Moonshadow (21 page)
Authors: Simon Higgins
acknowledgements
The
Moonshadow
stories are fantasy tales set in a romanticised historical Japan. Though they reflect certain key events of the early Tokugawa era, and include many facts and details about the sword art of Iaido and Japanese warrior culture in general, they remain adventure yarns, not histories. Despite the many liberties I have taken, I hope these stories inspire readers of all ages to investigate the saga and customs of fascinating Old Japan, a world which still has so much to teach us.
My heartfelt thanks to my multi-talented wife Annie, for her brilliant ideas and fantastic support in developing the text of
Moonshadow
. My gratitude also to Anita Bell, another creative polymath, for her guidance, business savvy and insight. A very special thanks to the whole team at Random House Australia, especially Linsay Knight for instantly believing in
Moonshadow
, Kimberley Bennett for her fabulous, inventive editing, and to Loretta Barnard. Moon and I are in your debt. My thanks also to Catherine Drayton for her faith, encouragement and astute ideas.
A very low bow and a big
domo arigato gozaimasu
to the brilliant Lian Hearn, who so kindly employed her encyclopedic knowledge of Japanese history and language to identify anachronisms in
Moonshadow
's first draft.
A special tribute to resident of Japan, Doctor Glenn Stockwell, Kancho (Chief Instructor) of Seishinkan Iaido Dojo, for so devotedly preserving the beautiful Iaido of his teacher, Kimura-Kancho, in the twenty-first century. My personal gratitude also to Yasuhisa Watanabe, Fuku-Kancho (Deputy Chief Instructor) of Seishinkan Iaido Dojo, for translating the furube sutra and leading me to sites of historical significance to shinobi culture while in Japan. My thanks also to Yasu and to Sandan-rank instructors Matt Andrew, Nathan Nilsen and Brent Harrison, and to my friend Nobutaka Tezuka, Eishin-Ryu Shodan, for training me in Iaido and helping me learn
tsukikage
, Moon's signature duelling move. To any readers wishing to learn or know more about this graceful five-hundred-year-old art, please visit:
Simon Higgins's employment history reads like a novel. He's worked as a disc jockey, laboratory assistant, marketing manager and even as a monster on a ghost train. He also spent a decade in law enforcement; as a police officer, state prosecutor and as a licensed private investigator.
Simon is proudly a student of Eishin-Ryu Iaido, a 470-year-old style of swordsmanship which prizes traditional techniques and medieval samurai etiquette and courtesy. He has trained in Japan and participated in Taikai (contests) before His Imperial Highness Prince Munenori Kaya. In the 2008 Iaido World Titles held near Kyoto, Simon placed fifth.
As well as conducting professional development sessions for educators, Simon runs writing workshops for kids and adults, in Australia and overseas.
To read more about Simon and
Moonshadow
, go to:
www.simonhiggins.net
and
www.greylightorder.com.au