Forget Santa – in Japan, Daruma is the go-to guy when you really want to see some action on getting your heart’s desire. These rotund papier maché saints are modeled on the itinerant monk who founded Zen Buddhism in Japan. Darumas are always painted with big staring eyes – supposedly he meditated for nine straight years without blinking – but in the case of wish-making Darumas, the eyes are left blank. That’s so you can color in one when you make a wish, then color in the other when your dream comes true.
I can attest to the strength of this roly poly guy – below is the Daruma whose eye I colored in back when my agent started to pitch my Only In Tokyo mystery series to publishers…
…and here’s what Daruma delivered yesterday!
Congrats!! The power of believing.
And the power of WAITING. >_< I have a sneaking suspicion that Daruma's top secret agenda is to teach PATIENCE… ( *_* )
Gotta love that Twilight style cover.
But seriously, congrats on being a published author.
Hey, I’m not below cravenly hoping millions will mistakenly buy Nightshade because they assumed it was a ripping story sbout Japanese teen vampires…
Congratulations! I just bought the Kindle version. And, I’m looking forward to the one being published in 2013.
About those Daruma dolls…I got one and gave it a project a few years ago. It’s still sitting on the shelf with one eye. Maybe it didn’t like the eye I drew?
Hmm, methinks we were both hoodwinked by our Western assumptions about how LONG it takes for Daruma to get around to our little requests. He seems to operate on, um, monk time!
And thanks for becoming a Nightshade reader! I hope it does not disappoint!^^
Yay! Congratulations!
I bought the e-book, too; can’t wait to finish a couple of liberry books (those due dates, dont’cha know) and get started on Nightshade.
So, have you colored in Daruma’s other eye yet?
i have been reading your blog for a while now, and i really do love your writing, i was wondering is there any way you can get updates for the latest article you post on email or even cell, Forgive my immaturity in this as i am really new to this internet stuff
You are so sweet! Thank you! Most of the time, writing feels like shouting into a big black hole, so to hear that you enjoy reading The Golden Prose really made my day! If you scroll down below the “Top Posts And Pages” there ought to be a “subscribe” button. If you push it, you will relentlessly receive an email every time there is a new post about Colonel Sanders’ latest outfit or some food that is definitely not on any menu back home…