The Manhattan Prophet

Osama Bin Laden Dead

2011-05-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

I can't cheer for the pre-meditated killing of anyone, but sure, I am happy for America getting this good news when all the news we have been getting is so disheartening. However this doesn't stop terrorism or the war on terror, it just adds another chapter. The growing gap between the rich and the poor, the energy (oil) crisis that is approaching, global weirding, and the fragile economic condition of society is getting worse each day, with or without Osama Bin Laden. Does mankind as a species have the power to affect positive change of the global situation? I believe it does. - So does The Manhattan Prophet :) - It is going to take a lot of time and faith, work and sacrifice. We can get the inspiration by looking into the eyes of the newborn, or the hope in the faces of our college graduates. Cliche? Sure. True? Absolutely.

Icon30

2011-04-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

I just attended my first Icon at the University of Stonybrook. Icon is a science fiction conference with all kinds of things going on including book signings, readings, panel discussions, etc. - http://www.iconsf.org - It's not just for authors and filmmakers, as there were of a ton of steampunkers dressed in retro Jules Vernes kinds of outfits all over the campus. Great Fun! Thsi is a link to the news magazine The Westhampton-HamptonBaysPatch which ran an article about me attending. http://patch.com/A-g8kd

The opportunity to discuss my novel, The Manhattan Prophet, with other authors, as well as fantasy and science fiction buffs, was tremendous. Part of my quest to find a literary agent who will help me to take this book to the next level.

Thanks to all the people who made it happen for me, Bill Freedman, Jennifer Adams, Ben Parris, Ken Altabef and many others. If you ever get a chance to attend one of these (they have Icons all over the country) you will be pleasantly surprised.

It really got my mojo going - -

My daughter is right - -

2010-08-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

My daughter recently emailed me the link, posted below, to an article in the New York Times reporting on the latest savage episode of gang rape going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is what she said:

"This recent event reminded me of the gruesome rape scene in your book. It's understandable that people were shocked by that part of The Manhattan Prophet, it seems too horrific for this world. But really, that scene is tame compared to what's going on in the Congo. I bet the same people who were shocked by that part of the book would see this headline "At Least 150 Women Raped in Weekend Raid in Congo" and look the other way. But we shouldn't look away - people do terrifying, horrible things to each other all over the world, and if knowing about it doesn't inspire us to create positive change, it should at least inspire us to appreciate the safety and prosperity in our lives and gain perspective on what's important. Glad you're standing strong by that part of the novel, you never know, maybe it will help spread awareness and break open the bubble."

Truth is always stranger than fiction. If I wrote a scene in my book similar to the account of systematic rape in this NYT article, people would think I have one very sick mind! - - When someone goes to a savage war movie, or something about the holocaust, the violence portrayed is to elevate the consciousness about the evil of war, and how it could turn ordinary people into monsters. So in essence, every war flick is an anti-war movie. In that way, the rape scene in the Manhattan Prophet is anti-cruelty and anti-violence against women. It is there to set up the depraved quality of life that innocent people condemned to Shantypark are forced to live. - - My daughter was right - -

Here's the link - write something in this blog, lemme know what you are thinking - :)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/world/africa/23congo.html?ref=africa

February is Upon Us

2010-02-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

February is upon us. The long winter stretching out time without slowing it down.

First Book Signing is this Week

2009-09-27T07:31:00.001-07:00

The first, hopefully of many, book signings is this Thursday, October 1, at 7pm at LI's most prestigious independent book store, The Book Revue, located at 313 New York Avenue, Huntington, NY. I am somewhat nervous and really don't know what I am going to say yet.

First Review

2009-07-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

I got my first review today, less then one month since The Manhattan Prophet was released. They say you always remember your first. It was from Fantasy Book Critic. - http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/ - This is what he wrote to my publicist after reading the book:

-- I finished the book yesterday and it blew me away - great book and I hope there will be more in its universe. I put impressions on sffworld and the full Fantasy Book Critic review will be in the first available spot - we have a full slate for this and the next 2 weeks but I hope the first week of August will do.

We also will have a 'notable 2009 books so far' posts this weekend (Sat will be fantasy/mainstream and Su will be sf and mainstream fantastic) and I added Manahttan Prophet as a co-#2 in mainstream fantastic - I would rank it co-#1 since I was so impressed but I need some time from reading for that to see how the book stays in my mind...

