A Modern-Day Zorro
The Conscience of Abe’s Turn is a politically charged series of novelettes about a group of Gen-X civil rights activists who decide to fight their own local police state. It’s equal parts Zorro, Robert Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Boston Legal (the TV show created by David E. Kelley), with some high-tech subterfuge thrown in for good measure. These 4 friends refuse to accept the injustice they see and experience. They come up with a dangerous solution that ultimately pits them against corrupt government officials in a precarious balance of power.
The Conscience of Abe’s Turn, the novel, Coming Soon
Actually, it’s the first, 4-episode set, which is to be released as a 5.5x8.5-inch trade paperback in June 2008. (The image pictured here is a digitally rendered mock-up of an advanced reading copy, which will be in-hand around the middle of May.) This first volume spans about 288 pages and includes 4 novelette-length episodes plus several bonus extras.
This book is mostly a promotional vehicle, because there’s so much more I have in mind for this project. So expect to be able to get a copy on the cheap.
The Conscience of Abe’s Turn joins a list of 21’st-century fiction works that are available online via free download or audiobook podcast and are marketed using guerrilla marketing techniques, works like Mur Lafferty’s Playing for Keeps,Scott Sigler’s Infected, Bicycle Shop Murder by Robert Burton Robinson, Overclocked by Cory Doctorow, and J. C. Hutchins’s trilogy 7th Son.
The collection is slated for release in April 2008. For now, you can read the story online by clicking here.
Get Abe’s Turn news, chapters, and blog posts in your inbox.
If you want to keep up with what’s happening with Abe’s Turn, to read the ongoing story, and to get blog posts from the character’s of Abe’s Turn…
- Get notifications of new chapters and other posts in your inbox by entering your email address at the upper right of this page and clicking the “Email me” button. (These emails are powered by FeedBlitz, so you can unsubscribe at any time with a couple clicks of your mouse.)
- Or subscribe with your feed reader. Use the link at the upper right.
Try it out, or catch up on past episodes.
The Cast
-
Ted Jackson is a litigator, a criminal defense attorney, with the firm Hart, Zimmer, and Browne. He’s tall and firm, with greying hair. His occupation fits him well, because he fills a room with his presence, takes control, and loves to argue with those who disagrees with him. Ironically, his one regret is that he never learned to be a “people person.” (Check Mii Out Entry Number 0798-9203-5117)
-
Clydene Jackson (or Clyde for short) is Ted’s beloved wife. She wears her hair fiery red, with the initiative to match. She’s a software development guru who is self-employed as an independent consultant. She’s what you might call the strong, silent type… a strong, silent woman, who does what it takes, especially when it comes to her friends. But she also has a deep, soft side to her, and this is what connects with Mira. (Check Mii Out Entry Number 2158-2235-9381)
-
Mira Jayson is a rare, almost magical person. Quiet and sensitive, she knows people better than they know themselves. But she wouldn’t put it that way, because most people wouldn’t understand. She is tiny and beautiful, with silky, raven hair and dark eyes. Many like her, but few truly know her. What people do see is that Mira has a fervent sense of values, which makes her do things she hates to do, but which someone needs to do. A natural leader who sometimes appears to see into the future, she works as a counselor and a tireless political activist… and seems to always land right in the center of the action. (Check Mii Out Entry Number 0915-4984-8482)
-
Michael Kelly is the life of the party, wants whatever is new this week, thinks on his feet, jumps to conclusions, and has to see it to believe it. If opposites attract, that explains how he feels about Mira. Or maybe the fact that he appreciates beauty explains how he feels. Michael would look completely average, were it not for his dark hair and light blue eyes, which shine like little flashlights at whomever he’s looking. Michael loves people, loves to be around people, loves to work with people. He truly accepts everyone at face value for who they are. But don’t ever get on his bad side, because he is an experienced PR and ad man, and he’ll tear you to shreds, in public, behind your back. (Check Mii Out Entry Number 4587-1842-0219)
-
Sam Baedes, or “Chief Beady-eyes” as Michael calls him, is the Abe’s Turn chief of police, and the center of the problem. He’s large and strong with a crew cut, and he’s a physical fitness nut. He hates crime and disorder, and he demands that everyone play by the rules (or more accurately, by his rules). And he hates Mira, because she’s always lobbying against him and therefore is the antithesis of his way of life. The thing is, he honestly believes that his extreme approach to law enforcement is good for everyone. Indeed, Abe’s Turn is one of the safest places to live… until Sam Baedes thinks you’ve done something wrong (even if you haven’t). (Check Mii Out Entry Number 3874-3335-7731)
-
Pam Burns - We don’t know much about her yet, except that she’s young, athletic, and she’s a cop Baedes has taken under his professional wing. (Check Mii Out Entry Number 6444-4065-3371)
(For instructions on how to get the characters’ Miis onto your own Wii, see below.)
Read episodes online!
The story is told in episodes, each 5 chapters long, with new chapters posted on Fridays. These are published online, ad-supported, like a TV show. You can read an episode by itself, because each episode tells its own story. But the episodes also fit into a larger story, which is 3 years long.
See the Characters on Your Wii
If your Nintendo Wii is connected to the Internet, you can see, vote for, and import Miis of the Abe’s Turn characters, via the Check Mii Out Channel. (The Check Mii Out Channel is a free download from the Wii Shop Channel.)
- After you start the Check Mii Out Channel, click on “Posting Plaza.”
- Then click the button labeled “Popular,” at the bottom of the screen.
- At the bottom of the menu that appears is a magnifying-glass icon. Roll over it, and it’ll say “Search.” Click on that.
- Then at the upper-right corner is an icon with 2 arrows in a circle. Roll over that, and it’ll say “Change.” Click on that. (Who designed this interface?!)
- The form will say “Entry Number.” Click on the “Enter #” button.
- Then enter the 12-digit Entry Number from each of the characters above. For example, to find Mira’s Mii, enter the digits 0915|4984|8482. Then click the “OK” button.
- Click the “Search” button that appears.
- After a short wait, the Mii you searched for will run onto the screen.
- Click on the Mii to see him close-up.
- Then click on “I like it!” to vote for this Mii and add him to your favorites list.
- Click on “Import Mii” to copy the character to your own Wii, so you can use him to play games. I found out, Mira is one hell of a feisty tennis player!
A note to parents
The Conscience of Abe’s Turn is not targeted at children and treats topics that may be inappropriate for children. In particular, the story portrays official corruption and crime in the fictional town of Abe’s Turn, as well as violence. It may also contain sexual innuendo and sexual situations, as well as story-appropriate sex scenes.
