Last night as I listened in horror to my Stony Brook Seawolves getting shellacked in their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, I wrote a piece that I felt was important to address my last book and it is titled: "THE CYBERPUNK BODY HACKING GRINDERS IN CYBERWAR."
This first appeared on the book's web site Cyberwarseries.com as the night grew old. But here it is in full Eager Readers: My latest book is a thriller and it is science fiction, but it is also known as what is called a genre smasher, and so I felt it was time to address the cyberpunk body hacking grinders in Cyberwar. I hate labels, but sometimes they are necessity when it comes to easily finding information. Without the fantastically fun sub-genre of speculative fiction known as ‘Cyberpunk’, it would be pretty damn hard to find new books that I like that in some way loosely resemble the technologically gritty woes of imagined futures or worlds or realities brought to us in stories like Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (the neighbors will have your balls if your robotic sheep proves to be impersonating a real one) or William Gibson’s unparalleled Neuromancer. It occurs to me, right now, as the horrid commercials blare their noise at my back, while I eagerly await my Alma Mater’s first entry into the March Madness Tournament, that my book has been marketed wrong. That is, to say, Cyberwar meets the expectations for a sci-fi thriller, but that is far short of the whole picture. Marketing is more important than I like to acknowledge. So let’s talk cyberpunk and grinding! If delving into the book offers up some more insight for Eager Readers that might take an interest in its vast world, who am I to deny them that. I wrote the damn thing, so I hope you will not mind if I make an edit to expand its description – late in the game, I know – to hit on some of the nuanced and highly researched aspects that go beyond computing technology, political revolution, and cyber warfare. A lot of the research I put into robotics crossed over into humanoid bots, AI (artificial intelligence), and then further into android-like devices and a merging of man and machine. The birth of the cyborg is old news. Chipsets placed in the brain to allow for electrical impulses and thought to go wireless is tech currently being tested for human beings. Successful cybernetic prosthetics are allowing people with artificial limbs to control their new hands and legs with nerve interaction and thought. This is today and this is yesterday. And this is the public news published in scientific journals. Below the surface, the unaccepted, and often widely innovative grinders, or body hackers, are starting a movement that many feel is the next step in the human evolutionary ladder: that of the cyborg. Grinders will place glowing chips beneath the skin of their hands to allow them a bio-chip coded to their own DNA that is the grinder’s method for waiving a hand and paying for an item, or accessing health metrics. Some grinders are even plugging parts of their brains into physical electronic interfaces that give them abilities beyond the traditional senses. This is the case with Neil Harbisson, a colorblind artist from Barcelona, who persuaded a doctor to implant a camera in the back of his head so that the antenna can detect the dominant color in front of him and translate it into musical notes so he is aware of the color. He considers himself a ‘cybernetic organism’ and no longer identifies as a human. Harbisson co-founded the Cyborg Foundation to advocate for cyborg rights. The doctor that performed Harbisson’s surgery did so only after many other surgeons refused, and only under the condition of remaining anonymous. Grinders are pushing the boundaries of the human-cyborg relationship all over the world, often at great personal risk of their own health. The future of Cyberwar is torn in two. Fifty percent of the population consider the cyborg way of life a right and have permanently altered some part of their body; many of these body hackers have cybernetic eyes that replace one of their own functioning eyes with an infrared and thermal imaging device. The other half of the world populous remain steadfast in what they deem their birthright: the right to have no mechanized or electronic device, forced into their bodies. This is a conflict that is ongoing in the Cyberwar Series. Localized EMP’s can kill those with complex electronics in their skulls, but the government, in the Cyber United States in particular, is slowly pushing toward everyone getting their own bio-chipset to use for electronic currency, eliminating all cash, and all of the “off-the-books” transactions that accompany physical currency (there is more of this in my next book, which is coming soon!). The main characters are haunted by cybernetics! Grinding and androids and brash new futures are at the heart of cyberpunk, and I am proud to say Cyberwar has plenty of that in its gut as well. If you want to check out the start of the book, please read the first few chapters in an excerpt here.
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I am compelled to talk to you about some of the fun I have been having recently involving inventing not-so-subliminal messages in binary code for chapter breaks and typing the infamous words “[THE END]” on my next novel’s manuscript.
