Young Samurai_ The Way of the Sword - Chris Bradford [116]
‘Of course,’ revealed the ninja. ‘After the mistake of acquiring the Portuguese dictionary, I thought it wise to check the contents before delivery.’
‘Did you have any success?’ asked the man.
‘Not entirely. The unfamiliar combination of Portuguese and English made the task somewhat more complex than anticipated.’
‘No matter. It’s of little consequence,’ said the man, evidently pleased that the knowledge remained secret from the ninja. ‘There’s a Franciscan monk in the dungeons, fluent in both the languages and a mathematician. The mere promise of freedom should secure his decoding services.’
‘And what about the gaijin boy?’ asked Dragon Eye.
‘Once the code’s broken, complete your mission,’ ordered the man, turning to kneel before the altar once more. ‘Kill him.’
MEET CHRIS
HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED TRAINING IN MARTIAL ARTS?
I started judo when I was seven years old. I won my first trophy at the age of eight and have since trained in over nine different martial arts.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MARTIAL ART AND WHY?
I have enjoyed all my styles – each one has taught me something new – but my favourite must be Zen Kyo Shin taijutsu, since it was the first one I earned my black belt in. The style originates from the fighting art of the ninja – my sensei was even taught by a ninja grandmaster!
HAVE YOU EVER MET A REAL SAMURAI WARRIOR?
Yes – I am a student of Akemi Solloway Sensei, who is the eldest daughter of an old samurai family, descended from the karō of Iwatsuki Castle (near Tokyo) in the time of Lord Ota Dokan (1432–1486). The name Akemi means ‘bright and beautiful’ and, because she has no brothers, Akemi has a special responsibility to keep alive the traditions of her samurai ancestors.
WHEN DID YOU START WRITING?
I’ve been writing all my life, but mostly lyrics for songs. I didn’t start writing stories until much later, though I remember making up stories in my head as a child, especially on long car journeys to stop myself getting bored.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO WRITE THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR?
I wrote The Way of the Warrior very quickly – in two months! The story literally burst out of me and on to the page fully formed.
WHERE DO YOUR IDEAS AND INSPIRATIONS COME FROM?
My heart and my life. The Young Samurai trilogy was inspired by my passion for martial arts. It is the story of a young boy learning about life through martial arts. It could be about me. Equally it could be about you.
WHAT DID YOU USED TO DO BEFORE YOU WERE A WRITER?
I was a songwriter and musician. I sing, play guitar and harmonica. I have performed all over the world, appeared on TV and taught music at the illustrious Academy Of Contemporary Music in Guildford. My musical experience led me to writing my first book on songwriting (Heart & Soul) for the British Academy Of Composers & Songwriters.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK? It by Stephen King. The scariest, and his best.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD AND WHY?
I’ve travelled to many wonderful places, but my three favourite memories are playing guitar on a beach as the sun set in Fiji, sitting in a tree house in the middle of a jungle in Laos and listening to a temple bell chime at dawn in Kyoto, Japan.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TYPE OF FOOD?
Sushi. It’s so healthy and very tasty.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
My samurai sword. The blade gleams like lightning and whistles when it cuts through the air.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FILM?
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The action scenes are magical and literally defy gravity, the actors are like fighting ballerinas, and it features one of the greatest female movie martial artists, Michelle Yeoh.
JACK’S BEST MARTIAL ARTS MOVES
KICKS (GERI)
MAE-GERI – This front kick is extremely powerful and can even push an opponent to the ground.
YOKO-GERI – This side‐kick is devastating on contact but be careful, it’s easier to see it coming than a front kick.
MAWASHI-GERI