THE ENDWORLD SERIES

A bit of an ominous title, yes? Do not worry. I have not returned from a year and a half away from this website to say “thanks but no thanks.” To those of you that have navigated here over the last year plus looking for the inevitable HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD update don’t worry: It is coming. The above-referenced “end of all things” is, of course, the end of The ENDWORLD Series: The trilogy that took me almost 30 years and multiple revisions to complete. In the immortal words of Doctor Stephen Strange, we ARE in the endgame now. There is not much left for me to do save for finish cleaning and formatting the book, submit it for a final edit, send my cover concept to my artist to complete and thereafter? Publication.

To my always wonderful Beta readers? Thank you. Your feedback has as before and always been integral to my process. To those of you that have read Books One and Two and are waiting patiently for Book Three? Thank you, as well. It seems that for the most part, people have enjoyed William MacNuff’s story. I could do, and have seen others do way worse than 13 positive 4-5 star reviews on Amazon and two bad ones. And to those two folks that pinged me for 1 star? Thank you. It is humbling to know that The ENDWORLD Series does not resound with everyone. Mayhap if I do go on writing after this–and I certainly hope that I do–the next thing or things I write and put out for public consumption will be more to your liking.

I mused on my blog this past weekend that I had a revelation about the inspiration behind these books. If you’d like to read the whole post you can link it HERE, but to sum up? Book One was inspired by my childhood and early adulthood, the friends I found there and the love I discovered, and eventually lost. Book Two was inspired by my marriage, subsequent fatherhood and dissolution of the former a few years ago. Book Three though? It is informed by my past but not inspired by it. It is inspired by my future. The inevitable question of “where do I go from here?” With this new revelation in mind, I look forward to jumping into what remains of my final clean/format and giving you, at long last, the end of William’s story.

Is it the last ENDWORLD story? I honestly do not know. Only time will tell if there is more of that world, remaining to be written but that which I set out to do so many many years before this will be concluded with the words “The End.” No more “To Be Continued” or “To Be Concluded.” HEAVEN is William MacNuff’s last dance, and you will once more get to read it from his point of view.

There is something that I have been meaning to do, and it seems to me a necessary step to take before wrapping up this artistic odyssey that I have been on for a good portion of my life. These words speak to those of you reading this, or hearing about this that haven’t been a part of my life for a long time. Hopefully, you know who you are. Without revealing names and making anyone feel uncomfortable I want you to know that even now, “at the end of all things” I think about you. What you inspired. How you encouraged me to tell this story. What you were to me for so long and in many cases what I was to you. I pray that you have all found happiness and contentment. However things ended and whatever our final words, spoken to each other were–whether they were accompanied by a hug, anger or silence–know now and always that none of this would have been possible without you. This story? What started as a Wonder Years/Terminator mash-up with a bit of Huck Finn thrown in was as much created by you and your presence in my life as it was the archetypes that I modeled the characters, both machine AND human upon. Late night phone conversations. Embraces that I never wanted to end. An “I love you” spoken with the most plutonic of intentions that in one or two cases grew into more. Moments shared by sun and moonlight. Songs sang and one or two danced to. Those moments will live within my heart, soul and mind for the remainder of my life. Every time William said, and will say “je’taime” in the pages that remain he wasn’t simply speaking to one person. He was thinking of ALL of you. Hence my final dedication, revealed here for the first time in The ENDWORLD Series:

For you. Gone, but never forgotten.

Je’taime.

No lie: I labored over it a bit. Actually a LOT. But in the end? It seemed a fitting coda given where this story came from and the things that inspired it. A fitting way to acknowledge the myriad of people that made this possible and continue to do so. Our group of adventurers may not be as big as it was, once upon a time…

…because all good stories, and even some of the bad ones begin as such…

…but mayhap there will come a day when I do get to see some of you again. I hope you are well. I hope you are happy. I hope you feel the same peace within you that I feel, writing these words right now as I prepare to jump in and complete my own, literary journey. Here, at the end of all things related to The ENDWORLD Series.

I remain, and always will remain yours, as you remain mine.

Je’taime.

Frank.

