Updated Blurb

 Things are still on track for Trinity of the Broken. I have begun talking to my cover artist, and have discussed various concept designs. Next, she will be making a fully stylized version of what we discussed. In the meantime, I felt I needed a better sales pitch of Trinity's plot hook. I feel this is a smoother blurb, that better tells what the story is about, while still holding back key elements.

Trinity of the Broken

Dante Wright is not a good guy. As a member of the illegal arms dealing, Tacoma Vipers Motor Club, Dante lives a brutal life to survive a brutal world. A world full of magic and monsters that exists among, yet separate from the regular mundane world. Dante has lived his life skating the line between these two worlds, both mystically and legally. That is until someone planted a black magic artifact at a business transaction on the same day he went viral using his powers in public. 

Coerced to work with the authorities, Dante discovers there is something far worse than black magic in Tacoma, and now it knows about him as well. Fate seemed to intervein when it presented a set of Rune Blades, but will they be enough of an edge for him to protect himself and the MC he considers to be his family? 

What's new for Trinity of the Broken

 When I decided to turn my collection of short stories into a novel, I never believed it would take me down the path I have been traveling. I am currently in the middle of the editing process. A process that I knew would be tedious, but necessary. Having now started my sixth complete read through of the novel, I am beginning to understand the old saying that, "Editing is the process of reviewing ones own work until they hate it." 

I have not reached a point of hate, but I understand the frustration of rereading the same material over and over again. That being said, we are on track and Trinity should be released on time July 31st. Once I meet with the cover designer and settle on a final design I will begin the process of marketing the book, so brace yourselves for a barrage of updates in the near future.

Status Update

Trinity of the Broken is finished and I am working with Rowanvale Books to put together the final pieces before publication. While I do not have a finalized publication date, we are looking at a tentative date of May 31, 2021. I am very excited to have reached this point, and I will keep everyone updated as I reach each milestone.

Trinity of the Broken Update

Hello evryone!

Sorry for my extended absence, but I would like to let you know that I have finished the major edits and am moving to get Beta readers. I am looking to get it intonpriduction before the year ends!

A Review for Never Go Back by Jason Beech

Barlow Vine is on the run from the Spanish police. Returning home to Sheffield, England, Barlow hoped to escape his problems and reconnect with those he had left five years earlier. Instead of being welcomed home, Barlow finds that, with the exception of his friend Alex, he has been largely forgotten by his hometown. What’s more, he had managed to put himself in the cross-hairs of a local crime boss, through his inability to ignore those in need. Barlow finds himself being pulled ever deeper into trouble, and forcing him to become like the very monsters he was trying to stop. 

Jason Beech’s Never Go Back is a suspenseful crime-thriller that keeps the reader guessing till the very end. Well written and structured, Beech provides a skillful insight into the mind of a man who is descending into darkness. His setting is dark in gritty, but he gives us glimpses of the bustling college town to remind the reader of societies willing efforts to turn a blind eye. Beech is able to provide what every fan of crime-thrillers are looking for in a story, to keep them guessing as to who the real heroes and villains are. Each time it seems like we have an idea of where the story is going, Beech spins us off in another question, having us question ourselves just as much as Barlow. 

Barlow is designed as a haunted and clearly flawed character. This is what keeps the reader’s attention, and is the greatest source of frustration with him. A reoccurring theme of Never Go Back is the idea that Barlow truly believes that he is the good guy, and that his actions are justified in the sense that he feels compelled to help and protect those that cannot help themselves. This self-appointed protector attitude is the fuel that keeps Barlow and the story moving forward, rather than seeking less extreme, or rather, more rational, ways to solve his problems.  This theme and that of an apathetic society, seem to become over emphasized at times, but helps to show the mental state of Barlow and creates a type of mile marker for his de-evolution.  

Never Go Back is an engaging story that flows nicely, and is easy to read. As someone who likes to make story predictions, Beech was able to keep me doubting myself until the end, which made the process enjoyable and kept me pushing to finish “just one more chapter.” I would recommend Never Go Back to anyone looking for a fast paced and solid crime story. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, largely because I felt that Barlow’s good/bad obsession and the public reactions were repeated too often and I wanted a little more robust explanation at the end of the story. This was only a personal preference, however, which did not take away from the overall enjoyment I had while reading this story, and my desire to see what was going to happen next.  

Coddiwomple

Coddiwomple: to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination

This 100 word story was a concept piece I put together. Thomas has the ability to travel forward through time, yet he becomes so obsessed with what is to come, that he never took the opportunity to live in the present. 

Coddiwomple 

A small boy approached Thomas. 

“Chronicler? They say you are from ancient times.” 

“Oh, my child.” Tussling the boy’s hair. “I am from a time much older than that. A time that barely any myths remain. I have spent my life moving forward, exploring time itself, watching the world and people change.” 

“Did you bring your family?” 

“I never stayed long enough for a family.” Thomas smiled at the boy. “These last ten years have been the longest I have stayed in one place, and I am an old man now.” 

“I would be sad, to always be so alone.” 

A Review of Joe Basile's The Last Qumranian 4/5 stars

Joe Basile: The Last Qumranian 

The Qumranians, an ancient and hidden sect that were sworn to keep the ancient prophecies, have accomplished a technological marvel. A machine that allows them to travel through time. Their celebration is cut short when Lukas, a lead physicist and elite protector, becomes possessed and uses the machine to put the earth on a dark and dissolute path. When Lukas regains control of his body, he finds that he is under attack. His family is taken prisoner, the time-machine is stolen, and his home that had remained hidden for two thousand years, is reduced to ruins by the Unclean.  

As the lone survivor, Lukas must find the device before the Unclean learn to use it, and rescue his family in the process. Alone, and in a world he does not understand, Lukas is taken in and given aid by the students of Jesse, a holy man that teaches his students a new way of charity and compassion. With their help, Lukas is able to confront the Unclean and bear witness to Jesse as he fulfills the prophecy that was prevented two thousand years earlier. 

The Last Qumranian is a well written story, with an interesting premise, and characters that grow and are well developed. Basile does an excellent job of transporting the reader to this alternate reality, where the advancements of technology are used as a means to control and manipulate the masses in a vile and dirty world. As a science fiction story, he does a superb job of bringing The City to life. It is important to note that this is not, precisely, a science fiction story. Rather, it is a Christian novel in a scifi setting. The looming aspect of the story is the inevitability of God’s plan. Despite actions taken to prevent the Messiah from coming to be, Basile presents an alternate version of the New Testament, and the fulfillment of prophecy.   

One critical issue is that there are two separate stories, that are seemingly forced together. The first story is that of Lukas and his personal mission to rescue his family and return the world to where it was. The second story is that of Jesse and his students, which are a reimagination of the final days of Jesus. Lukas moves from protagonist hero, faced with a nearly impossible task, to a spectator that has no bearing on the story. It is this transition that leaves the reader wanting in regards to the story of Lukas, which feels as if it was quickly and unceremoniously wrapped up, so that we could move to the true purpose of the book.  Had the story found a way to intertwine Lukas with Jesse, to blend Lukas’ fate with Jesse’s, it would have made the overall narrative feel more natural. 

TLQ was entertaining and engaging. It particularly appeals to those who enjoy a strong religious theme, or those that prefer Christian literature overall. There are plenty of suspenseful moments and surprising twists in a world that is as strange as it is familiar. I give it a rating of 4 stars. It is well written and imaginative, but the designation of Lukas to a secondary character, and the seemingly rushed conclusion of his story arc outweighed the creativity of the story and technical skill of Basile’s writing. I recommend this book to anyone who is seeking a science fiction novel under the Christian Literature section.