Paul Black Books, author

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Available now at the iBook, Nook and Kindle Stores!

Winner of the Independent Publishers eBook Award for Science Fiction!

SOMETHING IS LURKING DEEP IN THE NET

WINNER of the 2011 Independent Publishers Book and eBook Award for Science Fiction!

North America is one union; trade in illegal cloning is thriving; and the Biolution has changed all the rules. It’s a dark new world in the 21st Century, and National Security Agency profiler Sonny Chaco is fed up with swimming the Net...

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"An exciting read that should prove hard to put down." ~ MidWest Book Review

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Check out Paul's The Tels Triology series

WINNER for genre fiction in the Writer's Digest's International Book Awards

WINNER for science fiction, ForeWord Magazines's Book of the Year Award

MULTIPLE FINALIST for the Independent Publishers Book of the Year Award

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Page 1

PAUL BLACK grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago, where his passion for art and writing began early. By the time he was 11 years old, he had advanced into high level adult drawing classes and by high school, he had completed a book of poetry and his first novella. But it was his love for gymnastics that brought him to the University of Oklahoma, where he won the Big-8 team and individual championships twice, along with two NCAA Division 1 Team titles, and earned a BFA in graphic design. Since settling in Dallas, Texas, he has worked in corporate communications for over 25 years, and has been an integral part of the national design community, winning numerous awards and having been featured in many national and international design annuals.

As a writer, Paul has published the science fiction trilogy The Tels , Soulware and Nexus Point. And now his new near-future thriller The Presence is in stores nationwide and on line at all major retailers.

Today, Paul lives and works in Dallas, where he divides his time between writing novels, managing his design firm (www.paulblackdesign.com) and feeding his passion for tennis.

Page 3 A CONVERSATION WITH PAUL BLACK ABOUT THE TELS SERIES (from the summer of 2004)by Jay Johnson, Executive Editor, Novel Instincts.Q. When I first read The Tels, I was very impressed by its crisp writing style and fascinating storyline, especially for a first-time writer. How did you come up with the idea of The Tels series?A. I was rereading one of Williams Gibson's books and having been an art director and writer in advertising, I always wondered if I could write a novel. And I loved the near future work buy Gibson, Besher, Rucker and Sterling...so one day, I stopped wondering and got down to writing.Q. A lot of people try to write a novel, but never seem to get started. How did you get started?A. Well, before I wrote anything down, I did my outline, plot development, and I wrote bios for each of the characters. I also mapped out the entire trilogy...that way, I knew where I was going. I saw Truman Capote on an old Carson show once, and he said that he always wrote his endings first, that way he knew where he was headed. It made sense, and that's how I did it, sort of.Q. Did you attend any seminars or classes in writing, and did you do a lot of research?A. No, I didnt go to any special seminars or classes. In fact I was talking with a writer friend, early in the first book, and as I explained my process he was floored, because he had been trying to start his great novel, and had done all the seminars...and what I was doing was exactly what they taught in these classes he had spent hundreds of dollars to attend. He was a little pissed, but hey, it just made a lot of sense to do it that way. As far as research, yes, I did a lot of that during the writing, especially for the science behind The Tels. I dont have a science background, so I needed to make sure that the concepts weren't too unbelievable.Q. The concept of the Biolution is very intriguing, where did that come from?A. I needed a Star Trekian platform, you know, one that could allow me to give the reader a future full of cool gizmos, but not so advanced that it was all about the technology. So I came up with this revolution where biology and technology have merged.Q. Do you think its going that way?A. Possibly. If you read articles in magazines like Wired, the concepts are very plausible. I've been told that my books, though, aren't really about the tech stuff, and I take that as a compliment, because I want the technology to be part of the fabric the books, not the main focus. The books are really more about the characters growing and developing. But I'm sure Ill get blasted by some techno buffs who will come after me with issues.Q. Are your characters based on real people?A. Not really. They're more like composites of people I've known. They say you should write from what you know, and that's what I've done. The people, places, environments...all are, to some extent, from what I've experienced in life.Q. Your main character, Jonathan Kortel, isn't really a black and white hero-type, is he?A. No, not at all. He's more like a Hitchockian hero...an everyday kind of guy who has these extraordinary events happen to him. He does grow into a powerful person over the course of the story, and I had a few complaints from people who had read early drafts. They thought he wasn't hero enough, but I didn't want him to be. The story is about his journey, as all good books really are...a journey for their protagonist. Q. And what about Tamara, she's kind of a bad girl, isn't she?A. Yeah, and what was really odd, I thought, was that the women in the initial testing group liked her, which was curious to me, since she's a stripper and all. But to my surprise, most women liked her toughness, and the fact that she's trying to pull herself out of a bad situation. She's the classic bad girl trying to be good, like the hooker character in Pretty Woman, or Helen Hunts character In Pay It Forward. And their (Jonathan and Tamaras) attraction was just good for the story. Q. The terrorist destruction of the Hawaiian Islands was so reminiscent of 9/11, was it meant to be?A. I wrote most of the book, including that concept, prior to 9/11. Its a sad part, and I've had comments about it...that its disturbing and some thought it was too real. It's only background filler, but I've had so many people zero in on it. It was meant to give Jonathan a sympathetic quality that the reader could get behind. It occupies about 2 pages, but it seems to resonate for a lot of people.Q. We're currently editing Soulware, the second book in the series. When will you start on the third book in the series?A. When I get paid to. No, seriously, I've stepped away from The Tels for the moment, and have started on a new book that still takes place in this future I've created, but its a totally different story concept, and one that I'm very excited about. It will have a little different writing style...more gritty and sharp-edged, and I hope fans of my work will like the change. I still plan to finish the series, but probably not for a while. I have to concentrate on the distribution and selling of the first book.Q. Well, I know what a challenge writing a novel can be, and if Soulware is half as good as The Tels, you could have the start of something big here.A. Thanks, Jay. It's not big yet, but maybe someday...who knows? Strange things happen in the world of The Tels...
No Frame

