Tag Archives: writing

Interview: Risuko author David Kudler talks writing

John Byrne Barry, award-winning author of political and crime thrillers, interviewed Risuko author David Kudler for the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association web site on the day of Risuko’s release.

In the interview, Kudler discusses the writing process, including:

  • what it’s like to write the first book in a series,
  • how to balance leaving your readers wanting more with leaving them satisfied,
  • where he falls on the “plotting vs. pantsing” spectrum,
  • what inspired him to write the teen historical novel,
  • and much more.

Continue reading Interview: Risuko author David Kudler talks writing

The Magic of History

On writing historical fiction as if it were fantasy

When I first began working on my novel Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale, my daughters were both young, and they were both voracious readers. Which, not surprisingly, I am as well. And so we happily read a lot of books together — both pleasure books and books assigned by their teachers.

Now, most of the books Sasha and Julia brought home from school were wonderful. But I noticed pretty early on that a lot of the “historical fiction” was way heavier on the historical than the story.

Again, some of the books were great. The Witch of Blackbird Pond? Crispin: Cross of Lead? Number the Stars? Terrific.

But a lot of the others were… less so.

I found myself looking at the books that my daughters and I found compelling and realized that, first and foremost, they were great stories — that they had  lot more in common with the magic in the fantasy books that we all enjoyed together (Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, Tamara Pierce’s Tortall books) than a history text.

And so, as I thought about what style I wanted to take on when I began writing Risuko, I decided that I was going to write my historical novel as if it were a fantasy. Continue reading The Magic of History

Flying Squirrel: Risuko Kickstarter zooms past 100%!

Flying Squirrel — Risuko Kickstarter fully fundedWell look at that! With 36 hours to spare, Risuko has crossed the dreaded Kickstarter 100% funding threshold. Risuko has truly become a flying squirrel!

Thank you so much to all of you who have pledged your support to the Kickstarter campaign — and especially to those of you who increased it, as well as those who’ve let their friends know! Every pledge counts, and I truly appreciate your help.

I’ve been thinking about stretch goals — incentives above and beyond the ones I’ve already offered — and I think I’ve come up with a good one: Continue reading Flying Squirrel: Risuko Kickstarter zooms past 100%!

On climbing and Risuko

David Kudler headshot
David Kudler

I’m not afraid of heights, not really.

It’s just that, like Terry Pratchett’s wonderful protagonist Tiffany Aching, I have a well-developed respect for depths.

It’s funny, then, that I’ve written a book on climbing — a book about a young girl who loves nothing more than being as high up in the air as she can be. How did that happen? Continue reading On climbing and Risuko