One of, if not the most enduring ironies of being a writer is that despite spending pages upon pages, developing characters the act of writing itself is a very lonely one. Sure, there are the voices in your head that spill out, onto the page in various forms but much of what we do is done in solitude. One of my earliest memories when it comes to the writing process is hearing about Dante, and how he wrote “The Inferno” alone, by candlelight in his chambers and went blind because of it. I am not blind, and hopefully never will be, but I cannot deny that the majority of what I have written over the course of my life has been written from within the confines of my own, lonely chamber. Despite what has always been and remains a wonderful support system of family, friends and loved ones in the end? Writers are a solitary species. We travel a lonely road. And now is no different.

Earlier this afternoon, I finished my initial edit, read and revise of HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD despite a nasty stomach bug that snuck up on me, overnight and robbed me of the chance to see my wonderful “lady friend” Heather. I’ll make it up to her. To you, dear. I promise. Said edit/read/revise knocked it down from 209 to roughly 200 pages. For anyone keeping track that is easily the biggest, initual hack job I’ve ever done on a WIP. It’s not that I didn’t like all the pork I cut out. I did. But there’s a degree of trepidation, inherent in having too much “filler” in this one. People, myself included desire an ending. A solid one. And that is what I intend to give them and myself. Streamlined. The last part of HEAVEN is, and was always planned to be extensive. Plot lines wrapped up. Answers to questions that have remained enigmas since Book One. I’ve still got a ways to go to get to the already-written ending. But I have, most certainly reached the beginning of the ending and because of that? I find myself feeling more alone than I ever have before throughout the almost three decade long process of writing, re-writing and re-RE-writing The ENDWORLD Series. That’s where I am mentally this bright and shiny, late-Winter, Sunday afternoon. Physically my stomach is doing somersaults so BRB. Sorry if that’s TMI. LOL. #TooManyAcronyms.

Back and better for the moment, I find myself once again ruminating on how this trilogy of novels has evolved over the years. I’ve written of this before and won’t belabor you with it again. I find myself filled with a mixture of excitement at what lies ahead, but weariness at what I’ve left behind. The final part of HEAVEN begins against a similar backdrop from how ENDWORLD – A Novel began. No that’s not a spoiler. But it illustrates how cyclical a process the writing of these books has been. I started the first book in solitude, and I’m ending the last one in the same. Self-imposed. Also cyclical. I don’t know when I’ll start writing Part Five. Maybe tonight… Maybe this week but SOON. I need too. Because I’ve given myself a deadline to complete it. And the voices in my head are counting on me to finish telling their tale. One in particular. When I start… It’ll be quick. A long-form writing sprint to the end. The convergence of multiple stories into one. One final confrontation. This may be the first book I complete within a year (thanks, ‘Rona) and it should be. Because the time to move forward is upon me. Other adventures await and I can’t wait to get to them. So? Buckle in guys and gals. Past the present exists my future, but to get there? Much like my hero, I need to face my past. EVERYTHING that inspired or anti-inspired me. Full circle to finis. Finally.

So? As I prepare to close out what will likely be my last blog entry here, or over on Random Musings pre-finishing HEAVEN, I’d like to take a quick moment and say “thank you.” Thanks to my amazing support system for understanding and encouraging me to follow this story through until the end. Special thanks to Heather who has been listening to me talk about this moment for the last year. I love you sweetie. Thanks to everyone that has read, critiqued and enjoyed The ENDWORLD Series in one of it’s many incarnations over the years. I may not speak with all y’all on a daily basis anymore, but you remain with me. My own, mental peanut gallery. Always. There’s a good possibility that I’m going to go semi-dark for the duration of this on social media. I need to embrace the above-referenced solitude and exist in my own, proverbial, creative void with just my characters as company. You can always find me though. If you need me, reach out and I’ll be there. PM, text, phone or “other.” But for now? This is Frank Marsh, kind’a signing off. #AmFinishing #HEAVENANDENDWORLD #TheENDWORLDSeries

Endings have never been easy for me. Once upon a time…

…because all good stories begin as such…

…I wrote a blog post, over on my other site (linkable HERE if you want to check it out) about this topic. I wrote it at the tail end of my once-life as a husband and the beginning of my NEW life as a single dad. “Single Dadhood” I called it then, and I still call it now despite the fact that I am NOT single, and haven’t been for close to a year. A relationship doesn’t alter my Single Dadhood status. My kids are still my responsibility when they’re with me and mine alone. And I wouldn’t trade that at this juncture for anything in this, or ANY Skew.

