Austin Dragon's Blog, page 21

A Living, Breathing (Tek) City

From Chapter Two: Tek World of Thy Kingdom Fall (After Eden Series, Book #1)

“There is nothing like the hustle and bustle of a tek-city, both the automation and the people. The obsolete adjective is technological and the obsolete noun is technology, but no one under the age of eighty uses those words anymore—the word is tek. It isn’t just slang that, after a few decades of common use, has replaced its original reference; it’s an attitude.”

Smart-cars, smart-houses, why not whole smart-cities? Imagination is a wonderful thing. The reality can sometimes be…not so wonderful. What do you think about the idea—through AI, advanced automation and embedded sensors—of the city “looking out” for you? Can’t wait? Or can’t wait to escape to the countryside?

SMART CITIES GET THEIR OWN OPERATING SYSTEM

IRIS SCANNERS CREATE THE MOST SECURE CITY IN THE WORLD. WELCOME, BIG BROTHER

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 The Meaning of the “After Eden” Series  Happy New Year! 2014  What is"Tek World?"  "Thy Kingdom Fall" on GoodreadsCopyright © The After Eden Series [A Living, Breathing (Tek) City], All Right Reserved. 2014.

Happy New Year! 2014

Happy New Year! I’m back. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year’s Holiday with friends and family.

When I was a child, the prospect of reaching the year 2000 seemed to be a significant milestone that would usher in all kinds of technological wonders that one would expect after a steady diet of science fiction television series and movies. No flying cars, androids, or civilian space flights to lunar colonies for us. However, while much is the same comparatively to decades ago, fourteen years into the twenty-first century, much is very different. This is the heart of my After Eden Series, which takes place over seven decades in the future.

2014 will be very different than 2013 for me. Last year, we released two After Eden Books: Thy Kingdom Fall (Book #1) and Stars Scorpions (Book #2). This year we release three After Eden Books. Yes, you heard right – three, in addition to one or two “surprise” books. This of course explains my absence from the blogosphere for several months.

However, besides the occasional talk of my books on the website, my primary focus will be a discussion of the Future. The After Eden Books have driver-less cars, cyborgs, robots, “body farms,” etc. Two years, ago when I finished the first book, which also prominently featured civilian surveillance drones, there was no such thing in our own modern skies. Since then there have been civilian drones used in our cities. But the Future is not just physical, technical things but our changing culture which is the heart of my book series that ends with the explosion of World War Three or as they call it, “the First Great Tek War.” Ultimately, it is our changing society that is more fascinating (or possibly disturbing). We get the ability to grow a human being in a lab (a clone). What do we plan to do with that power? What do we allow the power to do to us? Utopia or dystopia? Always the opposite sides of the same coin on the Planet of the Humans.

Tags:  About After Eden Series, Happy New Year 2014, Stars and Scorpions, Thy Kingdom Fall




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 "Thy Kingdom Fall" Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest Today!  What is “Wolf 359?”  "Thy Kingdom Fall" Pre-Release/Pre-Book Launch Contest Group  Hello Readers!  What is"Tek World?"Copyright © The After Eden Series [Happy New Year! 2014], All Right Reserved. 2014.

Get After Eden Books #1 and #2 Today!

To promote the ebook release of Stars and Scorpions (After Eden Series, Book #2), we are offering Thy Kingdom Fall (After Eden Series, Book #1) for a free Kindle download on Amazon. Get both books for under $5 here today, Friday only!

Tags:  Amazon Free Kindle Download, Kindle ebook, promotion, Stars and Scorpions, Thy Kingdom Fall




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 "Thy Kingdom Fall" Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest Today!  "Thy Kingdom Fall" Pre-Release/Pre-Book Launch Contest Group  Hello Readers!  What is"Tek World?"Copyright © The After Eden Series [Get After Eden Books #1 and #2 Today!], All Right Reserved. 2013.

What is”Tek World?”

Book quotes: “On January 24th, Apple computers will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984.” – Old Hollywood film director Sir Ridley Scott’s classic “1984” Apple Macintosh commercial, first aired 15 Dec. 1983, Top Ten Commercials of All Time, 2050 edition

“Well, it all did lead to 1984.” – Goli, the tek-lord

 

In any book, the author must make the reader feel that the world that is being introduced is believable. Though set over seventy years in the future, many readers have commented how much “Thy Kingdom Fall” book captures how the future will most likely be—the good and bad.