It has been sometime since I have opened up to you, Eager Readers, and that is why I felt the need to get in touch today to catch up. I should have said more of myself, but I did not. A bad car accident has had me in disarray over the last year and a half plus, but my health is improving and so too, I hope, my writing going forward. It is not an excuse, but it was difficult to write my thoughts down and hard to get them out in the world. What has been incredibly frustrating is a drastically altered ability to read, to see in general, and subsequently to write and edit. All kinds of quality of life issues have stricken me down, but the acts of reading, writing and editing, which have been second nature for as long as I can remember, were crippled. Fear not! Things should improve for me in the not too distant future. I will get back to making art at a high level, and I am working oh so hard to get back there, and to a healthy state, every day. But back to the fun I figured you would enjoy hearing about. Reading and rereading some fascinating articles on translating binary code – and just where the hell those numbers come to have meaning – had me inspired. This is one of the articles I read from math.grin.edu. It is called “The Binary System: A pretty damn clear guide to a quite confusing concept by Christine R. Wright with some help from Samuel A. Rebelsky” (and it is quite fun, even for one who tries to ignore math regularly, as I am wont to do). I will never be able to grasp the sheer math of it all, and the geniuses using this method and other in-depth ways for creating myriad works of art in the Cyberverse continue to have my utmost respect. But trying to wrap my head around just what those numbers mean and how does so much meaning and information pass through them in the world today, invisible and yet visible at all times through the digitally dependent society that circumvents much of the globe. Do not get me wrong: I simultaneously love and hate the digital Cyberverse that has infused itself into modern civilization; as much as I am fascinated and utilize the tech, I wish we were not so completely dependent on it. But I digress, back to fun. Being moved by the complexity and yet utter simplicity of binary, I decided it would be fun to make a different interconnecting message in binary code as a chapter break at the end of each section in the latest novel I have been writing to follow-up Cyberwar. I am afraid I do not have a title to reveal just yet, but the book, which was largely complete before my car accident is inching nearer to its culmination. The binary serves as a great visual break between parts of the book’s words, but also allows me to add in some of my own views on a level, a fun level, that requires a little research on the part of the reader to find the meaning hid in the 1’s and 0’s. You may also be interested to know that this very week, I typed the words, “[THE END]” onto the ms. Now there is a good deal of words on the page after those, and that will have to be addressed. And there are numerous sections that need to be expanded upon, some that need to be chopped down to timbers, and others that no doubt need transplanting, either to other sections of this book or into another book entirely. That will be the fun as the editing and the writing continues. I can give no timeline, but want to say a hearty “Hello” to you all and hope that 2016 is a healthy and magical new year for us all. Sincerely, R.J. Huneke "FUN: I wrote [THE END] and binary chapter breaks" was originally written for CyberwarSeries.com by R.J. Huneke Get the inside scoop from this panel of local writers who have successfully published or self-published their books, as the Writers' Confidential program talks publishing with R.J. Huneke and other authors on November 4, 2015. Head down to the Riverhead Public Library from 6:30 - 8:30 for this free and informative program. Here all about the authors biographies, their most recent books, and how they went about getting them published. The local Long Island and New York writers include R.J. Huneke for his sci-fi thriller Cyberwar, Phil Keith for Stay the Rising Sun, Sophia Burrell for 7 Traits for Victory: Life Changing Lessons for Personal Growth, Nancy Bashaw for Finding Five: embracing remembrances of those who have passed, and former Suffolk County Poet Laureate Pramila Venkateswaran for Thirteen Days to Let Go. The authors will be signing books at the end of the program for any Eager Readers out there! Please register for the free event here, and there will be refreshments available courtesy of Joe's Crab Shack. R.J. Huneke has spent years researching for his latest sci-fi thriller Cyberwar. A longtime writer and columnist, Huneke has interviewed cyber security professionals, carefully examined advances in science (including robotics and artificial intelligence) and compiled modern day speculations on technology and spun them into an electrifying journey into a dystopian society dominated by cybernetic hackers. His extensive knowledge on cyber warfare, robotics, and political protest, as well as his strong female protagonist are what set the riveting story apart. The book from Pentian, an imprint of Lantia, is in stores! Get it in hardcover, as well as softcover, and eBook (Kindle, Nook,iBooks) wherever books are sold. Well it's just few short weeks away, and R.J. Huneke will be on-hand for four days at the New York Comic Con 2015! And Rune Works and CYBERWAR publisher Pentian will be at the Javit's