Grandma? Nope. Only Tūtū for me! Guest Post by Tori Eldridge

After receiving the blessed news of an approaching grandbaby, I—like every expecting grandparent—faced the all-important decision of what to be called. With a multicultural and international family like mine, the decision required thoughtful consideration and care.
My daughter-in-law is Chinese from Hong Kong, so my assumption was that our wee one would call me Ah-ma or Maa-maa‚—common choices for a paternal grandmother in Cantonese—or Nāinai, the grandma name used in Mandarin. This would have been fine by me since I’m almost half Chinese.

But I’m also Native Hawaiian, born and raised.

Much to my surprise and insurmountable joy, my son and daughter-in-law decided to name our granddaughter Moana after the empowering heroine in the Disney movie they both loved! And since they would be honoring my Native Hawaiian heritage, I knew only Tūtū would do.
 
Not only would Moana and any future grandchildren call me by the affectionate Hawaiian name for grandma, I would consciously and lovingly share our Hawaiian heritage with them.
 
The only wrinkle? Moana was born in Shanghai!
 
How could I possibly share my aloha for Hawai‘i with her when China, during the pandemic, would not let me in?
 
Fortunately, they moved back to Portland, Oregon, before her second birthday. Unfortunately, I was still living thousands of miles away in Los Angeles. Not only was I still separated from her, I had been separated for decades from my ancestral roots.
 
Writing Kaua‘i Storm gave me a way to reconnect with my homeland and heritage—and, by extension, my granddaughter and new grandson, Nahele—in a deep and meaningful way. It was also paramount that I dive below the cultural surface that is more commonly revealed and write about Hawaiians in Hawai‘i as well as those of us who have moved away and might try to come home.
 
As with my protagonist, Ranger Makalani Pahukula, I left the islands to attend college and pursue a career, which for me involved performing on Broadway, television, and film. Makalani, on the other hand, became a law enforcement ranger at Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park. As with many people who move away from their home town, state, or country, we both became a little out of step with what was happening back home.
 
The challenges of returning home and feeling out of place are universal and play a major theme in Kaua‘i Storm.
 
The experiences for Hawaiian diaspora are especially nuanced and fascinating since Hawai‘i is a formerly sovereign nation with its own kānaka maoli (true people), ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language), and a rich history with valuable traditions that our conquerors sought to subdue. We may be considered the fiftieth state, but unlike the other forty-nine, our origin story, ancestry, and struggles are unique.
 
If I was going to write a novel set in Hawai‘i, it had to be written from a Native Hawaiian’s ancestry and point of view—Makalani’s and my own.
 
One way in which I did this was to give Makalani her own “Tūtū” who could serve as the family’s cultural touchstone and remind Makalani where she comes from and the values by which she should live. I gave Makalani’s Tūtū the knowledge I wanted to possess and the empowering influence I hoped to be.
 
Now, to my endless joy, my husband and I live in Portland, Oregon where I can greet my mo‘opuna (grandchildren) with “Kakahiaka nō!” —Good morning! — and remind them that Tūtū loves them, “Aloha o Tūtū iā ‘olua.”

Needless to say, writing this new book series about Makalani and her multigenerational ‘ohana has enriched my life and influenced my role as Tūtū in my grandchildren’s lives.
 

 ***

Tori Eldridge is the bestselling author of the newly re-released Lily Wong mystery thriller series—The Ninja Daughter, The Ninja’s Blade, The Ninja Betrayed, and The Ninja’s Oath—as well as a two-time Anthony Award nominee, Lefty and Macavity Awards finalist, and winner of the 2021 Crimson Scribe Award for Best Book of the Year. Born and raised in Honolulu—of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Norwegian descent—she lived in New York and Los Angeles before settling in Portland, Oregon, where her mo‘opuna live. Kaua‘i Storm is the first of her new Ranger Makalani Pahukula Mysteries.

Tea and Tea Eggs in Shanghai: Guest Post by Tori Eldridge

If you love tea even half as much as me or my ninja sleuth heroine, Lily Wong, you’ll flip over my recipe for mosaic-patterned, tea-marinated eggs. These beautiful eggs, flavored with Chinese five spice powder, ginger, peppercorns, a hint of sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and tea make a memorable treat for yourself, family, and friends.
 
Read on for the recipe and an excerpt from The Ninja’s Oath, book four in my Lily Wong mystery-thriller series, set in Shanghai and Japan.
 