Page 4

Band N Dallas 2003
Seattle B and N signing 2005
B and N Chicago 2003
First time on the shelf
B and N California 2003
Con-mania
Mikey
Santa fe 2006
Legacy Books 2009
Legacy Books 2009
Legacy Books 2009
Legacy Books 2009
Legacy 2009
Legacy Books 2009
Nexus Point Launch Party
Nexus Point Launch Party
Nexus Point Launch Party
Nexus Point Launch Party
Dallas Comic Con 2010
Testing 1 2 3
2010 Book launch party
Signing andSmiling
My Editor Jay
My writers group
Panel discussion
FenCon 2010
Barnes and Noble Dallas 2011
Barnes and Noble Dallas 2011
On the shelves!
Signing and smiling!
2011 Dallas Comic Con

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slide 1

IT’S THE NEAR-FUTURE

A new revolution has spread across the human landscape. The Biolution and its flood of technology have changed almost every aspect of life. Also changed, is the face of terrorism.

Throughout his life, Jonathan Kortel always sensed he was different, but never imagined how different, until two rival factions of a secret group called the Tels approach him out of the shadows of government. He has a gift that could change his life, and possibly the world, forever.

This is his story. A battle for the loyalty of a man who could change the course of human evolution. And the struggle inside this man as he comes to terms with his destiny. Deeply intriguing and powerfully suspenseful, Paul Black has created a future described as “one of the best science fiction novels” by Marilyn Meredith of Writer’s Digest. Part X-Files, part cyber-thriller, Paul Black unveils a dark and compelling view of a world.

WINNER for genre fiction in the Writer's Digest's International Book Awards

FINALIST for the Independent Publishers Book of the Year Award

FINALIST for the Eric Hoffer Book of the Year Award

Available at all fine book stores and online.

