Background & inspiration
Thanks for dropping by, hopefully you’ve been able to sample 或者 read some of the Sean Yeager stories. Either way, I hope 你 find this an interesting introduction 或者 companion to the Sean Yeager book series. The full blown encyclopaedia is a dream that might happen one day, once the films are released.
I’m a big 粉丝 of any number of film and book series. In fact, I would gladly be a film reviewer if the opportunity ever arose. I’ll watch almost anything that’s good and entertaining, with the emphasis on those two words ‘good’ and ‘entertaining’. I believe in stories being primarily about entertaining and asking 问题 of the audience. If 你 learn something from the experience, all the better. For example, I watched a movie recently called The Blind Side. It’s a sports rag to riches story and I thoroughly recommend it. 你 think 你 understand the world and then 你 watch an adaptation of a true story. A remarkable story that leaves 你 asking questions. I won’t spoil the plot for anyone, suffice to say - it’s a poor 标题 for a great story and at the end I found myself wondering about what really happened. Were the motives and events really as portrayed? Do these things really happen in the US?
So what does this have to do with 写作 Sean Yeager stories? Well I guess 你 carry your values and interests with 你 when 你 create something. And that is what I’ve done so far. I believe in speaking up to the reader, in challenging them a bit, in entertaining them and not filling in all the gaps. I have strived to create stories with multiple layers to them, which are accessible and entertaining. The action element is always present, a mystery element runs through each story line and beneath that I’ve woven a back story that is revealed book 由 book. So the outcomes are (touch wood) easy to read, not too long and full of surprises and twists. Of course I’ll leave the evaluation of whether the 图书 work to the readers. So far the feedback has been a resounding ‘yes’.
The inspirations for the Sean Yeager series are many and varied. I’ve long been a 粉丝 of 星, 星级 Wars, Indiana Jones, Tin Tin, James Bond, Men in Black and Dr Who. I’ve also watched pretty much every major sci-fi film that reached a decent sized audience. I’ve deliberately tried to keep away from their themes as far as I can, but it is inevitable that some elements have seeped through. Interestingly, 老友记 have 评论 on influences I’ve yet to come across. For the record, I have read some Iain Banks and Philip K Dick. I have yet to read a vast array of other writers in the sci-fi genre. Not through any reluctance 你 understand, simply through chance and the constraints of time.
Another of my pet beliefs is that stories should include the full range of emotions including laughter. I’m a big 粉丝 of comedy in all its forms. I 爱情 stand-up, slapstick, sit-coms (the funny ones), 图书 and comedy films (the good ones). There is so much out there that is good. Slightly off mainstream I recommend: Black Books, Father Ted and Spaced. Again, if it’s reached a sizeable audience I’ve probably watched 或者 read it. So inevitably there is comedy within the Sean Yeager books. I like the idea of things not going to plan, which I think is far 更多 true to life. I also like the idea of subverting accepted norms. I’ve yet to push this too far, though I can not help laughing every time James Bond announces his arrival at a location full of armed criminals. “Hi, I’m a secret agent, here’s my name, employer, blood type and my whole body to aim at from any angle 你 like.” Austin Powers just had to be made.
As 你 can imagine, Sean Yeager also just had to be written (in my mind at least). And I guess it is a blend of influences, humour and imagination. I set out to create an ordinary boy who experiences extraordinary things. In a world much like our own where underneath the surface, all is not as it seems. Sean doesn’t ask to be a hero, he doesn’t set out to be a champion. He doesn’t build his own spaceships 或者 robots for fun. Instead, he sets out to discover things about himself and his past. He accepts an invitation from The Foundation and goes into these adventures as a novice (at least to begin with).
I’ve had a bug-bear about the world for a while now: why is it that we have to categorise and put people and products into boxes all the time? The other 日 someone on radio 说 that when they worked in a bookshop a particular 标题 stayed in ‘Science Fiction’ until it became 流行的 and then it was moved into mainstream ‘Fiction’. Of course it was the same 标题 and the same words, only a different perception of its value.
