Arts & Entertainment

Local Author Launches eBook Series for Young Adults

Medfield resident and author, Jon F. Merz, recently launched a middle grade/young adult eBook series, "The Ninja Apprentice."

After spending a “number of years” working on a series for young adults, Medfield resident and author, Jon F. Merz, recently launched his first YA series, "The Ninja Apprentice," on eBook.

Merz offered Medfield Patch the following background of the story:

“14 year-old Jimmy Dolan has been shuffling from orphanage to orphanage since the sudden death of his parents, lost and confused with a voice speaking in his head, until he is adopted by his "Aunt" V and thrown into a world where he must learn to fight to survive.

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“On the run from an evil industrialist known as Kotogawa and his band of assassins, Jimmy flees the United States and heads to Japan where he learns that he is the last inheritor of a ninja family lineage. Tasked with finding nine sacred relics stolen from his family, Jimmy must learn the ways of the ancient Matsuda-ryu ninja warriors, recover the relics and battle against Kotogawa, whose hatred for Jimmy's family runs back hundreds of years. Only then will Jimmy be able to reclaim the honor of the Matsuda-ryu Ninja and become the head of his family.”

The first book in the series, "The Lost Scrolls of Fudo Shin," is currently available for the Kindle and the Nook. Merz had originally planned for the series to be in print but publishers had other ideas.

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“My agent and I were aiming for a print deal,” Merz said. “My agent sent the book to various NYC editors 18 months ago and the response was disappointing, to say the least.  We got responses back like, ‘boys don't read,’ ‘great book, but the lead character needs to be a girl,’ and so on.  It was extremely frustrating to hear sentiments like that.  I grew up reading every sort of book imaginable and my own boys are dedicated readers. There are great series out there for boys - just not nearly enough of them.”

So Merz hoped launching his first YA series on eBook would attract his desired audience and so far, he’s been right.

“Finally, I decided the best place for The Ninja Apprentice to be was in the hands of readers – so I put it out as an eBook for the Kindle and the Nook,” Merz said. “So far the reaction has been superb: a bunch of five-star reviews on Amazon and North Providence High School just added it to their summer reading list.”

And while Merz sees the benefits of eBooks in today’s world, he still holds an admiration for print.

“I love print books; there's nothing like the feel of a new book in your hands,” Merz said. “And my family and I love going to Park Street Books here in town. Jim James runs a fantastic store and we never get tired of finding great reads on his shelves. That said, eBooks are gaining more widespread acceptance, and in some case, dominance.”

No matter the type of publication, Merz’s goal is to get his work into the hands of his readers and fans and eBooks enable that to happen faster.

“The two most important components are the writer and the reader,” Merz said. “Publishing for the Kindle and Nook (and other e-readers) enables me to quickly get new work out to my fans. I sell several thousand eBooks each month. I can track sales in real-time; get paid far faster than traditional publishing, which pays twice a year; and get more of the projects out to my readers at an increased pace. The benefits of eBooks are a boon for authors. They're also a boon to readers who don't want to lug a whole lot of books with them on vacation or on the way to work.”

Merz believes his young adult series will attract young readers because he has included a lot of actual ninjutsu, which is the ancient art of the ninja shadow warriors of Japan, into the book.  

“On the surface, the book is a fun adventure,” Merz said. “But it's also a handbook, of sorts, filled with tactics, techniques, strategy, and more - all the sorts of things younger readers will really enjoy.”

Merz says "The Lost Scrolls of Fudo Shin" is packed with authentic ninjutsu techniques, strategy, and more culled from his training in authentic Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu.

“Ninjutsu is probably the most misunderstood martial art in existence,” said Merz. “To most people, the art conjures images of black-clad assassins stalking the night. In reality, Ninjutsu was a comprehensive system of combat that utilized espionage and unconventional warfare to achieve their goals. The best way to equate it is to think of ninja as feudal Japan's version of CIA case officers and military special operators. And frankly, there is genuine benefit to be learned from Ninjutsu.

“Its physical techniques are designed for ultimate practicality, regardless of body type or condition.  Its strategic applications are a fantastic way to pave a path for success in the modern world. Over the course of my many years in this martial art, I've seen it change lives for the better - among adults and children.  So, as much as the book is an adventure story, there are lessons to be gained by reading between the lines. As is so often the case, the secrets are hidden in plain sight.”

Merz added he wished he had this book as a young adult and believes Medfield’s youth will enjoy the read.

“It combines action, myths, stuff that seems magical until you realize you can do it, too, and just a whole boatload of escapist stuff that will really get the pulse jumping,” Merz said. “I think young adults will really enjoy the characters that Jimmy comes into contact with. While the book is about Jimmy, he is surrounded by several very strong female characters – and Ninjutsu often used female operatives called kunoichi to carry out assignments. So I think the book will genuinely appeal to both boys and girls, as well as adults.” 

Instructional videos are also being produced on the series’ website, http://ninjaapprentice.com, so readers can actually learn the same physical techniques that Jimmy learns in the pages of the books, according to Merz.

“You don't just get to read about it; you get to experience it to some extent,” Merz said.


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