All posts by Risuko

News

Bright Eyes cover reveal! (Also, happy holidays!)

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Happy holidays!

Akemashite omedeto gozai masu!

I hope that you’re enjoying a joyful, pleasant holiday season. My whole family is home (with significant others) and so our house is (as Charles Dickens would say) “full to bursting.”

One of the things that has us all excited is the looming publication of Bright Eyes, the long-awaited sequel to Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale. In fact, I just received the first rough proofs of the new book — they’re looking great.

I hope you’re excited too — and to get you in the mood, I’m delighted to be able to reveal the Bright Eyes cover: Continue reading Bright Eyes cover reveal! (Also, happy holidays!) →

Book, News

Bright Eyes Complete!

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I’ve written nearly sixty-eight thousand words of Bright Eyes, the sequel to Risuko.

The most satisfying word of all to write? Continue reading Bright Eyes Complete! →

Interview, News

The Hero’s Journey ® as a writing tool

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Last summer, I had a really interesting conversation with Scott Calhoun of the Inner Typewriter about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey® and how authors can use it to enrich and focus their writing:


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Among other things, I look at Risuko, and how my work on it reflects the Hero Journey.

The Hero’s Journey is a registered trademark of Joseph Campbell Foundation (JCF.org)

Article

Character Mutiny: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Bright Eyes

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ETA: BRIGHT EYES LIVES!

So, hi.

I owe you an apology.

I had promised — and confidently expected — to finish and release Bright Eyes, book #2 in the Seasons of the Sword series, in 2018.

What happened? Continue reading Character Mutiny: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Bright Eyes →

News

Stories & Keeping Time news

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Hey! A couple of pieces of news!

Joseph Campbell - Mythic ImaginationFirst of all, I recently wrote a post for Joseph Campbell Foundation (my “day gig”) entitled “Where Do Stories Come From.” It’s talking about the source of narrative, and also mythologist Joseph Campbell’s own fiction writing. Check it out!

Keeping Time by Heather AlbanoAlso, the final volume of my friend Heather Albano’s steampunk time travel trilogy Keeping Time is coming  out on November 22! Timebound is a wild, roller coaster-ride of a conclusion to what was already a fun series — a mashup of HG Wells, Jane Austen, and Mary Shelley, if you can believe it.

In preparation for the release of the conclusion of the trilogy, we’re lowering the price for the ebook of Timepiece, the first book in the series, to just $0.99! Just November 22, though, so don’t wait! Continue reading Stories & Keeping Time news →

Article

What’s with Kee Sun’s accent?

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Kee Sun is one of my favorite characters, and I’m not alone. I get asked about the Korean cook a lot — especially about his accent. I recently was asked a question over on Goodreads:

Hi David – enjoyed Risuko and will be adding my review soon. Curious about the Korean cook and the odd way he speaks. Is that on purpose to indicate he might have some type of accent? Also, is there any particular reason for him not being Japanese? Perhaps I missed something 🙂 — Steve

Great question! Continue reading What’s with Kee Sun’s accent? →

Preview

Bright Eyes Preview: The Torii Arch

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Waiting for next Seasons of the Sword book? Author David Kudler just shared this sneak preview from the next exciting installment in Risuko’s adventures:

Bright Eyes Preview: The Torii Arch

Continue reading Bright Eyes Preview: The Torii Arch →

News

Join the YA Scavenger Hunt

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Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This is my second go-around with this bi-annual event, which was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 120 hours! Continue reading Join the YA Scavenger Hunt →

News

Review: Tower of Dawn is the eye of the hurricane

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Here’s my review of Tower of Dawn,  Sarah J. Maas’s latest book. Have you read the Throne of Glass books? What do you think?

By the way, I avoided spoilers for the book as best I could, and have hidden spoilers for the series behind the cut. — David Kudler

In Tower of Dawn, Sarah J. Maas turns a corner from sprawling epic to thrilling psychological fantasy.

In epic fantasy, the action usually centers around outsized acts of valor and evil committed by prodigious heroes and villains. It’s true in The Lord of the Rings. It’s true in A Song of Fire and Ice. It’s true in the first five of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass books. But the latest installment in the series, Tower of Dawn, looks at action and heroism of a different kind.

Continue reading Review: Tower of Dawn is the eye of the hurricane →

Book, News

Risuko Audiobook Now Available

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I’m ecstatic to tell you that the Risuko audiobook is now available on Audible, iTunes, Amazon, and Stillpoint Digital Press!


I’m so excited, in fact, that I’d love to make you an offer. If you send me a purchase receipt for the Risuko audiobook, I’ll send two download codes good for any audiobook on Audible.com!*

In any case, hope the end of summer is treating you well (or the end of winter, if you’re in the southern hemisphere).

Back to work on Bright Eyes for me! (By the way, thanks for the help choosing a cover — I’ll be announcing the winner in the next few weeks.)

David Kudler

[email protected]

P.S. If you’ve read Risuko but haven’t had a chance to share your thoughts, I’d love it if you’d post a review on Goodreads or Amazon or your favorite ebook store. Or you can even respond to this email and let me know what you thought directly!

*If you’re in Britain, let me know and I’ll send you codes good on Audible.co.uk.