In the scene below, Lily buys tea eggs on Chongming Island with Lee Chang (AKA Uncle), a former Shanghainese triad enforcer and head cook back in Los Angeles for Lily’s father, a North Dakota-Norwegian Hong Kong cuisine chef. They are joined by J Tran—a mysterious Southeast Asian assassin who tangled with Lily in The Ninja Daughter, invaded her thoughts in The Ninja’s Blade, and made a surprise appearance in Hong Kong during The Ninja Betrayed.
 
In The Ninja’s Oath (coming 9/12 in a hardcover release), my Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja travels to Shanghai and joins forces with J Tran to help Lee locate and rescue his kidnapped twelve-year-old grandniece. When the hunt leads to another missing relative, the trio of dangerous heroes—ninja, triad, and assassin—are pitted against an even greater foe.
 
Of course, family complicates everything!
 
This mission would be far simpler if not for Lee’s resentful brother, conniving cousins, and despairing elderly mother who Lee and Lily must move out of the family’s shikumen house before the government tears it down. Forged by the Japanese invasion, Chang Kai-shek, the Green Gang, and Mao Zedung, Lee’s family lineage is entwined into the stunning history of Shanghai. 
 
Back in Los Angeles, Lily’s father is struck down with an unknown disease. Lily’s mother begs her to return, but dire consequences force Lily to stay the course. While she faces potentially insurmountable odds and worries about her father’s waning health, she is shocked by the true identity of her ninja teacher—known only Sensei—and the truth behind why he left Japan.
 
The Ninja’s Oath is a high-octane thrill ride. More action. More ninja. More family. And more intriguingly delicious food. Keep your local Chinese and Japanese restaurants on speed dial. And be sure to accompany it with a fine pot of tea.

*** 
 

Excerpt from THE NINJA’S OATH by Tori Eldridge

We stopped at a grocery shack with a picnic table by the side of a canal where I brought out the first aid kit I carried in my pack. After washing off the blood with the water from my pouch, I disinfected and glued the slash on my arm. I did the same for the cuts on Uncle’s shoulder and cheek. Feeling more presentable, we left Tran to watch his motorcycle and our rideshare bikes while Uncle and I bought tea eggs, sweet potatoes, and bottled water for lunch.

 

I unwrapped my egg and admired the tea-stained designs that had seeped through the cracks. The shop owners had partially boiled the eggs, cracked the shells, and soaked these beauties in a spiced brew of black tea. The Shaoxing rice wine and soy gave it a gorgeous color and an inviting scent. I bit into the egg and showed it to Uncle.

 

“They made the yolk soft like yours.”

 

He nodded with approval. “The trick is to soak the eggs overnight instead of boiling them a second time.”

 

Tran peeled open his sweet potato and revealed the purple flesh. “You cook for her father’s restaurant?”

 

Uncle frowned my way. “How much does he know about you?”

 

“More than I’d like.”

 

He eyed the assassin and stuffed the entire egg into his mouth.

 

Tran shrugged. “I asked out of courtesy. I know all about Red Pole Chang.”

 

“Then tell me about you,” Uncle said, his mouth full of egg. “Lily called you a killer. Out of fun or for hire?”

 

“Hire. Mostly. Never for fun.”

 

“American?”

 

“Depends.”

 

“On what?”

 

“Convenience.”

 

Uncle wiped his mouth. “Why are you here? And what do you want?”

 

“To help.”

 

“Help is the means. What do you want from Lily?”

 

Tran stared into my eyes with the same uncomfortable fascination he had shown in Los Angeles. Then he looked back at Uncle and stuffed the entire sweet potato into his mouth.

***

 

 
TEA EGG RECIPE
 

Notes: I’ve substituted mixed color peppercorns for Sichuan peppercorns and Chinese 5 spice powder in place of star anise and cinnamon bark to make the ingredients easier to attain. I kept the Shaoxing wine because it has a distinctive flavor. Find it in Asian markets and try it in all of your meat marinades. Delicious! Sake is the next best thing. Or simply add an extra ½ cup of tea instead.

