tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31595861339856309352024-03-14T05:35:29.837-04:00JauntWorldWelcome to JauntWorld!
Hello, all. I'd like to take the time to welcome you to my JauntWorld blog, where I post various bits of my professional and avocational writing, as well as occasional essays on current events. My debut novel, Jaunt, was published in 2007 and its indirect sequel—Ether, followed in 2010. I currently have two short novel ebooks set in the Agent Maya universe, where you can find more info at agentmaya.blogspot.com.
Check out my links, and see what you think. Thanks!Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-82143480185519467282013-09-22T17:33:00.000-04:002013-09-22T17:37:25.000-04:00Mr President, Where Is Your Righteous Outrage? <br />
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Watching these farces of domestic and foreign "policies" these last few weeks, one has to wonder where our esteemed President's priorities lay. Two years too late, he aims to enforce his mouth diarrhea about "red lines" in a failing state that could have been punished more effectively and succinctly by surgical air strikes before sarin had been used and Islamist forces took control over a "rebel" continent in Syria. He's embarrassed his biggest ally, himself, America and the West in general, and allowed our traditional rival and Dictator-in-Chief Vlad Putin an easy global political victory. After weaseling out of a direct Presidential order to strike Syria over his nebulous red line and attempting to throw Congress (and his political opponents and so-called allies) under the bus, he threatens this very same Congress over ridiculous budgetary shutdown terms. Where was that spine with Syria two years ago, Mr President? Where was it against Iran's Green Movement crackdown by the despots and the Revolutionary Guard? </div>
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Yesterday, in a Kenyan mall shooting, dozens were killed by al-Shabab militants—allied to al-Qaeda, no less—the same terrorists responsible for Somalia's decades of misery and horror. These people are the Taliban of East Africa. Americans were murdered there, as they were in the twin 1998 hotel bombings that President Clinton ignored. Al-Qaeda's first salvos went unmet by Clinton. Mr President, al-Shabab won't go away; will you have a spine against these animals? </div>
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All the hand wringing over domestic gun violence—be it school shootings or neighborhood watchmen defending themselves—random sports events bombings, aerial drone strikes and Gitmo tribunals will pale in comparison if we fail to stand up for our ideals and project our force across the world where we have been directly threatened. </div>
Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-69971734088800920962013-06-24T22:17:00.000-04:002013-06-24T22:27:41.048-04:00Send In The DronesMuch has been made in the popular media recently about the role of drones in state and federal law enforcement, from frenzied Orwellian overtones to more nuanced analyses. The fact of the matter is, surveillance, whether from drones or squad cars, choppers or planes, has been an ongoing occurrence for decades. Now with the installation of realtime phone cameras onto cheap RC drones and quick uploads to the web, the eyes that have always been there now seem omnipresent. Domestic weaponization is only a short time away, surely. We'll all be targets.<br />
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Well, I'm not quite ready to concede defeat to alarmists in this regard. As much as I disagree with the current administrations's handling of the "covert" foreign drone programs, I don't foresee a domestic analogue run by the CIA without Congress swiftly worked up into a lather (the FBI has conceded that they already run a domestic program, but they probably aren't going to start a drone Waco or Ruby Ridge anytime soon). And while Congress has traditionally been slow to adapt or adopt laws regarding new technologies, some states and localities are already drawing up bills to curtail or nearly ban blanket drone surveillance. Frankly, Cold War-era spy satellites have been doing a mighty good job at peeling away the layers of our domestic sense of security for decades, and we give them little or no thought. The very idea that the Eye in the Sky is within ear or eyeshot seems to give people the willies more than anything else. What would the neighbors think?<br />
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In <i>Ether</i>, our heroes face particularly nasty weaponized drones on a few occasions, with intrepid special agent Greg Mason literally engaged in a face-to-face encounter at one point. I don't expect to bring that scene to life anytime soon.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-36475456510841836772013-06-24T21:54:00.001-04:002013-06-24T21:54:36.328-04:00Jaunt Discounted at Lulu.com!Just dropping a note that I discounted <i><a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/erik-kreffel/jaunt/paperback/product-1026767.html">Jaunt</a></i> the trade paperback 30% over at Lulu.com, an exclusive discount you can't get anywhere else! Now at $13.27, <i>Jaunt</i> is over $5 cheaper than ever before (and much cheaper than <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jaunt-Erik-Kreffel/dp/0615145973/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372124745&sr=1-1&keywords=jaunt">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jaunt-erik-kreffel/1100072336?ean=9780615145976">Barnes & Noble</a>). Go and grab yourself a bound copy for your scifi shelf.<br />
