” to writing (specifically, rule #2) that made me finally sit down and put words to paper. Here are Diana’s three “rules” to writing:

1. Read
Read a lot. Reading is how you develop critical judgment as a writer. It’s also one way–and quite possibly the best way–of learning technique.

2. Write
The only way to learn to write is to…er…write. This is a Truly Awful thing to realize, but I’m afraid it’s so. You can read all the How-to books in the world, attend zillions of workshops and seminars and classes, do tons of research–and none of it counts for anything, unless you get words on paper.

3. Don’t stop

I first saw Diana Gabaldon at the RWA “Readers for Life” literacy book signing, and wanted to tell her how much I enjoy her books, and that she had inspired me to start my writing career. Unfortunately, excitement hijacked my composure. I totally went hyper fan-girl on her, sputtering and tripping over my words and pretty much humiliated myself with a total lack of articulation. It was not pretty.  Fortunately, I saw her the next day, and was able to calmly and rationally talk with her (apparently I had left an impression since she remembered me from the night before. I’m thinking that’s not a good thing.) But she was gracious and nice and signed my copy of Outlander. Too bad I didn’t think to get a picture taken with her.

The final highlight was giving our Kick Butt Heroes workshop. Our moderator (my critique partner, Cathi Riccie) counted 54 enthusiastic attendees, including previous guest blogger, and New York Times best seller, Angela Knight.

The workshop went well, even with the distraction of a camera crew that unexpectedly popped in halfway through and filmed the rest of the session for a documentary.  Having the camera inches away from my face threw me off a bit, (seriously, didn’t they have a zoom lens they could’ve used?) but I was able to regroup and continue stabbing Melinda a knife technique.  I’m still not clear who the people were and what the documentary was all about.  Once I figure it out, I’ll let you know.

Anyway, I came home from this year’s conference with more knowledge, more friendships, and a lot more BOOKS!!

If you were at RWA, what were the highlights for you?

~K.M. Fawcett

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Do Unto Others… Codes By Which We Live

Posted on May 19, 2011 by | 2 Comments

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Codes of ethics are the rules we use to govern the way we want to live. Last week we discussed Codes of Character. This week we’ll discuss Codes of Karate, which believe it or not, promotes a philosophy for living your life in addition to a philosophy for fighting.

Karate-do (the way, or philosophy, of the empty hand) teaches more than punching, striking and kicking. It advocates peace, harmony and balance. The following are the eight codes of Isshinryu karate (the Kenpo Gokui) that we learn in our school.

1. A person’s heart is the same as heaven and earth.

In Chinese thought, heaven and earth means the universe. This code states humans must be one with the universe. We must get along with our fellow man. In short, this code is about harmony.

2. The blood circulating is similar to the moon and sun.

The moon follows the sun, and the sun follows the moon. This code is about cyclical change, which is one of the stages of change in the I-Ching. This code also teaches harmony.

3. The manner of drinking and spitting is either hard or soft.

Drinking means taking in, inhaling, retreating. Spitting means expelling, exhaling or advancing. Hard or soft shows the concept of yin and yang. This code is about balance.

4. A person’s unbalance is the same as a weight.

Again, balance. Yin and yang.

5. The body must be able to change position at any time.

This code is about flexibility and adaptability in ones thoughts as well as in action.

6. The time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself.

This code is about taking advantage of opportunity, seizing the moment.

7. The eyes must see all sides

This code is about awareness of self, as well as of surroundings.

8. The ears must listen in all directions.

In addition to awareness, this code is about knowledge.

There is so much more to be learned from the codes of karate than what I’ve posted here. However, I thought this served as a good example of a written code of ethics.

What codes do YOU live by? Where did you learn them? How have your codes shaped the person you are? And do you teach them to others?

~K.M. Fawcett

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Talk A Walk On The Safe Side

Posted on April 14, 2011 by | 2 Comments

Photo Courtesy of Flickr and Nick Harris1

As the weather turns warmer (at least for some parts of the country. I’m still waiting for Spring in NJ), more people will be heading out doors.  Here are some safety tips on walking from certified women’s self-defense instructor, Kathleen Kuck.


-Avoid walking and talking/texting on a cell phone when in public.

-Back up to a wall if you must take a call.

-Always carry a cell phone for emergencies.

-Avoid ear buds or headphones while walking or jogging in public.

-Walk with a purpose. Head up, look around.  Eyes forward.

-Avoid walking/jogging/running alone whenever possible.

-Stay on paths that have people and traffic.

-Avoid shortcuts through alleys, fields, wooded areas, and secluded locations.

-Keep a grip on purse if over a shoulder.

-It is harder to escape if wearing heels.  Avoid scarves or long thick necklaces.

-Keep hands as free as possible.

-If attacked, don’t let anyone take you away to a secondary location. Your chance of returning are slim to nonexistent.  Fight back right where you are.

-Walk against traffic.

-Avoid walking next to bushes, walls, fences.  Anywhere a bad guy can hide.

-Take corners wide.  Same reason as above.

-Carry pepper spray if possible.

-If you don’t like pepper spray carry a personal alarm.  They cost very little money.

-A walking/hiking stick may also do the trick.

-Walking with a dog is also a great deterrent.

-Don’t walk up to a car if asked for directions or the time.

-If something goes wrong RUN RUN RUN to where people are; a store, a business, a group of people in the park.

-Make noise.  Suspects do not want witnesses and are looking for speed and ease.

-Keep as much distance as possible between you and a bad guy.

-If a friend is dropping you off, ask them to wait until you are safely inside the building.

-If you think you are being followed, change to the other side of the street.  Pick up your pace, start heading toward people, businesses, other people walking, etc.

-Try taking a few turns or pause inside of a business to see if you are being followed.

Thanks, Kathleen, for the great tips. If anyone has another, please share it in the comments section. If you don’t have a tip, then tell me your favorite place to walk. My favorite place is hiking in the woods.  :)

Stay Safe!

~K.M. Fawcett

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Happy (early) Anniversary

Posted on March 17, 2011 by | 5 Comments

On March 22, Attacking the Page will celebrate our 1 year anniversary. Can you believe it? Where did the time go? Well, you know what they say, “Time flies when you’re blogging.” Ok, so maybe they don’t say that, but it’s true nonetheless.

Anyway, I want to take this time to thank Rayna and Melinda for a fun filled year of posts and special guests. You ladies rock! I also want to thank YOU, our readers, for spending time with us twice a week. We know there are many blogs out there and we’re delighted you choose to visit with us. We especially love to hear from you, so please keep the conversations and the community going in the comments. Especially today…

*rubs had together and cackles* Bwa ha ha ha…

Because today, I want to hear from YOU. All of you. I want you to tell us what we’ve done that you like and what we’ve done that you don’t like (but be nice, ’cause mean people suck). What would you like to see more of? Less of? What topics most interest you? Do you like hearing from our guest bloggers once a month? Are there any guests or topics that you’d like us to include in future blog posts? Do you like the safety tips? Did you like the action scene critique? Would you like us to focus more on writing, reading, martial arts, safety, or personal stories? Three inquiring minds want to know!

For a little added fun, one lucky commenter will win an awesome and totally useful ATP safety whistle.  *Ooh! Ahh!*  The winner will be announced on the blog on our true Anniversary, March 22nd (yes I know it’s a Tuesday and not our normal blogging day, but I thought I’d make an exception).  :)

Well, I can’t believe a year of blogging is almost behind us. Thank you so much for sharing it with Melinda, Rayna and me. Happy (almost) Anniversary! And Happy St. Patty’s Day too.  *off to put the corned beef in the crock pot*

~ K.M. Fawcett

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