Shogun’s Scroll Is Now Available

This is the re-release of the original Shogun Scrolls. Tuttle Publishing considers the message within to be worthy of reprint and has released my work in a hardcover edition.

Written as a work of docu-fiction in the voice of Hidetomo Nakadai, a late 12th century regent and scholar in the court of Japan’s first shogun, Minamoto Yoritomo, this treatise is essential reading and study for those who would seek to wield power and control of their own destiny.

from Chapter One

“Power comes to a man in various ways. Undoubtedly, it is granted to a man by his own personal choice. It is based on his desire to rule or to be ruled. The extent to which that desire is expressed will be made manifest in his life. It does not matter if the desire is to control an entire country or a desire to control a small faction with a private interest. It depends on a man’s thought and the manner in which he accepts the truth of his own greatness.”

Available autographed from http://www.hanshi.com and from major book retailers.

Fiction Character Interview

A very good idea was presented to me about interviewing the protagonist in my Hanshi David Mann action/adventure series of novels, The Hanshi of Central Park and The Hanshi in Brussels. This will give my readers a bit of insight into the mind and motivation of my fiction hero, David Mann.

Question: Who are you?

Response: My name is David Mann. I am a high ranking martial arts master and author of a number of renown books. I have spent my life in studying the why and wherefore of concepts that can illuminate my place in the overall order of things. I deal with the foibles that accompany any man’s life and generally laugh at the absurdities that all life has to deal with on the level of survival and trying to understand the reason for existence. I have come to understand what all is about, and though you may not agree with me, I do not attempt to foist my revealizations of anyone else. People should determine for themselves the tragedy of their own inconsequence.

Question: What is your story?

Response: My story? What can I tell you? I practice my martial skills and meditate on higher consciousness on a daily basis. I mind my own business and pretty much keep to myself. Because I have an awareness that maintains me in a self sufficient universe, I still realize that there are certain things that will occur in life that essentially may come from a source that even I have been unable to determine the reason for, such as what happened that morning in Central Park that seemingly had absolutely nothing to do with my ideas about myself. There are the anomalies of life that run inside, or to put it in a better perspective, beneath the surface of all things that are for whatever reason important in the overall understanding of my place in the scheme of things.

Question: Where do you live and train?

Response: I live with my girlfriend, Sharon, and we share an apartment on the upper east side of Manhattan. We have a cocker spaniel name Thatcher. I have a number of people in my life that are sympathetic to my ideals as I am toward theirs. I don’t have scads of so-called friends, and I keep pretty much to myself, amusing myself with distractions that give me pleasure for whatever reason I deem necessary for myself to live my life by.

Question: Are you the hero of your own story?

Response: Definitely. I have come to terms with my own reality and acknowledge that everyone is the hero of their own story. As to whether or not they will accede to that reality is based on their own desire to be masters of their own universe.

Question: What is your problem in the story?

Response: I usually go to Central Park with one of my students and we work out every morning with straight ahead karate and sai, which is a quasi-bladed Okinawan weapon. I also do some kenjutsu sword work to keep in shape. One morning, I got caught up in a NYPD drug sting that I had nothing to do with, but some chick cop tosses a shot at me when I happen upon their ridiculous setup. In order to defend myself, I executed specific martial moves that got me out of harms way and allowed me to realign my own reality. There is conflict, however, in that a lot of people get involved and try to implicate me in the nonsense that had previously ensued as part of their own fallacies.

Question: Do you embrace conflict or do you run from conflict?

Response: I don’t look for trouble, and when it happens by some weird chance, I walk away from it. I do not let strings hang and prefer to end all situations that are interfering with my life so that I don’t have to deal with them at a later time. Should they re arise, then I deal with them to maintain a semblance of order.

Question: How do you see yourself?

Response: As the center of the universe, as most people should if they are intent upon ascending to higher levels of personal awareness. Those who would seek attainment should definitely aspire to find the right path though it may not necessarily be that of truth, especially in the beginning of a personal quest.

Question: How do your friends see you?

Response: Ask them.

Question: How do your enemies see you?

Response: Ask them.

Question: Do you have a hero?

Response: Aside from who you are presently talking to, I do have certain heroes that are directly involved with the things that give me pleasure: great artists and musicians; naming them would be an endless list, as well as certain men of science and a number of great generals.

Question: Do you have a goal?

Response: I am my goal.

Question: What are your achievements?

Response: Aside from having written a lot of important books, learning to play my saxophone to levels of sophisticated expression, practicing my arts, taking care of those in my immediate environment. I must say that the older I get, the more focused I become on the realities of my own existence. That is why I am able to be more compassionate and generous with my personal resources. I am lenient, but I am not indulgent.