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And when you're done with <i>Jaunt</i>, remember that <i>Ether</i> is only $.99, a bargain of an ebook! Thanks and good reading.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-15905355191035575882013-04-06T11:05:00.000-04:002013-04-06T11:05:40.506-04:00A Renewal, Of SortsI have been thinking for a couple of years, pretty much since I released <i>Ether</i>, that <i>Jaunt</i> required a fresh coat of paint, to spruce up that dusty face I created six long years ago. To put the two JauntWorld books together within a more unified front, I have redesigned the ebook cover, and a tentative wraparound cover for a potential print book, if I so decide (economics playing a bigger part, of course). It was quite an ambitious project six years ago when I first published <i>Jaunt</i> with Lulu; with a more practiced and experienced eye now, that first book looks very much like a rookie endeavor, more flaws than successes. I'm quite proud of it, and I've received many words of kindness and support about it, but a renewed <i>Jaunt</i> for a new season seems well past time. Eventually I suppose I will reformat the text inside—for now, the cover is the lone new element, and a new header here at JauntWorld to reflect the renewed brand.<br />
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Hope you enjoy it, I sure do!<br />
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<br />Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-21946211912670940152012-12-24T23:40:00.001-05:002012-12-24T23:44:58.415-05:00Merry ChristmasFrom me to you, have a Happy Holiday and great 2013! Next year, the majority of posts from me will be over at <a href="http://agentmaya.blogspot.com/">Agent Maya</a>, but I might pop a quick essay here or something I find interesting (and who knows, I might just re-visit some of the <i>Jaunt</i> icons and images for a refresh...). See you then!Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-36942746127727129032012-12-09T18:29:00.004-05:002012-12-09T18:29:59.814-05:00Another One Bites The Dust (Soon?)<br />
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I believe I've made clear my disdain for the world's worst heads of state on JauntWorld; it certainly hasn't lessened any with the news of Hugo Chavez's recent health woes. I can only rejoice with the irony of this monster being eaten alive from the inside out—a fitting end for a man who has done the same to his own country. The less said about his "Bolivarian Revolution" the better, save for it being thrown onto the ash heap of history.</div>
Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-10903816315286254402012-09-08T14:24:00.000-04:002012-09-08T14:30:09.807-04:00Hey! How About That Putin!Now that I've got your attention, click over to <a href="http://agentmaya.blogspot.com/2012/09/teasers.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Agent Maya</span></a> for some news. I promise to get an essay back here on JauntWorld about the sad state of affairs in our current world. Meanwhile, the first post-bin Laden US Presidential election is gearing up to be a farce...our incumbent is trying to out-W. Bush the nation in his covert overseas adventures, while our challenger would appear to have no foreign policy to speak of and zero charisma at best. Reminds me of the reverse of the 1980s. Interesting.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-31814304763465931382012-07-14T09:37:00.000-04:002012-07-14T09:38:34.733-04:00Don't Call It a Comeback......Just a working vacation. Okay, so I've been ignoring JauntWorld and boy is it peeved. But, over on <a href="http://agentmaya.blogspot.com/2012/07/hey-its-been-year-since-i-last-posted.html">IPTP Agent Maya</a>, I have a good excuse. So click over there and read why I've been absent.<br />
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Back now? JauntWorld's been quiet as I haven't been writing in there for a while. I'll get to <i>Cloak</i> someday, but duty to my other mistress in outer space demands my fullest attention. I'll try to do my original blog some justice and post more often. Thanks for reading!Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-2714668682999662952011-12-29T22:04:00.000-05:002011-12-29T22:06:36.112-05:00Ether Has Arrived! New For 2012That's right, the second, and long-promised, novel in the JauntWorld series, <i>Ether</i>, is finally here! After much deliberation, I decided to publish <i>Ether</i> as an exclusive ebook for the time being. Financial considerations what they are, it's just more feasible to go strictly epub. Should I figure out a good way to print a trade edition, the formatting and interior layout are complete, allowing me to do so easily. I'll also look into a way to create a downloadable PDF in the future for those interested in a more traditional, one-off print "book". <br />
