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Niwot author Jim Ringel has carved out a unique niche in fiction writing, and fans and other aspiring authors are invited to discuss it with him at the seventh annual Longmont Library Authors We Love Open House on Saturday, Feb. 9.

“I will be there to talk about mysteries, Buddhism, and the craft of writing with anyone who would like to stop by and say hello,” he wrote in an email about his appearance. “I and the other authors will also have our books for sale, including my first sales-werewolf novel, Wolf, and my most recent Buddhist detective novel, 49 Buddhas.”

Ringel will be joined by 39 other Colorado authors who have published books in “genres and subjects galore.” Readers will have the opportunity to meet and speak directly with writers at the informal event, which will be open from 1 to 3:30 pm.

Courtesy Photo

In 2017 Niwot resident and author Jim Ringel published 49 Buddhas, the first book in a series about Buddhist Lama Rinzen, who solves murders while also taking a spiritual journey.

49 Buddhas is the first in Ringel’s six-book series about Lama Rizen, a detective who solves earth-bound murders while also transcending the Six Realms of Existence. In an interview late last year, Ringel described the ways in which Buddhism informs both the content and creative process behind his novels.

“Meditation and its many different forms can really help you as a writer,” he said. “If you approach it in a relaxed way, it helps open you up to developing something. That’s the beauty of meditation. It’s about opening up your own mind, and I think that’s what writers are trying to do all the time.”

Ringel is currently finishing up book two in the Lama Rizen series, which he hopes to have out at the end of 2019. He also has two additional upcoming appearances, at the Love Your Local Author Showcase in Littleton on Feb. 16 and the Colorado Books and Arts Festival at the Arvada Center on March 16.

To see more on Ringel’s thoughts about Buddhism and the creative process, visit his blog www.WritingLikeaBuddha.com.