Download a PDF of the first 3 chapters

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The_Tels_copyright_Paul_Black.pdf

slide 2

T HE WORLD IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

For Jonathan Kortel, his life has changed forever. He has a telekinetic gift that is faster than light, and he’s now part of a secret new group of humans. They’re called the Tels, and they live in the shadows of a future where the Biolution and its flood of technology has changed all the rules.

Having been thrust into a world he cannot control, Jonathan begins a quest to uncover what’s really going on in the Tel world. Because he soon realizes that he’s not only their star pupil; he’s their most important experiment.

Here continues the journey of Jonathan Kortel, author Paul Black’s fascinating future character, introduced in his award-winning 2003 novel The Tels. Soulware picks up where The Tels left off, following Jonathan as he discovers his true destiny. Deeply intriguing and powerfully suspenseful, Paul Black has created a vision of the future that is haunting and disturbingly real.

WINNER for science fiction for ForeWord Magazine's Book Awards

FINALIST for the Independent Publishers Book of the Year Award

Available at all fine book stores and online.

Download a PDF of the first 3 chapters

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BUY at BARNES & NOBLE
Soulware_copyright_Paul_Black.pdf

slide 3

DESTINY AWAITS

Jonathan Kortel is the most powerful telekinetic ever. There are others like him, and they’re called the Tels. Able to manipulate gravity, they exist out at the edge of the next century, where the Biolution and its wave of new technology have changed life forever.

Blamed for the deaths of the Tel leadership, Jonathan escapes to a life of anonymity. But there’s something strange happening in space that threatens all life on earth, and only Jonathan Kortel has the ability to stop it.

Here ends the Tels trilogy, author Paul Black’s fascinating near-future series, introduced in his award-winning 2003 novel The Tels. Nexus Point continues where The Tels and Soulware (2005) left off, following the saga of Jonathan Kortel as he fulfills his prophetic destiny.

WINNER for science fiction for ForeWord Magazine's Book Awards

Available at all fine book stores and online.

Download a PDF of the first 3 chapters

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Nexus_Point_copyright_Paul_Black.pdf

slide 4

SOMETHING IS LURKING DEEP IN THE NET

North America is one union; trade in illegal cloning is thriving; and the Biolution has changed all the rules. It’s a dark new world in the 21st Century, and National Security Agency profiler Sonny Chaco is fed up with swimming the Net. His latest assignment is Alberto Goya, billionaire CEO of global media giant AztecaNet. The NSA thinks Goya is involved with racketeering, but Chaco knows that he has ties to the Mexican Mafia.

Chaco’s information is coming from Deja Moriarty, one of Azteca-Net’s brightest reality producers. Deja wonders if she’s really helping her country, while Chaco seriously questions his feelings for his sexy informant.

Just when Chaco thinks he’s got the goods on Goya and is ready to pounce, his superior assigns him to investigate a mysterious and powerful man who has appeared on the grid. It’s Chaco’s first field assignment, but everything goes sideways when he discovers that Deja knows the mystery man. AztecaNet’s head of security is soon on to Chaco and Deja, and there’s nothing he won’t do to stop them from bringing down his boss.

Armed with only his wits and a cast of unlikely accomplices, Chaco soon realizes that the mystery man isn’t just a threat to the nation…but the world.

WINNER of the Independent Publishers eBook and Book Award for Science Fiction.

FINALIST in ForeWord Magazines Book of the Year for Science Fiction.

Available at all fine book stores and online.

