Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts

Saturday, May 27, 2023

How Tai-Chi can harmonize your life and improve your physical health - by Vijaya Schartz

Find these and more of my titles on the BWL Publishing's website HERE


My love affair with Tai-Chi started over a decade ago, with two writing friends from my critique group, who wanted to exercise, to compensate for the long hours of writing, sitting in front of a computer. But they were older than me, had never been to a gym, and had a few health issues, so they didn’t want to exert themselves doing strenuous aerobics. They were looking for some mind-body discipline with a meditative or spiritual component, like yoga, but more active.

I had exercised intensely most of my adult life, but not for several years, and I decided it might be good for me to do something physical, get back into the swing of things slowly, gradually, instead of rushing into high impact exercises. So, I agreed to take that brand-new Tai-Chi class with them, close to where we lived… but I didn’t intend to do it forever. I saw it as a short transition to “real exercise.” As soon as I shed a few pounds to look decent in yoga pants, I was going back to the gym.

It’s funny how things work out. I had a solid background in Japanese martial arts (Judo, Karate, Aikido), and I soon realized the connections with Tai-Chi, which, I learned, is not just beautiful, flowing movements, but a Chinese discipline practiced by all the great martial artists. They do it to keep their skills sharp, as every form is a soft version of a fighting move. It also works with gathering and redirecting energy.



An in-depth study by the Harvard Medical School determined a slew of health benefits for recovering patients who practiced Tai-Chi. Here are some of them from the very long list of improvements: balance, posture, muscles, bone density, metabolism, weight loss, cardio function, stamina, glucose processing, cholesterol levels, joints flexibility, sleep, healing, memory, brain power, relaxation. It also relieves stress, pain, inflammation, depression, ADHD… and the list goes on.



From the first class, I was hooked. I fell in love with Tai-Chi instantly. I found such peace and serenity by emptying my mind, focusing on my body and the flow of energy, executing complicated moves that forced my mind to work in different ways. Tai-Chi is both mental and physical. Mind and body are involved. It has been called Meditation in Motion, and Stillness in Motion, and for good reason.

During the pandemic I practiced a lot to compensate for the lack of social activities. After practicing Tai-Chi for over ten years, I was offered an opportunity to teach. Now, I teach seniors four days a week, in Glendale and in Surprise, west of Phoenix, Arizona. Recently we celebrated World Tai-Chi Day at Sahuaro Ranch Park, and I was delighted to see so many of my students show up for the occasion.


I still take classes to improve myself. Right now, I'm studying the Tai-Chi Pole technique with my teacher, the head of Southwest Tai-Chi, Charles Gill.

Tai-Chi, also helps me focus on my stories and my characters. The warriors in my books benefit from my knowledge of Martial Arts. If you like action and adventure with a hint of paranormal and romance, check out my titles at these online outlets.



Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author
Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Why write a mystery featuring martial arts? by Diane Bator

 


I’m excited to share my new release Dead Without Remorse, which is the 5th book in my Gilda Wright Mystery series! It originally took place before book 3 but I had to wait to get the rights back from a previous publisher.

Here's the blurb:  An explosion leaves a gaping hole in the streetscape where the Nine Lives Consignment Shop and the former martial arts school once stood. When police find remains of a bomb inside, Gilda Wright needs to track a killer before her suspects scatter like debris.

 Why did I choose to write a mystery series about martial arts? The Gilda Wright Mystery series was inspired by the karate school I used to work and train at. Our school was in the basement below a hair salon and by the end of the training day, humidity from the sweat of all those people training literally hung a foot thick near the ceiling! The atmosphere and camaraderie of the students was very inspiring and I wondered what would happen if this was a tournament, not a seminar, and the referee never showed up.



 We had a similar sign in our karate school to remind students to remain humble and leave their egos at the door. None of us are perfect! In order to focus, we had that reminder to leave that part of us and our problems outside the training hall.

 My fictional town of Sandstone Cove is based very loosely on a larger town along the shores of Lake Erie called Dunkirk, New York. The shoreline and layout of the town was exactly what I needed for my little town (although I certainly modified the basic map to become Sandstone Cove!)

Dunkirk, New York

 

I’ve had a lot of fun over the years watching my main characters grow and adapt to changes in their lives. My four main characters are:

 

Gilda Wright is the receptionist at Phoenix Martial Arts. She’s an avid karate student, runner and not so sure about yoga. After a disastrous relationship with Jason Thayer, she took a job at the karate school to build up some confidence.

 

Marion Yearly is Gilda’s best friend and a 911 operator. She is has an eye for the men at the karate school and, after a little coaxing, started taking classes with Gilda. She’s enamored by Razi Mauli, one of the instructors.

 

Mick Williams ran the original Yoshida Martial Arts, then built Phoenix Martial Arts with Razi. He is a 3rd degree black belt goju-ryu karate; black belt in jiu jitsu; 1st degree black belt tae kwon do; kickboxing; MMA trainer and coach.

 

Kane Garrick is former MMA fighter and an expert swordsman. He is a 3rd degree black belt goju-ryu karate; black belt jiu jitsu, trained for over 10 years in Japanese sword fighting and Japanese Jiu Jitsu; has a fake Australian accent. Gilda first meets him while he practiced with a sword on the beach near her house. 

 


I was also inspired by a photo I cut from a magazine years ago of a log on the beach that has become Gilda’s “thinking place” and her usual meeting place with Fabio, her police officer friend. 

