Saltwater Buddha - by Jaimal Yogis

You don’t have to be a surfer or a Buddhist to enjoy Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer’s Quest to Find Zen on the Sea. This coming-of-age memoir by San Francisco-based journalist Jaimal Yogis, with its crisp, clean prose and delightful self-deprecating tone, will pull in any reader who has ever yearned to learn something new as well as garner some spiritual meaning in life.

Yogis is an award-winning journalist and photographer. He holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Hawai’i and received his Master’s Degree in Journalism from New York’s Columbia University. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including: The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Toronto Star, The Surfer’s Journal, Transworld Surf, Beliefnet, Tricycle, Yoga Journal, The Utne Reader, Shambhala Sun, and San Francisco Magazine.

In the midst of preparing for an extensive West Coast book tour, Jaimal took some time to answer questions about writing, surf culture, and the spiritual and surfing life.

As a journalist, what challenges did you face writing a book-length work as opposed to shorter articles?

Unlike a lot journalists, I started off writing magazine pieces that would get up to 15,000 words, so writing a 40,000 word book wasn’t so difficult. The real challenge was writing about myself instead of other people, which I hadn’t done much. I just had too much information about this character, Jaimal Yogis, and most of it was fairly unimportant. Do people really need to know that I love cheesecake or what I named my first pet bunny? Probably not. But it’s a balance because in memoir, you also have to develop yourself as a character that people are invested in and that necessitates some details. Ultimately, I decided to try and follow Kafka’s advice – I think it was Kafka, anyway – and only give details that I thought were absolutely essential to the story. But that wasn’t always easy and I’m sure I didn’t always do it perfectly.

Saltwater Buddha has an interesting structure and is mainly comprised of very short chapters. What led you to pursue this format?

I honestly don’t know. I didn’t even think about it. It just came out that way and the publisher thought it worked so we decided to go with it. They even made the chapters more pithy in some places, which I think is a cool experiment. People always tell me that they read the book in one or two sittings so maybe it helps make the book more manageable in our time-constrained world.

But mostly, this is how Saltwater Buddha wanted to express itself. I’ve always been a fan of the idea that stories have a life of their own, and if the writer can relax and surrender control, the story can express itself more purely, as it wants to. Maybe because it’s a Zen story, Saltwater Buddha seemed to like this style. I’m not so sure I’d do it again, but it worked for this project.

My husband was born in Japan and grew up by default in a Buddhist culture. When he began surfing, it seemed he got more in touch with his Buddhist faith. Do you think an interest in Buddhism is common to many surfers? If so, why?

I always thought I was one of the few Buddhist surfers and I felt almost embarrassed to tell some of my surfing mates that I meditated. I guess I was afraid they would think I was weird or something (even more than they already did). Sure, I knew there were millions of people who saw surfing as a meditative experience, a “Zen” part of their lives. But I didn’t think there were all that many people who truly had a Buddhist practice and a surfing practice. It turns out that there are tons all over the world. You wouldn’t believe how many people have contacted me saying that they are long-time Buddhist practitioners and surfers. This book could have easily been an anthology. And there are even more people who are passionate about one of these two practices and sort of dabble in the other, or in something related: yoga, kayaking, t’ai chi, sailing. Why is this? I don’t’ know for sure, but as much as surfing and Buddhism (at least in the west) still seem a bit fringe, they aren’t. There are more than 20 million surfers in the world and many more Buddhists. So there’s a natural overlap that is inevitable. But if I were to pick one reason, I’d say it’s that both surfing and Buddhism attract introspective people, people who are interested in finding real freedom. I’m excited about the release of the book around the world because I think a lot of people with these common interests who might have felt a little bit alone, like me, will now have more of a reason to talk and come together. Your husband Manabu and I are the perfect example.

I’m fascinated by the culture of Surf Nazis, which you describe well in the book: those surfers who feel they are entitled to a particular surfing spot and bully those who dare to tread. What do you think causes this kind of behavior?

So many people are fascinated with this phenomenon, surfers and non-surfers alike, because it seems so strange. Isn’t surfing a peaceful sport? Well, yes and no. As far as I know, being in the ocean is a healing, joyful experience for everyone who loves to play in it. But we humans are strange. We become very possessive over the things that bring us the most joy; and since there are a limited number of ridable waves around the world on any given day, it makes sense that surfers try to hoard them and even fight over them. It’s human nature to try and covet what makes you happy. We do the same thing in relationships, in religion, with good art – and the list goes on.

