Jason Tesar's Blog, page 5
May 6, 2014
The Second Trilogy
Combined Edition: The Awakened Books Four through Six
Some readers prefer to experience a book series in larger segments, whether for time-management reasons, or just to stay immersed in a fictional world without interruptions.
If that's you, the wait is over! The second trilogy of The Awakened series is now available in a single edition—for ~17% less than the individual books. You can download Combined Edition: The Awakened Books Four through Six at the following retailers:
Amazon USAmazon UKBarnes & NobleSmashwords
If you don't have an e-reader, look for the print edition coming soon.
P.S. If you'd like to download the first trilogy, it is also available from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and Smashwords. And if you'd like to receive book release notifications through email, you can sign up for my list here.
April 30, 2014
The Awakened Book Six is now available
It's here...
Foundations of the World: The Awakened Book Six
This project has been an amazing journey over the past several months. Research. Storyboarding. Writing. Editing. Graphic design. There have been many stages, but this one is the most fun of all—release day!
Foundations rounds out the second trilogy of The Awakened series with a mix of action, suspense, and drama. The characters will be tested. The plots will twist and turn. And you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat by the time it's finished. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
To all my readers, thank you for your awesome support!
- Jason Tesar
Click here for the Kindle edition through AmazonClick here for a variety of ebook formats through SmashwordsiPad, Nook, and print editions coming soon
Foundations of the World: The Awakened Book Six
This project has been an amazing journey over the past several months. Research. Storyboarding. Writing. Editing. Graphic design. There have been many stages, but this one is the most fun of all—release day!
Foundations rounds out the second trilogy of The Awakened series with a mix of action, suspense, and drama. The characters will be tested. The plots will twist and turn. And you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat by the time it's finished. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
To all my readers, thank you for your awesome support!
- Jason Tesar
Click here for the Kindle edition through AmazonClick here for a variety of ebook formats through SmashwordsiPad, Nook, and print editions coming soon
April 21, 2014
Description for The Awakened Book Six
The countdown to the release of Foundations of the World continues. Last week, I revealed the cover artwork for the sixth installment of The Awakened series. This week, I'd like to share with you the back-of-the-book description. Hopefully, it will whet your appetite and give you an idea of what's in store.
Kael has seen into the mind of the enemy and witnessed an abomination beyond imagining.
Thousands of years of collaboration have allowed the Myndarym to construct a vast and complex system for exploiting the earth and its inhabitants. It is an ancient legacy of evil, and for the remnants of Null to destroy it, they must capture the system’s last surviving creator. Kael has only one advantage against this ruthless warrior, but leveraging it will take him through a battlefield of the world’s most advanced weaponry and expose his greatest weaknesses—patience and trust. The journey will bring them all together in ways they never thought possible, leading to a startling revelation that will shake the very foundations f the world.
In book six of Jason Tesar’s bestselling Awakened series, the epic saga spreads across the globe in a web of intricate schemes that weave together the genres of fantasy, sci-fi, and military fiction.
Kael has seen into the mind of the enemy and witnessed an abomination beyond imagining.
Thousands of years of collaboration have allowed the Myndarym to construct a vast and complex system for exploiting the earth and its inhabitants. It is an ancient legacy of evil, and for the remnants of Null to destroy it, they must capture the system’s last surviving creator. Kael has only one advantage against this ruthless warrior, but leveraging it will take him through a battlefield of the world’s most advanced weaponry and expose his greatest weaknesses—patience and trust. The journey will bring them all together in ways they never thought possible, leading to a startling revelation that will shake the very foundations f the world.
In book six of Jason Tesar’s bestselling Awakened series, the epic saga spreads across the globe in a web of intricate schemes that weave together the genres of fantasy, sci-fi, and military fiction.
April 14, 2014
Cover Art for The Awakened Book Six
Foundations of the World: The Awakened Book Six is in the final editing stage. I'm kicking off the countdown to its release with a sneak peek at the cover art. Enjoy!
If you want to get announcements like this before the general public, and would like to read sample scenes before the book is released, make sure to sign up here for my email list.
If you want to get announcements like this before the general public, and would like to read sample scenes before the book is released, make sure to sign up here for my email list.
April 7, 2014
Coming Soon: Sample Chapters, Cover Art, and Description for The Awakened Book Six
The release of Foundations of the World: The Awakened Book Six is just around the corner. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing the cover art and book description here on my blog, as well as my social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest).