But I digress. Anyone who knows me as either a writer, a person or both knows what I’m presently doing. As of last night, I’m 85 pages… Balls deep into HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD, Book Three of The ENDWORLD Series and the conclusion of William MacNuff’s story. The end of an idea that I’ve been mulling for almost three decades that has evolved, over the years into a much larger concept than it originally was. What was once a cross between “The Terminator” and “The Wonder Years” with a little “Tom Sawyer” and “The Adventures of Huck Finn” thrown in for good measure has become something much, much bigger. Alternate realities. Spirituality. And I am grateful for what it has meant to me in the past and what it means to me now. So the idea that sometime within the next 300 pages or so I’m going to be finally putting it behind me is… I’ll not lie, a “tough pill to swallow.” Because endings have never been easy for me. Apparently almost 45 years of life has done little to call that into question.

How do I… How do WE deal with an end or endings in general? I guess every soul approaches it in a different way. Some ARE able to embrace a conclusion and move on quickly. Others? For them it takes time. That’s me. An “other.” Which is probably why I’m preemptively writing about it now and not before I compose the final chapter of my story. I know that I simply need to enjoy the ride… Let my fingers do the talking as they stroll across my keyboard, at times more furiously than others. I’ve pissed off a LOT of keyboards in my life, no sarcasm intended whatsoever. And I know that THIS keyboard… This story will not be my last. But before I can move onto the myriad of other tales that are and have been festering in my head for decades, I need to complete my first one. So I guess, in essence, HEAVEN is its own version of a Gateway. A door leading from one Skew… One story to another.

Don’t worry all. I’m not going to Stephen King or MCU this sh*t. There’s no shared universe in my mind. Just a bunch of one-off tales that I want to write that have been and are being… well? Cock-blocked by The ENDWORLD Series. And I will. But before that happens I need to embrace THIS ending. The next scene I have planned to begin on page 86 is my first calculated risk in HEAVEN. So I’m forcing myself to pause for a night and ponder it before diving in. Sleep. Perchance to dream? I hope so. Because I want it to be RIGHT. Because the people out there that have read and supported me throughout this process deserve an ending that pulls no punches. Zero plot holes. I plan to leave no proverbial, literary stone unturned. Twelve bullets and MAXIMUM EFFORT. Not to mention a couple of swords sheathed upon my back. F*cking Deadpool. It… He NEVER gets old.

There’s an argument that can be made that The ENDWORLD Series, and my laser focus upon it for almost 30 years is nothing more than me, pointing at myself and saying “see ME? See what I’M doing?” I know some folks reading this right now feel that way. It’s inevitable. I knew what I was getting into when I opted to write mainly in the First Person and declared The ENDWORLD Series an “autobiographical fiction.” To them… To ANYONE that thinks I’m doing this to get attention I’ve got news for you: I’m not. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I write because I love doing it. I write for the one person that I can impact… Engage for a couple hundred pages and come away with a smile of enjoyment and fulfillment upon their face. It’s not about fame or money. It’s about creating something that can and hopefully WILL stand the test of time. I grew up reading books: A pear-shaped kid who got lost in the words penned by any number of mad geniuses. Books allowed me to escape everything from bullying to heartbreak. And writing books… Writing in general has had the same effect. It’s a natural extension of who I was into who I am today.

So for all of you, or the handful of you that have been waiting I’ve got good news: It’s coming. Faster than I expected and while I refuse to predict length, or how long it’ll take me to finish it I will tell you that, barring something catastrophic, it won’t be six years. It might not even be two. But when I’m satisfied with it… When it’s ready and worthy of being the closing chapter for not just William, but all the other characters that populate his universe you’ll see it. I look forward to that day more than you realize. Thank you, as before and always for your love, support and interest in my story. The fact that it found an audience is next to my children being born the most incredible thing that has ever happened to me and… God. It’s amazing. Humbling. I’m speechlessness folks. And that doesn’t happen very often.

