VBT Stop with Lloyd Kaneko author of Kami Jin

Our guest today is Author Lloyd Kaneko. Though he is a native of California, he has traveled to destinations internationally such as Japan, Spain, Holland, France, and Algeria.

Lloyd is active as a baritone with the masterworks Chorale Bel Canto of Whittier, CA and also actively sings in the church choir at First Friends Church in Whittier, California, and a member of Chorus America and the International Federation of Choral Music.









Welcome Lloyd and thank you so much for being with us today. I would like to start off with asking you a few questions.....


BK: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

LK: As a sophomore in high school, my English Teacher gave us regular creative writing assignments. I enjoyed those over the literature studies. That’s when I wanted to become a writer.

BK: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

LK: I like to bowl in a seniors league. I sing in a master chorale and a church chorale. And my dog keeps me company when I’m writing. She gets bored very quickly, however. So when I take my breaks, I take her out for a walk and get some fresh air.


BK: What does your family think of your writing?

LK: When I was young, my family told me to become a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. That typically was the Japanese-American preference for young college-bound professionals. They told me that there wasn’t any money in music, art, or writing. My heart was already in writing anyway -- that was my ultimate dream and ambition – it was pretty much set. I didn’t do well with mathematics and science but I was very good in the arts. I’m also a very good cook and I love to do that. My family says that I missed my calling and that I should have gone to culinary school.

My wife, however, thinks it’s great. But, she’s a librarian in our city’s library system. My closest friends also recognize my accomplishments of fulfilling my dreams.

So, in essence, I’m getting mixed reviews.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

When I was writing Kami Jin, I found out that I wasn’t in total control of the book – writing that is.

When I put the protagonist in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to share his ideas though a series of sermons, it was if a spirit was channeling his writing energies through me and writing these sermons for me.

Then, when I thought it was time to bring the book to an end, the characters took control and encouraged me to write more – it became “their” story.

BK: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

LK: Kami Jin is the only one I’ve written so far. I have a prequel to this book called, The Legend of the Crescent Eagle which I just started research on. I didn’t start on the project right away because I was busy writing the screenplay adaptation to Kami Jin.


BK: Tell about your first book?

LK: Kami Jin is a tale of two worlds according to the diary of A. Gordon Sakata II of the 23rd Century. Gordon records an era of despair and misery on Earth as life in the Republic of North America includes a jobless rate of 95%. People are homeless: poverty and starvation is global and governments around the world are ineffective in solving the crisis. Corporations have taken over governments, taken away the basic rights of citizens such as freedom of speech and expression and have replaced many people with droids and robots. Citizens of nations who once lived comfortably in homes, now struggle to survive in streets lined with cardboard condos. When war breaks out, Earth finally meets its doom, but through the miracle of time travel, it is given a second chance. Gordon is saved and taken to a utopian planet mirroring Earth’s orbit. There, inhabitants are treated equally: poverty, homelessness and starvation are non-existent, and everyone is paid $25-million annually in universal life credits by the Universe, regardless of social status. The quality of health care and education is next to none. Inhabitants’ brains are so advanced that they travel by merely willing themselves to their destination, rather than using conventional vehicles, yet, they do not manufacture any weapons of any kind. The world is one planet, one nation. Gordon vows to right a sinking ship – at least provide hope for the disadvantaged of the world. He returns to Earth to fulfill his life’s promise.

Currently, I’m working on two concurrent projects. I just completed the adaptation screenplay to Kami Jin and preparing this work for market. And I’m working on the prequel, Legend of the Crescent Eagle, which takes place in the 21st Century and focuses on Gordon Sakata’s ancestors and their migration from Napajan to the United States via Mexico.

BK: What is the hardest part of writing?

LK: Trying to remain focused and dedicated to a working schedule. I used to treat my writing as a hobby without an established. But now, it’s become more of a legitimate work with a working schedule. This is hard since I am retired – it’s easy to sleep in. Once I get on a roll, the words start flowing like a river and there’s generally no stopping me for hours, even into the wee hours of the morning. So I would say that the hardest part for me as a writer is getting started each day, and knowing when to stop once I get going. The other hardest part of writing is the interference and annoyance that occurs during the day – especially from political solicitation calls the break your concentration of thought.

BK: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

LK: I’m really the casual type or writer that take a while to get going. I get up in the morning, make my coffee and sit at my computer. Check my emailboxes, then open up a couple of windows for social networking (like Facebook and Twitter). After getting “warme-up” on the computer, then I would start my writing applications like MS Word and WritePro and start working on my writing projects. Once I get rolling, there’s no stopping. I’m usually working into the wee hours of the morning on a good day unless I run into a brick wall by way of writer’s block.

BK: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

LK: SWSS. This is the comment that is always in my manuscripts when I get the drafts back from the editors. I’m notorious for using the same word in the same sentence. I’m trying to break the habit – but it’s hard!

BK: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

LK: When I was writing Kami Jin, I found out that I wasn’t in total control of the book – writing that is.

When I put the protagonist in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to share his ideas though a series of sermons, it was if a spirit was channeling his writing energies through me and writing these sermons for me.

Then, when I thought it was time to bring the book to an end, the characters took control and encouraged me to write more – it became “their” story.


BK: Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

LK: I don’t have much of a reader base yet. The book is just starting to come out so it’s a little difficult to know what they are saying because nothing has been said yet.

The ones who have seen previews of the book wanted to know why I wrote on such a “dark” subject. My response to them was that they haven’t lived through the darkness that I once experienced.

BK: Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?

LK: Stay focused on what you are doing. You will be distracted with a lot of interference, but as long as you set your goals and objectives to “reach the summit,” You will successfully do so.

Get a software program called, :”Project Planner Personal Edition.” It is a project management program that will help you manage your writing projects, establish a production schedule and a timeline. You can use this timeline to compare your progress against your plans and forecast.



You have given us a great look into you as a writer Lloyd along with some great advice. I really appreciate you stopping in.

To learn more about Lloyd Kaneko you can visit his website Lloyd Kaneko.com

He is also on Virtual Book Tour and you can find his schedule of pit stops on his site as well. Be sure to visit his stops to learn more along the way, leaving a comment to be entered into a drawing to win a copy of his book!

Lloyds next stop is Guest Blogging with Louise Wise on April 28.

You can purchase a copy of Kami Jin at Amazon and other online book stores.