Great, great book and thank you very much for it." --

Go see his impressions about the book at sffworld:

http://sffworld.com/forums/showpost.php?p=533583&postcount=26

Hey, hopefully just the beginning -

A Fable - - -

2009-07-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

The Manhattan Prophet is a fable about what could happen if the world was visited by a modern miracle, just like it was reported over 2000 years ago with Jesus, and a few centuries later with Mohammad. Both those stories are shrouded in mystery as there is no hard evidence to support any of it. Religion as we know it took those stories and created huge geo-political movements that are now perched against one another in what could be a devastating armed conflict. Combine that with the new 'religion' of science and technology, whose misuse through human greed and avarice has created what 98% of today's best minds believe will be a major cataclysmic change to our planet's ability to support life as we know it, then we will be in a pile of shit! How do we get out of that mess? In my book a new global spritual movement spontaneously evolves just as civilization is ready to sink in its own refuse. It is embodied in one man, or prophet, whose origins are also veiled and vague, just as the existing major religions were, and whose exploits are also impossible to verify, until - - - Well, I guess you have to read the book.

The fourth universal rule you can always count on, the limitless glory of God, is a metaphor for how incredible it is to just be here, conscious amongst the bounties of the universe, able to talk about it, sing about it, and paint pictures about it.

What is most important is that I hope the story gets people thinking about these things, and talking about these things. Because when I talk about 'spirituality' with others and hear their thoughts and perceptions, I feel better, and more able to relax into the major tenets of modern religions: treat people like you would want to be treated yourself, be kind to the downtrodden and less fortunate, and live amongst men in a moral and ethical way. When we live in conscious awareness of the divine (and by divine I do not mean a godly figure dressed up like an old man with a white beard, but the eternal and constant, yet everchanging universe within which we were created but will never fully understand) then we are better able to practice living like the existing religions preach. Human minds can't conceive of the always and the infinite, so that is where faith has to come in to play.

Anyway, that is some of what I think - Waddayouthink?

Happy July

2009-07-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

July 4, 2009 - The country declared itself independent from Great Britain 233 years ago, New York purchased from native Americans 385 years ago, Columbus given the credit of being the first European to see America 517 years ago, Jesus has been dead on the cross for 2009 years, and that was the last time a major part of the human family agrees upon the credibility of a reported miracle, albeit one which didn't leave any actual evidence behind allowing for tangible proof by scientific means. For me it somehow always comes back to this. Anyway, Happy Birthday America, and many, many more - -

The Book is Finally Available

2009-06-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

After 3 years of writing and a year of editing and getting it to print, the book is finally available on the website. I truly hope people read it and communicate to me on this blog with their thoughts on the writing, the theme, the premises, etc. For instance, one of the issues I brush against in the story is the 'faith vs. science debate'. I think this discussion is still very heated, especially since people are so sensitive about their concept of God and death. Against the backdrop of a world in the near future that is severely compromised by the modern industrial complex, I have tried to redefine faith in this book by giving people the choice to believe in something communally spiritual - - coming from within the individual heart on out, instead of century's old values, rituals, and beliefs passed down from the top through organized religion. I think the "God" vs. 'Technology" issue is very touchy and I would love to see this blog be a forum for discussion about something like that, as well as the other themes developed in The Manhattan Prophet.

Up to now the only feedback I have had is with a few people who read the first draft and my 2 very helpful editors. I welcome more. Now, The Manhattan Prophet is in your hands.

Message from Tehran

2009-06-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

The real story with the Iranian election upheaval is the cyberbattle now ensuing between the state shutting down opposition websites, and interfering with general internet and text messaging traffic - - to the point of something tantamount to direct censorship - - and the counterattack by the opposition who have begun launching their own attacks against the pro-government websites. The battle for info has become the battle for control. Did I know there were that many anti hardline government voters in Iran? No. I do now - and it does change my perception of Iran as a people.

In my book, The Manhattan Prophet, the world has progressed to a place of such dire insecurity that internet communication is highly controlled and restricted by the powers that be - - too much info for a repressed population would be dangerous. We are seeing this highlighted now in Iran. I'm getting the message.