That’s one way to look at it anyway. But localism in surfing is also very complex. It’s fascinating. It can be territorial, just like gang violence, which I suppose relates back to our tribal instincts for protection and belonging. But it can also be a safety thing that you can compare with, say, road rage. There are surfers out there – experts and beginners – who are plain reckless whether they know it or not. Like bad drivers, these surfers put other people’s lives at risk, either because they have huge egos and think they have entitlement to the ocean or because they are trying to surf somewhere they’re not capable of surfing and don’t know the common etiquette that exists iin surfing. So, just like the Los Angeles freeway, tensions are going to flare when the traffic gets heavy in the water. It’s unfortunate that this is happening more and more as the population grows. But from a Buddhist perspective, the days when anger is most likely to arise are also the best situations to practice patience and compassion. I think every fight that happens in surfing could be avoided with even the smallest amount of wisdom and compassion. This can be developed just by looking at the situation from a bird’s eye view and thinking about how silly it is to fight while you’re playing in the waves.

Do you anticipate a time when you will tire of surfing and move on to another sport?

No. The ocean is constantly changing, so it’s always interesting and challenging. It’s a teacher that never runs out of lessons. Thank the lord.

What is your favorite San Francisco Bay Area surf spot? Or is it a secret?

I don’t like driving so my favorite spot is right in front of my house on Ocean Beach. There’s nothing like walking out your front door and over the dunes to surf.

Does the act of writing parallel surfing in any way?

Surfers are very focused on waves and think that everything is like surfing – everything. Writing is no exception. There are lots of comparisons but I’ll just give this one: I write and surf best when I don’t think too much and just let myself be spontaneous. I’m betting that’s true for most surfers and writers.
What is next for you on the literary horizon? On the surfing horizon?

I’m trying not to plan too much. I have this huge west coast book tour happening all summer where I’m doing readings, talks, and signings at coastal bookstores between British Columbia and San Diego. It may go international too – hopefully some tropical places – but the summer tour is about all the planning my brain can handle right now. I usually don’t even keep a calendar so you can imagine why planning that many months out is a stretch. I’m really excited about the tour because I’m trying to make it carbon neutral by doing tree-planting volunteer work in state parks along the way, so let me know if you need some trees planted. (No, this is not an ad for free yard work!) I’m also dabbling in a novel, but it’s too early to talk about that. And I’m always doing some journalism pieces and writing some poetry that I often post on Facebook. Folks can keep up with my ramblings there, or at my Web site.

LOVE IN TRANSLATION -- The Cover

The cover art for LOVE IN TRANSLATION is here and I couldn't be more pleased. The book comes out on November 24, 2009. Yay!

FACE of BETRAYAL by April Henry and Lis Wiehl

My guest today on the Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit Lit Blog tour is April Henry, whose new book is Face of Betrayal.

When 17-year-old Senate page Katie Converse goes missing on her Christmas break near her parents' white Victorian home in Portland, Ore., law enforcement and the media go into overdrive in a search for clues. Three friends at the pinnacle of their respective careers--Allison Pierce, a federal prosecutor; Cassidy Shaw, a crime reporter; and Nicole Hedges, an FBI special agent--soon discover that Katie wasn't the picture of innocence painted by her parents. Did Katie run away to escape their stifling demands? Was she having an affair with the senator who sponsored her as a page? Has she been kidnapped? Is she the victim of a serial killer?

April Henry knows how to kill you in a two-dozen different ways. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters. April had one detour on her path to destruction: when she was 12 she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to noted children's author Roald Dahl. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.

By the time she was in her 30s, April had come to terms with her childhood and started writing about hit men, drug dealers, and serial killers. She has published six mysteries and thrillers, with five more under contract. Her books have received starred reviews, been on Booksense (twice!), translated into four languages, short-listed for the Oregon Book Award, and chosen as a Quick Pick by the American Library Association.

April co-wrote Face of Betrayal with Lis Wiehl, a legal analyst for FOX. They have a contract for three more Triple Threat mysteries.

In March of this year, April’s young adult thriller, Torched, came out from Putnam.