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I have recently joined <a href="http://www.scribd.com/jauntworld">Scribd</a> (find me under <i>jauntworld</i>) where a three-chapter sample of <i>Ether</i> is currently available there, as is a full, FREE, download of that chestnut, <i>2 Shorts (+1)</i>. I will periodically upload new content to Scribd as it is available. Please look for me there and don't forget to download <i>Ether</i>! Oh, and <i>Jaunt</i> is still available, too!Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-31378559811819910722011-12-19T22:45:00.000-05:002011-12-19T22:46:16.192-05:00An Open Letter To Kim Jong-UnThis your time. Your people will follow you into the future. Truly make the People's Republic live up to its name and allow you people's voices to be heard. Open your country to the world. End the Stalinist purges. End your nuclear program. End the useless propaganda—no one buys it, not even your own people anymore with modern technology. Follow the example set by Burma and allow elections. Follow China and open your markets. You have no blood on your hands, giving you legitimacy to the eyes of the world. Do all of these things and truly become a Beloved and Great Leader, not the facades your forefathers propagated. It is true Juche to do these great things. <br />
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<br />Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-38919553470690388992011-12-12T21:03:00.000-05:002011-12-12T21:03:03.983-05:00Tsar Vladi's Bad WeekSo, apparently parading around doing burly, manly activities (including hosting an Us vs. Them Russian-American wrestling match) isn't enough to wrangle your party to a total victory in a rigged parliamentary election in these desperate days anymore, Vlad. Sorry to hear your and Dmitry's pre-arranged job swap isn't inflaming great love for your return, either. While I doubt your electorate will kick you out for good (something tells me you'll find some spare votes in a crevice) perhaps you should think twice and consider a few guys to the south who've disregarded their populace this past year. Your armed forces have a lot of time on their hands, too, and I hear they don't get paid that well, or often. Keep an open mind.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-68613795409730150912011-10-28T22:12:00.000-04:002011-10-28T22:13:41.601-04:00Where've the past two months gone? Anyway, I've been upgrading my slightly older computers, maxing out memory and hard-drive space for my future graphic endeavors. With luck I'll have some ideas to earn a little and save up to bankroll my publishing imprint. Plus, it's just been plain fun hacking my Macs for the first time ever.<br />
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Happy Halloween! <br />
<br />Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-22887942611403839212011-08-30T19:52:00.001-04:002011-08-30T19:52:57.903-04:00Late SummerMy reading list the last few months has consisted of new (old) comics and I'm quite enjoying the yellow old newsprint and funky comic smell. This keeps me in a good state of mind for my own comic project, which I've finally finished writing. Having begun designs for characters, I'll soon start roughing out the 135-page total for the entire seven-issue series. It's certainly a far cry from the olden days of drawing on folded notebook paper and then stapling them!Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-25613920711858792682011-07-25T22:48:00.001-04:002011-07-25T22:48:57.039-04:00On The Third BeginningThe first rough chapter of <i>Cloak</i> ends up being better for Chapter 2, so it's back to the outline for some tweaks. Of course this seems to be a bit of a tradition for me as both <i>Jaunt</i> and <i>Ether</i> have neither of their original first chapters. It's interesting going back to the well once more with these characters for the final time, so I'm doubly certain to have to craft a fitting ending for JauntWorld as a series. The challenge lies in writing in originality and editing out anything that strikes as a retread of the other books. I'm setting myself up for a big payoff which I hope I can accomplish!<br />
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My other comic endeavor is going well—six scripts down, one to go. Then the real work begins. <br />
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<br />Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-14547800358727089392011-06-25T11:52:00.000-04:002011-06-25T11:52:06.055-04:00And Now, More Free StuffI've had this kicking around my reference folder for awhile, having meant to post it for well over a year. It's the JauntWorld Political Map (<i>Ether</i> Global Edition).<br />
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Maybe I'll do a more detailed map some year....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii34/JauntWorld/JauntWorldPoliticalweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii34/JauntWorld/JauntWorldPoliticalweb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-7880550874243766042011-06-25T11:31:00.001-04:002011-06-25T11:32:40.553-04:00Reduced Ebook Prices and Et CeteraI've brought 'em down to 99 cents, less than a buck! The way the trends are going in ebook sales, the lower, the better. <i>Maya</i> continues to trickle a few sales on Amazon, while <i>Jaunt</i> was zilch—to say the least—so I decided to take what pennies I could. And don't forget, <i>2 Shorts (+1)</i> is free—don't say I never did anything for ya!<br />
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I've read recently of the million-ebook sales club on Amazon consisting of the biggest names in publishing right now, and with that name recognition, they can charge more than the price point of a standard mass market. Well, we little guys cannot match that so we have to compete where we can, and that's in these lesser prices. Personally any price point over five dollars is just overreaching it, to be honest. Multimillion-dollar contracted authors really don't require $15 ebooks.<br />