 

Is there a real Café Beanz? Yes, there is, but with a different spelling. I found it purely by accident in Barrie, Ontario. I haven't been inside yet, but it's on my bucket list! My version of Café Beanz is a little deli-style cafe that serves sandwiches and soups for lunch and several kinds of coffees and teas. It's based on the old 50's style diners but modernized in colors and textures. Along with Happy Harvey's, Beanz is one of the hubs of Sandstone Cove.

Gilda's favorite all time drink is a latte with cinnamon and chocolate curls (and wine in the evenings when the mystery solving gets her down!)

Mick loves a "double-double" as we call them in Canada, coffee with two milk and two sugar.

Marion takes her coffee hot, strong and with a little milk.

Razi and Kane are both tea drinkers. Green preferably.

Thayer and Fabio, the police officers Gilda has often had to deal with, love their coffee. Thayer takes his black. Fabio prefers to mix it up a little bouncing between coffee to lattes.

 

Happy Harvey's Hangover Hut wasn't the place to go if you had a hangover, more like if you were in desperate search of the means of one. A glorified, tiki-infested liquor and convenience store, Happy Harvey's was owned by Happy—no one had ever called him Harvey—a seventy-year-old man who'd become disillusioned with retirement. He was also one of Gilda's good friends.

Happy Harvey’s is my favorite setting in the series. Sometimes ideas will just pop into my head and I have no idea where they came from. Happy Harvey's was one of them. I combined my love of the tropics with a local convenience store run by an older man who wasn't afraid to be a little different. Happy is one of Gilda's main supporters and cheerleaders who lets her know what's on his mind and will happily give her both advice and a bottle of wine from time to time.

 

Writing a martial arts-based series was in the making, ever since my family started karate and Brazilian jiu jitsu classes. I was actually a Karate Mom for about 6 years before I started working at the martial arts school and began my own training. Due to my health and life getting in the way, I stopped training at blue belt in Goju-Ryu karate, but the Gilda series lives on. 


One part of training I enjoy, was helping our instructors at self-defence courses we did at local schools. At one high school, we were in lock down after a teenager from another school came in and stabbed a student. It was very sad to see the kids so calm because this happens at least once per semester. Most students were very grateful for us coming in to give them an option to deal with the bullies. One day, that incident may become a whole new Gilda mystery.

Aside from training and self-defence courses, I helped to run the school and rewrote the school's karate manual and Black Belt grading information packages.

 

One question that comes up from fans is “Who will Gilda choose:  Kane or Mick?”

Gilda started to work for Mick after breaking up with her former boyfriend Jason Thayer in spectacular fashion - she threw him into a large bag of coffee beans after catching him with his latest fling and split his head open! Karate and learning how to defend herself in a more empowered way seemed like a logical next step.

Just when she and Mick take the next step and start to develop a romantic relationship, along comes Mick's long time friend and colleague, Kane Garrick. Kane has eyes for Gilda, but is it because she's Mick's new girlfriend or do his flirtations run much deeper?

Okay, readers, who would you choose and why?


You can find ALL of my books at BWL Publishing Inc!


Enjoy the rest of your summer!

 



Saturday, January 3, 2015

New Year, New Beginnings by Diane Bator

I am one of those busy people who manages 3 teenagers (one at University), 2 part-time jobs, a fledgling writing career and a new editing business as well as a husband. Yes, I am my own special kind of crazy and can cause myself all sorts of stress. I also make sure to create all kinds of joy in my life to keep some semblance of balance.
During a really busy, extremely stressful, time in my life recently, I took the time to make a list of the things that relaxed me and gave me joy. This list is in no particular order, but simply as they popped into my head.
1.       Baking Cookies
~ I don't do this enough because of the inevitable side effect - I eat them!
2.       Laughing
~ the light-hearted, silly moments are the ones that inspire me the most and open the creative portal.
3.       Snuggling with my cat
~ our furry baby was a rescue animal 9 years ago as a newborn kitten. He's funny, chatty, and always seems to know when anyone needs a hug.
4.       My kids
~ good, bad, or ugly, the kids are always entertaining to some degree and a constant source of laughter, hugs and inspiration in my life.
5.       My friends
~ coffee dates and lunches aren't as common as they used to be so I savor every one. My friends all know I write (as to many of them!), they all know I use the best lines they toss out at me, and they all know I treasure every one of them!
6.       Yoga
~ I love yoga to restore my body and spirit - my mind I'm still working on. Mind tends to be a wild horse that does NOT want to be reined in and constantly needs the gentle reminder to be still. I seek the calming effect, which helps me focus on my writing later.
7.       Christmas Movies
~ Okay, I admit it. I'm a Christmas movie junkie, especially those made-for-TV movies. Have you ever noticed about 95% of them feature writers?
8.       Walking
~ A great moving meditation, I love as how my feet move, my brain sweeps out the bad thoughts and lets my creativity flow - just when I have no pen or paper within reach!
9.       Martial Arts
~ my hubby and kids did karate for 6 years before I started nearly 3 years ago. Another form of moving meditation, students are trained to empty their minds, yet be aware of everything around them.
10.   Writing
~ My Happy Place! When the rest of the world is getting me down, or life gets out of control, I find escaping to write is one of the best ways to regain my joy, calm my spirit, and find my focus.

As the New Year begins and the glitter and busy-ness of the Holiday Season fades, we all need to find take a deep breath and return to being the creative souls we are. This year, make Joy your constant companion. Find the awe and wonder in the little things and make your own list of the things that make you happy for those days you'd rather tear the world - imaginary or otherwise - apart.
My wish for all of you in 2015 is to learn how to stop once and a while and just breathe.
Happy New Year!

Diane Bator
Author of the Wild Blue Mysteries Series
~ The Bookstore Lady
~ The Mystery Lady
~ The Bakery Lady
....more coming soon!


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