I am excited to report that publication of Gennebar Rising Part I: Awakenings, the first part of my “epic” three-part fantasy novel that was over five years in the making, is on course for publication this summer.
Last October, the combined three-part story received a very gratifying thumbs up from Kirkus Reviews, a professional third party review service respected by publishers, librarians and the reading public. Kirkus Reviews, which is feared by many authors for their tough, and even “cantankerous” literary appraisals, flatteringly called Gennebar Rising “An epic fantasy tale set in an ornately crafted universe.” The full review of the collected parts I, II, and III, which appears in the Kirkus “Recommended and Starred” section, can be read here:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/clint-geller/gennebar-rising/
The Story:
Gennebar Rising is set in an imaginary world with some very deliberate similarities to, but also some striking differences from a celebrated time and place in real world history—first century Palestine. The story combines elements of fantasy, science fiction and alternative or parallel history. Please visit the Gennebar Rising Page for the synopsis of Part I.
I hope readers will find that my story is not pure “escapism,” but makes some serious points about the folly of blind faith. Friends who know me will be able to tell who my personal spokesperson is in the story. It is my hope that fellow enthusiasts of fantasy will find much to like in Gennebar Rising. If one happens to know a little physics, that may increase one’s enjoyment of the story even more, but no science knowledge is required.
I will look forward to hearing from readers.
Counting down to launch…
Professional editing by Adrienne Izaguirre Block was completed last year.
The cover design for Part I, which needs only a couple of minor adjustments, features a wonderfully atmospheric and evocative illustration of a scene from the story by superlative artist Victor Mosquera.
My map of the world of Gennebar is being recreated from my original draft by cartographer Jason Ruggiero, and should be complete later this month.
Currently, I am working with my print book designer, Nick Caruso, to finalize the internal book design. I intend to release the print and e-book versions of Part I more or less simultaneously, probably in August.
E-book design and production is being ably supported by Saul Bottcher of IndieBookLauncher.com, whom I can heartily recommend to all other aspiring indie authors. I thank Saul as well for convincing me that I had not written one novel, but three. By taking advantage of two natural break points in the story arc, I will be able to offer the print book versions of the three separate parts, each of which ranges in length from a little over 80,000 words to just over 120,000 words, at very reasonable prices. Hopefully as well, the first book will serve to generate interest in the second and the third.
I thank my talented photographer, Laura Magone, for the flattering portrait picture, which will grace the print editions, both soft and hard cover.
Where to buy Gennebar Rising Part I:
The book will be sold in three formats (e-book, softcover, and hardcover with autograph option). For details, see the Gennebar Rising page.
Please Review my Book:
Friends, old and new, who buy either the e-book or the soft cover edition of Part I on Amazon.com are encouraged to kindly review my book there. (Note: Only one review can be posted on the Amazon site for any particular book from any particular customer address. Attempting to post a second review from the same address will cause both reviews to be deleted.) You can still review the book on Amazon even if you aren’t a “Verified Purchaser” there. However, unless a reader clicks “See all Reviews,” he/she won’t see it. Otherwise, only your ratings will register in my site statistics. However, you can always review my book on Goodreads.com whether you purchased the book anywhere or not. (While favorable reviews on either site would be helpful to me, and I will greatly appreciate them, the most helpful single place to put your review is on Amazon.com. Of course, if you are especially energetic or enthusiastic about my book, please don’t hesitate to post reviews on both sites.) The most effective and influential reviews are those that mention one or more aspects of the story the reviewer especially liked, and which compare my book to books by other authors whose work readers may know.
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Clint Geller 