Book Info
Planet Victoria is divided into two realms – the human realm and the spirit realm. Even though their relationship is symbiotic, there is a great divide geographically and spiritually between the humans and the spirits of nature. Rejected from society because of his facial disfigurement, Shoki leaves his job as a circus strongman and becomes a Traveler. He carries with him a carpetbag that is filled with black ooze manifested from his shame, regret and failures. He’s determined to rid himself of his baggage but lacks the strength. When Nix, princess of Water Spirits, searches for her kidnapped sister she meets Shoki. Because Nix is wounded and has lost her powers, Shoki reluctantly agrees to help her and return her sister to the water realm. Their journey will not be easy as a war is brewing between the humans and the spirits over a valuable commodity – steam power.
Now Available on Amazon & Kindle
ISBN: 0989813215 ISBN 13: 978-0-9898132-1-1 ISBN Kindle: 0989813223 ISBN Kindle 13: 978-0-9898132-2-8 Retail Price: $14.99 paperback $4.99 Kindle Publisher: Karmic Courage Press Genre: Fantasy Facebook: /shokisbag Facebook: Karmic Courage DOWNLOAD THE EPK – Shoki’s Bag LIBRARY & BOOK STORE Shoki’s Bag One SheetAuthor Kate Chaplin
Named one of the “Most Talented Writers Around Today” by the Writer’s Page and a “Powerful Woman Making a Scene” by the Indy Star, Kate Chaplin is a multi-award winning filmmaker whose projects have appeared on MTV, VH1,CMT and Discovery Channel. Kate is the author of The Belief Test, The Celebration Diet, and Ingénue: portrait of the film. Kate is the owner of Karmic Courage Productions and Women Empowering Balance. She is sought after to provide film classes at schools, conventions and libraries. Kate Chaplin is an inspiring speaker. She is available for interviews, workshops, and readings. She has given talks on filmmaking and writing at the Indy Writers’ Group, Indianapolis International Film Festival, Gen Con, River Bend Film Festival, InConjunction Sci-fi Fantasy Convention, Indiana Filmmakers Network, Starbase Indy, Girls are Worth It, Harrison Park Elementary Enrichment Program, Carmel High School, Tipton Arts Commission, Tipton Public Library and more. Ms. Chaplin has been a keynote speaker about how films influence our soul at the HOBY Leadership Seminar.
Film Info
Shoki’s Bag is being turned into a webseries! Episode 1-2 (of 10 total) have been filmed and will be released online in Febuaray 2015. You’ll get to see Shoki in action played by a real life strongman, Gavin Rulon. The film will be written and directed by Kate Chaplin. It will be a Karmic Courage Production in association with Vimar.
Press
Fantastic author profile from Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/article/book-one-the-shoki-s-bag-trilogy-mythic-waters-released
Current in Noblesville piece about the book release party http://currentnoblesville.com/nickel-plate-arts-plans-epic-party
Writer Kate Chaplin and Strongman Gavin Rulon on Flix
Q&A with Kate Chaplin
What is your background?
I’ve had a love affair with movies since I was three months old. I struggled with reading for a good part of my life as I have dyslexia. Movies were a better outlet for me to escape into stories and learn valuable life lessons. Even though I would write short stories for extra credit in school, I never thought I would be brave enough to write a novel. I’ve “hid” in screenplay as there are less words for me to get wrong. After writing screenplays for 20 years I came to the story of Shoki and knew there was so much more to the story than the screen could capture, I had to write the novel.
What is your day job? I’m a full-time filmmaker. I’ve produced 13 short films and one feature film. I tour with the films to film festivals and do workshops and presentations. My films have won 4 awards; Best Ever You Oscar (Ingénue), River Bend Film Festival Audience Choice (Leah Not Leia), Gold Award Film Festival Silver Award for Defying Stereotypes (First They Came For) and the INDY Awards audience choice (First They Came For)
What was your inspiration for writing Mythic Waters: Shoki’s Bag? After a bad experience on a film set, I found myself in therapy. My psychologist ask me “why are carrying your past around with you?” That night I had a dream that I was walking around the forest carrying a heavy garbage bag. The bag dripped something disgusting as I struggling to move forward. I spent the next few days writing out what the “contents” of my bag were and one by one I decided if I was ready to let it go. It was an amazing experience for me, one I wanted to share to help others.
Which character came more natural to you Shoki or Nix? Shoki came first, he’s a ex-circus strongman who is disfigured and a nomad. I relate a lot to Shoki’s shame, suffering and feelings that things are never going to get better. As a writer, I wanted to help Shoki. Nix came later as I knew Shoki needed someone to talk to and to show him that life is worth living. Nix is amazing. She’s a Water Spirit and embodies the charismatic, insightful person that a lot of us need in our life, but she has a lot to overcome as well.
What is the language Nix speaks? Serbian. I’m of Serbian-Croatian decent and I wanted the Water Spirits have their own turn-of-phrase when they got angry. Almost like Firefly where they swear in Chinese. Nix’s key phrase is Ja Sam Kreva which translates to “I am a cow.”
Where did the name Shoki come from? Shoki is a deity in Chinese folklore that also spread to Japan as early as 800AD. The story goes that Shoki came to the Emperor in a dream and subdued his demons. In thanks Shoki was rewarded as a doctor to the Emperor. Shoki wanted to be the physician to the Emperor but he was deemed too ugly for public service and committed suicide on the steps of the Emperor’s palace. There are images of Shoki caring a bag containing Oni’s (demons). In mythology he is known as Shoki the Demon Queller. In the novel, Shoki is a ex-circus strongman who was treated as a guard dog for Moriel’s Traveling Circus Show and never gets ahead and treated as an outcast. Our Shoki is also ugly and he carries his demons and has not yet learned to quell them.
Who are your favorite authors? I love Neil Gaiman, Phillip K. Dick and Dr. Suess. Esperanza Rising and Stargirl are two of my favorite books. I’m super lucky to be friends with Debra A Kemp of the House of Pendragon Series. She is an inspiration. As far as screenwriters I’m a big fan of Joss Whedon.
What are your future projects? Next up a feature film adaptation of Mythic Waters: Shoki’s Bag. Gavin Rulon, a professional strongman, has been cast to play Shoki. As for writing, Mythic Waters will be a trilogy I have the next two books outlined. Book Two will be called Nix’s War and Book Three will be called Waltzing Matilda. I am also working on a memoir of my life told though 50 films called I Blame Lucas.
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