Susan Spann began reading precociously and voraciously from her preschool days in Santa Monica, California, and as a child read everything from National Geographic to Agatha Christie. In high school, she once turned a short-story assignment into a full-length fantasy novel (which, fortunately, will never see the light of day).A yearning to experience different cultures sent Susan to Tufts University in Boston, where she immersed herself in the history and culture of China and Japan. After earning an undergraduate degree in Asian Studies, Susan diverted to law school. She returned to California to practice law, where her continuing love of books has led her to specialize in intellectual property, business and publishing contracts.Susan's interest in Japanese history, martial arts, and mystery inspired her to write the Shinobi Mystery series featuring Hiro Hattori, a sixteenth-century ninja who brings murderers to justice with the help of Father Mateo, a Portuguese Jesuit priest. The first novel, Claws of the Cat, releases July 16, 2013.When not writing or representing clients, Susan enjoys traditional archery, martial arts, horseback riding, online gaming, and raising seahorses and rare corals in her marine aquarium. She still consumes books - almost as avidly spicy Thai dinners. Susan lives outside Sacramento with her husband, son, three cats, one bird, and a multitude of assorted aquatic creatures.She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, the Historical Novel Society and the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' Association and is represented by literary agent Sandra Bond of Bond Literary Agency.You can find her at her website (http://www.susanspann.com), on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/SusanSpannAuthor) and also on Twitter (@SusanSpann). Please stop by and say hello!