 

Ingredients:

 

6 to 12 Eggs

4 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

(Or use 6 tablespoons of whatever soy sauce you have)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon mixed color peppercorns (any color or black is fine)

1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder 

1 to 2-inch knuckle of ginger, peeled and smashed

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (according to taste)

1 teaspoon salt (use less or none if soy sauce is salty enough for your taste)

2 tablespoons Asaam or other black tea leaves (or 2 quality black tea bags)

2 cups water

½ cup Shaoxing Chinese Rice Wine

 

Instructions:

 

Ø  Bring all ingredients (except for eggs) to boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for ten minutes. Remove cover, turn off heat, and let marinade sit until it cools to room temperature.

Ø  Boil water for eggs. Lower to simmer, and gently cook the eggs for 7 minutes for medium boiled eggs.

Ø  Plunge cooked eggs into an ice-water bath.

Ø  Tap eggs with the back of a spoon to crack the shells enough for the marinade to soak through.

Ø  Place eggs in a quart–size ziplock bag with the marinade.

Ø  Place in refrigerator for 1 to 5 days. (Eggs become more flavorful after time)

 

Enjoy on their own or with noodles or congee.

*** 

 

Tori Eldridge is the bestselling author of THE NINJA’S OATH (out September 12), book four of the Lily Wong thriller series—two-time Anthony Award nominee, Lefty, and Macavity Awards finalist, and 2021 Crimson Scribe winner for Best Book of the Year. Her dark fantasy thriller, DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES, was inspired by her screenplay that earned a semi-finalist nod from the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. Tori’s shorter works appear in numerous anthologies including MWA’s 2022 anthology, CRIME HITS HOME. Tori has performed on Broadway, television, and film, and earned a 5th degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninja martial arts. Learn more at www.ToriEldridge.com.
 
Preorder and read early to participate in Tori’s Virtual Book Club!
bit.ly/SaveYourSpotTNO
 

GOING TO HONG KONG: Guest Post by Tori Eldridge

TORI ELDRIDGE:  GOING TO HONG KONG

Readers know Lily Wong as a badass ninja who uses her martial arts skills for good, but in The Ninja Betrayed, Lily show’s her softer side with more food, more family, and—OMG—so much more of Daniel Kwok. With all the swoon-worthy dates, Michelin-star restaurants, ritzy bay-view homes, and the local-eye view of exotic Hong Kong, Lily would be on a dream vacation, if only she weren’t up to her eyeballs in riots, intrigue, and triads. 

Yeah, yeah… danger-smanger… tell us more about love, food, and Hong Kong! 

Ever since I began this series, I knew I would eventually take Lily back to Ma’s hometown and the city where Lily’s meddlesome grandparents still live. After visiting in person with my Hongkonger daughter-in-law and family, I knew that time was now. 

Even readers who have not yet read The Ninja Daughter or The Ninja’s Blade will fall right into Lily’s family, her dreamy new boyfriend, and the exciting prospect of dating him in one of the most exciting cities in the world. Writing The Ninja Betrayed also gave me a chance to share my first-hand impressions and relive my own experiences.

I visited Hong Kong at the end of 2018 to celebrate our eldest son’s engagement to his Hongkonger bride. Coincidence or fate? He started dating her after I had begun writing my debut novel and establishing that Lily’s connection to Hong Kong! 

They met in Shanghai during my son’s business trip then fell in love in Portland, Oregon after she moved there to work at Nike headquarters. When he took a position in Shanghai, she followed nine months later and took a position in Beijing. After another year of long-distance romance and bi-monthly getaways in China, they married in Hawaii and got stuck in Tokyo months later at the start of the pandemic. It turned out to be a blessing because Nike allowed them to work virtually, together, from Tokyo. Now, they’re married and living in Shanghai with their darling eight-month-old daughter (my first grandchild). How’s that for a romance? 

When my husband, my youngest son, and I visited Hong Kong, we were able to hang with my daughter-in-law’s family and “meet” the city through a local perspective. The experiences we had and the places we visited infused my writing with added color, texture, and (what I hope to be) keen cultural and political understanding regarding the pro-democracy struggle. 

We even bonded over dumpling making—apropos since Lily’s nickname is Dumpling! 

We hung out with family at the public barbecue and played mahjong in their tiny fortieth-floor home in one of the ubiquitous apartment-block clusters. 

“This is Hong Kong, don’t forget, the most vertical city in the world.” (The Ninja Betrayed) 

We wandered through Mong Kok, the busiest, most crowded section of Hong Kong with a mixture of old and new tenements, first-floor retail shops, and tented kiosks that sprout up at dawn and vanish later in the night. 