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Okay, enough about that. I've been working on comics plots for the better part of two years, with a story arc running for a seven-issue series. I'm enormously private about works in progress, as I have minimal confidence in myself as the work is taking shape, but I can't help but post that I am indeed actually writing, just not in my usual manner and in the familiar sandbox of JauntWorld. Doing this comic work involves an extra degree of confidence that I'm not just fooling myself! I love comics, have since I was old enough to read, and they're my first literary love. But I just don't have anything I'm ready to show for my efforts—yet. When I do, this blog—even though its primary focus is on JauntWorld—will display it, and I hope everyone will see it as the labor of love (and love letter to comics) that it is.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-87229126323573784592011-05-01T23:36:00.000-04:002011-05-01T23:36:47.619-04:00Justice Is ServedErik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-76312805251476065142011-04-16T12:56:00.001-04:002011-04-16T12:59:25.191-04:00Ebook UpdateHere we are again, another late post! Well, I have some <i>Jaunt</i> ebook goodness to share. If you own a Nook, click here:<br /><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Jaunt/Erik-Kreffel/e/2940000797273">Jaunt</a><br />And for you Kindle readers:<br /><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Jaunt-ebook/dp/B004M8SEKO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1197599940&sr=11-1">Jaunt</a><br /><br />Head on over there! Thanks.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-85428373704046923282011-01-29T15:14:00.000-05:002011-01-29T15:14:08.138-05:00New Year, New Book (Soon)Sorry to be gone so long, personal issues and such. But I finally have a proof copy of <i>Ether</i> ready, reworking it based on the sample I ordered a while back. Designing the interior text body, exterior cover and ordering my ISBN are time-consuming tasks, but the work is worth it. I'm getting closer to a finished product with some proof corrections to come and I couldn't be happier. <i>Ether</i> was delayed for the better part of 2009 and I've had some catching up to do, but the entire creation and finishing process the second time around (after <i>Jaunt</i>) is still rewarding.<br />
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Here's to a productive and creative 2011! Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-42922326843390519492010-12-25T22:51:00.000-05:002010-12-25T22:51:27.305-05:00Merry Christmas...And a Happy New Year! Currently reviewing the sample booklet of <i>Ether</i> I ordered two weeks ago. Thoroughly dissecting the cover design, page layout and other odds and ends for the actual print hopefully some time in the next eight months!Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-16235864852003196382010-11-30T22:29:00.001-05:002011-04-16T13:00:14.412-04:00Late-Season RamblingIt's that time of year once more, day is the same as evening is the same as day. Inspiration is hard to come by so I work on gathering my research and plotting out my future tales. The holidays are tough to navigate, as the day job sucks the energy from me and the cold darkness depresses imagination. I have started the first glimmers of an outline for <i>Cloak</i> a bit early as I have found some intriguing research to fuel the trials our protagonists will be put through. And I continue plotting out the comic I have in mind to actually draw one of these years.<br /><br />I watch and read the precarious situation across the Korean Peninsula with concern and anticipation, or is that anxiety? I can only hope the Kims get what's coming to them, either via more sanctions or their masters in China furtively pulling on that unraveling leash.... Oh and that piece of Wikileaks theater.<br /><br />It's more and more apparent ebooks are the independent's new modus operandi, so I must get into the mindset for digital content and begin shifting my focus towards them. The Mrs has acquired a NookColor (in addition to her original Nook) and the avenues open to furthering ebook content on the device are astounding. Merging text and visual media will soon be commonplace, leaving big-time publishers in the dust if they don't get on the bandwagon and stop charging ludicrous price points for simple epubs while pooh-poohing multimedia e-reader content.<br /><br />And one more year piles up under JauntWorld's belt here at Blogger!Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-65652517804204127422010-10-31T18:56:00.002-04:002010-10-31T18:58:45.866-04:00First off, Happy Halloween! You may notice the reformatted JauntWorld blog. I needed to freshen it up a bit, as even I was getting tired of the same design. So, a little redecoration project after three years.<br />
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Next up, as of August, I've rebranded EJK Publications into jaunt publications! Along with a nifty new logo, jaunt publications identifies JauntWorld as the flagship series in my CV, as well as other titles and series I will be publishing in the future. When I self-published <i>Jaunt</i> with Lulu back in 2007, I was a novice at this, and didn't foresee the potential stigma associating my publishing company name with my own given name. Now this rectifies the issue, allowing me to brand everything under an umbrella as well as associating with other authors in the future, directly or indirectly. <br />
