Another 5-Star Review: Blinders Keepers

People are still reading Blinders Keepers!

Just got another 5-star review posted all over the book-o-sphere. Here it is on Amazon, showing up four days ago:

“Noah is on the run after becoming the innocent suspect in a terrorist bus bombing in a dystopian, extremely near, future US, in which society is on the verge of political, economic (and astronomical) implosion. Noah is an everyman and you see the world through his trusting and rather loving eyes as he races across the country through communes, bee farms, burning man, the hacker-saboteur political underground, and eventually winds up face to face with the highest reaches of deep state power, which turn out to be all too intimate and familial. It’s all very serious, and occasionally quite dark. Except it’s funny as hell. Rachel is an immensely witty and readable writer, whose verbal flights are always aimed at evocation (I’ve never read as vivid a description of burning man) and laughter. It’s a comic political picaresque, equal emphasis on comedy and politics, without a single dull page.  Why haven’t you heard of it? Because it’s too good and too much fun, that’s why.” – brecht (reviewer)

Mind you, I wrote this book almost seven years ago. Specific incidents aside, as whacky and outrageously funny as it apparently is, I think it’s astonishing how well it captures the absurdity and circus-like environment of our current politics.

If you want a good laugh to dispel some of the anxiety and pessimism which saturates the media and political landscape, take it for a spin.

I think you’ll like it a lot!

Kindle ebook from Amazon (US) . . . amzn.to/1IiodLp
Kindle ebook from Amazon (Canada) . . . amzn.to/1RQxrRW
Kindle ebook from Amazon (Great Britain) . . . amzn.to/2IjFWmm
Nook Book from Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/1mPC6a5
iBook from the Apple Store . . . apple.co/1JmzENg
Ebook from Scribd . . . bit.ly/37xgdos
Ebook from Kobo . . . bit.ly/2qStRw4
Ebook from Kobo Indigo (Canada) . . . bit.ly/1OET2qg
Every popular ebook format at Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1kb5Axk
Paperback from Amazon (US) . . . amzn.to/1Ohf9T7
Paperback direct from the printer . . . bit.ly/1krvHQM

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

Another 5-Star Review: Blinders Keepers | John Rachel

Love Connection: Coming in ????

My latest novel, Love Connection: Romance in the Land of the Rising Sun, was originally supposed to come out in February. Then publication was moved to April. Then July. Now we are targeting November.

The holdup has been . . . well, life on this chaotic planet during these turbulent times.

Let me explain.

Before a novel becomes available to the public, it’s released to a select group of readers. They are given advance reader copies — ARCs — to provide a number of things to us. First, any constructive criticism of the book is welcome, i.e. glaring inconsistencies in characters or plot; typos; mistakes and anomalies the editor may have missed; did the book meet whatever expectations the reader might have had? Second, suggestions for improvements are always helpful. Did the story drag in parts? Is the cover unappealing? Should the book be longer? Shorter? Third, in the hope that the reader found the novel delightful, exciting, moving, eye-opening, life-changing, whatever, positive comments, preferably short and catchy, are much appreciated. These will appear on the inside cover as “blurbs” when the book is finally published. I’m sure you’ve seen them before. Here’s an example of one I already received for Love Connection . . .

“One of the most distinctive and enjoyable aspects of Rachel’s novel is his voice, which travels confidently between the serious and humorous. It’s a good balance, and the writing itself is lively from start to finish, which is no easy thing.” – David Joiner

Thanks, David!

But here’s my problem, and what’s been holding up the book.

Over twenty ARCs were sent out in February. Sadly, we’ve only gotten feedback from five folks. We like to have at least 12 to 15, not just for the blurbs, but to get a range of opinion and feedback on the story, writing, presentation. People are simply not available.

I understand. I don’t think it’s the fault of the book. Like I said, it’s life . . . Covid-19, war, inflation, lockdowns, bankruptcies, all of the craziness we’ve been subjected to for over two years now. Who has time to read a novel? Who can concentrate?

Here’s my offer to you, which will hopefully lead to a solution for us. If anyone out there is interested in reading this book, let me know. I can send either a paperback to hold in your hands, or a PDF to read on your computer, tablet, or book reader. I’m shooting for fifteen more folks to dive into my story, take the ride, have fun, and then tell me what they think.

