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Celebrating Dan Antion's #NewRelease . . .

6/26/2022

51 Comments

 
Hello blog friends, I've a treat for you. Much respected blogger Dan Antion has just published his first novel: Knuckleheads. Today he will share an excerpt from the book and tell us a bit about the story.

​For those of you who do not know Dan, he lives in Connecticut and often blogs about the area in and around Hartford (background photo below). He's a natural historian, as well as an incredible photographer. I've come to love the seasons and wildlife of the Northeast through his posts which you can find here. 

Please join me in welcoming Dan ...
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​I was thrilled when Gwen offered to help promote Knuckleheads, the first book in the Dreamer’s Alliance series. It’s so cool to be appearing on her blog. I have enjoyed several of her books. In discussing the subject of this post, I reached back to a question Gwen asked in one of her segments in Story Empire: “Religion and Politics – Part 1.” Toward the end of her post, Gwen said, “I’d love to hear if or how you write about your characters’ spiritual life.” I’m glad she didn’t ask about politics because I avoid that at all costs.

I left the following comment, “My characters grew up with a strong religious influence as children. In the books in the series once they are adults, they reflect on that upbringing, sometimes humorously.”

We agreed that I would more fully answer this question today.
​
Knuckleheads is a conversation between Zach Amstead, who has recently retired, and his adult daughter, Abbie. The story being told by Zach chronicles his childhood and that of his best friend, William Terrence – Billy. The book describes the way these boys grew up. It describes the values they carried into adulthood, and the experiences in which those values were formed. These are ordinary stories, from which I think most of us form the core values that guide us as adults.

Zach’s father works throughout the book to help the two boys as they struggle to control their emerging paranormal abilities. Zach found himself increasingly able to participate in the lucid dreams he had always had. Billy was plagued with shadowy glimpses of the future.

Zach’s mother and Billy’s grandmother, unaware of their abilities, but aware of the problems they caused, took the boys to church. Through school, church and work at Zach’s father’s bowling alley, Zach and Billy became best friends, and learned to manage themselves in a world in which they didn’t fit well.

​The little excerpt below hints at the role their church experience plays into the book. I chose this clip because I don’t think it spoils anything. In this scene, Zach’s mother has picked up Zach and Billy after a Friday night youth service.

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​Beyond the subtle moral and spiritual input, and a little mother-father conflict, there are two other reasons their religious experience is mentioned.

One reason is that church was an important part of my childhood experience, and the childhood experience of most of my friends in the 1950s and 60s. The book isn’t autobiographical, but readers of my blog will recognize some of the situations in which these two boys find themselves. I found it almost impossible to not draw on my experience and the experience of others I knew well.

The other reason is that church attendance solved a logistical problem. The demands of the future books in the series required this first story to develop to a point where Zach and Billy were no longer living in the same town. I won’t explain that because it would introduce way too many spoilers.

​However, I can say that attendance at the same church gave them a place to meet when they no longer attended the same school. That’s the cool thing about fiction, you can make it work.

Gwen, thanks again for inviting me to spend some time with you and your readers. Also, thank you for the lovely review you left for Knuckleheads. I am glad you enjoyed the story.​
​
BLURB: 
Zach and Billy didn't ask for the paranormal powers that were beyond their capacity to understand or control. Zach, with his lucid dreams, and Billy, with his shadowy glimpses of the future, struggle to make sense of the world around them. Adults in authority have no time for what they consider mental outliers of the baby-boom. The boys are institutionalized, marginalized, and ignored. Zach's father realizes the dangers they will face as adults. With no way to comprehend how these boys perceive and move within their world, he must find a way to guide them. 

SERIES BLURB:
The Dreamer's Alliance Series chronicles the challenges and dangers faced by two men who have been gifted with paranormal abilities. From their struggles to understand and control these powers through their battle with the attempts of corrupt authorities to exploit them. 
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AUTHOR BIO:
Dan Antion was born outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up and attended college in that area. Dan has written and published the popular No Facilities blog since 2011. A lifelong interest in writing became a reality after he retired from a successful 42-year-long career in Information Management. Dan lives in Connecticut with his wife, a few pets and all the wildlife they can feed.
CONTACT LINKS:​
​
Author Page       Amazon       Blog       Twitter       Facebook     
51 Comments
Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 04:48:54

I am honored to be here, Gwen. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity and for sharing your insight at Store Express. It's been a pleasure to learn from you over there, and a thrill to be appearing here.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 06:26:32

It's a delight to support you through the launch of your first book, Dan. I wish you all the best and look forward to reading the entire series. 😊

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Maureen O'Hern
6/27/2022 05:24:16

I didn't read everything you said, Dan, because, as usual, I don't want to know very much before I start reading your book. But the question about spiritual life and related matters is a good one, Gwen, and this book launch is teaching me more about writing through the good questions asked. Process is ever the mystery. (I did laugh at your comment, Dan, about avoiding politics at all costs. Quicksand for sure!)

