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A wide variety of people from all walks of life will decide the fate of the world. A fan favorite scene has been selected among the rich tapestry of moments found within the pages of this book. Insights into their thoughts are revealed through quotes. Entertaining related artwork and memes await discovery. A behind the scenes in depth exploration of what led up to the creation of the novel is available. Learn of Easter Eggs and hidden truths to get a deeper insight into this complicated tale of salvation in the face of inevitable destruction.
“I believe that the most uncomfortable aspect of mortality, by its very definition, is that none can survive it.” – Gabriel
Fan Favorite
A scene selected from the book.
It is strange to think about Lucifer, someone that is often considered the most evil of individuals, with sympathy. One approach is the idea of a family. The angelic host was created, becoming the First Born. The Second Born refers to all of humanity. The angels represent an older child and humans as the youngest child. What if the parents told their eldest that their only purpose was to take care of and provide for the sibling? How would you feel? Daemon become angry and is sent into exile when he defies what is asked of him. The favorite scene is when he is sitting on a bench, feeling the presence of his father. He feels such sorrow and loneliness, revealing a sympathetic side to him.
“Woe to the man who would dare call himself a god, for only in staring into the infinite does he understand how powerless he truly is.” - Gabriel
Relevant Images
“When a voice cries out in pain, sorrow, and loneliness, it feels as if it falls into silence in the darkness that surrounds it, not realizing who may be listening with sympathetic tears in their eyes as they share our pain.”
Origin Story:
Where it all began.
The author was raised as a Baptist, the son of several generations of Baptists on both sides of his family. As he grew into his teenage years, he began to have a spiritual crisis, questioning his faith and wondering if the church was right for him. Eventually he would leave this life as an adult and stop considering himself as a Christian. During this time of transition, the author was going to college and explored several religious studies courses. At one point he attended a course on the Old Testament, New Testament, and the History of Christianity. It was during this time that he took a new approach to his faith and thought of what was in stories like Revelations as a form of Christian mythology to be explored.
The original cast involved twelve men, reflecting the twelve disciples of Jesus. One failed idea that didn't make it to the second draft was an unscrupulous lawyer. Also, originally the police officer was a beat cop, not a detective. This concept developed into who would play the role of Melanie Johnson's father.
The first draft barely made it past a few pages before the author gave up on the idea. It wasn't until the return of this mythological story that he wanted six male and six female individuals to reflect the modern world. The men having the names of six disciples and the women having the last name reflecting the other six. This revelation is hinted at near the end of the novel with Thaddeus's notes.
This book is not meant to promote Christianity or Christian faith over another belief system. It treats the bible as folklore and mythology. There are many ancient cultures that modern civilizations consider their religious belief systems as mythology and folklore. The same is the case concerning this presentation.
Origin Story:
First full draft.
There are several difference in the original draft compared to the final version that eventually became published several years later. Originally there is a scene between Julie and Joshua in his apartment where he proposes to her, ending their part of the story. A reference to this is made in the final scene where they are already engaged with a different version of his proposal presented.
A more dramatic change for the conclusion was that Andrew went into hiding, completely changing his identity and starting a new life somewhere new where no one in the community was aware of his past. A little boy calls out his name as "Mr. Meeks", a reference to the biblical phrase, "The meek shall inherit the Earth."
The biggest alteration between the first and second draft was Alexander. Initially he was a spoiled brat who was more obnoxious than cruel. He was petty and vindictive, nowhere near as ruthless in the final version. However, he was still evil. He casually orders the murder of a masseuse who accidently overhears private information. The scene where Melanie and Jack find her body in the water was kept from the original concept and the only trace of that event.
Alexander slowly grew into this darker, more sinister version of his original self throughout the course of the novel. The final scene where he's torturing and killing innocent people is where he peaks in his cruelty. The author took that final version of him from the original draft and started the novel again. This new approach made him to be cold, ruthless, and determined to achieve his goals. Writing his dialogue was with careful consideration much as he would do so before speaking. He is meant to represent true evil. The worst of humanity.
Origin Story:
Original Publication
The author's first attempt at publication was with a woman who claimed that if he sold X amount of copies of e-books, she would create a paperback copy which was his goal. It was always his dream to hold a physical copy of a published novel that he wrote. However, her business plan was that she would sign up dozens of new books every week, flooding her website with new material on a regular basis. Her quantity over quality approach made her money, but left her clients as at a loss of ever getting anywhere in publication which created a problem.
Despite the dead end that was that first publication experience, it did lead to a dramatic change. The original title was "Apocalypse" and the publisher requested something less generic. The author went over to his parents home and the three brainstormed on ideas on what to call the book. Eventually a new title was created using terminology introduced within the novel: The Second Born. The original cover design for the e-book was a picture of the author's father with a teardrop where Earth can be seen within the droplet of water. It was done by an artist that was on staff of the publisher and the only effort put forth by her to promote the book. This image on a black background was the first cover design.
After the original contract ended, the author gained full control over his novel and published it using a cover design that he created using four people in his life at the time. His mother, father, nephew, and his girlfriend he was in a relationship at the time. It was his attempt at merging several images into a single collage. It was his foray into the realm of self publication that led to the culmination of a lifelong dream: To hold a physical copy in his hands. It was not until years later with Tagonist Knights Publication that the book was re-released.
Origin Story:
Second Publication
When Tagonist Knights Publishing was little more than a concept for a company that would one day come into existence, the idea was that there would be five knights covering several basic genres. Fantasy, Scifi, Romance, Horror, and a "set in our present day Earth" of Contemporary fiction. For that last category, Tapestry of the Second Born felt like an ideal fit. A cover designer was brought in to develop a look for each novel. Of the original collection, this was the last one to receive an image to represent it. She was asked about a concept of a larger image made up of dozens, maybe even hundreds of smaller images. For the author, it was such an awe inspiring concept that he didn't think that it could be done. And yet... The artist was able to perform what he felt to be a miracle.
With a new cover design for the re-release of the book, the author made a few small changes to the story itself. The first name of Melanie's father was altered to reflect a tragic event to occur since the first publication and the new release. The author's father had passed away. He wanted to pay a loving tribute to him within the book, so her father's name was changed to Raymond Earl.
The second biggest change was that in the original, Alexander is stopped by Andrew and sent to prison for attempted murder. However, it felt like it wasn't enough to eliminate him as a threat. Also, there was the loose thread of the group of assassins. To resolve both and give a conclusion to these antagonists, a new scene was created. It allowed for closure involving the fate of the three men representing the horsemen and Brotherhood of the Crimson Dragon.
This novel began a journey that continues into Genesis of the First born.
“Dwelling within a void of absolute emptiness, a son’s unconditional love for his father can still be found.” – Daemon
Easter Eggs and Inspiration
One page 300, Jessie and Thaddeus reveal that they met while waiting in line to get a signed copy of the first book ever written by their favorite author, “Light Within Darkness”. It is the title of the first full length novel that the author of this novel wrote originally as a Senior in High School. It is paying homage to the origins of his writing career.
“One must be given the option to fulfill a dishonorable act for a righteous choice to have merit.” – Elder Man
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