By the way, and this is important . . .

Love Connection, despite the sub-title, IS NOT A ROMANCE. Not in the traditional sense. I don’t want to give too much away, because a major part of the appeal of the story is the suspense. In fact, it’s more of a “true crime” suspense novel than a romance.

Plus there are many changes of scene. Though it mainly takes place in Japan — and you’ll get a healthy dose of what Japanese people are really like and what it’s like to live here — there’s some serious globe trotting: to Germany, France, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya. Trust me, you won’t be bored. And the ending! I think when you discover where this whole convoluted adventure eventually ends up, you’ll be quite shocked. Amazingly, this aspect of the storyline is based on real events which have taken place here in Japan.

Hey! What have you got to lose? A few hours? I know it’s not easy with all the distractions and turmoil to sit down and read a book. But look at it as an opportunity to get away from all the distractions and turmoil.

If you’re interested, let me know. It’s first come, first serve. Limited at most to 20 more people. Folks who agree with Groucho Marx when he said . . .

“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

Email me at john@jdrachel.com or leave a message with an American Embassy near you.

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

Love Connection: Coming in ???? | John Rachel

Shameless Self-Promotion Redux

Why should I be ashamed to let people know about my books? I worked hard on them, am proud of my work, and honestly didn’t write them for glory and money — though I admit I certainly wouldn’t turn away either — but merely put a smile on some sad faces out there or a twinkle in a few eyes dulled by bad TV and too many computers and smart phones.

It’s genuinely hard to wrap my head around this literary excursion. It’s been thirteen years since I got serious about writing full-length books. Yes, it all started in 2008 while I was teaching English right here in Tambasasayama, now my permanent hometown. Little did I know back then I’d marry a lovely Japanese lady and then so enthusiastically embrace the idea of making Japan my permanent place of residence. Petrocelli was my first novel, written in my spare time between teaching classes. Now I have a total of 13 finished, published works, another novel coming out in spring 2022 — Love Connection: Romance in the Land of the Rising Sun. There’s also a completed travel/fantasy/cookbook which may never see the light of day called What Do Mermaids Eat? — I’m still looking for a publisher).

Wow! Fifteen books in 13 years! “I’ve got blisters on my fingers!” (Why does that sound familiar?)

Anyway . . . moving on to the self-promotion, shameless or not. Until January 1st, all of the ebooks pictured at the top of the page are 50-75% off at Smashwords, a premium ebook sales channel. If you want to dive in, the links can be found HERE.

Oh . . . but there’s more! Amazon has a special on The Man Who Loved Too Much trilogy Kindle ebooks. Are you ready for this? Only 99 cents each!

People love this book! . . . 5-star reviews at Amazon (US) 

Go for it! Here are the links . . .

Book 1 from Amazon (Kindle)

Book 2 from Amazon (Kindle)

Book 3 from Amazon (Kindle)

Recognizing we’re closing in fast on Christmas, you still might want to look at this . . .

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

Shameless Self-Promotion Redux | John Rachel

Shameless Self-Promotion – Part 2

To put it mildly, with all of the hyperbolic hype, million dollar advertising, sensationalized news, wars, political machinations, terrorist attacks, celebrity scandals, hyperventilating talking heads, and widespread anonymous screaming going on out there these days, it's very difficult to get anyone's attention.

Let me be candid . . .

My last shameless self-promotion fell flat on its face.  No one was moved by my lugubrious plea to give my personal Gross Happiness Quotient a much needed boost by buying dozens of my brilliantly entertaining novel as holiday gift.  Indeed, I got up every single morning, faithfully checked the New York Times Bestseller List, and frankly was day-after-day quite shocked to not see it debuting in the Top Ten.  Just yesterday I finally called the Times to suggest there must be some mistake, but for technical reasons got disconnected.  My line must have been crossed with another call because I distinctly heard laughing before the connection went dead.

Anyway . . .

