For those of you that joined this email list nine months ago… thank you.
For those of you that have recently joined… welcome.
What have I been doing since then? Writing. Imagining. Studying. Rewriting.
I am now at a point (over a year in the making) where I am ready to
unveil some of it. The manuscript is in the hands of Beta reviewers. For
those of you that were alpha readers, thank you. You have helped me
form an epic story that is interesting, inspiring and definitely
exciting!
What am I talking about? I am talking about my first novel called Rise of the Keepers. First of three in a series. Rise of the Keepers
is coming in at 115K words (360 pages paperback), so it is a full-scale
fiction novel. But more importantly, the Beta reviewers are giving me
very positive feedback. So far, they report it is entertaining and
inspirational. Interested? I hope so.
Now there are a few steps left. First I will rewrite based on the beta
reviewers’ feedback. Then I will be seeking an agent/publisher. If you
know either, let me know by replying to this email.
Until then, below is a teaser followed by memorable quotes from the
characters in this novel. If they inspire you, please forward this email
to your friends. They can join my email list by going to rhalderman.com. In future emails, I will share some scenes/chapters.
Teaser:
Ours is not the first civilization on this planet with high-tek.
Nor is it the first to reach for the stars.
As today, people in our dim past played the life and death game of liberty versus tyranny.
And tyranny would have won… if not for the “Rise of the Keepers.”
Quotes:
- “Save all that you can.” — Multiple Characters
- “Liberty requires vigilance.” — Gabriel
- “If you know the enemy and yourself, you need not fear the result of battle.” — Gabriel
- “Justice will have its day.” — Gabriel and Ceded
- “A leader is not necessarily one that is obviously so. If there is no visible leadership, an enemy will be uncertain whom to attack for a quick victory. Such a leader can manipulate things to the advantage of his cause. And not all battles require violence.” — Gabriel
- “For there to be an Everlasting Way of liberty, the aggressor must give restitution with compassion to those they have harmed. Else there can be no harmony, no enduring peace where the seeds of blind aggression remain.” — A Maker
- “… punishment … is sly reasoning used to control those with empathy and empower those without it.” — A Maker
- “The Way of liberty requires eternal vigilance. Those that do not pay that price are susceptible to those that invest in tyranny.” — A Maker and Ceded
- “… every empire needs an enemy. Something to keep the people fearful and willing to make sacrifices to keep the enemy at bay.” — Daeva
- “The trouble with psychopaths is they really don’t get other people. If they are skilled at manipulating others and get their way often, they think they know how to control the world. But what you call a weakness, empathy and compassion, empowers the rest of us. And if we think clearly and use our reason, we can see that any pain we sow in others will eventually return to undo what we build.” — Ceded
- “A task too difficult for one, can often be done by many.” — Michael and many others
- “When the people hailed Ceded as their ruler, he rebuked them by reminding them of all they accomplished in the absence of a single leader or ruler. He was challenging them to keep their sovereignty by continuing to cooperate with each other and not bargain it for another’s promise of safety and security.” — Michael
- “Leading people is never perfect and requires humility and fortitude. When you make a mistake, recognize it and understand it so you can apply that wisdom to the future.” — Warchod
- “Was I good person?” Ceded asked. The vine answered, “You are truly loved. What better measure is there?”