Why I Wrote the Ninja Scrolls
By Everett Mangum
Let me be straight with you right out of the gate — I am not a ninja master. I do not hold a black belt. I hold a solid middle-ranked belt earned through years of real training, real sweat, and more than a few humbling moments on the mat. But here is what I do have: a genuine and deep love for martial arts — not just the physical practice, but the lore, the history, the philosophy, and the rich traditions of styles from cultures all across the world. That love never left me even as life evolved. And somewhere between studying ancient shadow traditions, my years as a practitioner, and a lifelong habit of reading everything I could get my hands on about the arts of defense — a book started to take shape in my mind. Not a massive encyclopedia. Not a black-belt manifesto. Something smaller, truer, and a lot more fun. I wanted real principles — actual ninja philosophy and skill — delivered in a way that did not take itself too seriously. Enter the ninja learners. Or as I affectionately think of them sometimes: the ninja idiots. These short, dark, witty cautionary tales of what happens when a trained ninja decides to challenge an avalanche, a tornado, or an earthquake — well, the earth does not negotiate, and nature does not grade on effort. The stories are fictional, the lessons are real, and hopefully more than a few pages will make you laugh before they make you think.
The honest truth? I wanted my first book to be a signature piece — something that matches who I am as a person. A little wisdom, a little humor, a little darkness, and a whole lot of heart. I did not need it to be a grand sweeping opus on my first try. I needed it to be real and to be mine. And I wanted it to be a foundation — because this is just the beginning. The Ninja Scrolls will grow. The next book will be bigger, grander, and even funnier. But every great series starts somewhere, and I wanted this one to start with something I could stand behind completely — knowledge, lore, history, and a level of wisdom that I genuinely hope even seasoned practitioners might find something worthwhile in, regardless of what rank sits on my wall. Because the scrolls do not care about your belt color. They just ask if you are paying attention.
— Everett Mangum