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 06:12:14

I can appreciate your not wanting to see any spoilers, Maureen. I am happy you will be reading the book. I'd reply in more detail, but I don't want to reveal anything. I hope you enjoy the book.

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Gwendolyn Plano
6/27/2022 06:28:45

Thank you for visiting. Maureen, and adding to the celebrative fun. I'm with you about politics -- ugh! All the best to you and happy reading!

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GP link
6/27/2022 05:49:34

I've been following Dan on his tour and wishing him well along the way. I know you do too, so thank you for helping our mutual friend.

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 06:13:14

I appreciate your comments at all these tour stops, GP.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 06:30:20

My pleasure, GP. Thank you for visiting and for cheering Dan along his tour.

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Staci Troilo link
6/27/2022 06:08:19

I read the book yesterday and recognized so much from my youth. It was such an enjoyable story, Dan. Looking forward to the next part and wishing you all the best.

Gwen, thank you for hosting.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 06:32:19

Thank you, Staci, it's a pleasure to host a friend, especially when the book is as good as Knuckleheads.

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Staci Troilo link
6/27/2022 07:45:30

Couldn't have said it better than that, Gwen. 💕

Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 07:17:21

I am glad you enjoyed the book, Staci. I tired to make the book appeal to anyone, from anywhere, but Pittsburgh is a unique experience.

Gwen is a wonderful host.

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Staci Troilo link
6/27/2022 07:48:59

I enjoyed it very much and hope to have my review posted later today. (Will blog it tomorrow.)

The Pittsburgh parts were relatable to me (I ADORE the Cathedral of Learning), but it was the time that really spoke to me. Simpler days. Our kids will never know the joys of being unplugged. My kids don't rely on social media and the like the way most of their generation does, but even so, they'll never know the world without it. You captured those days perfectly. I think this work will appeal to all generations.

Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 14:04:07

I didn't see the option to reply to your last comment, Staci. The notion that modern children will not understand being unplugged, is almost as impossible to consider as cell phones would have been in the 60s.

I attended the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Business in 1976-77. Our classes were held in the Cathedral of learning. Attending class in that building was a remarkable experience.

All the best to you and your family.

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Cheryl link
6/27/2022 07:31:27

Thanks for the tour post Gwen. This is a fun series, Dan.

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Deborah link
6/27/2022 08:35:40

This was a lovely introduction to Dan's new book. Thanks for hosting him Gwen and giving us another little snippet of the book. It won't be long now before I begin to read my copy. I've been saving it and I can tell you all these little snippets and teasers the past week have been tempting me to read it before my trip! 😂

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 08:42:01

It's my pleasure to host today, Deborah. Thank you for visiting and supporting Dan. I know you'll enjoy the book. I hope you have a wonderful trip! 😊

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Pete Springer link
6/27/2022 09:36:12

I haven't been writing that long, but I find that I often draw upon my own experiences in my stories. I ran into an interesting situation recently with my work in progress regarding religion.

I was raised Catholic and was an altar boy when I was a kid. My experiences with the church were generally positive, but like many people, I began to question or found conflicts in the church's teachings and my beliefs. (I won't get into all of that now.)

In one of my scenes, the protagonist (serving as as altar boy) meets with the priest after mass to talk about about his week. It was meant to be an innocent scene, but a couple of the people in my critique group immediately brought up some of the scandals of the sexual abuse involving priests. I'm not naive about that, but it's not something I thought of when I wrote the scene. I didn't get rid of the scene but wrote it in a way that the two didn't meet privately. I suppose it's a sad reality that writers need to take these things into consideration.

By the way, I just picked up Dan's book and added it to my overflowing Kindle 😊 as it sounds like an interesting read.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 10:26:24

Thank you, Pete, for supporting Dan. I look forward to reading your book. I can imagine the dilemma you mentioned, as I've traveled that path. All the best to you!

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 11:32:01

Thank you, Pete. I hope you enjoy the book. I won't spoil anything, but I had to address issues like this in the preface, which I hadn't planned on writing. The entire series took a turn for me because I felt I had to avoid a certain topic that could have been inferred from the way the original plot was structured. It is hard when plausible fiction crashed into head-shacking reality. This was an aspect of writing I hadn't planned on.

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Pete Springer link
6/27/2022 14:07:50

Theses are some of the unintended consequences of writing. Sounds like you found a solution that works.

John Howell link
6/27/2022 09:41:06

Excellent excerpt, Dan. Congratulations on the launch. Thanks to Gwen for hosting today.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 10:27:16

Thank you, John, for adding your support to Dan. It's always a joy to celebrate a new release.