Once out of the grungy tenement, I headed for the Mong Kok MTR station, down busy one-way streets. People flowed through Crowded Corner with skilled precision, disrupted only by the abrupt actions of tourists who didn’t understand the rules. 

Don’t stop. Don’t block. Don’t crowd.

Locals didn’t squeeze into tiny shops without purpose, nor did they add to the noise pollution with boisterous conversation. They waited outside and kept their voices low so there would be room for others to shop and think. In a city this congested, no matter how independently-minded its citizens, Hongkongers acted in the best interest of their community. (The Ninja Betrayed)

We perused the street markets, shopping for produce and the deliciously sweet and greasy lap cheong sausage (hanging along the top) that Lily loves to eat in the sticky-rice dumplings known as zóngzi. 

Ducks hung beside slabs of meat over fish on ice or live seafood in tanks. Chickens clucked at one stall while shoppers scrutinized bok choy and pomelo at another. The scent of fragrant produce mingled with the musk of ceremonial incense, stacked high in red-wrapped tubes, boxes, and packages. Dried strings of sweet lap cheong sausage hung above bins of dried abalone, fungus, and beans. (The Ninja Betrayed)

We took the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island in the day and watched the boats chug by at night, just as Lily does on her own and with Daniel Kwok. 

I folded my arms on the railing as the ferry pulled away from the dock. Daniel rested his chin on my shoulder. Together we watched the skyline appear, steel and glass ablaze in reflected gold and red. The breeze off the water nipped at my face and made me glad to have worn my light leather jacket. I leaned into his chest. Daniel’s assurances had lightened my mood. Would I feel the same if I shared more secrets with him? (The Ninja Betrayed) 

We took a double-decker bus to the top of The Peak, where we hiked around the scenic walkway and down jungle paths not nearly as steep as the ones Lily encounters on her treacherous run. 

“I sprinted to the Watford trailhead and stared at the steps. I hadn’t counted them on the way down, but dreaded every one of them for the charge back up. Train to live. Live to train. Sensei’s slogan reminded me that every challenge presented an opportunity to grow and improve. My adventures in Hong Kong had already shown me the importance of staying in shape. This three-quarter-mile sprint up a mountain would do me good.” (The Ninja Betrayed) 

Although we didn’t eat quite so well as Lily at the Ritz and Ta Vie, we did eat home-cooked papaya soup, jook (rice porridge), and crispy-broiled pork belly at my in-laws’ home. We also filled our bellies with delicious food from street vendors, cha chaan teng tea restaurants, and a Cantonese-style dim sum banquet with our daughter-in-law’s grandmother, aunts, uncles, parents, and brother’s family who gather together every Sunday. 

The banquet lasted for four hours with seemingly endless steamers and plates of Hong Kong delicacies, including my favorite sticky rice, bean curd rolls, and black bean chicken feet. I struggled with the fast-paced Cantonese, made everyone laugh by mixing it up with Mandarin, and ended up relying on Ma for translations. (The Ninja Betrayed) 

My trip to Hong Kong was magical for so many reasons. What a joy it was to relive and draw from my many visceral experiences as I explored Lily’s softer side with her challenging romance and complicated family. But never fear, the new book is loaded with trademark ninja action, intrigue, and mouth-watering food.

To get in the mood for The Ninja Betrayed, try this recipe for the classic yuen yeung Hong Kong coffee milk tea, named for the opposites-attract pairing of Mandarin ducks, a symbol of conjugal love in Chinese culture. Yuen yeung has a complex ratio of three parts coffee and seven parts Hong Kong style milk tea. This recipe makes it a little simpler to make at home. 

• Simmer 2 cups water with 3 tsp black tea for 3 minutes. 

• Add 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk and simmer for 3 more minutes 

• Brew 1 cup of black coffee. 

• Strain milk tea and mix with coffee. 

Note: You can also use evaporated milk sweetened with sugar to taste. Or try my low-carb, no-sugar version below. 

Right now, I’m drinking a blend of Assam and Darjeeling black teas brewed in a cup of hot unsweetened almond milk with a splash of half-n-half mixed with a long shot of decaf espresso. 

What inventive coffee or tea combinations do you like to drink? 