The only conclusion I could draw -- since my Shameless Self-Promotion - Part 1 is without any question so persuasive it probably should be registered as a WMD with the NSA and Department of Homeland Security -- is that no one saw it.  Like thousands -- more like millions! -- of extremely vital and noteworthy announcements, it was brutishly swept up and swallowed by the tsunami of nonsensical infotainment being upchucked in copious excess in our world of digital delirium.

So . . .

What can I do?  How can I cut through the cacophonous roar and have my message heard?

 

I sat for hours pondering this.  I was so totally absorbed by this conundrum, my new cat, Arthur, used me as a scratching post and I had to throw my sweater away.

Then I remembered a phenomenally effective promotion I used back in L.A. one summer to get my indifferent, drug addled, me-generation friends to attend a pool party!

Back in those wild and crazy Hollywood days, I had put together a invitation mailer with a pic just like the one at the top of this page.  In bold letters was this message:

Attend my party or I'll shoot this dog!

The turnout was spectacular!  I felt loved and respected, people ate all the food and drank all the beer, wine and mixed drinks I provided, and the life of the dog was spared.  What a smashing success!  I assure you, everyone was talking about my Encino pool party bash for weeks afterwards -- well, at least a couple days or until their hangovers abated, whichever came first.

So!

The ball is in your court, readers.  You're all incredibly brilliant people, or you wouldn't be here at this website.  Just finish this sentence and know deep in your heart where it truly counts, that you stepped up, stood tall, felt the love, and did the right thing:

Buy my book or . . .

And we're not just talking dogs here, folks.  It's not just about the whole messy business of dog brains and fragments of canine cranium scattered all over the yard.

We're also talking $$$!  Meaning, saving $$$ big time!  And what timing!  This excellent bargain arrives just when your out-of-control holiday extravagance has the limits on those credit cards being bludgeoned like Conor McGregor's sparring partner!

Dig this!

Just for the holidays, ebooks of The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago are specially priced at only $2.99!  Does it get better than that, my loyal and gullible chums?

This adventure in credulity and shock wave to literary sensibilities is available from all of the usual suspects.  You can even walk into your favorite local book store, and after giving you an enigmatic smile, the clerk can order a copy -- if it's not already right there behind the counter with the nudie magazines.

---

 

The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago

Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1tyIRiw
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1z8F8aD
Apple iBooks . . . apple.co/1nkebQx
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/ZDnQVO
Kobo (Indigo) . . . bit.ly/1Og3q8g
Kobo (US) . . . bit.ly/2qSmc0J
Powell’s Books . . . bit.ly/1mxVXtS
Tower Books . . . bit.ly/1oyzU7T
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1w62HOX
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1r6qWYQ

Poor Billy Green! When he was just turning four, his father tried to throw him in the trash.  He was a smart kid but that just seemed to create enemies.  His darling mom did everything to protect him.  But this was Detroit, armpit of the wasteland!  Catholic school didn’t help much, except the time he got his first kiss from an atheist nun.  Home life was dismal.  Was his father capable of anything but drinking beer and farting?  And what was with that neighbor who made puppets and tried to molest Billy?  Golly!  Detroit was sucking the life out of him.  At such a young age.  Then adolescence swirled around him.  Like water in a toilet bowl.  High school was a B movie.  Only without a plot.  So finally he did something about it.  Billy ran away … to college.  Cornell University.  That was a good move for sure!  He studied hard, lost his virginity, met the love of his life.  Things were definitely looking up!  What could possibly go wrong?


[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]



Shameless Self-Promotion – Part 2

Shameless Self-Promotion – Part 1

We all know what GDP is, right?

Ever heard of GNH?

GNH stands for Gross National Happiness.  It's how in Bhutan they measure the progress and well-being of their country.  Meaning they measure happiness by how much happiness there is.

Is that STUPID or what?

Happiness = Happiness?  How ridiculous!

We all know here in the West the only valid way to measure happiness.

Happiness = $$$$!

I've been looking at my book sales and it's clear that I couldn't possibly be a happy person.  Sales are slumping, meaning the $$$$s just aren't pouring in.  How can I be happy?

But wait!  Aha!  Eureka!  Voilà!

