Kesef

When the Watchers first land in Eden, they land near Kesef. There arrival causes an unexpected change in leadership that some see as the hand of God intervening in the affairs of men. The first book allows everything to be neat and tidy.

Some people may wonder why we include these details into the first book. We do get to see Barel and some of his interactions later - Barel is the son of Kesef's leader at the time of the angelfall. However, not much is developed with him, with his family, or with Kesef.

We do kind of leave people hanging, but there is a reason for it - in a later book we will return to Kesef to resolve some of the issues that were caused by the angel's arrival. I know, it's tough to have to wait, but in all, The Corruption was a pretty large book - and it is the first of three books and then a second series of many smaller books. Had we just written it all at one time, it would have taken so many pages that no on would have bought it.

Be patient, we are already starting to work on the second book. Soon you will get to see how some of the spare pieces we threw at you in Book 1 fit into the larger picture.

The Corruption NOW AVAILABLE!!!

The Corruption is now available on Amazon, through our CreateSpace store, and on our Website.

There is also a Kindle version you can purchase or borrow for free with Amazon Prime.

YEAH! We have a Cover!!!

Below you will get to see the cover for The Corruption. Our artist came through and got it done in time to make the New York BEA (more about that later)!

Now, this is only the front of the book, so the one going to New York will have a little different back (we haven't gotten the back yet). But, I think this is definitely promising. As soon as we have the whole cover, we will be putting it on Amazon.

Book Cover Update

We are hoping to have a book cover update soon. We will be getting the file in jpeg. Since CreateSpace requires a pdf, we learned how to make that conversion today.

We really need this book published by May 8th, so we may have to consider the temporary book cover/ and then trade it out with the natural one if it isn't done by then.

As we are chopping more things out, we are thinking about adding some of the descriptions here. What do you think?

Final edits

We want to give you the best book possible, so while we wait for the artwork, we are doing more editing. The book will probably not be perfect, but we are really trying to get it up there with traditional publishing houses that are a little older than us.

Most of the editing at this point is chopping it down to make it a book that doesn't drag - well maybe the prologue drags, but you can always skip that. Think about the prologue for the Hobbit and you will understand what we mean.

If you read through the first chapter in April, and then you get the book, it would be interesting to know if you think our editing helped. I know when I watch movie cut scenes that ended up on the chopping block, I am usually pretty glad they didn't include them in the actual movie. But, maybe you feel different.

The nice thing is we can always feature the scenes we cut here on our blog.

Thank you for bearing with us!

Okay, so you can now access the entire first chapter of the book on here if you read all the posts for April. Our goal was to launch the book, now, but as we were rushing to edit it, we overlooked a minor detail - the cover design.

If you have been following our blog, you know that we seem to have a hard time keeping artists around here. The first artist we hired to do Lillith (back in August 2013) just called today and says he is finally ready to give us what he has, but he isn't satisfied with it. As soon as we get it, we will post it. If you have seen the sketches we posted, it would be hard to think of a picture this guy does that isn't excellent, but artists get very self-conscious about their work.

The next guy we hired took our artwork in a little different direction, but we were happy. We ran into some problems on another book, though, and had to stop artwork on this one.

Naturally, he was my first choice when I thought about a book cover, but he isn't doing so much artwork right now because he has moved into trailers. Hmmm, maybe he would do our trailer.

So, on Monday we hired a cover designer, but it of course takes time. Right now we are thinking this will be done by next week, but we will keep you posted - and we will literally post the coverart as we get it.

Chapter 1: April 5

The robed traveler moved to the rear of the crowd and concealed himself in the few shadows that existed in the candlelit room. Although the others knelt in the presence of the old man - as if he were a king, and they were his subjects - the robed figure stood, unconcerned about the protocol of these people. He quickly scanned the crowd as if he were making sure no one took notice of him. Three men were on their knees near the aged man’s right side. The two men in the chairs were at his left side, but they stared forward as if conforming to unspoken etiquette.

Unlike the others in the room who wore their robes with the hood politely removed from their heads, the men kneeling next to the bed had on only knee-length white tunics with a pale, beige, woven belt at the waist. The one closest to the head of the bed had hair that was once medium-brown, but was now threatening to become solid grey. This man was holding the old man’s right hand tenderly. His kind but sad, hazel eyes, completely grey beard, and the few wrinkles around his eyes portrayed kindness and generosity to all who beheld his face.

The dying man looked first at those who encircled the bed, and then he looked up toward the Heavens and closed his eyes for a moment. The long hair on his head and face shifted, a silver-grey veil covering the shoulders of the modest tunic he wore. Time, hard work, and worry had worn away any appearance of youth, and the wrinkles on his tanned face looked as if they were carved out of stone. Opening his eyes, he looked deeply at everyone in the room but passed over the stranger. All who were present could tell that he had only a short time left on the earth.

The entire first chapter of The Corruption – Book 1 in The Age of the Watchers – will be published on this blog throughout the month of April!

Chapter 1: April 3

After a short pause, an aged voice could be heard responding, “We are all cursed because of our parents, Adam and Eve. They brought death into this world, and nothing is going to change that.” A sigh escaped his lips before he continued, “You say we don’t deserve our fate, but we have all at one point made the same choice… the choice to do what is wrong in place of what is right.” There was another pause as the elder caught his breath from the strain of walking and talking. “Come, let us go and pay our respects to him in peace instead of lingering around murmuring about things we cannot change.”

As this conversation faded into many others, the passageway containing the robed outsider ended abruptly with a wall, but this did not alter the traveler’s pace. He continued toward the barrier and passed through it as though it did not exist. Only when he was on the other side of the wall and in the midst of the crowd again did he pause when his eye caught sight of a young woman with curly, reddish-brown hair peeking out from her hood, coming toward him carrying a young child with identical hair on her hip. Sadness enhanced the beauty of her face, and her deep, emerald green eyes held him mesmerized until she passed him and was lost in the crowd. Composing himself and remembering his mission, he continued his march with the rest of the throng.