Goodnight, all. Tonight I rest. Tomorrow night I jump back in. Page 86 is calling…

FM

Many of you, reading this do not know the story behind The ENDWORLD Series. Not that such a thing should apply in this world of writing and writers, of inspiration and the like that I’ve existed in for as long as I can remember. But here’s a little known fact about it: It was written initially as a fictional reaction to a non-fiction series of events. From it’s earliest days, when someone asked me what I was writing, I told them it was a “fictional autobiography.” When I started writing it, I was in love. And when I finished the first draft of it, not the one that I published seven years ago but the first, FIRST draft I was STILL in love. But that love was not returned. So it remained a story. As badly as I wanted it to be real it wasn’t. William, then Roland was me. And Maria was HER. And that was it. Finis.

When I decided to retool it back in 2011, I did so initially as a reaction to me, not being able to finish my MA in Education at Drexel. Much of that was by choice despite what many, over the years have come to believe. Yes, there were other factors that influenced my decision to walk away but in the end? It was MY call. Every decision we make in life has risk and reward. I knew the risk of walking away, but I also knew the reward and in truth? I would not be the man I am today… The father I am now had I continued along that path toward my dream of being a teacher. Do I regret it? Yes. I’ll admit that herein. But I may have regretted it more had I “stuck.”

Re-writing ENDWORLD was a way to fill a sudden gap in my heart and soul. My dream of being a teacher gone, I needed SOMETHING to replace it. So? I wrote. I dialed back to my basest instinct and re-told an evolved version of my original autobiographical fiction. And because of that… Because I poured so much into it it grew. It changed. It became about not just love but spirituality. I saw between the words of the original story a little-acknowleged belief system and a world… Worlds… An entire UNIVERSE that I needed to explicate. The final product was… Long. WAY longer than the original. It was flawed and a bit pretentious. It was repetitive but beneath the flaws, it was good. Very good. Maybe not great but as first novels go, I was pleased with the result. And as it went “live” and folks began to read it and like it my heart swelled with gratitude. I was a writer. A self-published one yes but the distinction, then and now has grown blurry. The book was a bit less polished than something published by Random House but it was professionally done. I went to great pains to make it so and that, along with my decision to self-publish it? I never regretted it. Not once. I still don’t.

And then? I started re-writing Book Two of my ENDWORLD Series. And within six months I was within 150 pages of done it. Once again, life threw me a curve ball. One at first. Then two. Then three. And then a flurry of them and I had to put CHILDREN aside. The decision to do so was yet another risk/reward, watershed moment for me and my life. Sadly, after a couple of years the risk far overshadowed the reward and the end result–one possible outcome which I saw early on but fought tooth and nail to prevent–still happened. Did I regret putting CHILDREN aside? No. I still don’t. Because in the end, I picked it back up and completed it. And the end result was very much an autobiographical fiction, albeit a more evolved, more adult and deeply personal one than the original ENDWORLD had been. CHILDREN was and, I still believe is the greatest thing I’ve ever written. It has flaws. Contrivances. But as second novels go, I couldn’t have been happier, given what anti-inspired it.

Which brings me to now. To HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD, Book Three of my ENDWORLD Series. Have I started it? Yes. I have. About three or four times and the last one was the one that “stuck.” The remainder of the tale is outlined to evolve from it. But finding the inspiration to compose it eludes me right now and THAT friends… THAT is what I am presently grappling with. This, like everything else has risk and reward. But there is less of the former, for the first time EVER and more of the latter because really? What have I got to lose?

I’m generally pretty content these days. Maybe that is the issue. I mentioned previously that ENDWORLD and CHILDREN were written from places of anti-inspiration. So much of what I have written in my life comes from those same, deep and dark places. And considering how CHILDREN ended my hero isn’t exactly in a warm and fuzzy mindset presently. He’s broken. Angry. He’s confused and dangerous. How do I reconcile that with who I, Frank Marsh am right now? Maybe not a living and breathing facsimile of a smiley face but close. Closer than I’ve ever been. Aye, Shakespeare. There’s the rub. How do I complete my tragic hero’s story when for the first time in my life, I don’t feel like I’m an unwilling participant in a f*cking tragedy?