Christmas is coming!  And yes, that means people are buying gifts and that means they're going crazy spending $$$$s.  If I can get those $$$$s to come my way, I'll be very happy!
Now let me be completely candid with you.

I sincerely believe my happiness should be sufficient reason for the tens of thousands of people reading this posting, to each order at least one of my books. 

But which one?

I'm going to focus all of the excitement, all of that highly charged, irrepressible hankering to put $$$$s in my personal banking account by focusing attention -- at least for now -- on one particular book.

Wondering what to get that special someone for Christmas?

Fret no more!  Just watch this!
 

Seeing that highly persuasive sales pitch, how could you possibly resist?

But just in case you're still tottering on the fence, not entirely sure yet, how about a parade to put you in the holiday spirit? 

[ As an aside, I have to be blunt with you.  I'm really wondering why these excellent book trailers weren't even shortlisted for the annual Clio awards.  Cronyism! ]

There you have it!  An irresistible force has overwhelmed your better judgement.

The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago is available from all of the usual suspects.  You can even walk into your favorite local book store, and after giving you an enigmatic smile, the clerk can order a copy -- if it's not already right there behind the counter with the nudie magazines.

---

 

The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago

Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1tyIRiw
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1z8F8aD
Apple iBooks . . . apple.co/1nkebQx
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/ZDnQVO
Kobo (Indigo) . . . bit.ly/1Og3q8g
Kobo (US) . . . bit.ly/2qSmc0J
Powell’s Books . . . bit.ly/1mxVXtS
Tower Books . . . bit.ly/1oyzU7T
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1w62HOX
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1r6qWYQ

Poor Billy Green! When he was just turning four, his father tried to throw him in the trash.  He was a smart kid but that just seemed to create enemies. His mom did everything to protect him.  But this was Detroit, armpit of the wasteland! Catholic school didn’t help much, except the time he got his first kiss from an atheist nun.  Home life was dismal.  Was his father capable of anything but drinking beer and farting?  And what was with that neighbor who made puppets and tried to molest Billy?  Golly!  Detroit was sucking the life out of him.  At such a young age.  Then adolescence swirled around him.  Like water in a toilet bowl.  High school was a B movie.  Only without a plot.  So finally he did something about it.  Billy ran away … to college.  Cornell University.  That was a good move for sure!  He studied hard, lost his virginity, met the love of his life.  Things were definitely looking up!  What could possibly go wrong?


This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]



Shameless Self-Promotion – Part 1

When You Wish Upon A Star

 

Wow!

Very grateful!

Humble . . . flattered! 

As of today . . . all 5-star reviews!

No, I didn't buy them! 

The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago is available at fine 
book stores everywhere and of course online . . .

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 

Here are excerpts from the reviews (read them in their entirety on Amazon) . . .

"I really liked it! Very quirky and clever writing! The characters grab you right 
away, take hold and you can't wait to see what happens next. The only problem 
is that the book ended and I have to wait until March to find out what happens 
next!"

"Young Billy Green is one of the unforgettable characters in literature, the kind 
that comes around, moves in, stays, and occupies a place in your life. Is it Billy 
Green, or is it John Rachel's ability to tell a good story? It is both. The story is 
epic in its scope. . . A wonderful, unforgettable read.

"I read this book in an afternoon and then pondered it for several days. It's
hard to exactly pinpoint, but there is an incredible level of intelligence in the 
development of the main character Billy. He seems naive in some ways, yet in 
other ways you see that he is anything but! It's this rich complexity that keeps me 
still analyzing Billy long after I read the last page. I am anxiously awaiting the 
second book.

"Billy Green stole my heart. From his earliest days his dear mother loved him 
with a love so deep you could put your arms around it."

"I laughed uproariously, and then I cried. You will be begging for more. Voila! 
Your wish has been granted. This is the first part of a trilogy which follows Billy 
until he's twenty-eight. Part Two is coming soon."

"This is written by someone who uses words so masterfully; who employs satire
at its finest, can get downright dirty if life dictates it, and appears to have fun with 
it all."

