Susan Lynn Peterson is a professional writer and Gold Medallion Book Award finalist. She holds a third-degree black belt in Okinawan Shuriryu karate and is a USA Karate Federation national champion. She has studied karate, kubudo, Shaolin Chuan Fa, and Tai Chi Chuan, and has taught karate and kobudo at KoSho Karate San in Tucson, Arizona. She is also the author of Starting and Running Your Own Martial Arts School, and her magazine articles have appeared in Black Belt, New Body, and FightingWoman News.