About the author, Simon Higgins

Simon Higgins was born in England and raised in Nigeria, Africa, then South Australia, where he spent a decade in law enforcement as a policeman, prosecutor and finally, private investigator. His prior novels include the bestselling Thunderfish trilogy, CBC Notable Books, and works performed on stage, short-listed or published internationally. In 1979 he started training in Japanese martial arts and by 1982 had made his first visit to Japan. In 2007 he returned there to train and participate in the Kyoto Taikai, the world championships of the sword art Iaido, held annually on a mountain top before a Japanese prince. At the age of 48, competing in the Dangai class after less than a year’s training in Eishin-Ryu Iaido, Simon placed in the top ten. Happily married for 28 years, he has a son and daughter, now both adults, and, perhaps not surprisingly, a Japanese Akita dog.

Simon Higgins is already established as a popular and charismatic presenter who is a regular guest at Australian schools, youth literature festivals and media events.

Simon Higgins' personal website

'The prose is clean and simple and the story quick…Higgins, who has visited Japan, China and the Philippines to study martial arts, uses his experiences to contrast the differences between English and Japanese culture of the period. He has also craftily explained important Japanese terms within the text and left the rest to the glossary, which expounds nicely on some concepts mentioned only in passing…the stage is set…for an entertaining and informative series…'
Author and Literary Critic Jason Nahrung in The Courier-Mail September 8-9th, 2007

The Judges (front row, centre) and competitors of the Australian National Taikai (Iaido Championships) held on the Gold Coast in 2007. Simon, part of the gold medal winning team coached by Yasu Watanabe, is front row, third from the left. Among other duelling techniques, Iaidoka (Iaido students) learn the exact moves which Zenemon uses against the drunken Ronin in the chapter of Tomodachi entitled ‘The Cuckoo and the Cat.’

Kappa The nefarious Kappa, a Japanese water imp and Yokai (see Tomodachi’s glossary) no doubt related distantly to the Water Kelpie of Scotland and Australia’s own Bunyip. In the chapter of Tomodachi entitled ‘Clowning at the Gates of Hell’ Otsu sings a song about Yokai which warns that ‘the Kappa wants your sake.’

Kappa warning sign Modern sign beside a Japanese river warning children to beware of the Kappa. The graphic, scary images show a Kappa snatching a passing child and dragging them under!

Simon and the Australian Iaido Team Simon among the Australian Iaido Team marching uphill to the heart of the mountain top shrine during Iaido’s World Titles in Kyoto, Japan. The procession of sword-carrying Iaidoka is led by Prince Kaya of Japan’s royal family and a Shinto priest. Once in the heart of the shrine, surrounded by a forest of giant bamboo, the contestants are officially welcomed, blessed by the priest, and then display their skills for the prince in a ceremony called the Embu.

Simon Higgins at Nijo Castle Japan Simon in the grounds of historic Nijo Castle in Kyoto, one of the medieval fortresses fitted with a ‘nightingale floor’ which acts as an alarm system against assassins. Equipped also with 2 moats and arrow-and-musket slots in the outer walls, Nijo is like a time bubble; a location that would inspire any writer. Its grounds helped Simon visualize the makeup of Black Dragonfly Castle for Tomodachi: The Edge of the World.

Simon throwing Shurikens Simon wearing a yukata (a Japanese summer cotton kimono) and throwing shurikens (circular throwing knives famously used by ninja assassins) in a sideshow’s ‘shuriken range’ in Tokyo. The man to the right, dressed in black, told Simon that he was ‘a modern day ninja’. He was of course being ironic, since these highly trained contract assassins have not existed since the era in which Tomodachi is set. See Koga in the book’s glossary.

The launch day of Tomodachi: The Edge of the World The launch day of Tomodachi: The Edge of the World at Brisbane Writer's Festival in September 2007. The novel debuted with a speech by Simon's Iaido instructor, Sensei Yasu Watanabe, a sword performance and reading by Simon, followed by a display of advanced sword skills by members of the internationally successful Australian Iaido Team. Also performing with the team was Nobutaka Tezuka, a descendant of the samurai retainers of Lord Asano, whose controversial death sparked one of Japan's most famous incidents of honour and vengeance, involving the now legendary Forty Seven Ronin.

initial concepts for the cover artwork "Initial cover ideas by Annie. This was intended to be a stimulus piece for a potential illustrator to work from. To get the Japanese 'feel' she used a woodblock-style method to stamp the bold outlines in a press, then hand painted the details with watercolors. I believe Michael saw these very early on and it's fantastic to see his evolved vision which took on a separate identity and power all of its own. Annie's basic cover design was very art and texture oriented, tactile if you like, whereas Michael's finished cover is cinematic, epic, awe-inspiring, utterly on track in its visual drama, magnetic to this action-oriented generation of readers."
Simon Higgins