"John Rachel's characters are awesome! I am an avid reader. Sometimes it takes 
awhile for a book to "lure" me in. Not with this novel though. I was "hooked" from 
the very beginning. I can't wait for the next two installments to find out where it 
takes Billy."  

"John Rachel delivers another masterpiece with the style and insight only 
John Rachel can deliver!"

"This is a wonderful coming-of-age story that will grab you and charm you. 
Just read the first few pages and it'll pull you right in. If you like Salinger, you'll 
love this. It's that great theme of a kid who knows too much for his own good in 
world populated by so-called adults who control the machinery. GREAT STUFF! 
A real pleasure to read."

"A friend of mine who knows that I read science fiction an adventure
books, suggested I read this book. At first I wondered why. This is the
life story of some kid named Billy growing up through Catholic school,
getting his first blowjob, Life love parents, all the usual problems we
all have. What was different though is the author . . . because the
author is an exceptionally good writer that creates a witty, clever and
imaginative world for Billy to grow up in. You will be charmed with
Billy and his bold and sassy way of dealing with the bumps and grinds
of life. And you will wonder why this book only cost $.99, because it
is written as well as any bestseller out there."

Creativity: Creating Memorable Characters

 

With the incredible success of my new novel, The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago, released only two weeks ago but already peaking at #11,496 on Amazon's Fiction/Coming of Age/Fantasy/Zombies /High School Cheerleader/Romance best-seller list, people often ask me:

"John, how do you come up with your characters?"

First, I drive my Mercedes to a local ramen restaurant, where not only do they
have great meals, but I can get my kitchen knives sharpened.

I walk in and sit down. I say something in Japanese. They just roll their eyes.

An eighty-five-year-old lady is across from me, slumped over at her table.
She might be breathing but I don't see how, with her face immersed in
the bowl of noodles.

I picture her as a twenty-year-old university student, dressed in either sexy
lingerie from Fredericks of Hollywood, or a Lycra fetish costume
purchased from an online store in the West Village. There's a tennis
ball strapped in her mouth.

Now . . . what is she feeling?

Suddenly, an off-duty Japanese police officer drives through the front of the
restaurant on a Harley Davidson. There is broken glass and disposable
chopsticks everywhere!

Inspiration!

And the plot thickens.

I thought the police officer had tattoos on his arms but they are just temporary removable sheer hosiery tattoos he picked up in Thailand, while on his police precinct's annual sex tourism holiday.

He orders the lunch special, Salty Miso Beef Ramen with Deep-Fried Pork Dumplings
on the side. Of course, all the rice you can eat is included . . . and it's free!

Now I hear the sound of a helicopter hovering overhead. Understandably, my first
instinct is that it must be Navy Seals either conducting exercises or
mounting a raid. There are so many suspicious people everywhere you look
these days. Especially here in Japan!

But no, it's a medical rescue team. Four paramedics tethered to long nylon ropes
drop down onto the street out front. They rush into the restaurant. The
first medic through the door grabs the old lady's hair. He violently
yanks her head out of the bowl of ramen, then gagging, gives her
mouth-to-mouth. But it's too late. Her wind pipe is clogged with
congealed noodles. She is dead.

While they drag her body out of the restaurant to hoist it into the helicopter,
some young boys, probably elementary school age, are passing. Several of
them are taunting a pathetic little guy, who unfortunately is
cross-eyed and suffers acute lymphedema. His legs look like pontoons,
very unusual for someone his age. The other boys are mocking him by
chanting: "Dalai Lama! Dalai Lama!"

Hmm. I don't get this. Dalai Lama? But I can use it! Sometimes you need
something a little off the wall to keep a reader's attention.

All this time I've been slurping away. The food here is truly amazing! My bowl
is just about empty, when a huge stabbing pain shoots through my gut. I
feel like someone has stuck a samurai sword in my belly button, twisting
it like they're wrapping pasta around a fork.

Food poisoning!

I don't know why I keep coming here. Every time I eat here __ I mean every time!
__ it's the same thing. I get food poisoning and spend the next six
hours . . . well, you know.

My only excuse for this habitual self-sabotage is that this place has been so good for
my writing. This is where it all starts. The huge cast of misfits and
miscreants that populate my stories are all denizens of the social
tapestry of this little hole-in-the-wall soup shop.