Center October 8-11 at Booth # 1061 at the NYCC! Rune Works is the media production end of CMO Sync and will proudly be representing itself at the NYCC with both author R.J. Huneke, artist Kara Zisa, and comic creator Ivan O'Neill. A very very limited amount of first edition full issue comics of Blackwood State #1 (25 pages of hilarity) will be available with the team, artist/writer Ivan O'Neill, editor R.J. Huneke, and colorist Kara Zisa signing and meeting Eager Readers throughout the weekend. Will they be signing anything? YES! Author R.J. Huneke will be touting his novel from Pentian, CYBERWAR, and Rune Works comics division, POWkabam, is also showing up with its first release: Ivan O'Neill's BLACKWOOD STATE Issue # 1. What are they giving away? Well bookmarks, posters, signed copies of EVERYTHING, FREE Tee's and of course copies of their works will be available for purchase. PRIZES, booth babes, and more unforgettable things are in store for any fan dropping by the Rune Works Booth # 1061! Look for the GIANT temple backdrop! We'll see you in a few weeks! R.J. Huneke will be speaking at 6 pm Friday night for Dune: 50 Years of a Sci-fi Classic LI Con Panel 8/14 at 6 PM in the Bay Room.
R.J. Huneke has spent years researching for his latest sci-fi thriller Cyberwar. A longtime writer and columnist, Huneke has interviewed cyber security professionals, carefully examined advances in science (including robotics and artificial intelligence) and compiled modern day speculations on technology and spun them into an electrifying journey into a dystopian society dominated by cybernetic hackers. His extensive knowledge on cyber warfare, robotics, and political protest, as well as his strong female protagonist are what set the riveting story apart. R.J. will at the August 14-16 LI Con 2, pop culture and science convention, with a table at Rune Works Productions and will be meeting Eager Readers in person. He will also be speaking at two panels on Friday: at 6pm the 50 Year History of DUNE and at 7 pm will be on a special LI Con panel discussing the NSA Revelations and Privacy and Security in the digital era at Snowden Crash: The NSA Revelations and what they mean for privacy with Ed Bishop, Izaac Falken, J. Morris, and Matt Newhall. Do not miss out on this panel where experts will discuss, in-depth, security and the cyber state in the wake of the NSA Revelations prompted by former NSA operative Edward Snowden. You can meet R.J. Huneke as he signs copies of his novel Cyberwar, and comic book creator Ivan O'Neill signing the very first issue of Blackwood State from POWkabam Comics! Head down to the 2nd Annual LI Con at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center 3845 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Ronkonkoma, New York 11779 to see the Rune Works Productions booth where artist and Blackwood State creator Ivan O'Neill will be joining author R.J. Huneke to sign books! If you cannot meet R.J. on his Cyberwar Book Tour, be sure to grab a rare signed hardcover copy of the work - there are very limited quantities on hand in the world's greatest independent bookstore, the Book Revue of Huntington, New York. Get signed copies of CYBERWAR in NY's Book Revue now! That's right, signed books of the R.J. Huneke sci-fi thriller are being sold exclusively at the Book Revue in Huntington; look for them on the Local Author tables near the front of the famous Long Island bookstore. R.J. Huneke has spent years researching for his latest sci-fi thriller Cyberwar. A longtime writer and columnist, Huneke has interviewed cyber security professionals, carefully examined advances in science (including robotics and artificial intelligence) and compiled modern day speculations on technology and spun them into an electrifying journey into a dystopian society dominated by cybernetic hackers. His extensive knowledge on cyber warfare, robotics, and political protest, as well as his strong female protagonist are what set the riveting story apart. If you cannot meet R.J. on his Cyberwar Book Tour, be sure to grab a rare signed copy of the work - there are very limited quantities on hand in the world's greatest independent bookstore, the Book Revue of Huntington, New York. R.J. will at the August 14-16 LI Con 2, pop culture and science convention, with a table at Rune Works Productions and will be meeting Eager Readers in person. He will also be speaking at two panels on Friday: at 6pm the 50 Year History of DUNE and at 7 pm will be on a special LI Con panel discussing the NSA Revelations and Privacy and Security in the digital era. Do not miss out on this panel where experts will discuss, in-depth, security and the cyber state in the wake of the NSA Revelations prompted by former NSA operative Edward Snowden. Rune Works Productions will also have a booth at LI Con 2, from August 14-16, 2015, and you can meet R.J. Huneke as he signs copies of his novel Cyberwar, and comic book creator Ivan O'Neill signing the very first issue of Blackwood State from POWkabam Comics! Head down to the 2nd Annual LI Con at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center 3845 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Ronkonkoma, New York 11779 to see the Rune Works Productions booth where artist and Blackwood State creator Ivan O'Neill will be joining author R.J. Huneke to sign books! On Friday August 14, 2015, author R.J. Huneke will be on a special LI Con panel discussing the NSA Revelations and Privacy and Security in the digital era.
