Katsuren at the Center of the World

Katsuren is not only the title of a novel but also a real place, a UNESCO world heritage site. The ruins of the castle, or gusuku, overlook a deep water harbor sheltered by the Katsuren peninsula in Okinawa. Unlike the sites closer to Naha or the incredibly beautiful Nakijin gusuku farther north in Motobu, Katsuren is not well visited because it is well off the beaten path of tourism. However, at one point in history, it was the center of trade for that part of the world. A character in the novel Katsuren remarks that ancient coins and pottery from far away are always turning up if you poke around in the dust at the castle site. Surprisingly--or not surprisingly if you know Katsuren's history--a coin from ancient Rome turned up last fall. So did a coin from the 17th century Turkish empire. It is not so hard to imagine trade between Katsuren and China, the Philippines, even Thailand. But Turkey way at the far end of the silk road, and Rome--farther still! What a wonderful find! As the author of a novel featuring a brand-new archeologist beginning her career at the back-of-beyond Katsuren site, this news gave me a super thrill. Thank you, archeology!

A New Character, A New Story

Katsuren has been written, published, and offered for sale. I've gotten heart warming comments from readers in the US, Japan and Europe. Now it's time to move on to the next story.

Every story starts with a problem. This story starts with two problems: my character (Sam Ryder) needs a job; Okinawa needs new sources of employment, now that military bases are out of favor. What options does an orphan and high school dropout who grew up in the back room over a six-stool bar have?

More than you might think!

Sam is a guy with a future, though in the scene he's in now, he's about to get beaten up by a bunch of punks who want the leather jacket off his back, the one he bought in Shinjuku with his final paycheck after getting fired from his job delivering beer.

C'mon, Sam... Fight for your future!

The Next Challenge

Katsuren features a heroine with two much formal education and not enough life education. The next novel in my Okinawa series stars a hero who is the exact opposite. Sam Ryder's formal schooling stops at the junior high level, and that's when his real education begins.

As someone who didn't especially enjoy school, this is a tempting avenue to explore.

For instance, who ends up with the better body--the kid who goes to gym class or the urchin who teaches himself parcour? I think I'll let the urchin win that one. But how about the kid who goes to school and is inspired by a great teacher--can the urchin's life, populated by people whose personalities might not win the Good Housekeeping Seal, provide as good a jumpstart in life?

As the old catch phrase goes, we'll soon find out.

There has to be a butterfly

What is Okinawa without butterflies? I had to write one into the story of Katsuren. You will see her picture on the cover when the book comes out.

Her name is Princess, and she is a tree nymph, a lady of the south seas, or, in Japanese, an o-go-ma-da-ra.

A View of Katsuren Castle

The remains of Katsuren Castle

At the Central Market in Naha, Okinawa

Music is part of what makes Okinawa Okinawa. The signature musical instrument is the sanshin. What sounds and rhythms can be produced from only three strings!

PS: Yes, one of these sanshin is made from an empty cookie tin and another is made from a piece of tupperware.

Welcome to Katsuren

Katsuren is a real place.

Beautiful. Spooky. Dusty. Scenic. Scary. Mysterious.

Katsuren is the kind of place where stories happen. Stories have been happening there ever since the castle at Katsuren was built, way back in the 12th century. From the moment I first laid eyes on the place, I knew I wanted to write a new story and have it take place at Katsuren.

I thought I would name the book containing my Katsuren story Okinawa: Land of Stories, and that it would be a collection of very short tales set in various places in beautiful, lush Okinawa. Many years after the idea first occurred to me, the very first story turned out to be a novel of more than 55,000 words set at the castle site in recent times.

Of course I named it Katsuren.