I'll tell you something else. No way am I giving away my secret.

You can try Googling "ramen shops Japan" if you like.

Ha! Good luck finding it.


______________________________________________________________


The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago


Apple (iBook) . . . bit.ly/1ycltFD

Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1tyIRiw

Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/ZDnQVO

Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1w62HOX

Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1r6qWYQ

[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

Creativity: The Writing Process

 

With my brand new book, The Man Who Loved Too Much, 
Book 1: Archipelago __ my sixth novel! __ arriving this month, 
people sometimes ask me:

"John, how do you get inspired to write?"

First, I turn on the fan. Then I suddenly realize I that forgot to take out the
garbage. So I do that. Of course, now I see there's all sorts of gunk in
the bottom of the garbage container from the tomatoes that went bad and
the mushrooms that turned to slime. So I have to clean up that mess.

Finally, I pour a cup of coffee and sit down to write. Oops! Forgot to check
my FB account. Whoa!!  87 new notices.  People loved that video I posted
of a kitten chasing a rhinoceros. Hmm. Bad news. It looks like over 30
people deleted me as a friend. Cold! What did I do? Could it have been
the blog I wrote about Mitt Romney being a pedophile?

I'm exhausted.  Writing sure takes it out of me.

I decide I need a nap.  I'll get 20 winks, wake up fresh, ready to really roll!

I try to sleep.  But they are slaughtering a yak next door, beating it to death
with garden rakes.  You'd think they could come up with a more humane
way to kill the thing.  Jeeez!

I take a sip of wine from a newly opened bottle to try to relax.  I decide to 
just finish the whole thing off.

The next few hours are a blank.  I wake up in the bathtub.  
I'm hugging a bag of fertilizer. The doorbell is ringing.

I run to see who it is.  Ah!  The post man.  My new Fiction Writing software 
has arrived. Excellent!  This could be the shot in the arm my career needs.

I spend the rest of the day trying to install the program.  My Windows laptop 
keeps giving me error messages. 

The library catalog file 'clusterfck.dll' is missing. Please reinstall operating system. 

After five hours of this, I am famished!

I head down to the drive-thru window for Magic Rainbow Happy Luck.
It's Chinese fast food.  But they refuse to serve me because I'm on a
bicycle.  I go inside.  Everything is in Chinese.  I order something by
pointing.  They bring me monkey entrails on a croissant. Not very
appetizing.

This would be a total waste of time, except thinking ahead, I brought my computer.
Munching away, being careful to keep the blood and grease from dripping
into my keyboard, I begin . . . 

Once upon a time, there was a large tree in the middle of an island. A boy
of eleven years old leaned against it. A stranger approached him from
behind. The boy turned. The man was wearing a 'Mitt Romney for
President' button. 

Alright!

Now we're getting somewhere.

______________________________________________________________

The Man Who Loved Too Much - Book 1: Archipelago

Apple (iBook) . . . bit.ly/1ycltFD

Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1tyIRiw

Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/ZDnQVO

Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1w62HOX

Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1r6qWYQ

[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

Character Witness

 


I make no secret of this.  I have a book which was just published this year that I 
hope will change the world.

Two-and-a-half years in the making, it's not just more pulp fiction to add to the
pile. I wrote this with serious intentions of making a difference __ a
huge difference __ in the way America goes about its elections.

The great thing about writing a novel is being able to speak through the characters. 
Martin Truth is my main character for An Unlikely Truth. Martin is a third-party 
congressional candidate making his fourth attempt at ousting a duplicitous, 
blowhard, right-wing incumbent in Ohio's conservative 3rd District. Like many 
__ how about most? __ politicians these days, the incumbent says one thing, then
does the exact opposite. His loyalty is to big campaign donors, corporate
sponsors, and deep-pocketed oligarchs, at the expense of his
well-meaning but gullible constituents. In baffling but predictable
lockstep, people keep voting this guy back in, even though it's
ultimately against their own interests __ sound familiar?