If you haven't yet signed up for my email list, you can do that here. Subscribers will get a look at the cover art and description before anyone else, and will also receive sample scenes before the novel is released. Now is the perfect time to sign up!
If you haven't yet signed up for my email list, you can do that here. Subscribers will get a look at the cover art and description before anyone else, and will also receive sample scenes before the novel is released. Now is the perfect time to sign up!
March 24, 2014
Review of The Broken, by Sean Michael Frawley
Last month, a friend of mine released a paranormal thriller (with horror tendencies, but not strictly horror) novel that quickly shot to the top of several Amazon rankings, including "hot new releases." Though it's not one of the genres I typically read from, it was very entertaining and I would encourage you to check it out if you like discovering indie authors before they get famous.
Here's my review:
The Broken, by Sean Michael Frawley, is a tale of discovery that somehow manages to make a fun experience out of delving into the twisted realm of creepy things.
The story’s protagonist, Link Hartkins, is a fourteen-year-old boy dealing with the internal conflicts of relocating to a new town after the loss of his mother. His fierce loyalty to his baby brother provides the impetus for seeing the world through a younger pair of eyes, and as the story develops, this turns out to make all the difference. But as the paranormal adventure escalates, Link’s rational mind and well-developed sense of sarcasm attempt to keep him grounded in the very grown-up world of “reality.”
These dueling perspectives weave together inside a fascinating character, telling a story that is versatile enough to live on the shelves of middle-grade, young-adult, and adult fiction alike.
This eerie thriller is easy to read, with colorful and well-drawn characters that sparkle in the hands of a new author. Yet Frawley seems to have found that elusive “voice” that usually takes years of refinement to achieve. The Broken is an enticing glimpse into his creative mind, offering what—I can only hope—is the first of many more stories to come.
Here's my review:
The Broken, by Sean Michael Frawley, is a tale of discovery that somehow manages to make a fun experience out of delving into the twisted realm of creepy things.
The story’s protagonist, Link Hartkins, is a fourteen-year-old boy dealing with the internal conflicts of relocating to a new town after the loss of his mother. His fierce loyalty to his baby brother provides the impetus for seeing the world through a younger pair of eyes, and as the story develops, this turns out to make all the difference. But as the paranormal adventure escalates, Link’s rational mind and well-developed sense of sarcasm attempt to keep him grounded in the very grown-up world of “reality.”
These dueling perspectives weave together inside a fascinating character, telling a story that is versatile enough to live on the shelves of middle-grade, young-adult, and adult fiction alike.
This eerie thriller is easy to read, with colorful and well-drawn characters that sparkle in the hands of a new author. Yet Frawley seems to have found that elusive “voice” that usually takes years of refinement to achieve. The Broken is an enticing glimpse into his creative mind, offering what—I can only hope—is the first of many more stories to come.
March 14, 2014
My Creative Process...the second part
In an earlier post, I shared with you the first part of my creative process, taking you through the stages of brainstorming and scene design I use to put together a novel. Now I’d like to share what happens next.
With a writing plan in place, I don’t have to think too much about character arcs or the big picture items; I’m free to concentrate on the smaller details. I review the scene plan that I developed during the previous stage, and I let those ideas and storyline requirements swirl around in my head. This is where I allow myself the freedom of getting lost in a scene. I might put on some ambient music, or a movie score that matches the mood of the scene. I may close my eyes and imagine myself in that place, listening to the characters talk with one another. I might pace around my office and let the daydreaming part of my brain construct the scene, filling in the gaps between what is already known.
When the scene becomes real to me, and it begins to play itself out, I do my best to capture what I see and hear and feel. And to a lesser extent, what I smell (not my dominant sense). Dialogue. Characters’ facial expressions and gestures. Parts of the setting that stand out. All of the little details come to life, and I capture them with my limited vocabulary until the scene is sufficiently documented.
I keep repeating this process until I’ve captured on the page all of the scenes from my writing plan. Usually, the process of bringing these scenes to life will stir up other ideas. I might recognize ways to connect scenes with a common thread, or contrast them with their opposing ideas. With new characters in particular, I see their personalities emerge as they find their place within the story. Concepts that I thought were fleshed-out seem to take on lives of their own. And then the first draft is done.