***

Tori Eldridge is the Anthony, Lefty, and Macavity Awards-nominated author of the Lily Wong mystery thrillers—The Ninja Daughter, The Ninja’s Blade, The Ninja Betrayed—and the upcoming dark Brazilian fantasy, Dance Among the Flames (out May 2022). Follow Tori on Instagram, and learn more about her at ToriEldridge.com.

COVER REVEAL: THE NINJA BETRAYED by Tori Eldridge: Sneak Peek into the Symbolic Cover Art for Lily Wong Series, Book 3

TORI ELDRIDGE: 

Cover Reveal for THE NINJA BETRAYED

Check out that cover! I’m overjoyed with the results and thrilled to share it with you. What better place for a Lily Wong mystery cover reveal than on the fabulous Mystery Readers Blog, Mystery Fanfare? 

As with the other two books in the series, this cover has layers of symbolism in all of its elements. The color, the icons, even the grid, have meaning—sometimes, more than one. The cover makes an initial impact then offers new discoveries as you read the book. 

First, the color. 

Every book in the Lily Wong Series features a bold solid color steeped in symbolism. The yellow cover for The Ninja Daughter and red cover for The Ninja’s Blade spoke to Lily’s (and my) Chinese heritage—firecrackers, red envelopes, yellow gold. The ninja element was represented by the ninja black and gray icons. What color would be right for The Ninja Betrayed? 

In the third book, Lily and Ma travel to Hong Kong for a surprise board meeting for her grandfather Gung-Gung’s international finance company. When Ma’s L.A. director position is threatened, Lily digs for the truth behind friendly façades of partners, directors, and family. Her Hong Kong vacation quickly devolves into a scorpion’s nest of trouble and shady deals. 

We needed a color that symbolized Lily’s mother, risk, and finance. Lucky jade green fit the bill. 

Like yellow and red, green is a bold color that evokes strong emotions. It’s associated with wealth, luck, danger, and—as the third color in a stop light—action. Although Hong Kong money comes in a variety of colors, green is the color of money in the U.S. 

The shade of green was equally important. Anyone who’s read either of the previous books, knows that Violet Wong wears signature imperial jade jewelry. When I picture Ma, I always see her jade and diamond earrings, ring, and Sì Xiàng bracelet. 

I was so appreciative that the design team at Agora Books were willing to work with me to find the perfect shade of jade. 

Not only did my editor, Chantelle Aimée Osman, ask me for ideas about color and icons, she asked for feedback at every stage of development. I can’t begin to tell you how rare and wonderful this is. Most authors have limited involvement at best. 

“Lily is a duality herself, she is at once a proud product of her heritage, but also an embodiment of the modern evolution of it, and we wanted the covers to embody both of those qualities.” 

My good fortune is not only reflected in lucky colors but lucky numbers, as well. 

The number eight, featured in the grid on all of the Lily Wong covers, is the most auspicious number in China. The Mandarin word for eight is Bā, which sounds similar to the word Fā, the character on the mahjong tile in the upper left quadrant of The Ninja Betrayed. Fā is the first half of the saying, fā cái, which translates to “get rich.” The ink on this mahjong tile is always green to symbolize wealth. In The Ninja’s Blade, the second book in the series, two of those panels are dominated by an awesome Chinese tiger. 

In The Ninja Betrayed, two of the grids are taken over by a line of protesters to signify the pro-democracy struggle in Hong Kong, a major theme in the story. 

In addition to protecting Ma and investigating Gung-Gung’s international finance company, Lily befriends and protects a teenage activist during the height of the 2019 protests. Things get volatile as peaceful demonstrations erupt into violence. 

There’s also a strong romantic component to the story that the cover needed to reflect. As Lily copes with riots, triads, and family strife, her budding romance with Daniel Kwok—there on business—flourishes into the possibility of true love. Chantelle came up with the perfect icon. 

“When Tori pointed out, quite rightly, that we were missing a symbol for the romantic element of the plot—which is stronger in this book than the others, readers can look forward—we immediately landed on the lily. Not only is it, obviously, the name of our protagonist, and a symbol of romance, but it also symbolizes Lily’s finally coming into her own and accepting herself for who she is.” 

The lily flower also symbolizes purity and fertility, fresh life and rebirth. There’s a lot of nuanced meaning to unpack in the presence of that flower and all the other icons on The Ninja Betrayed cover. The only way to discover them is to read the book! 