After the dramatic opening, Chapter Two immerses the reader in a world that in some ways is similar to today, but in most ways things are very different. Our mobile devices are even more ubiquitous (or intrusive, depending on your point of view) than today, people have robotic pets, cars drive themselves, AI (artificial intelligence) government computers run the transportation and climate control systems of entire cities.

There are other things in this world that we already see the beginnings of now: government surveillance of every inch of the city to fight crime or terrorism, and flying drones. As for the culture, both the political left and right will be happy and extremely disturbed. I can predict this with certainty: assuming we do have the same two major political parties, they will NOT be debating the same issues as we are today. Every generation struggles and fights for its issues of the day—one of the definitions of a democracy, especially as one as diverse as ours.

The quotes featured at the top speak to the dark side of technological progress. Does technology make humans better people? How does it affect not just people as individuals, but the culture (including religion) and politics? The book (and series) paints a world that is amazing in its technological advancements, but its people…you’ll have to decide.

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 "Thy Kingdom Fall" Pre-Release/Pre-Book Launch Contest Group  The Meaning of the “After Eden” Series  "Thy Kingdom Fall" on Goodreads  What is “Wolf 359?”Copyright © The After Eden Series [What is"Tek World?"], All Right Reserved. 2013.

“Thy Kingdom Fall” Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest Today!

With the March 31st release of the paperback version of the book, we launch our Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest today. For the month of June buy either the paper or e-book version of “Thy Kingdom Fall (After Eden Series, Book#1)” to enter our online contest to win either a $100 Amazon or I-Tunes Gift Card.

Enter and share with all your friends! http://bit.ly/16zyiAc

And enjoy the book. The five-star reviews are on Amazon and Goodreads.

Tags:  Amazon $100 Gift Card, Book Contest, I-Tunes $100 Gift Card, Thy Kingdom Fall




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 The Meaning of the “After Eden” Series  What is “Wolf 359?”  Hello Readers!  What is"Tek World?"Copyright © The After Eden Series ["Thy Kingdom Fall" Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest Today!], All Right Reserved. 2013.

What is “Wolf 359?”

“Thy Kingdom Fall” (After Eden Series, Book #1) starts out in Chapter One with how the series ends: the dramatic first attack on the Three Towers in NYC on September 11th — 2125.

We already know by the quote at the beginning of the chapter and the ominous recounting of other attacks on America–the War of 1812, Pearl Habor and Nine-Eleven–that this particular day will not be like any other for the NY police commissioner. If it were us standing on that 170th top floor of the Three Towers staring out the windows, what else would our minds be reflecting on–nothing else at all but our own fearful imaginings.

This short chapter quickly brings us into this future America introducing some intriguing things: The Three Towers? Jew-Christians? Body-farms?

I invite you to read Chapter One on the homepage: “Read The Sample Chapter Now.”

Tags:  Chapter One, Chapter Profile, NYC, September 11th 2125, Thy Kingdom Fall, World War III




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 The Meaning of the “After Eden” Series  "Thy Kingdom Fall" Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest Today!  What is"Tek World?"  "Thy Kingdom Fall" Pre-Release/Pre-Book Launch Contest GroupCopyright © The After Eden Series [What is “Wolf 359?”], All Right Reserved. 2013.

“Thy Kingdom Fall” Pre-Release/Pre-Book Launch Contest Group

The paperback and hardcover release this month of May! To kick-off the upcoming official release we will have a $100 Amazon/I-Tunes Gift Card Contest. To be notified immediately of the release date of the print versions of the book and enter the Contest, join the Contest group here: http://www.afteredenbooks.com/groups. Also join my Facebook Fan Page.

We love contests!

Tags:  Amazon $100 Gift Card, Book Contest, I-Tunes $100 Gift Card, Thy Kingdom Fall




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 "Thy Kingdom Fall" on Goodreads  "Thy Kingdom Fall" Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest Today!  Hello Readers!  What is"Tek World?"Copyright © The After Eden Series ["Thy Kingdom Fall" Pre-Release/Pre-Book Launch Contest Group], All Right Reserved. 2013.

The Meaning of the “After Eden” Series

An often-asked question is what exactly does “After Eden” mean when it comes to this epic series? I spent quite a bit of time picking the name. In fact, I had already written both the first and second books (I actually wrote Book #2 first and had to go back and write Book #1) before settling on the official title out of about two dozen choices.