What others are saying about Face of Betrayal:

Publishers Weekly
“A sizzling political thriller. … The seamless plot offers a plethora of twists and turns.”

Romantic Times:
4.5 stars [and they don’t give out five stars] “Wiehl and Henry have penned a winner that seems to come straight from the headlines. Captivating suspense, coupled with tightly written prose, will entertain and intrigue."

Ingram:
"Readers are in for a treat as trial lawyer/commentator Lis Wiehl and mystery author April Henry team up for a political thriller."

April was kind enough to answer a few questions...

What is one thing you've learned about the publishing industry since getting your first book deal?
Hang in there. You’d think that after you first get published it’s all smooth sailing, but it’s not. Your career can seem like it’s in the toilet and you can still find yourself on the top of the best seller list with another book. Janet Evanovich was once a washed up romance writer. I know Charlaine Harris and she had had two series kind of die out from under her. She decided to write about what she loved best: the South, and vampires (back when no one was writing about vampires) , and humor. Now her books hit the list and she has a TV series.

How do you approach writing your novel? Do you outline the plot? Start with a character or...?
I start with a plot idea. Like what if you were to take the story of Chandra Levy, the senate intern who went missing, and use that as the kernel of a story.

I’ve written books in all kinds of ways, and they all work. I wrote one book, Learning to Fly, not knowing much except the main character would be alive at the end. Every day, I just sat down and wrote a little bit more. I’ve also sold books on the basis of a detailed outline and a 20,000 word sample. I’m probably more of a plunger than a plotter.

What is the elevator pitch for Face of Betrayal?
Katie, a 17 year old Senate page, disappears. The prime suspect: the Senator who may have been more than just a mentor. Three women – an FBI agent, a federal prosecutor, and a TV crime reporter – team up to find out what really happened.

Describe how you got your first book deal.
I had had the same agent for four years. She had tried to sell two books, with no success. Then she read Circles of Confusion and thought it would be a perfect fit for Carolyn Marino at Harper. And Carolyn bought it in three days. So it was a three-day, four-year success.

What and where is your favorite restaurant and why is it your favorite?
The Pirate Bar in Vernazza, Italy. For breakfast, they serve Sicilian pastries and blood orange juice. Dinner brings fresh pasta, pesto, fish that was in the ocean less than eight hours earlier, flavored with olives and lemons that grow all around the town.

Thanks, April! Despite all the bad press pirates are getting these days, I'm off to book my flight to Italy to swing by The Pirate Bar! Best of luck with Face of Betrayal.

Check out April’s Website here and her blog.

Finish Your Novel with Group Dating

I recently joined an online group of published women writers. They share tips, offer support and also get together for in-person group writing dates. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to join in. Writing groups can certainly be helpful and I’ve participated in many, but after having spent the past two years in an MFA program I’ve been feeling thoroughly workshopped out. It’s been kind of nice to once again be alone with my writing and not having to deal with critiques and suggestions, however well meaning.

I found out, though, that these meetings are not feedback sessions or workshops. Writers simply get together at a coffeehouse or cafe and write. They might take a break to chat a bit, but no one is required to even talk about what she’s working on unless she wants to.

So I decided to try. I usually do my writing from a home office, which I am lucky to have. But along with experiencing occasional feelings of isolation, there are way too many distractions at home, not to mention the sometimes ho-hum familiarity of my surroundings that can hamper creativity. I find that meeting at different places—having somewhere to go—has sparked my writing life. Sitting and working quietly with fellow writers has also improved my productivity. Knowing that Phyllis is revising her poetry, Mary plotting her mystery, and Susanne and Cyndi are hard at work on their novels inspires me to hunker down and get moving with my own novel-in-progress. I feel that if they can do it, so can I, and I get more writing done now in two hours at these group writing dates then I sometimes do in a whole morning fiddling around at home.

So if you’re having trouble buckling down to write, you may want to try going out on a date—a group writing date.