I think the answer to that question is simpler than it seems. In short? I just do it. I find my inspiration… Seek out my muse and just GO. I’m not Stephen King. The only expectations I set are the ones I set for myself. At my core I am a perfectionist and anything short of that is unacceptable both for me, AND for you. So why wait? Why not just do it? Finish the story that I have 95% outlined in my head and on paper and finally… FINALLY be done with it?

I don’t know. I don’t know why I hesitate to do the one thing I need to do. Mayhap all I need to do is just sit down and let the words flow. I can always adjust and correct later. I think I’m close. I’m near to making that comitment. I know that now, and I owe a sincere “thank you” to my good friend Tim Jackson for helping me to realize that over the last 48 hours. Booyakasha, Marine. RESPECT. For anyone who is wondering YES, Tim is the person that Tim Redfield is loosely based on in the books. Not a villain in real life. Oh no. Far from it. He is a good man and a faithful friend. Maybe the one Joe or Josephine Schmoe out there that is about as close to me in personality as… Well? Me. And HIS story… Tim Redfield’s? The remainder of it will be told in HEAVEN. And it’s fascinating, folks. I promise you that.

So? Strap in gang. Let’s do this. Time to read over everything that I’ve written too date first and then GO. But? You’ve made it this far. You’ve read my oft times inane and insane ramblings both now, and in the past and because of that? I owe you some love. And a bit of a surprise. That said, I give you THIS. The opening of HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD. It may change a bit but probably not a lot. It strikes the right tone. It’s not a ton… I don’t want to give away the farm, but I do want you to see and know that in the immortal words of Freddy Mercury the show does, and WILL go on.

Goodnight all. Sweet dreams.

The sea has no memory.

I’m not sure where I heard that before. Some pre-Administration author or poet wrote it. Someone whose name was lost along with so much of what existed before. Before the Administration. Before the machines. Before Tim Redfield, alias Lord Lynk. Before I lost my best friend, turned lover turned the mother of my daughter. Her name flashes through my road weary mind as I stand here, my tarnished boots in the sand, staring out over the endless expanse of water that stretches out to the horizon before me beneath a gray, late Fall/early Winter sky. Not a dreaming python, and not deadly if you provoke it. But peaceful the way it undulates hypnotically before me. Somehow… someway I understand, and I close my eyes/feel the way the chilling, sea breeze blows against my cheeks and whips my long, mostly white hair out behind me.

The sea has no memory, I whisper to myself, and feel a moment’s respite from the nagging pain of hunger in my gut and the way my mind drifts like a fallen leaf, or a piece of wood upon the water.

I open my eyes. It is hard. More difficult than it ever has been before because I am tired. So tired. Time has passed. I am unsure of how much as time has no meaning here. A day… a week… a month, year, decade, century or millennia is infinite. Forever. Everything else dies but time? It marches ever onward like a dutiful humachine, it’s only purpose to taunt us… it’s only meaning to give a vague, sense of structure to the All. In the end? Laughable. “Only to die, as all must in time, the demise of a fool to fact.”

Remelius Vincent really knew his shit, sarcasm fully intended.

FM.

Good Afternoon Everyone, and Happy July! If you’re anything like me you’re looking forward to a month full of days off, beaches, mountains… whatever your chosen destination! Even a staycation if that’s your thing.

Who doesn’t love reading a good book while relaxing? I pride myself on bringing one or more with me when I head for points north, south, east or west. That said, I’m running a couple of promos this month in celebration of my favorite month of the summer!

The first? I’m dropping the price on the CHILDREN OF ENDWORLD eBook, across all platforms for the month of July to $1.50 EACH! If you’ve been meaning on picking up a copy of my latest novel and Book Two of The Endworld Series, now’s the time! Links to buy can be found on the “Where to Buy” page of this website so click HERE, or head on over and check ’em out!