The Ninja Betrayed releases September 14, 2021 from Agora Books. Pre-Order links can be found at https://torieldridge.com/links

LITERARY SALON ONLINE: Karen Dionne & Tori Eldridge: August 27

Literary Salon Online

When: Thursday, August 27, Noon PDT

Who: Karen Dionne & Tori Eldridge

Where: RSVP for Zoom login instructions

This is a free event, but YOU MUST RSVP to attend.

Zoom info will be sent when you register.
There will be a waiting room before admittance, so be sure to include your name with your email.
Space limited, as this will be an interactive salon. 

Send RSVP to janet @ mysteryreaders.org

Karen Dionne

Karen Dionne is the USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of the award-winning psychological suspense novel The Marsh King’s Daughter published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in the US and in 25 other languages. Her next psychological suspense, The Wicked Sister, has just been published from G.P. Putnam’s Sons in the US and Little, Brown in the UK August 4, 2020. Karen enjoys nature photography and lives with her husband in Detroit’s northern suburbs.

Tori Eldridge

Tori Eldridge is the author of The Ninja Daughter, nominated for the Anthony, Lefty, and Macavity Awards for Best First Novel and named one of the "Best Mystery Books of the Year" by The South Florida Sun Sentinel. The second book in her Lily Wong series, The Ninja’s Blade, releases on September 1st. Tori has short stories published in several anthologies and a narrative poem in the inaugural reboot of Weird Tales magazine. She holds a 5th degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninjutsu and has traveled the U.S. teaching ninja arts and women’s self-protection.  

Send RSVP to janet @ mysteryreaders.org

Tori's Chinese Comfort Soup: Guest Post and Recipe by Tori Eldridge

Tori Eldridge:
Tori’s Chinese Comfort Soup 

Everyone who’s read The Ninja Daughter or the upcoming The Ninja’s Blade (out September 1st) are instantly hit by two things: the fast-paced action and Lily Wong’s obsession with food. This ninja heroine has a foodie’s palate and a sumo wrestler’s appetite that will have you dreaming of sizzling garlic shrimp, barbecued pork tamales, and Gruyère-potato beignets. And if you think your stomach growls through these books as a reader, imagine what it’s like for me as the author, writing about my favorite Chinese comfort foods like chow fun, congee, and crispy-skin roasted duck.

In books one and two, I sent Lily to foodie paradises in Los Angeles like République, Tokyo Fried Chicken, and my fictitious Pacos Tacos for the best tamales in the city. Now that I’m writing book three, I can salivate over comfort foods I ate in the cha chaan teng (tea restaurants) in Hong Kong and five-star restaurants I wish I had visited.

Just writing this article has me craving the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and Kurobuta pork sticky rice wraps from my favorite dim sum haunt in Glendale that I haven’t been able to visit since the social distancing began.

Are you getting hungry? Because I am.

So, after whetting your appetite, I figured the least I could do is share my easy-to-make Tori’s Chinese Comfort Soup. It features boneless chicken thighs, sweet green cabbage, and loads of fresh ginger and garlic. Sometimes, as in the photo below, I even add cubes of butternut squash.

I make this soup a couple times a month and eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. To me, a good Asian-style soup is an anytime food, especially when it’s homemade, low in sodium, and gluten free.

Why so health conscious? Because unlike my ninja heroine—who burns thousands of calories zipping around town on her racing bike, sprinting across rooftops, or fighting members of the Varrio Norwalk 66 gang—I actually have to monitor my sugars, fats, and calories. Go figure!

I hope you enjoy this healthy and delicious soup. And because I rarely follow a recipe without adding my own embellishments, I’ve included a couple of variations. Please feel free to add and delete as you please. The measurements are estimates, so mince and pour as you will.

Tori’s Chicken Cabbage Soup (with variations) 

2 frozen boneless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon (or as needed)100% pure Asian-style sesame oil
1/2 cup sliced sweet onion
2-3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2-3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 1/3 cup sake
1 32-oz box low-sodium or unsalted beef or chicken broth
1/3 green cabbage shredded

Option: 2 cups cubed pre-cooked butternut squash
Option: 2 eggs swirled with broccoli and sliced mushrooms
Option: pre-cooked wonton dumplings
Option: low-sodium soy sauce and chopped scallions

1. Coat a pan in sesame oil and brown one side of the chicken.
2. Turn the chicken over and add onions, garlic, and ginger. (If using mushrooms, sauté here.)
3. Add sake to deglaze pan and chop chicken with metal spatula or knife.
4. When sake evaporates, add beef or chicken broth and bring to boil.
5. Add cabbage and simmer.
6. Add optional squash or pre-cooked wontons with extra water if desired. 7. Serve with low-sodium soy sauce and freshly chopped scallions.