Simon Cowell as Acquisitions Editor

One of my pleasures is watching American Idol. Notice I didn’t say guilty pleasures— I refuse to suffer guilt over any of my pleasures. At any rate, I’ve been watching the show since the very first season, and have rarely missed an episode. I don’t consider AI a reality show; it’s simply a singing contest, right out of Star Search or even the Ted Mack Amateur Hour. And one of the reasons I enjoy it is because I have participated in a number of singing competitions (albeit Japanese ones). Japan has always been a land of musical contests—my first trip to Tokyo was the result of winning a prize in a songwriting contest sponsored by a Japanese record label, where I was able to sing my song in the final competition (I ended up with the Best Spirit ranking, not the Grand Prix. Alas, I did not become Japanese Idol). Knowing first hand the pressure of performing under such circumstances allows me to relive this vicariously while watching Idol. I’m amazed at the poise of some of the very young contestants. It’s also exciting to see fresh new talent (I generally skip over the train wrecks, which don’t interest me).

But watching AI over these recent weeks as the show has been going through the motions of accumulating its Top 12 for the season (which turned out to be a Top 13), I realized another reason why I like it so much; it proves time and time again how subjective the music industry is and in turn also mirrors the experience writers have with the publishing industry. It’s very much like trying to get an agent for a book or a publishing deal—often there is no rhyme or reason as to why some books get chosen and others are left in the dust. Why, oh, why, viewers moaned, did Jasmine get picked over Jesse when the latter has such a better voice? Jasmine, as new-judge Kara DioGuardi likes to say, “has the whole package”— young, cute, and commercial (she was voted off by the public, however). Jesse was older, quirky, and probably wouldn’t be a big seller. Megan is quirky too, but she made the Top 13 because she’s blonde and beautiful. Bloggers are asking, have the judges been too easy on Scott because he’s blind? Maybe so, but what a hook: a curly-haired guy with an angelic face who doesn’t appear to be vision impaired.

Perhaps I find comfort in Simon Cowell's harshness since I've weathered so many rejections. For all the hype and glitz of AI, a lot of it mirrors real life, whether it be that not all dreams come true or that sometimes those that do don't turn out as planned, or the old adage, be careful what you wish for. As an AI contestant or anyone trying to make it the arts you have to be flexible enough to roll with the punches and possess the right doses of realism, optimism, and pessimism and develop a very thick skin.

Be Kind to the Kindle

It looked like a wet dishrag in the driveway, but it was, in reality, my newspaper. The rain had been steady since early morning and even though my San Francisco Chronicle had been carefully bundled in plastic, it had turned into an unreadable, heavy mess. I could have called and had it redelivered, though even regular delivery is not always reliable where I live. But I didn’t want to bother. And I could have read it online, but I spend so much time on the computer that I look forward to taking a break when I eat breakfast, and enjoy feasting my eyes on another medium for a change.

I don’t get my hard news from the Chronicle and I don’t get it from TV. I peruse the Web news sites throughout the day, where information is instantaneous and reading in short bursts is doable. But I like the leisureliness of reading my hometown paper. I enjoy the human interest stories, the horoscope, the Jumble, the movie and book reviews, the articles about food and technology. And with the Chronicle’s recent redesign, I am finding the paper even more pleasurable to read.


But everyone knows that newspapers are dying and can no longer make money with the dwindling demand for classifieds and advertisements. And books are supposedly dying too along with the general publishing industry, the book review sections in the dying newspapers, and the demise of independent bookstores. Even the chain bookstores are in questionable shape.

So what are the remedies to these situations? I’m no expert, but I hope the newspaper and book publishing industries are looking at and thinking hard about what happened to the recording industry. Traditional books (especially hardcovers) and newspapers may be the new vinyl. Music delivery is virtually all digital, to be played mainly on iPOD-type media. There are no independent record stores anymore, other than those that sell used CDs and records, or specialize in hard-to-find, niche items. Those who still buy CDs purchase them at Target, Wal-Mart, or through Amazon, but I imagine those numbers are dropping each year.

I don’t believe traditional books will disappear. Nothing usually completely disappears (well, maybe 78s, 45s and albums). Television killed radio, but mainly dramatic radio programming -- we still listen to radio today, but in different forms with different playlists and with competition from satellite radio. And video did not kill off going to the movies as predicted back in the day, yet the number of independent movie theaters is scant and they require at least two screens to survive. The multiplexes predominate and the idea of opening up a video or DVD rental store these days is laughable in this age of Netflix and on-demand movies via TV and computer. There are rumblings that TV-on-demand and cable and satellite will cause the demise of network television.