Having walked many miles in the shoes of my characters — or sandals, as the case may be — I’m ready for the second draft. On my next pass through the manuscript, I’m looking for cohesiveness. Would that character actually say those words, now that I know them better? Is that gesture appropriate for that character, given his/her position? Does that scene transition need to be smoothed over? This is where I experience the story somewhere between an author and a reader. I’m making corrections. I’m noticing things that stand out. I’m refining this thing that I’ve created to the point that it accurately represents the picture in my head. And once I’ve reached that milestone, I’m ready to share it with other people.
That’s when the manuscript goes out for editing, but I’ll save that story for another time.
Be sure to sign up if you want to receive email notification when my creative efforts are available for reading.
With a writing plan in place, I don’t have to think too much about character arcs or the big picture items; I’m free to concentrate on the smaller details. I review the scene plan that I developed during the previous stage, and I let those ideas and storyline requirements swirl around in my head. This is where I allow myself the freedom of getting lost in a scene. I might put on some ambient music, or a movie score that matches the mood of the scene. I may close my eyes and imagine myself in that place, listening to the characters talk with one another. I might pace around my office and let the daydreaming part of my brain construct the scene, filling in the gaps between what is already known.
When the scene becomes real to me, and it begins to play itself out, I do my best to capture what I see and hear and feel. And to a lesser extent, what I smell (not my dominant sense). Dialogue. Characters’ facial expressions and gestures. Parts of the setting that stand out. All of the little details come to life, and I capture them with my limited vocabulary until the scene is sufficiently documented.
I keep repeating this process until I’ve captured on the page all of the scenes from my writing plan. Usually, the process of bringing these scenes to life will stir up other ideas. I might recognize ways to connect scenes with a common thread, or contrast them with their opposing ideas. With new characters in particular, I see their personalities emerge as they find their place within the story. Concepts that I thought were fleshed-out seem to take on lives of their own. And then the first draft is done.
Having walked many miles in the shoes of my characters — or sandals, as the case may be — I’m ready for the second draft. On my next pass through the manuscript, I’m looking for cohesiveness. Would that character actually say those words, now that I know them better? Is that gesture appropriate for that character, given his/her position? Does that scene transition need to be smoothed over? This is where I experience the story somewhere between an author and a reader. I’m making corrections. I’m noticing things that stand out. I’m refining this thing that I’ve created to the point that it accurately represents the picture in my head. And once I’ve reached that milestone, I’m ready to share it with other people.
That’s when the manuscript goes out for editing, but I’ll save that story for another time.
Be sure to sign up if you want to receive email notification when my creative efforts are available for reading.
February 17, 2014
Emit: Back-of-the-Book Description
As I get closer to releasing my first short story, I'm sharing more details to shed light on the mystery. Today, I have the back-of-the-book description for you. Don't forget to sign up for my email list to be notified when Emit is available. Happy reading!
Have you ever experienced a moment so intense that you’d swear time had slowed down? You’ve heard it said that we can’t change the time we are given, only how we use it. Well, that’s not exactly true. I’ve discovered that by changing how we use it, we can change the time we are given. This is what we as a species have been seeking since the dawn of our existence—immortality. My name is Emit Trotsid and I am the world’s foremost pioneer of lucid time distortion. I’m going to share my technology freely with the collective human consciousness. I will teach you how to claim what’s rightfully yours; but the question is, what will you do with that time?
That’s my marketing pitch. At least, it used to be before the paranoia, headaches, and premonitions.
Have you ever experienced a moment so intense that you’d swear time had slowed down? You’ve heard it said that we can’t change the time we are given, only how we use it. Well, that’s not exactly true. I’ve discovered that by changing how we use it, we can change the time we are given. This is what we as a species have been seeking since the dawn of our existence—immortality. My name is Emit Trotsid and I am the world’s foremost pioneer of lucid time distortion. I’m going to share my technology freely with the collective human consciousness. I will teach you how to claim what’s rightfully yours; but the question is, what will you do with that time?
That’s my marketing pitch. At least, it used to be before the paranoia, headaches, and premonitions.
February 10, 2014
Emit: a short story
If you're receiving my email newsletter, you probably know that I have been working on a short story. It went much faster than anticipated; I just sent it out for editing. I couldn't help myself. I was so excited by the plot and the opportunity to write in first-person, present tense. I'll roll out more details in the coming days, but I wanted to share the cover art with you now.
emit: a short story
If you're receiving my email newsletter, you probably know that I have been working on a short story. It went much faster than anticipated; I just sent it out for editing. I couldn't help myself. I was so excited by the plot and the opportunity to write in first-person, present tense. I'll roll out more details in the coming days, but I wanted to share the cover art with you now.