Tori Eldridge is a Honolulu-born writer, a 5th degree black belt ninja, and a former actress, dancer, singer on Broadway, television, and film. She writes action-packed, culturally-rich thrillers and mystically intriguing suspense, empowering non-fiction, and has taught ninjutsu and empowerment across the country. She is the author of Ninja Daughter and The Ninja's Blade (coming in September)

WRITING ATHLETICISM: Guest Post by Tori Eldridge

Tori Eldridge:
Writing Athleticism

On my fiftieth birthday, I stopped training and teaching the ninja martial arts to pursue a career as a fiction writer. Talk about a dramatic change in lifestyle! I had expected it would involve major shifts, but I never imagined how much physical stamina a sedentary career would require.

I began planning this move for six months prior to my half-centennial birthday, ever since I picked up an old manuscript I had written thirteen years earlier. Back then, my sons were very young and my time was divided between parenting and martial arts. Although I truly enjoyed writing that first full-length manuscript and the screenplays that preceded it, I wasn’t willing to devote the attention necessary to pursue writing as a career.

For me, it’s always been all or nothing.

That’s how I landed roles in theater, film, and television and how I earned a fifth degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninjutsu. It’s how I still work as the debut author of The Ninja Daughter with the second Lily Wong book awaiting editorial review and a third unrelated novel halfway to completion. I immerse myself completely and commit my time, resources, and energy to a goal.

It took me less than a year in New York City to land my first Broadway show.

It took me eight years before my first novel was published.

I caught the fiction writing bug for the second time in the Fall of 2010, after I had already published a non-fiction book on empowerment, blogged on mindful living, and ran an online clothing store and website. The business of writing didn’t feel as intimidating as it had before. And since I’d accomplished what I had wanted with the martial arts, the time felt right for a major shift.

Sword Cutter

Being almost half Chinese, I pay attention to auspicious dates and significant events. So the idea of changing my life’s course on the very day I began the second half century of my life felt symbolically powerful. It was also very ninja.

As with all my previous careers, I made the switch cold turkey but allowed myself time to adjust. I’d been an athlete all my life and everything I’d done to that point had been physically demanding. I expected challenges with mental focus, but I had no idea how hard it would be on my body to write eight hours a day. My back cramped. My legs ached. I grew more fatigued than I had ever felt rehearsing for or performing in the original first national tour of Cats. Even the aches and pains of martial arts didn’t cause this sort of physical fatigue. The sitting was killing me.

Cats!

Developing the mental stamina to write all day was comparatively easy because my excitement about the manuscript I was rewriting pushed me onward. I didn’t know at the time that editing would become my favorite part about the writing process.

How Dancers Write

I had to get creative about my writing practice in order to hold still long enough to create.

Writing in Hawaii

My solution was to change positions and locations throughout the day. I perched my laptop on a rack on my kitchen counter and wrote standing up until noon. Since the story I was writing at that time was set in Brazil, I’d often play and dance to samba music. Needless to say, this led to many typos I later had to fix.

Writing on the way to Bali

Next, I’d move to a table where I’d either bounce on a yoga ball or sit with my legs sprawled in some dancer position. I’d been known to do this in restaurants, on the floor at home, or even in airport terminals.

I’m also fond of writing at cafes, lounging on my lanai, pedaling on my exercise bike, or dictating on a hike. What I find the most challenging is sitting in a chair with my feet on the floor.

Dictating on the Trail

Fortunately, from what I’ve learned in the last eight and a half years of pursuing this new career, is that there is no one way to write. We are all fabulously unique and quirky in our creative methods. Please remember this and think kindly of me when you see me standing on my head.

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Tori Eldridge is a Honolulu-born thriller writer and author of The Ninja Daughter (Lefty Award nominee for Best Debut Mystery Novel), about a Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja in Los Angeles. Her second book in the Lily Wong series releases September 1, 2020. Learn more about her on her website https://torieldridge.com.