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 11:33:16

Thanks John. I struggled to find excerpts that wouldn't spoil anything for a reader. I'm glad this works.

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D.L. Finn
6/27/2022 10:44:33

Great post! I have this story coming up very soon my my reading list, Dan.
Thanksfoe host, Gwen:)

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 10:53:34

It's always a pleasure to host friends, Denise. Thank you for stopping by and supporting Dan. 😊

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 11:34:28

Thank you, Denise. I hope you enjoy the book. I very much appreciate Gwen hosting me today. It means a lot to be here.

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Elizabeth Gauffreau link
6/27/2022 12:17:14

Very interesting about the role that the church plays in the two boys' lives. Church was very much a part of my life when I was growing up.

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 13:03:27

Thank you Elizabeth. In trying to paint a complete picture of these boys, as well as some of the other characters, I felt I had to include this aspect of their early lives. Attending church services, and the importance placed on that attendance by parents is something I hoped people would understand.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 13:45:58

Church was a big part of my life when growing up as well, Liz. 😊

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Jan Sikes
6/27/2022 12:25:21

I love the simpler time period this story is set in and thought Dan did a great job building the world for people who may not have lived through that era. Great post, great excerpt, great story! Thank you for hosting, Gwen, and best wishes to Dan!

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 13:07:35

I am glad to hear this, Jan. I brought the daughter into the book to represent those who didn't live through the era.

Gwen has been a wonderful host (as were you, Jan). I'm overwhelmed by the level of support I've received.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 13:47:13

Thank you for your wonderful support, Jan. Like you, I really enjoyed the story. 😊

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Priscilla Bettis link
6/27/2022 15:27:17

Knuckleheads sounds pretty cool. Congrats to Antion on his new release!

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Dan Antion link
6/27/2022 16:25:54

Thank you Priscilla.

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Gwen Plano
6/27/2022 17:15:26

So happy you stopped by to cheer for Dan, Priscilla. New releases are great fun. All the best...

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Patricia Furstenberg link
6/28/2022 02:10:09

A beautiful stop on Dan's blog tour, Gwen. I learned more about Knuckleheads.
Good luck with your first book release, Dan :)

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Gwen Plano
6/28/2022 04:34:03

Thank you for visiting and adding to the excitement, Patricia. 😊

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Dan Antion link
6/29/2022 04:17:25

Thanks for stopping here, Patricia and thanks for the good wishes!

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Harmony Kent link
6/28/2022 03:55:52

Huge congratulations to Dan on his new book! Wishing him every success. Thanks for sharing, Gwen. I’ll have to check this one out. Hugs 💕🙂

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Gwen Plano
6/28/2022 04:35:28

A first release is always exciting and celebrating with Dan is special. Thank you for joining in the fun, Harmony. 💗

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Dan Antion link
6/29/2022 04:19:54

Thanks for also stopping by here, Harmony. And thanks again for sharing your experience at Story Empire. Your series on KDP was extremely helpful.

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Jill Weatherholt link
6/28/2022 11:35:10

I remember those Friday night youth services quite well. Thanks for hosting Dan today, Gwen. I'll certainly be adding his book to my TBR list.It sounds like a great read. Congrats to Dan!

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Gwen Plano
6/28/2022 20:51:59

Thank you for visiting, Jill. Your kind words are always appreciated. 💗

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Dan Antion link
6/29/2022 04:22:10

Thanks for this comment, Jill. Those Friday night services certainly stuck with us. I was hoping to show that we carry many things forward from our childhood experience. I hope yo enjoy the book.

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Jacquie Biggar link
6/28/2022 12:12:45

I'm curious if the conflict between the parents spreads onto Zach and Billy's future problems. This sounds like a great read, Dan- congrats!

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Gwen Plano
6/28/2022 20:53:03

Good question, Jacquie. Thank you for joining in the celebration. 💗

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Dan Antion link
6/29/2022 04:25:52

That is a good question, Jacguie. The next two books in the series begin in modern times, after Zach tells this story to his daughter. I don't want to reveal any spoilers, but suffice it to say, they head down a different path. Still, Zach carries everything forward.

Diana Peach link
6/30/2022 11:40:49

It's awesome to see Dan making the rounds with his book. What fun for his debut. I'm looking forward to the read. Many congrats to Dan, and thanks for hosting, Gwen. <3

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Dan Antion link
6/30/2022 14:42:13

Thanks Diana. I appreciate your visiting these posts and for your kind comments. Gwen has been a delightful host.

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Robbie Cheadle
6/30/2022 12:13:35

Hi Gwen, it's great to see Dan here talking about his book which I finished a few days ago. It if interesting to read these posts that delve into some of the ideas and relationships.

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