To sweeten the pot? I’m also going to bring back my FREE BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW promo from a few years ago. Both books–CHILDREN especially–are in need of reviews and if you’re willing to write one, I’m willing to provide you with a free copy of either book in whatever format you choose, including paperback! Yes, that’s how serious I am and how confident I am that you’ll enjoy this story. If you head over to the “About Me” page of this website you’ll see the various ways you can reach out to me. Don’t hesitate to do so! Click HERE. I’d love to hear from you!

Lastly, and perhaps MOST exciting: Beginning on Saturday, July 6th and and running through Sunday, July 10th, Book One of The Endworld Series, ENDWORLD – A Novel will be FREE… yes, I said FREE on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. E-format only. If you’re a paperback person like me there is a way you can get your hands on a free copy. See the above paragraph. All you have to do is write a review. Good, bad, indifferent or just “meh.” Whatever you choose!

That’s it! Any questions, concerns et al you know where to reach me. Thanks as always for your patronage! Have a terrific month!

Best,

F.

So I posted this across my Social Media footprint a few moments ago, and I wanted to throw it up here, as well. As near as I can tell, CHILDREN OF ENDWORLD is now live in all formats, both electronic and print. I’ve updated all the links on the WHERE TO BUY page, linkable via the main menu if you want to go and check it, and them out.

To everyone that has reached out to me, congratulated me, purchased a copy of either ENDWORLD – A Novel or CHILDREN OF ENDWORLD et cetera THANK YOU. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Those of you that picked one or both up, I hope you enjoy it/them. I ask only that you pass on your impressions as you read and finish it, i.e. review it! Indie publishing is not easy, and reviews are the lifeblood of an Indie author. The more reviews a book gets on Amazon, Barnes and Noble et al, good or bad the more recognizable it becomes. And if you have any questions, complaints et cetera reach out to me directly and I’ll get right back to you. Check out the HOW TO CONTACT ME page (also linkable via the main menu) if you’re interested.

That said? Thank you…. THANK YOU again. For supporting me and my dream all these years. I’ll have more news to announce soon, but for now? The hard part is done. And I guess I’d better get to writing HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD, huh?

Have a great evening, everyone.

F.

At approximately 1AM on April 23rd, 2019, six years to the date when I published ENDWORLD – A Novel, I finished reviewing all versions of the sequel, CHILDREN OF ENDWORLD, and ordered my final proof of the paperback version. Assuming the print version looks the way it did in the previewer, it is done. The e-versions will be priced at $2.99 and should be available for preorder within the next 24 hours at all of your standard, online retailers. The print version will be $15.99 and will be available for the same as soon as I review the proof and click “publish.” The book will OFFICIALLY RELEASE across all platforms at 12AM, EST this Saturday, April 27th. Links to follow as soon as everything goes live but folks? It’s time. #CHILDRENOFENDWORLDishere

Good Evening, and Goodnight.

F.

Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening everyone! I hope you all had as spectacular a holiday as I did. I got to spend 90% of it with my minions, Cara and #NatNatBoo, and while I spent the better part of Thursday and Friday sick with either a Flu or Strep Throat, I… WE made up for it Saturday and Sunday. Playdates were had, candy was ingested (a LOT of it by everyone including me), gatherings were attended and… It was just downright awesome. I’ve spent so much of my recent life in a funk, trying to figure out the Why, the How… You know the litany. It was nice to finally just… Live. And enjoy.

And–in the midst of my revelry with my friends, their minions and mine on Saturday afternoon–I got a text. And that text? It was from my cover artist, Catalina. It was a picture. THE picture. You know the one of which I speak. I’ll talk about my reaction in a bit and a few other items but at this time? I see no reason to make you wait any longer. My friends, family and oft times casual readers? My “Social Media-Verse” as I often call you? With Cat’s blessing, I give you the cover to the forthcoming second book of The Endworld Series, CHILDREN OF ENDWORLD:

You’ll likely see this image a lot over the next few weeks, months and–if I’m lucky–years. I’m not a soothsayer or a “philosophiser” as White Goodman once said. I have no idea what will happen once this book goes live… No idea how it will be received. But this cover? It is everything… EVERYTHING I wanted and then some and Cat? I know you’re reading this and if I haven’t told you enough at this point? You are amazing. Incredible. You saw my vision, sketched out on piece of yellow legal paper what feels like a lifetime ago and you made it breathe. Sing. F*ck… Whatever! It’s unbelievable. Folks? If you want to check out Cat’s other work, pay her a visit on her Instagram page HERE, or at @itssketchcat. Please!

