NEW BOOK ALERT! I’d like to introduce you to my newest book: Nametags! Now… I know, I know! There was supposed to be a different book coming out right about now! While that is true, and The Broken Codex is still in the works, I want to announce this new book. This is not another fictional book. In fact, it’s nonfiction, a path I haven’t yet explored. In this post, I’ll explain the story of Nametags as best I can for you.
In the last post I made, you may recall that I mentioned the fact that now that I’m done with The Agitators Trilogy (in theory), I am open to possibilities. Yes, The Broken Codex is somewhat of a tag onto that series in some way, but for the majority, I’m done. The list included ideas in the realms of fantasy, historical fiction, sci-fi, as well as continuing in the dystopian future genre. With the trilogy ended, I have a world of possibilities! Non-fiction has been one of my ideas for a long, long time. It wasn’t until early February 2023 that I actually got a subject to base my book off of.
Non-fiction is so far different from fiction, which is the entire reason I wanted to try it. Unlike fiction, which you only need a story and some worldbuilding to begin, non-fiction requires more research and time put into it, constructing a thesis before writing the book. Also… lots and lots of citations.
So two things kinda happened in February. I stumbled upon the talk given by President Russell M. Nelson titled Choices For Eternity. In this talk, he spoke about how we arrange our labels in our life and how to give our labels importance. I was struck by how inspirational a book about this may be, complied with the endless sources online. The second thing that happened was that I had a research project due for my leadership class. (Of course, everyone was supposed to write a 10-20 page paper, but I asked if I could write a book.)
Upon receiving the green light from my mentors, Kent and Amy Bowler, I began researching for this project. I read books and articles, listened to talks and speeches, and took really good notes. I also went out and took two different social experiments. Soon, I was ready to begin writing.
Off of all my information I received, either from my own data or data recovered from online, I created concepts and stories to allow for easiest reading. As I say in the beginning of my book, “It’s always the books with the best knowledge and deepest insights that seem to drag on forever.” Especially with the target audience as teenagers, I didn’t want this to miss the audience.
It took longer than I thought to write up the book. Between the research and compiling the data, it was difficult to make sure the book flowed well and stayed coherent. In the end, I’m very proud of the book and I hope that this will affect at least one person. I know how much it affected me, and I was the author!! I think through the research and the writing, I was able to get the meat of the knowledge. Not only was I impacted by what I learned, but I know this’ll be one of those times I have to take my own advice and learn from this. In all honesty, I think that this is a fantastic book, and I hope the message isn’t watered down from the direct sources I took from.
So what is Nametags? Well, as mentioned, it’s about labels. As you may know, we grow up with different types of labels. From the moment we are born, we are given names, genders, and a host of other attributes that serve as a means of identification and classification. As we grow up, we accumulate more and more labels – some chosen by us, and others imposed by society. From my research, I’ve been able to create my own concepts and designs on how to rearrange your labels. You don’t have to ‘just live’ through your labels, accepting them until you just… die. I want you to be able to change those labels! Change your life, by taking ahold of it.
Now this isn’t some teenager telling other people to get their stuff straight. Sourced from over 30 sources, this message is the raw materials, filtered from dozens of places, over a hundred hours of research. (Go ahead, read the bibliography. It’s all there.) No, I’m not perfect, but the research is sound.
Now, the teenagers are the target audience, but the topic includes everyone. The formatting is the only thing that’s different. (In other words, the book is a little more fun.) The message shouldn’t change depending on whether you’re 15 or 50. Your view might, but this is a nice book that can give you a new view of labels. And hey, it’s pretty short too. If worst comes to worse, you’ll laugh (hopefully).
So, if you get the chance, look for Nametags on Amazon starting April 15th, 2023. Change your mindset, change your labels.
And for anyone who read this entire thing for an update on The Broken Codex, here’s what I got for you: Production has been halted, due to the book above. (Nametags was more pressing in my schedule. Also, I hit a writing block mid-February.) I’m going to take a writing break, as Nametags was written in about a month and a half, research included. I’ll celebrate this success, and come back to the drawing board for The Broken Codex. I’ll probably start slow with it. I promise it’ll be done by the end of the year, but don’t be surprised if I pick up a second writing project along the way. Some story details have gotten messed up as I figure out the writing. I just need to work on it better.
This all being said, I will let you in on a secret, as I have been slacking. This wasn’t supposed to be revealed, but I think you deserve it. This book is a prequel. Yes, I did say that before, but just know that it’s with a character that didn’t get a point of view in any of the three books. That… and it starts before The Surge. It ends sometime in Trial Through Fire (that is, if I don’t change the story again. It’s complicated.
Along with that, I’m going to post another update soon, including a short story. Yes, an entire short story, only available here until the book is published. While I wrote Nametags I was considering this side story, that will be published along with The Broken Codex at the end of the book. I wanted to give you readers a little taste. Here’s an even bigger thing: you know this character. He’s had his own point of view too. (Shoot… I said he.) Oh well. Be on the look out for that.
I’ll also work on updates a lot more. They do take away from my writing, as each update will take an hour or more. But I do think I’ll be more consistent on that part.
As always, more updates coming soon! Till then;