I wanted to convey two things with the name of the series: firstly, that there was a religious aspect; and secondly, that the time of this story was significant both from a religious and secular viewpoint. I found the perfect title with After Eden. The series is not a biblical apocalypse but clearly if we are talking about the people, places and events leading to World War III then such a catastrophe would be an apocalypse whether one is religious or not. I’m a Christian but I have little interest in biblical end-of-times stories because from my theological view the “reality” of the “end” is far beyond anything we humans could envision. As a writer, I want readers to be entertained (being thought-provoking is icing on the cake) not make them want to jump out of a window because virtually everyone dies horribly. However, to be somewhat contradictory, any global war is very close to that as the horrors of World War I and II historically have shown us, not to mention all the endless wars humans have fought against each other throughout history.

The introduction page to the book gives the full quote: “After Eden, Thy Kingdom Fall. All Kingdoms Fall, New Kingdoms Rise.” Again, we are reminded of the cycle of life when it comes to empires–good, bad and in-between. No matter how long they last, they will eventually…end. Or have we fooled ourselves into believing that because of our own technology (in the future we use the word “tek”) that all that we create is immortal?

As for the name of the first book in the series, Thy Kingdom Fall, it too conveys an unhappy ending of some sorts—we just don’t know who yet—and some kind of religious aspect to it all. Again, I wrote Book 2 first not by design, but realized that fact after I was about a third of the way complete. The first book had a very high hurdle to overcome. Before I even typed the first word I was a bit overwhelmed as the first book had to be at the level or higher of the already completed second book, lay the foundation for the entire seven book series, introduce and immerse the reader into a very believable world 75 years in the future, cover in quick fashion some very controversial issues, and, the most important, make the reader eager for the next book and be committed to the series.

Tags:  About After Eden Series, Thy Kingdom Fall, Writing




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 "Thy Kingdom Fall" Pre-Release/Pre-Book Launch Contest Group  What is “Wolf 359?”  Hello Readers!  "Thy Kingdom Fall" Summer Gift Card Giveaway Contest Today!  What is"Tek World?"Copyright © The After Eden Series [The Meaning of the “After Eden” Series], All Right Reserved. 2013.

The Meaning of “After Eden”

An often asked question is what exactly does “After Eden” mean when it comes to this epic series? I spent quite a bit of time picking the name. In fact, I had already written both the first and second books (I actually wrote Book 2 first and had to go back and write Book 1) before settling on the official title out of about two dozen choices.

I wanted to convey two things with the name of the series: firstly, that there was a religious aspect to it; and secondly, that the time of this story was significant both from a religious and secular viewpoint. I found the perfect title with After Eden. The series is not a biblical apocalypse but clearly if we’re talking about the people, places and events leading to World War III then such a catastrophe would be an apocalypse whether you’re religious or not. I’m a Christian but I have zero interest in biblical end-of-times stories because from a theological view the “reality” of the “end” is far beyond anything we humans could envision. As a writer, I want readers to be entertained (being thought-provoking is icing on the cake) not make them want to jump out of a window because virtually everyone dies horribly. However, to be somewhat contradictory, any global war is very close to that as the horrors of World War I and II historically have shown us, not to mention all the endless wars humans have fought against each other throughout history.

The introduction page to the book gives the full quote: “After Eden, Thy Kingdom Fall. All Kingdoms Fall, New Kingdoms Rise.” Again, we are reminded of the cycle of life when it comes to empires–good, bad and in-between. No matter how long they last, they will eventually…end. Or have we fooled ourselves into believing that because of our own technology (in the future we use the word “tek”) that all that we create is immortal?

As for the name of the first book in the series, Thy Kingdom Fall, it too conveys an unhappy ending of some sorts—we just don’t know who yet—and some kind of religious aspect to it all. Again, I wrote Book 2 first not by design, but realized that fact after I was about a third of the way complete. The first book had a very high hurdle to overcome. Before I even typed the first word I was a bit overwhelmed as the first book had to be at the level or higher of the already completed second book, lay the foundation for the entire seven book series, introduce and immerse the reader into a very believable world 75 years in the future, cover in quick fashion some very controversial issues, and, the most important, make the reader eager for the next book and be committed to the series.

“Thy Kingdom Fall” on Goodreads

The e-book is out now, and the print versions (hardcover and paperback) release soon.  But you can join our Goodreads Book Giveaway Contest (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17736256-thy-kingdom-fall) for the paperback up until May 1st.  Already we have participants from all over America and Canada.  Ten winners will be selected when the contest closes.