Plan B (Read to the end)
"Shrine" is still happening.
Man. Ten grand would have been pretty sweet. But I didn’t last three minutes.
Aiight, so here’s the skinny: I didn’t win the Ark Prize. Ark is a publisher that launched last year and they had a contest with the theme of “America 2076,” and writers could do with that what they wanted. The winner would get PAID.
There was a contract and a large advance on the line, and I had an awesome concept for it, but I didn’t make the cut. They emailed me about a week before Christmas with the highly un-jolly news. It is a consolation, however small, that out of more than one hundred entrants, I was among only three “Honorable Mentions.” At least they liked my writing.
No, that doesn’t equal ten thousand dollars. It equals no thousand dollars. Lol.
So what’s next?
I’m still going to publish the book. The working title throughout it was SHRINE but I’m pretty sure I’m changing it to HEARTLANDERS. There’s another publisher I want to work with who reached out to me last summer about doing a book for America’s 250th birthday. I told them up front that I had just such a book, and it could potentially earn me five figures in this contest, and that if I lost, they were my backup plan. They understood.
Well, now I get to publish it with them. We haven’t signed contracts or anything so I’m not making any announcements, but I’m excited to work with them. I’ve read other books they have put out and we are a really good fit for each other.
And even if, for some 2% chance of a reason, this doesn’t happen with them, I’ll just publish the book myself. It’s that good and it’ll be HIGHLY re-readable. This is going to be the "It’s a Wonderful Life” of July 4th novels. Trucks and jets and gunfights and all kinds of epic s***.
What is HEARTLANDERS about?
Deep in the American wilderness, there exists a hidden portal between Earth and the spirit world, known to a select few as the Heartland Shrine. Every nation and people that has ever occupied America has entered the Shrine and communed with the spirits therein, garnering divine protection for their people. If they are righteous, they will prosper…but if they are not, they’ll lose the active protections of those beyond the veil.
Countless pre-Columbian nations used the Shrine and lost control of it over the centuries. Finally, America’s Founding Fathers discovered it in the 1700s, and secured the mandate of heaven in the quest for American independence.
Every 50 years since then, the American president has returned to the Shrine to renew the national covenant. John Quincy Adams in 1826. Ulysses S. Grant in 1876. Calvin Coolidge in 1926. Gerald R. Ford in 1976. Donald J. Trump in 2026. Despite America’s struggles, they had the ancient powers of the gods at their backs.
Until 2056.
During a freak season of solar storms, coronal mass ejections bombarded the Earth with enough EMP to destroy 90% of digital technology. Billions starved to death, and the straggling remainders found themselves in a very different world.
Twenty years later the U.S. President, Mason Reynolds, has done what he can to mitigate the damage, but it’s not enough. He’s desperate to save his country. He finds an old journal from previous presidents in his desk…and with the solution finally laid out before him, he calls up a team of specialists to help him find the Shrine before July 4th, 2076.
Or things will get a lot worse.
President Reynolds is not the main character, though he features throughout the story. That honor goes to Frank Rammage, a team leader for the Kryptonauts—men who protect the lore of the Shrine from those who would abuse it. Reynolds needs Frank and his team to get him to the Shrine in less than a week, but that’s a tough order…owing to the fact that Frank hates Reynolds, and doesn’t trust him.
Frank Rammage. Team leader, problem solver. 44. Husband, father, historian. Driven, to a fault. No better friend, no worse enemy.
Artie Hernandez. Mechanic, driver. 32. Husband, father. Adept with machines and tougher than guys twice his size.
Ronan Rammage. Newbie, brawler. 18. Son, brother. Punches above his weight, and outweighs everyone, but he’s short on experience.
Shepherd “Shep” Lynch. Navigator. 25. Falls in love easily, bit of a show-off, but he can back it up.
Ryan J. Felix III, aka “Thrice.” Medic. 26. Engaged. Quick thinker and keeps his cool.
That’ll introduce you to the core team and concept. If this post gets 10 likes, I’ll share the prologue and first chapter here.
Thanks for reading. I can’t wait for you guys to experience this. It’s seriously the best book I’ve ever written, and perfect for America’s birthday.
See you out there.
Congratulations! That’s no mean feat.