Orchid was one of the many, many background characters I created when I first started working on the series, and one of the most intriguing to me: I originally envisioned her as a martial arts hero who could jump around like a character in a wuxia movie (the character of Eui-jin, from the Korean movie Arahan, was a sort of visual inspiration for Orchid). So, as part of an effort to expand the Signalverse, I decided to give her her own short novel, and to move the setting to California. This is the second shortest Signalverse novel so far.

I liked writing this book, which took me out of my comfort zone just a little bit, and I especially liked the character of Jazz Kusanagi, the smart-mouthed Japanese ninja-girl. I feel like she's one of the best things about the book.

I have a direct sequel to Orchid plotted out, but it's been on the back burner for a while, mainly because the first book wasn't exactly a huge sales success. I would like to return to these Santa Florentina characters at some point, though.