I first got the idea for this series watching my daughter at our local dojo. But they soon grew into something much larger. Of course, she still advises me on technical details, like how to twist a wrist or do a roundhouse kick, or what's the latest Japanese street slang.

In my day job -- my secret alter ego -- I'm a college professor in the mountains of the American southwest, and in my off hours (when I'm not writing), I enjoy hiking with my dogs.