I am not one to resist change -- in fact, I usually embrace it. My husband has ordered the newest version of Kindle and I’m excited to try it (and I’m happy to say that my novel, Midori by Moonlight, is now available on Kindle). I’ve heard from many people that reading via Kindle is not the same as reading on a computer, and they can’t say enough good things about it. And as a writer I am heartened to hear that statistics have shown that those who read via personal electronic readers actually purchase and read more books. I could envision myself reading my San Francisco Chronicle at breakfast on a Kindle -- I’d even pay for the privilege because the experience would be so much different from reading on the computer, and it would eliminate the worry over soggy or undelivered newspapers, and not mention the hassle of stopping delivery during vacation time.

Hopefully independent bookstore owners and the publishing industry will look to creative solutions to their economic woes and avoid the fate of those tied to the music industry who had the rug pulled out from under them. Some independent movie theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area have banded together to survive. Independent bookstores like Book Passage in Corte Madera and Bookshop Santa Cruz seem to thrive by offering community along with books.

None of this is easy or a sure thing and the demise of certain things is unavoidable. But I choose to be positive in this time of gloom and doom, embrace the changes, and look forward to the future.

A Simple "I Love You"

The National Chauvinistic Husbands Association, founded in 1999 by Japanese writer and editor Shuichi Amano out of Fukuoka, Japan, has garnered much publicity in the West in recent years with articles in the Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle, and coverage by CNN, among others. The group’s membership is up to 5,000 and has been instrumental in preventing a number of Japanese marriages from dissolving into divorce.

The still male-dominated society has contributed to the dissatisfaction that many Japanese women find in marriage and a divorce rate that has gone up, although one that is still low by U.S. standards. It has also contributed to the trend of younger women delaying or even foregoing marriage. So the formation of this small group and its consciousness raising among men is a good start toward making progress. "My wife says I have changed, that I am more sensitive," a member has been quoted as saying. "She even smiles at me, which she never did before."

In many Japanese marriages today the norm is still for the wife to have dinner and bath ready for her husband no matter how late he gets home from work. The man’s primary role is his job, which leaves little or no time for paying attention to his spouse and children, or helping with domestic chores. There has been a lot of recent lip service from the government and media pundits about work-life balance but, as usual, change in Japan can be slow to come.

To help men become better husbands and to attempt to repair the damage this culture has wrought upon their marriages, members of The National Chauvinistic Husbands Association are asked to reflect on the following ten questions:

-- Are you still in love with your wife?

-- Do you help with domestic housework?

-- Have you ever cheated on your wife?

-- Are you comfortable with a "ladies first" policy (allowing women to enter a car, door, elevator, etc. first)?

-- Can you solve a domestic problem with your wife in a single evening?

-- Do you hold your wife's hand when walking?

-- Do you seriously listen to your wife?

-- Are you able to say "thank you" without hesitation?

-- Are you able to say "sorry" without fear?

-- Are you able to say "I love you" without embarrassment?

These are all worthy questions, but the last one struck me most, perhaps because Valentine’s Day is around the corner (and did you know that in Japan, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by women giving chocolate to men? Yes, there is White Day on March 14, where the roles are reversed, but apparently sales statistics for White Day do not compare with those of February 14).

I met my Osaka-born husband in the San Francisco Bay Area, not in Japan. He’d been living as an expatriate in the U.S. for many years and there was a lot about Japanese society he could not tolerate, which fueled his escape. And, even though I’ve spent time living and visiting and studying Japan, its language, and its culture, it is safe to say that as an American woman I would have had a difficult time living with a traditional Japanese male. So we have been a good match and he has had no problem saying, “I love you.” In fact when we first got married, I found that he said it almost too much!

I’d heard stories about how hard it is for a lot of Japanese men to utter this phrase. Was it because in Japanese you often leave out pronouns such as “I” and “you?” I wondered. Or because so much of Japanese communication is “understood” or “assumed” without the need for crass explanation? I surmised that I’d have to leave this to the sociolinguists.

But I did find out one reason why my husband was so proficient and prolific with his “I love you’s.” He explained that before he went to the United States, his mother advised him that American women, unlike Japanese women, expect to be told “I love you,” and one could not say it enough. How did she know this? From many years of watching Audrey Hepburn and Deborah Kerr movies, I suppose.

She gave her son some good advice, but I wonder if she ever heard “I love you” from her own husband.