What about Swine Flu - -

2009-05-15T05:54:00.000-07:00

I think this last outbreak of swine flu, although it did have a few victims, was relatively mild compared to what a real 'sci-fi'-like break out of a deadly virus (ie. Stephen King's "The Stand") could actually be like. I think this fits into the premise of "The Manhattan Prophet" (TMP). The world is already living in a culture of paranoia. Protectionism within each country's economy is parallel with the social tendencies to separate and become distinct. This is particularly dangerous especially when the world needs to work together if there is any hope in surviving the global 'wierding' going on. (To quote Tom Friedman's book on global warming, "Hot, Flat, and Crowded".) As the major problems start presenting themselves in the near future, and as nation's try to protect themselves and their people the best they can, government's will drift into fascistic-like policies that will be endorsed by their fearful citizen's who will be desiring security and basic resources above all else. Some will do better then others and then the balkanizing tendencies will just increase. This is similar to the world I portray in TMP.

The lesson to be learned here? Can anything be done about human nature? I have to believe that only with communication and trust will we be able to pull together as a global community. The problem's mankind has created for itself makes this a necessity. The rush to alarm and the blocking of borders, like we saw with the Swine Flu outbreak, will only add to the negative consequences that are supposedly headed our way - -

Almost all here - -

2009-04-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

3 years of writing and then a full year of editing, formatting and preparing for print, and now the book is almost here. I hope the next one does not take nearly as long.

Even though it is frustrating at times when measuring the rate of real change - - the process of producing this novel has been fabulous, great fun. When the website is finished with the book for sale, I will have completed the writing process for The Manhattan Prophet. Then I can start working on the next book! I'm hoping that people, friends, readers, professionals will use the website and blog to give me feedback on what it is I have just learned to really enjoy, my writing.

Happy to see it is almost all here - - trailer is up, blog is on - - Almost all here

A Perfect Season for the Book

2009-04-06T15:37:00.001-07:00

This is the season for The Manhattan Prophet . . . Easter - Passover . . . for The Manhattan Prophet too is a story of rebirth, the rebirth of all of mankind after the disasters predicted by the doomsayers come true. It is a story of hope and redemption, without judgment or intention to proselytize. It is a love story, both human and supernatural, and it is an action story that accelerates almost as fast as epiphanous change. This is also my favorite season. A season where stories are told from almost an undocumentable history. From a time of miracles and marches to freedom that changed the entire world. Israelites in exodus, Jesus rising, all without tangible proof other then the tales themselves, but now the rock hard seed of all religion and culture. Gives a hesitant pause to the definition of the word faith.

The Website is going Live!

2009-03-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

In and around all the things that have to get done, I am delighted to say the website is almost live. I hope that it becomes a vehicle not for only selling the book, but steering people to this blog in order to begin discussions of what the book is about. I know what I think the book is about, I want to hear what others are thinking too.

Begin at the Beginning

2009-03-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome everyone. This blog is going to be a place for me to keep readers in the loop about all things regarding the release of my new novel, THE MANHATTAN PROPHET. I'll also talk about the publishing process, make updates about my website, and alert you all to any news and events that surround the book. Please feel free to email me at jake@themanhattanprophet.com with questions or comments!

About the book:
THE MANHATTAN PROPHET takes place in an imminently apocalyptic New York City, where most civil order and government has been destroyed in the limited nuclear war that erupted out of the ongoing conflict between the West and Radical Islam. Now, the multinational corporations, new-founded city state governments, and street gangs vie for power and survival. The masses are forced into a feudalistic existence; many are quarantined on public land, infected with viruses that mutated in the radioactive fallout. Those with “clean” blood rise to prominence while those diseased and dying sink into poverty and depravity.

Into this world, hope rises with a Salem Jones, a mysterious young man born in prison, who without leaving his jail cell has begun a global spiritual movement, spreading healing and hope amongst the poor and downtrodden, but anxiety and fear amongst the rich and powerful. On the day Salem is to be released from prison, he disappears into the walled-off ghetto in New York City which was once Central Park, now known as Shantypark. Tensions mount as battle lines are drawn and the New York city-state prepares for an ultimate battle between good and evil, with the whole world watching.

More to come....