John Rachel's Blog - Posts Tagged "coming-of-age"
Appreciation is appreciated.
As of this writing, I have 17 reviews at Amazon for my latest novel. All of them are 5-star!
I am flattered, grateful, somewhat bewildered.
From what the comments say, this book really touches people. Several mention they "fell in love" with Billy Green, my main character.
I have to confess. I wasn't very confident about this book when I finished it. I thought at best it was decent, good enough to publish certainly, something I was proud of in a muted way.
But I didn't think it would be so well received, so highly praised.
I am a head guy. I write cerebrally.
Apparently, this time I wrote something from my heart. Uncharted territory. A fluke? An accident?
Whatever happened, however this came about, I appreciate the great response.
Book 2 of this trilogy will be out in March, Book 3 in July.
Hope the series continues to stir readers the way the first book has.
"The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 2: Entendre"
Book 2 is making its way to the bookstores. Already it is available on Amazon ... http://amzn.to/18x1ZnS
And Smashwords ... http://bit.ly/1AMUCPz
Book 2 is brutally honest. Billy is growing up. He's discovering what it really means to be an adult. No one said it would be pretty. He certainly had fair warning, growing up in Detroit. But nothing ever prepares us for some things. Like a shattering loss of innocence.
I'm personally still recovering from the shock of finding out there is no Santa Claus. (I hope I didn't ruin things for anyone reading this. Is this what is called a 'spoiler'?) And that was quite a while ago!
The Man Who Loved Too Much Trilogy
I confess to being schizophrenic.
There are two distinct personalities co-existing in this one John Rachel.
One is the political, driving my skewed commentary on world events ... often resulting in death threats.
The other is the artistic, inspiring my work as a novelist. This often results in ... more death threats.
Hmm. Am I doing something wrong?
In any case, everyone can breathe easy. This is not a political rant.
In fact, it's a celebration!
Six years ago, while living in Nepal and India, I wrote the initial draft of The Man Who Loved Too Much. Gosh, I was proud, hopeful, ecstatic. Much work and many long hours went into this patently semi-autobiographical tome, which weighed in at over 800 pages.
Like the clueless and naive apprentice that I was, I sent my masterpiece out to hundreds of publishers and literary agents. The unanimous reaction was that it was too long! Too long? Maybe I should have called it The Man Who Wrote Too Much.
Understandably, I was both confused and disappointed. The Bible is more than 800 pages and look how well it has sold!
I went into a self-destructive death spiral of anxiety and depression, tragically resulting in my suicide __ asphyxiation by immersing my face in an iron pot full of dal bhat.
Ha ha ha! Just seeing if you were paying attention.
Actually, I put the book aside and wrote five more novels, hundreds of political blogs __ apparently my appetite for death threats is insatiable __ three screenplays, a number of songs, carved my initials in a bench at a city bus stop, sent out over 6,000 Tweets . . . and changed the banner on my Facebook page three times. Wow! Talk about being productive. I'm so impressed with myself!
Anyway, my lovely wife and I were camping through Europe a couple summers ago, when I was gobsmacked by an epiphany. Our tent was pitched outside of Bern, Switzerland, and I was floating on my back in the cold Alpine waters of the Aare River . . . when it hit me.
The Man Who Loved Too Much should be a trilogy!
Yes, I would take that monster the size of the New York Manhattan phone directory and split it into three. With a blessedness that would rival the Trinity in the greater scheme of things, people would then flock to my inspired words. Surely these novels would kick the Bible itself out of first place as the best selling book ever!
As they say, the rest is history.
Six years.
My trilogy is complete.
When sending death threats, please attach a $100 bill.
_________________________________________
The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago
Fellow lovers of literature! Here we begin the story of Billy Green. With all of the swell advantages of growing up in beautiful Detroit, Michigan . . . what could possibly go wrong? Aren't you maybe just a little bit curious?
Darn . . . I know I was.
And folks, because I genuinely believe in the power of impulse, there's no reason to postpone a decision you will always regret. This epic faux pas is available NOW!
Apple (iBook) . . . bit.ly/1ycltFD
Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1tyIRiw
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1z8F8aD
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/ZDnQVO
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1w62HOX
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1r6qWYQ
__________________________________
The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 2: Entendre
The Billy Green saga continues! Billy’s challenging, sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, always unpredictable journey.
Our boy from Detroit was more determined than ever to find meaning in life and comfort in love. He failed.
Admittedly, this is the darkest of the three books.
Available from all of the usual suspects!