The entire first chapter of The Corruption – Book 1 in The Age of the Watchers – will be published on this blog throughout the month of April!

Chapter 1: April 2

The thick robed figure watched for another minute at the people venturing into the blustery night, and then, he resumed his walk. Although he traveled along with the others, his movements were calm and sure without the agitated urgency of the crowd. People passed beside him without taking note of who he was – or that he walked alone. In the crowded streets, some brushed against his robe as they went by, but he did not seem to notice or care. He just continued walking in the same direction as everyone else, retaining his slow, deliberate pace.

Soon he came upon a clear river, which flowed quickly from the lake outside the southeastern wall and severed the western side of the city from the rest of it. As those who dared to risk the windy night came to the bridge of arched limestone, they slowed and bottlenecked onto it. At the bridge’s apex, the traveler could see many more people streaming toward the city’s center from the residential area. Homes and multi-family living spaces surrounded the hill on every side en mass. The streets began filling with an almost suffocating number of people, so the outsider ducked into an alley, which no one else seemed to be using. While he picked his way along the dark passage, he overheard those in the main street speaking in muted tones among themselves.

“It pierces my heart to know that his life is coming to a close.”

“Yes, I know, and to think that this is the fate of man.”

“Why should all men have to suffer this judgment? We should not be held accountable for a mistake made by our forefather!”

“Especially not him. He has led us in good faith. He always made sure everyone was cared for and that justice was not neglected.”

“He is a very good man.”

“This should not be happening to him.”

“He has done no wrong, and who knows what kind of leader his son will be.”

The entire first chapter of The Corruption – Book 1 in The Age of the Watchers – will be published on this blog throughout the month of April!

Chapter 1: April 1

The mists fell as day morphed into the evening, and the full array of the Heavens came into view. A strong, cool wind began to snake its way rapidly through the avenues and down the narrow alleyways. The torches on the posts lining the streets flickered under its influence, barely staying lit during the stronger gusts.

A tall figure clothed in thick, flowing, white robes with a hood that concealed his eyes materialized from the shadows of the western gate. His face was smooth and youthful, his figure sleek and fit. He paused after stepping into the light of a torch positioned at the entrance gate and looked toward the great hill that was the central point of the city. Along the side of the mount were small lights moving as if giant fireflies were positioning themselves on its western face.

The robed figure began to walk down the boulevard that would take him to the heart of the city encircling the hill. He lingered as others dressed in thin, flaxen, greyish robes came out of a limestone building on the right. One of them carried a small lamp in her hand. As they stepped into the lane, an especially strong burst of wind rushed down the street, blowing the door shut, causing the lantern to swing precariously, and whipping their clothes frantically around their delicate bodies. He watched as one of the men grabbed the hood of a small boy’s robe and pulled it closer around his head. Then, looking at the woman next to him, the man spoke, “It seems there is a strong wind tonight. Be sure to shield the lamp so it doesn’t go out.”

  The woman nodded. Her pale hand planted blonde hair behind her ears as if commanding it to stay put, and she pulled her hood tighter to reinforce the order. The man adjusted his own cloak, and the group headed swiftly to the center of the city and the glowing hillside. Here and there, other doors opened and more people filed into the streets. All wore similar attire and each group had at least one person in it that nursed a lamp’s flame. They all streamed like a human river toward the mount at the heart of the city.

The entire first chapter of The Corruption – Book 1 in The Age of the Watchers – will be published on this blog throughout the month of April!

Only Three More Days Until You Can Read the First Chapter Free!

The Corruption will be available on Amazon soon! If you are still not sure about purchasing it, read the first chapter in three days on here for free! The chapter will be published in serial form daily on this blog throughout April.

Read the First Chapter in Full!

To celebrate the publishing of The Corruption on Amazon, we are posting the entire first chapter on here throughout the month of April. Preview it free!

Look for first chapter in April!

The Corruption will be available on Amazon by the end of March. Look on here for the entire first chapter in serial form on this blog throughout the month of April!

First chapter of book: Coming Soon!

So, we are planning on self-publishing The Corruption by the end of March. To help celebrate, we will post the entire first chapter in serial form on this blog throughout the month of April. Be looking for it!

Drawing updates

Because of the number of drawings we have to do, and the spring release for this book, we have decided to hire a second illustrator to draw the characters for us. The first drawing of Lilith is almost finished, but hopefully we will be able to begin posting at least two per month.

We are planning to begin our official marketing campaign in Spring and are going to be looking for some professional editors in the next month.

Publication Update

We are having the book proofread this fall. Since the book is large, it requires a pretty sizable investment to do this. However, we are planning on beginning our official marketing of the book in the spring and then releasing it in Summer of 2014. This date may be earlier, depending on our marketing, but we are hoping it will not be later.

Our artist is almost finished with Lilith. If anyone would like to see a special character, they can comment on one of our posts and let us know who they would like to see next.

We still do not have a website (but we do have a website design). This is because we are trying to get together a book trailer. As soon as it is ready, we will post details.

We will post updates here as we have them. We may also post a few excerpts over the next few months to give you an idea of what the book is like real time. FYI - the book is complete in its entirety, and we are beginning to write the sequel.

Thank you for bearing with us. If people do not like our book because they are not happy about the story line - that's okay, everyone has an opinion. We realize our fiction is not for everyone. However, we do not want people to dislike our book because the quality is so poor. It takes time because we are doing everything we can to make sure that it will be well edited and well put together. (And we all have day jobs at this point.)