When she and I first discussed this years ago–on a slow afternoon at good ol’ CareersUSA, long before first her and then I FINALLY “got out”–it was just that: A discussion. CHILDREN was still in the early stages then but I had… Ideas. This was one. There were others but over time, this was the one I always came back to. When I officially asked her back over Christmas of last year and she officially accepted though? I don’t know. Seeing this now, I feel like we were both put there, in that sh*tty little office under the proverbial thumb of a… Let’s be honest, here: Tyrant–for a reason. Kind of like with Amy my editor: We were meant to reconnect back in 2009-2010, right when I first started retooling Book One after a number of long and at times eventful years. Folks? Whether you believe in Providence or not I do. And to have people like Amy and, now Cat with me on this journey? It feels like just that: Providence. Partners, friends… Everything. And now? I’ll stop rambling. Because you’ve probably got questions.

For obvious reasons, I can’t answer them all. Spoilers, sweeties… Spoilers. But ask them anyway. Check out my contact page, linkable in the above menu and reach out. I’ll do the best I can. Probably the most obvious one is: What the f*ck is a “Voodoo Tree?” Well? I can tell you that it’s a real thing. A real landmark in a real place. And if you remember Book One, you likely remember it. If you don’t, there’s no need to go back and reread the whole thing. Just check out the last chapter and the epilogue. It doesn’t appear until then. And whereas it does not have a ton of significance in ENDWORLD I promise you that it is crucial… Integral to not only CHILDREN, but HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD as well. And that? That’s about as far as I’m going to go into it. You’ll just have to check out CHILDREN in a week or so if you want to know more. A week or so? Yeah. That soon. I’ll touch on that more in a bit.

The other question that I’m guessing is running through your mind is why a hand drawn cover? There are two reasons for that and the first is that it simply looks better. Hand drawn equals art, and I am… We are all artists. Whether we write or draw, make music or sculpt, write Haikus or create comics we are what we are. And as such we support each other. If I can showcase another artist in the process of making my own art then I’m going to.

But the second reason? It’s a bit more vague. When I was a kid and I first started reading, I remember books like “The Hobbit” and “Bridge To Terabithia.” I remember reading them when I was my daughter Cara’s age and marvelling at the look of their covers. It was what drew me in. “Someone drew that” I would think to myself and I’d read on. This cover… Reminds me of what I felt like when I first discovered the written word decades ago. So it’s a callback. To my youth. To yours. And if there’s a cover that inspired you the way they did then and the way this one does for me now? I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to reach out. Again, check out my contact page. I promise I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can.

And that? That’s pretty much it! I guess the only question remaining is WHEN? Damnit, Frank, when are you going to go live with the book? Well? I’d love to get it out there by next weekend. And I’m going to go for that. It could make for a long week but you deserve it. You’ve waited long enough. So more details to follow. Once I run everything through their final checks I’ll be able to lock down the publication date. And you will be the first people who know. I promise.

Thank you all for your time, support and… Well? Just thank you. Thank you again for everything. As my alter-ego the Madchronicler is fond of saying, booyakasha. Respect. Talk to you soon!

F.

There may be one or two people out there, wondering why yours truly–a writer of Dystopian Science Fiction–just changed his website header picture from the cover of his first book to a picture of, of all things, a Cherry Blossom. Well? The answer is twofold and relatively simple:

1. I discovered this morning that I had a Cherry Blossom in my backyard–hence the picture; not a stock shot but one that I took myself–when I woke up, home with a couple of sick minions to find it in full bloom. Cherry Blossoms are my favorite tree and had you told me, before I bought this house last September that it had one in it’s backyard? Yeah. I would have paid full asking to ensure I got it. Because…

2. Cherry Blossoms symbolize renewal. And the last half year has been all about that for me. New beginnings… Starting over… If you read my blog Random Musings you know the litany at this point. I’m not going to belabor you any more with my life story. But it really has been about endings and beginnings, which brings me to…

The significance of renewal to CHILDREN OF ENDWORLD and, more specifically, HEAVEN AND ENDWORLD. No spoiler alert (I promise) but I wrote CHILDREN whilst dealing with… Many of the issues that caused me to end up HERE, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and not in Broomall where I resided and wrote for almost 13 years. You should know–and you will in a few weeks–that CHILDREN really is the end of one story and the beginning of another one. It reflects the transition that I am going through in my life presently. And ever since I moved here/started this new, oft times bizarre, many times quiet new life of mine I’ve been looking for signs. Omens. And to have this happen today? Well. If that’s not a GOOD omen then I don’t know what is.