Do not miss out on this panel where experts will discuss, in-depth, security and the cyber state in the wake of the NSA Revelations prompted by former NSA operative Edward Snowden. R.J. Huneke has spent years researching for his latest sci-fi thriller Cyberwar. A longtime writer and columnist, Huneke has interviewed cyber security professionals, carefully examined advances in science (including robotics and artificial intelligence) and compiled modern day speculations on technology and spun them into an electrifying journey into a dystopian society dominated by cybernetic hackers. His extensive knowledge on cyber warfare, robotics, and political protest, as well as his strong female protagonist are what set the riveting story apart. Rune Works Productions will also have a booth at LI Con 2, from August 14-16, 2015, and you can meet R.J. Huneke as he signs copies of his novel Cyberwar, and comic book creator Ivan O'Neill signing the very first issue of Blackwood State from POWkabam Comics! Head down to the 2nd Annual LI Con at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center 3845 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Ronkonkoma, New York 11779 to see the Rune Works Productions booth where artist and Blackwood State creator Ivan O'Neill will be joining author R.J. Huneke to sign books! Find Tickets LI-Con 2 : August 14 – 16, 2015 Long Island's Convention for movies, games, dealers, science, technology, anime, fantasy, sci-fi and more! LI-Con is brought to you by the same volunteers who brought you the I-CON Convention for over 30 years. LI-Con is NOT a replacement for I-CON; it is a condensed version designed to take place in a hotel setting. Though smaller in size, we still strive to bring you the same quality programming and events throughout LI-Con. Eternal Con was thoroughly rocked by the Rune Works booth and the POWkabam crew as the creators of Blackwood State gave away *WTF* an exclusive and FREE Blackwood State one-shot comic, while R.J. Huneke signed away copies of CYBERWAR! Ivan O'Neill has the world's funniest, raunchiest, most diabolical state school to life in book form in Blackwood State, which R.J. Huneke edited. Fans got sketches and met the Creator, Ivan, himself, as they reveled in Blackwood dogma at the con. Many swarmed the imprint online to scoop up exclusive backers-only variant issues of Blackwood State, as the publisher Pentian crowdfunds for a comic book tour of epic proportion! The prizes are extreme! For a $150 in funding, backers receive a special comic designed superficially for the contributor. Using a seven word sentence and a picture, O'Neill will create a 1 page comic about the contributor (and end up being totally ridiculous with it) + you get SIGNED copies of Blackwood State Issues # 1-3 with Limited Variant Covers + Bookmark + T-shirt + Blackwood State coffee mug & personal “Thank You” Letter from Gwen, T.A. at Blackwood State University and you earn 1.50% of the royalties from the comic issues when they're sold. Holy sh%t, right? For Blackwood State, O'Neill calls on a notorious state college and the life of a young lady struggling to live in a world that has no idea how not to crap on those that value the study of English writing. Alongside her fellow literary comrades, Guinevere Katz must attempt to keep her sanity and her grade as she survives one of the most obnoxious experiences of her academic career . . . and her professional career . . . and her life as a sentient being. Calling on father Bill Shakespeare, as her god, and Falstaff as her inner muse and bartender, Gwen's deteriorative, drunken English career is a journey that seems perennially poised on the brink of disaster. Just how the hell does one make a living with a degree in English anyway? You can help crowdfund the hilarious comic's book tour and grab some really exclusive variant covers, tee's, mugs, and more fun stuff at www.Pentian.com here, but act now before these items sell out forever. See R.J. Huneke at the Write & Edit with Style Seminar 2.0 June 10 + Eternal Con June 13-146/9/2015 Are you interested in writing the next best blockbuster novel? What about penning the next Academy Award winning screenplay? Or do you dream of being the next Poet Laureate? If so, this second part of the 3-part seminar is not to be missed! And you do not have to attend all three parts. Each seminar will allow attendees to examine whichever genre they are most comfortable – whether it is fiction, non-fiction, screenwriting, or poetry – and a methodology for how to write to the