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What other projects are in the works under jaunt publications? Well, for starters, I've had a long love of comics, and have a small stable of characters I created, starting back in 1985, at my disposal to populate a comic title. I've been designing this universe and when the time's right, you'll see art, old and new, for this project.<br />
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Of course Maya and her cohorts are still in my sights, I just don't know when I'll zip over to that Solar System anytime soon. <br />
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I have been gathering reference for <i>Cloak</i>, maybe starting an outline sometime next year. I have several set pieces I'd like to include and the best ways to put my heroes and villains through the wringer. Should be fun.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-53742513432430318402010-09-25T09:31:00.001-04:002010-09-25T09:35:28.256-04:00Ether Third Quarter 2010 UpdateAll right, everyone, sorry for being gone for so long. Summer's flown by fast—I finished the first draft of <i>Ether</i> almost two months ago! So, while the missus has been reading the first bits as my official First Reader (when I can pull her away from her Nook) I've been finetuning the <i>Ether</i> book package, all the presentation details and such. It's work of course—I'm my own worst critic and nothing satisfies me for long. But I labor with love and purpose, nonetheless.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I'm putting together an ebook companion to <i>Ether</i> that'll star Doctor Richard de Lis himself in a little side adventure that takes place towards the end of <i>Ether</i>, while our heroes are otherwise occupied. It'll be a bridge between <i>Ether</i> and the last book in the JauntWorld trilogy, called (for now) <i>Cloak</i>. A second ebook starring Agent Greg Mason before the action of <i>Ether</i> is also in the works, when I'm not busy writing a dozen other things.<br /><br />Here's a little picture of the cover (again, for now) to whet your appetite:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyZuvM2UJDPD7-hT12aBuMI4IGT7qBMKxg5n5wcQqCG-CPGQaaNsU41T9MptDEg4FcggJ9nyK0jLXQJr3kGdr4NAkRFDLLJ19HHSWgnZ1A8_rBE6sHDyvSiqPPv6qn9_fhD4olx70c_8/s1600/ether+cover+grab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyZuvM2UJDPD7-hT12aBuMI4IGT7qBMKxg5n5wcQqCG-CPGQaaNsU41T9MptDEg4FcggJ9nyK0jLXQJr3kGdr4NAkRFDLLJ19HHSWgnZ1A8_rBE6sHDyvSiqPPv6qn9_fhD4olx70c_8/s1600/ether+cover+grab.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br />Enjoy.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-41813490716825041012010-07-24T22:25:00.004-04:002010-07-24T22:28:54.714-04:00Ether Second Quarter 2010 Update: Coming Into FocusThe rough draft is coming along nicely, with the final sequential scene finished. However, it's not done yet, as I still have a gap or two to fill, scenes to rewrite, edit or beef-up and a few minor, minor details to put into place. But the entirety of the book is set: beginning, almost all the middle and the ending. The toughest part is putting on my editor's cap and reading with a jaded eye, cutting out the bits that don't quite work or just go nowhere. <br />
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Having a complete rough draft is exciting and the next best thing to actually holding the finished product in my hands. I think creating a book must be akin to filming a movie; write a screenplay, film the scenes, edit the best bits in and throw out the chaff.<br />
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At the end of a long road, it's good to see the destination coming up over the next hill.Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159586133985630935.post-28175426367443963072010-07-12T20:53:00.003-04:002010-07-24T22:13:09.635-04:00Look Who's Seen The LightI will admit upfront about being a Russo- and Persiaphile; their histories and cultures are so profoundly different than the Classical Western tradition one can't be helped but be intrigued by every cryptic move either one makes. So it's a bit of a surprise to these eyes to see that President Medvedev, in decidedly non-cryptic terms, spelled out that the Iranian regime of Khatami and his puppet Ahmedinejad are moving closer to possessing a nuclear device. <br />
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I suppose the questions are, how much does Russia fear Iran, and what does this mean for US and Russia relations? The Bond-style spy swap last week wasn't exactly a warm handshake, and the typical eastern mode of saving face seems to be more of a pie in the face for Russia after the incident. Does Russia want to invite the Western nations to its corner to show that they'll behave from now on? Maybe a little "Look at us, we're nice guys now?" <br />
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One thing's for sure, being a Russia and Iran watcher just became much more interesting.<br />
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Further Reading:<br />
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10600100.stm%20">'Iran nearing nuclear bombs' Russia warns</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10684110">The 'unraveling relationship' between Russia and Iran</a> Erik J Kreffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16600501989135593427noreply@blogger.com0