So I tell you, my friends, family and oft time casual readers now that HEAVEN? It will have a Cherry Blossom in it. Blossoms perhaps. Both physically, and figuratively. Because renewal is something to embrace, not run from. Life changes. And if you don’t embrace the changes when they happen and make the best of them you run the risk of becoming bitter. No matter how hard it gets… No matter how difficult and different my life becomes I will always, ALWAYS embrace the changes.

Even in Endworld, folks, there is still and always will be beauty to be found. Physical. Emotional. And spiritual. Even in the darkest of days there will always be hope. Never forget that. I sure the hell won’t. I’ve got a Cherry Blossom in my backyard, now, to always remind me.

F.

Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening everyone! It’s been quite some time since I last posted on this site, much less maintained or even looked at it. What can I say? Life, writing, a bit more life, work and oh yeah! Did I mention life? You’re laughing on the inside, I know, sarcasm fully intended? Or not. Whatever your preference. Whatever the case, here I am! I’m back, a bit older and wiser but still me. If you really really want to know what I’ve been up to, you can pop over to my blog, Random Musings of a Pseudo-Madman Version 2.0, linkable HERE and see. I’ll not lie: It’s not all pretty. So read at your own peril.

Despite 101 life changes in the last five years I never stopped working on Book Two of The Endworld Series, CHILDREN OF ENDWORLD, and while it took me a bit longer than I expected to finish it, finish it I did, and now, I can officially confirm that not only is CHILDREN done, but it is formatted and one cover short of publication! More info to follow, including a cover reveal and GO LIVE date(s) but for the moment, I can and would love to show you a sampling of what the interior is going to look like, both in print and on Kindle, Nook, iBooks… Whatever your chosen platform. I’ll follow up with everything else in real time.

A quick note: I opted to format it myself this go ’round. This is not a knock in any way, shape or form on Damonza, who did a nice job formatting ENDWORLD six plus years ago and continues to do good work too date. But my strategy this time, due to a number of factors including the aforementioned life changes was less outsourcing. Which meant assuming more of the front end work myself. I’ve yet to run it through the Createspace, Kindle and Nook/iBooks emulators (the latter via Smashwords as before) but all signs point to it being 100% compatible. So I’m hopeful.

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll see when it’s available. The first is a collage of pages from the beginning of the print version. Don’t worry: There are no spoilers. As always, I welcome your feedback.

I did my best to match fonts, sizes and content so as to make the transition from ENDWORLD to this as smooth as possible. The same is true for the eBook version.

Thoughts? Issues? Please share them. So as to avoid spoilers there is only so much I can show you but I will tell you that I’ve added a couple of surprises, even in the early going, and the only people that know about them are the ones that they’re about.

All that said, there really isn’t a ton more to address at this point. Once I have the cover in hand you’ll see it (I love a cover reveal!), and once I run the finished product through the aforementioned emulators I’ll be able to give you the long overdue GO LIVE date(s).

In preparation for re-embarking on my journey as an author, albeit a self-published one I have ALSO relaunched this website. A new layout, new content, new links… The whole shebang! I invite you to explore, comment, critique etc.. It is a work in progress… I’m not even 100% sold on the new layout yet but a new book means a pseudo-new look but, similar to what I did with the formatting of CHILDREN in that it’s different, but not too different.

And that? That’s it! If you were expecting something longer, and more drawn out I apologize. This isn’t Random Musings. I look forward to providing you with additional updates soon! Thanks as before and always for your encouragement and support. Have a great day, night… Whenever you’re reading this! Booyakasha. Respect.

F.