strengths of these genres with varying degrees of style. There will be discussions on how to prepare manuscripts for publication. Date: Wednesday - May 20 2015 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Location: PJ-Conference Room Program Type: Adult REGISTER For Free HERE. Read more about the details below. On May 30, the Port Jefferson Author Fair was a great success and R.J. Huneke was on hand to sign books. He will also be attending the Eternal Con comic convention from June 13-14 in Garden City to sign his novel Cyberwar and a free comic for the upcoming series Blackwood State series that he is editor on. That's right! POWkabam, the comics division of Rune Works, is working alongside publishing imprint Pentian to bring the world's funniest, raunchiest, most diabolical state school to life in book form. And what goes better with a state college life . . . a free comic that even a college student can afford! We sold out of Issue # 0 at the New York Comic Con and Artist/Illustrator Ivan O'Neill and editor R.J. Huneke want to run out of these exclusive Eternal Con one-shots by the end of the weekend! At Eternal Con on June 13-14, 2015, Rune Works is proud to present their publishing division POWkabam's inaugural title, Blackwood State by Artist/Writer Ivan O'Neill, colorist Kara Zisa, and editor R.J. Huneke, alongside Mr. Huneke's newly released science fiction novel, Cyberwar. POWkabam and Rune Works are working to publish the graphic novel in 2015 with Pentian, an imprint of Lantia, and the artist and editor will both be on hand at the Rune Works booth at Eternal Con sketching, signing, and meeting fans. For Blackwood State, O'Neill calls on a notorious state college and the life of a young lady struggling to live in a world that has no idea how not to crap on those that value the study of English writing. Alongside her fellow literary comrades, Guinevere Katz must attempt to keep her sanity and her grade as she survives one of the most obnoxious experiences of her academic career . . . and her professional career . . . and her life as a sentient being. Calling on father Bill Shakespeare, as her god, and Falstaff as her inner muse and bartender, Gwen's deteriorative, drunken English career is a journey that seems perennially poised on the brink of disaster. Just how the hell does one make a living with a degree in English anyway? You can help crowdfund the hilarious comic's book tour and grab some really exclusive variant covers, tee's, mugs, and more fun stuff at www.Pentian.com here, but act now before these items sell out forever. Cyberwar came out last month to rave reviews and author R.J. Huneke will be on hand at the Rune Works booth to sign a heap of hardcovers. When hackers seize the world governments everything changed for all of humanity. A new sense of hope arrived in the streets and young people everywhere embraced the new world order. However, what appeared to be a new found freedom soon turned out to be a new tyranny far worse than anything they imagined. William Waltz formed part of the new elite that guarded the regime, that is, until the regime turned on him. Read more about it here! DETAILS for WRITE AND EDIT WITH STYLE SEMINAR 102: CAPTURING YOUR VOICE With Local Author R.J. Huneke At the Port Jefferson Library On Wednesday May 20, 2015 from 7:00-8:30 pm Summary: This is the second in a three part series of educational courses designed to develop vastly different skills for attendees that have interest in genres of writing and editing. Each seminar will allow attendees to examine whichever genre they are most comfortable – whether it is fiction, non-fiction, screenwriting, or poetry – and a methodology for how to write to the strengths of these genres with varying degrees of style. There will be discussions on how to prepare manuscripts for publication. The goal is to open up whole new worlds to writers and editors of all skillsets. Just be ready with your pens, folks! Session 2 Outline: Every particular piece of writing, from a blog to a breaking news story in The Guardian, from a past J.R.R. Tolkien lecture to a punctuation-free poem of e.e. cummings, has a voice. Through the attendees writing, reading, and editing, we will examine together the method and the means to creating a voice or voices that resonate with readers. Volunteers will be called on to share their work, at times, and helpful critiquing will take place, as well as an examination of how the writer and/or editor came to some of their stylistic decisions; all critiquing will be done in a