Question: Do you have any special weaknesses?

Answer: I am sure I do.

Question: What are you afraid of?

Response: The fallacy of my own reality.

Question: What makes you angry?

Response: People who will go out of their way for any innocuous reason to bring about heartache and grief in others.

Question: What makes you happy?

Response: I do not concern myself with the absurd notion of happy or unhappy. This is based on my comprehension that there is no such thing as yin and yang.

Question: What makes you sad?

Response: Nothing makes me sad except for the foolishness of those I care for when they won’t try to get themselves together.

Question: Have you ever failed at anything?

Response: Most of the things I have done in life, until I got to understand that there is no such thing as yin and yang.

Question: Has anyone ever failed or betrayed you?

Response: Definitely. And with my own misunderstanding, I cursed them wholeheartedly until I began to realize the their action was based on my own inadequacies.

Question: Have you ever failed or betrayed anyone?

Response: I am sure that I certainly did.

Question: What people and events have had the most profound effect on you?

Response: Diz, Mingus, Kenton, Beethoven, Dali, Plato, the film Apocalypse Now, Ayn Rand, Miyamoto Musashi, Sun Tzu; this would be another endless list.

Question: Do you have any hobbies?

Answer: Yes. My entire life.

Question: What is your most prized possession?

Answer: My tenor saxophone and my sword.

Question: Was there a major turning point in your life?

Response: Besides getting involved with the martial world, my years in the military.

For more info on the author and to purchase books, visit http://www.hanshi.com

Available as Kindle and NOOK book formats as well.

Kindle and Nook Books Released

My novels, The Hanshi of Central Park and The Hanshi in Brussels are now available for instant download via Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. Get your copies now.

http://www.amazon.com/Hanshi-Central-Park-ebook/dp/B005ESIB68/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311991162&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hanshi-of-central-park-stephen-f-kaufman/1008267948?ean=2940013132092&itm=1&usri=the%2bhanshi%2bof%2bcentral%2bpark

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hanshi-in-brussels-stephen-kaufman/1104531391?ean=2940013141209&itm=1&usri=the%2bhanshi%2bin%2bbrussels

http://www.amazon.com/Hanshi-in-Brussels-The-ebook/dp/B005ESIC1M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311991318&sr=1-1

For those interested in hard copy format, visit www.hanshi.com for an autographed and personalized copy.
Thanks and best regards to all,

Hanshi

Cherry Blossoms for Children – Life Lessons to Grow By



Chapter 2

Tomo-san Learns to Protect Himself

One day, after finishing his homework and chores, Tomo-san decided to go fishing. He gathered up his fishing pole, and together with his dog, Kidu, started for the pond. When he got there, he saw some boys throwing sticks and rocks into the water that upset the ducks and other creatures that lived there.

Tomo-san told the boys to stop throwing things into the water because they might hurt the animals and scare the fish away. They told him to mind his own business and to go home. Tomo-san felt very upset that they would not stop, but decided to walk away rather than have to fight with them. They started to run after him, but he was faster than they were, and soon they stopped chasing him. Feeling badly for the creatures in the pond and hoping the boys wouldn’t continue to bother them, he started back. The boys were still acting foolishly.

One of the ducks got frightened, and as it started to fly away, it began to quack loudly. The boys kept jumping around and laughing.

Tomo-san’s friend, Mokubei, the wise man, happened to be passing by and saw the whole thing. When he asked them what was happening, the boys said that Tomo-san had frightened the duck, which is why it was quacking. When they tried to stop Tomo-san, he started to chase after them. They were going to tell the local officer what they had seen. Tomo-san kept trying to tell his side of the story, but was constantly out-shouted. Kidu kept barking, but no one understood him and so he sat by his master.

Finally, Mokubei told the boys he had seen the whole thing and that is not a good idea to disturb helpless creatures and that they should never tell lies, because when they are caught, they will have to do more explaining.

They all agreed and said they would not act mean, and they all spent the rest of the afternoon fishing, laughing, and having a good time together as boys do.

Mokubei stayed and watched them having fun. When it was time for everyone to go home, the wise man and Tomo-san went one way and the boys another. Kidu wagged his tail as he walked with Tomo-san and the wise man.

When you find yourself in a situation where you can’t do anything, it is always best to walk away and try to get some help.

 

© SFKaufman 2011

Excerpt from Cherry Blossoms for Children – Life Lessons to Grow By

For more info on author, visit http://www.hanshi.com