Martin wants to put some integrity back into politics, at least in his
district, and fights an incredibly difficult battle against near
impossible odds and the ruthless tactics and brutal smear campaign of
his opponent, driven by a naive but firm belief in the fundamental right
of voters to be properly represented.

Here is a key passage from the book . . .

"What did Martin Truth stand for?

As the Green Party candidate he obviously believed in protecting the
environment. Something had to be done to stop global warming, if it
wasn’t too late already. We had to end our addiction to fossil fuels,
especially oil. There should be huge private and public investments in
renewable alternative energy sources: wind, ocean, solar. We had to
reverse deforestation. End desertification. Halt the privatization of
water and other basic necessities. Encourage local food production,
promote organic agriculture, and reduce the use of pesticides and GMO
seeds. In general, the world needed to back off corporatizing everything
and return to local production and control. With bold and determined
political leaders on the front lines, it needed to confront and defeat
the multinational corporate juggernaut that was polluting and destroying
the Earth.

As might be expected, Martin’s progressivism extended broadly from his
commitment to environmental causes to a number of co-related social
issues. He categorically took exception to the every-man-for-himself
madness of the right wing and believed that all of us through
representative government should take a greater role in helping others,
especially those who were less able to fend for themselves. This
included the old, the infirm, victims of racism and other forms of
discrimination. And those who had lost their jobs and fallen on hard
times. The poor. The undereducated. Children. Most definitely children!
Without a doubt, Martin would be labeled as a bleeding-heart liberal by
the crass law-of-the-jungle conservatives, who he thought lacked both
compassion and common decency, people who called themselves Christians
but somehow missed the most obvious and critical aspects of Christ’s
teachings: Feed the hungry, clothe the poor, heal the sick, tend to the
needs of the less fortunate.

'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something
to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you
clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you
came to Me … Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of
these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'  –  Matthew 25:35/36/40

Hardly what could be called a Bible-thumper, questionably even a Christian at
all by any conventional standards, Martin had used that passage in his
campaign literature last election season. Very few voters seemed to
appreciate its relevance to the progressive ideals he espoused. If they
did, they still managed to forget about him when it came time to vote.

Martin was also deeply committed to human rights, under relentless assault
long before humankind even recognized what they were. It was ironic that
now in many countries which had long had an onerous record of human
rights abuses, there were significant improvements, while in America
itself, allegedly champion of humane and just treatment, fairness, and
respect for all, human rights was suffering dismal setbacks every day.

He was especially concerned about the intrusive levels of officially
unacknowledged surveillance, and the constant push for locking up more
and more citizens. There seemed to be a new mentality taking over which
destroyed any sense of proportion and reason with respect to
incarceration. It certainly was destroying justice and equality before
the law. The operating principle was: If we build it, they will come. Or more to the point: We’ve built a helluva lot of these prisons, now we’ve got to fill them! They were filling the prisons all right. Mostly with people of color.

Admittedly, there was a lot on his wish list, a substantial catalog of action items
which embraced the things Martin thought had to be done immediately to
reverse the downward, self-sabotaging course of the country. It was a
daunting set of tasks requiring the energy of the whole nation working
together, unified and determined in their dedication to rebuild a great
America.

Daunting or not, these were the things which drove him to seek a seat in Congress.

These were the things he thought crucial for a better world."

People love to label others. Somehow this puts them at ease. Once they've put
someone in a box, they feel they can deal with them. Or just dismiss
them and walk away. I full agree with Martin Truth. So what does this
make me? A liberal? A socialist?

I think it just makes me a decent human being.  

If I ever have to stand trial, I hope to call to the stand a character
witness who merely says that. "Like Martin Truth, John   is a decent
human being. He just wants a better world."

An Unlikely Truth has been out since mid-February. Just go here for all  
of the ways to pick up a copy. If the reviews are to be believed, it's a 
good read with a solid message.

I certainly hope your reading it will be as inspiring as it was for me to write it.

Peace.




[ This originated at the author's personal web site ... http://jdrachel.com ]

New "11-11-11" Book Review!

My recent novel "11-11-11" just received an excellent review at MadMikesAmerica. 

Check it out ... http://madmikesamerica.com/2011/10/book-review-11-11-11-by-john-rachel/