positive and constructive manner. Questions for the instructor are encouraged throughout the night. Since editing is an integral part of any writing process, we will explore how to stylistically edit the voice in each writing genre and how this can add appeal to manuscripts being submitted for publication. Materials from a few published authors and editors will also be provided to attendees for use as a continued resource. Session 2 Requirements: Please bring a notebook (beat up, beloved, or otherwise) for taking notes in, a writing implement, and separate paper for writing and editing with. It is optional, but encouraged, that each attendee brings a piece of their writing with them to work with. Recommended Reading: The following sources will provide a great source of writing and editing knowledge, as well as a good deal of inspiration: On Writing by Stephen King – a semi-autobiographical account of the master giving direct insight into his writing and editing processes (it is also entertaining); The Elements of Style by E.B. White and William Strunk – a straight forward, brief, yet intricately detailed account of all manner of punctuation, grammar, and all of the nuances of the English language boiled down to a tiny pocket-sized volume (this could easily have replaced all of my English textbooks growing up); A Writer’s Reference by Diana Hacker – a much more in-depth and multi-tabbed guide that includes MLA, APA, and Chicago Style writing techniques and is highly recommended for anyone at university; Poets & Writers Magazine is a wealth of writing, editing, and publishing insight. About the Author: R.J. Huneke was born in Port Jefferson and has gone on to write hundreds of publications in numerous non-fiction, poetry, and fiction platforms. He is writing and editing regularly for Examiner.com and Gadizmo, and his first novel from a major publisher Cyberwar is being released on May 5, 2015. uPublishU at BEA was on Saturday, May 30, 2015, at the Javits Center, and Enrique Parilla, CEO of Pentian, was there using Cyberwar as example of a successful marketing campaign in the "Get Discovered – By the Right Readers!! Tools & Marketing Mania" panel. The conference within the Book Expo of America offered authors and publishers insights on how to market their books. Get Discovered – By the Right Readers!! Tools & Marketing Mania Time 10:00am-10:50am Room 1E08 Every author wants their books to be discovered by readers! Most important is to reach the right readers – the ones who are fans of your genre, readers you want to engage with you and discover your new books as well as easily find your backlist titles. Join industry experts as they share critical insight into best practices for authors in getting discovered. From keywords that are important for search to metadata that can enhance an author’s ability to be discovered, you will get the information needed to reach the right target audiences and increase your presence online. Learn the latest tips on Search Engine Optimization – helping readers find your website and books! Listen in on case studies of different books in markets around the world, and gain insight on strategies that helped authors get discovered! Moderator: Steven Spatz, President, BookBaby Speakers: Mark Lefebvre, Director, Kobo Writing Life & Author Relations Ralph Coviello, Publisher Relations Manager, Bowker, a ProQuest affiliate; Enrique Parrilla, CEO, Pentian.com CYBERWAR is out now in all formats: Hardcover, Softcover, eBook. Synopsis: When hackers seize the world governments everything changed for all of humanity. A new sense of hope arrived in the streets and young people everywhere embraced the new world order. However, what appeared to be a new found freedom soon turned out to be a new tyranny far worse than anything they imagined. William Waltz formed part of the new elite that guarded the regime, that is, until the regime turned on him. The research on cyber warfare and political protest, as well as a strong female protagonist set this riveting story apart. The book was released to bookstores from Pentian, an imprint of Lantia, on May 5, 2015. Get it in hardcover, as well as softcover, and eBook (Kindle, Nook,iBooks) wherever books are sold. Read more about this thriller and the upcoming book tour on CyberwarSeries.com. |
AuthorI have turned the tide and started on my journey. Words and Worlds hang in the balance and I am writing it all down before the RJ Tower! Read about my newest novel on CyberwarSeries.com Archives
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