As an aim, I’ve sought to cross-genres and keep everything age appropriate PG. It has been surprisingly easy so far. Which led me to ask: “why is there so much sex and violence in modern fiction?” My theory is that it is an easy way out compared to 写作 a quality story. I suspect that most good films can work without the graphic scenes. Therefore Sean Yeager stories contain only minor threats, softened violence and no sexual content.
A friendly book reviewer once asked. “Why does Sean get into The Foundation car?” Well at the time I’d overlooked that point, because I’d run away with the rest of the plot (DNA Thief). However, the answer is simple: Because Sean wants to discover stuff and the idea of adventure excites him. He wants to find his father and recover his favourite possessions. It’s his blue pill 或者 粉, 粉色 pill moment. The alternative being that he could stay at 首页 and do the same things he’s always done. Which of course would lead to the same outcomes he’s always known - not knowing about his father and believing himself to be an average person.
Sometime 以前 I was looking for suitable 阅读 图书 with my son. We found the usual selection in our local bookstore, but nothing really grabbed him. Most of the titles either had childish covers 或者 very serious looking covers, there was little in between. Eventually, we bought Harry Potter almost 由 default. That had me thinking: ‘what would he read if it were available?’ So to cut a long story short, we talked about this with my son and some of his friends. The 答案 were: action, adventure, gear and vehicles. To which I added ‘science magic’ and sci-fi. I then set about 写作 in a film style for pretty much any age from intermediate reader to adult.
Around the time that Harry Potter was going ballistic, it occurred to me that ‘magic’ is a cop out. It’s the sugar coated dream. I pick up a piece of wood, say a few words and an endless array of things can happen with seemingly no energy supply and no limitations. Sure it’s ‘only entertainment’ and I’m comfortable with it on that level. However, it’s not exactly educational is it? Compare that with real science and biological magic. There are huge feats of everyday wonder that are both magical and have a factual reality to them. Such as: goats who make 牛奶 with spider’s web proteins; Insects that metamorphose 或者 grow new limbs; The incredible sights that NASA captures through 太空 telescopes everyday and the constant advances in medicine, engineering and other fields of human endeavour. So, another pillar of my thinking took root. I decided to introduce some rational and real science into Sean Yeager. And I sketched in the limitations and constraints.
Within Sean Yeager, we encounter The Foundation who help and protect Sean, among other duties. The Foundation is really a 交叉, 十字架 between a commercial company and a private army. It exists alongside national armies and police forces with a niche role to help them out as and when requested. Rather than being a 蝙蝠侠 或者 International Rescue set-up, I set out with the idea of a large multi-national corporation that protects individuals and protects company secrets. Like a 交叉, 十字架 between a private security firm and a famous world conglomerate.
During the book series we’ll find out a whole lot 更多 about The Foundation and The Founder. Book two, Hunters Hunted, moves things along somewhat. So without giving away any spoilers, watch that 太空 / read those books, it’s all part of the back-story.
Inevitably there are also villains. Krankhausen and Darius Deveraux are probably villains of the traditional kind, but the Vuloz are somewhat different. 由 book two we also encounter a third set of protagonists, the computers. In 写作 the Sean Yeager series I first sketched out the grand story arc. Obviously I’m not going to give away too much, but suffice to say these guys are bad to the bone. Krankhausen has destroyed whole islands for money; Darkly Devious (aka Deveraux) has no conscience, but is completely committed to his cause; and the Vuloz are, well the Vuloz, as you’ll soon discover. 你 don’t mess with them.
In conclusion, the Sean Yeager series now has two episodes published: Sean Yeager and the DNA Thief and Sean Yeager Hunters Hunted. The third episode is in progress and there will probably be about six 图书 in the series. I’ve worked with Joel Carpenter to put some 图片 with the ideas and to develop some concepts along the way. So far it’s been a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. Check out the website at link for 更多 information and remember to tell everyone 你 know. It all helps to spread the word.
I hope 你 enjoy the stories. Please feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts via the website 或者 the other online forums.
Happy reading,
D.M. Jarrett