Apple (iBook) . . . apple.co/1bkFQe7
Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/18x1ZnS
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1xfmjp3
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/18OGY85
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1AMUCPz
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1Du7Esh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...
_________________________________________
The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 3: Oxymoron
How do we function in a world which is both as randomly and intentionally cruel, as it is randomly and intentionally kind? Can we make sense of our lives when so much around us makes no sense?
In this, the final book of the trilogy, we find out what it means to be a "man who loves too much". Even more importantly, we discover if Billy Green is such a man.
Whew! Heavy stuff.
Apple (iBook) . . . apple.co/1DfoG9g
Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1LJnMcX
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1NZPU9Y
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/1fvzxXD
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1LJnRgJ
Direct from printer . . . http://bit.ly/1K07Yzy
There are two distinct personalities co-existing in this one John Rachel.
One is the political, driving my skewed commentary on world events ... often resulting in death threats.
The other is the artistic, inspiring my work as a novelist. This often results in ... more death threats.
Hmm. Am I doing something wrong?
In any case, everyone can breathe easy. This is not a political rant.
In fact, it's a celebration!
Six years ago, while living in Nepal and India, I wrote the initial draft of The Man Who Loved Too Much. Gosh, I was proud, hopeful, ecstatic. Much work and many long hours went into this patently semi-autobiographical tome, which weighed in at over 800 pages.
Like the clueless and naive apprentice that I was, I sent my masterpiece out to hundreds of publishers and literary agents. The unanimous reaction was that it was too long! Too long? Maybe I should have called it The Man Who Wrote Too Much.
Understandably, I was both confused and disappointed. The Bible is more than 800 pages and look how well it has sold!
I went into a self-destructive death spiral of anxiety and depression, tragically resulting in my suicide __ asphyxiation by immersing my face in an iron pot full of dal bhat.
Ha ha ha! Just seeing if you were paying attention.
Actually, I put the book aside and wrote five more novels, hundreds of political blogs __ apparently my appetite for death threats is insatiable __ three screenplays, a number of songs, carved my initials in a bench at a city bus stop, sent out over 6,000 Tweets . . . and changed the banner on my Facebook page three times. Wow! Talk about being productive. I'm so impressed with myself!
Anyway, my lovely wife and I were camping through Europe a couple summers ago, when I was gobsmacked by an epiphany. Our tent was pitched outside of Bern, Switzerland, and I was floating on my back in the cold Alpine waters of the Aare River . . . when it hit me.
The Man Who Loved Too Much should be a trilogy!
Yes, I would take that monster the size of the New York Manhattan phone directory and split it into three. With a blessedness that would rival the Trinity in the greater scheme of things, people would then flock to my inspired words. Surely these novels would kick the Bible itself out of first place as the best selling book ever!
As they say, the rest is history.
Six years.
My trilogy is complete.
When sending death threats, please attach a $100 bill.
_________________________________________
The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago
Fellow lovers of literature! Here we begin the story of Billy Green. With all of the swell advantages of growing up in beautiful Detroit, Michigan . . . what could possibly go wrong? Aren't you maybe just a little bit curious?
Darn . . . I know I was.
And folks, because I genuinely believe in the power of impulse, there's no reason to postpone a decision you will always regret. This epic faux pas is available NOW!
Apple (iBook) . . . bit.ly/1ycltFD
Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1tyIRiw
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1z8F8aD
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/ZDnQVO
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1w62HOX
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1r6qWYQ
__________________________________
The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 2: Entendre
The Billy Green saga continues! Billy’s challenging, sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, always unpredictable journey.
Our boy from Detroit was more determined than ever to find meaning in life and comfort in love. He failed.
Admittedly, this is the darkest of the three books.
Available from all of the usual suspects!
Apple (iBook) . . . apple.co/1bkFQe7
Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/18x1ZnS
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1xfmjp3
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/18OGY85
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1AMUCPz
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1Du7Esh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...
_________________________________________
The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 3: Oxymoron
How do we function in a world which is both as randomly and intentionally cruel, as it is randomly and intentionally kind? Can we make sense of our lives when so much around us makes no sense?
In this, the final book of the trilogy, we find out what it means to be a "man who loves too much". Even more importantly, we discover if Billy Green is such a man.
Whew! Heavy stuff.
Apple (iBook) . . . apple.co/1DfoG9g
Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1LJnMcX
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1NZPU9Y
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/1fvzxXD
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1LJnRgJ
Direct from printer . . . http://bit.ly/1K07Yzy