Download a PDF of the first 3 chapters

BUY at AMAZON
BUY at BARNES & NOBLE
The Presence_copyright_2010_Paul_Black.pdf

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"An exciting read that should prove hard to put down." ~ MidWest Book Review

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Press “Dallas writer Paul Black makes his first foray into the world of science fiction with The Tels. It’s a highly original novel set in the near future and it moves at lightning speed. Mr. Black has quite an imagination and puts it to good use. The mind-bending plot centers on Jonathan Kortel, who is approached by a shadowy group called the Tels, who covet his telekinetic gifts. The ensuing action is bizarre enough to read like something straight out of The X-Files.” ~ Steve Powers, Dallas Morning News“(The Tels) is written so splendidly, at times I forgot I was reading science fiction – with the emphasis on fiction. The characters are realistic, and the hero is someone you relate to, worry about and wonder if he’s going to be able to cope with the reality that is set before him. This is definitely one of the best science fiction novels I’ve ever read...the book is remarkable.” ~ Marilyn Meredith, Writer’s Digest’s 11th Annual Book Awards“...Soulware was a brilliantly embroidered story, mixing science and fiction in a plausible and entertaining way...I absolutely loved this book!” ~ Ismael Manzano, G-POP.net“This story by Paul Black is as strong and well written as any of the stories of my heroes: Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Andre Norton, or Anne McCaffrey. He is one of those writers that we who worship this genre look for every time we pick up the novel of an author who is new to us...The characters come alive for you. You feel right along with them. You can believe the decisions they make. And best of all, nothing is clear-cut and simple. The story brings us to a strong ending while leaving us with the desire for more...I recommend The Tels to every lover of sci-fi. Good work, Paul! Welcome to my bookshelves!” ~ John Strange, thecityweb.com“Paul Black’s engaging prose promises big things for the future....” ~ Writer’s Notes Magazine“...a great read, full of suspense and action....”~ Dallas Entertainment Guide“A riveting science fiction novel by a gifted author...The Tels would prove a popular addition to any community library Science Fiction collection and documents Paul Black as an imaginatively skilled storyteller of the first order. Also very highly recommended is the newly published second volume in the Tels series, Soulware, which continues the adventures of Jonathan Kortel in the world of tomorrow.”~ Midwest Book Review“I agreed to review the science fiction novel, The Tels, by Paul Black as a favor to my coworkers.... I had expected the handoff to come attached with a few snickers...I was truly amazed by how wrong I was. Not only did I enjoy the book, I almost feel guilty that I got to review it...The book is the kind of science fiction that I like to read, not weighed down with technical jargon that the average person cannot understand....The prose is light and catchy, but did not fail to bring the emotional hammer down when necessary. It’s a character-driven piece that was worth every second I’d spent on it...get your hands on a copy of The Tels.” ~ Ismael Manzano, G-POP.net“The biggest complaint about science fiction is that there is always too much science and not enough fiction. In The Tels Paul Black brilliantly combines the two in a novel that is almost too plausible...Blending sex, government intrigue and a new reality aren’t easy tasks but Black is up to it. Taking us for a ride through a world totally different from our own and yet with the emotions that aren’t going to change between now and 2109...The Tels doesn’t let go and stays with you after the last page.”~ Leslie Rigoulot, Continental Features Syndicate“...I was totally hooked...The Tels is for anyone who loves a good story, with lots of action and great characters.” ~ Jo Ann Holt, OC Tribune“Black rises above the Trekkie laser tag spastics found in your typical sci-fi novels resting on the grocery store racks. His sensibilities broaden from machine gun testosterone to discreet fatherhood, from errant sexuality to wry humor. He delivers a charge of venture rarely found in first-time writers. And The Tels hits the mark as a solid adventure serial, leaving you hanging for the next publication.” ~ Brian Adams, Collegian“The Tels is an addictive read from first-time novelist Paul Black, a promising new storyteller on the sci-fi scene. He manages to capture the reader in the first ten pages. He introduces us to a set of intriguing characters in a totally believable possible future. There is a grittiness and sensuality to his writing that pours out of every word in the book. Whether it’s his description of the preparation of a good meal, the seduction of a beautiful woman, or a fight to the death, The Tels has it all. Even people who don’t read sci-fi will want to read this book. The action is great and would make one hell of a movie. Is Hollywood listening? Paul Black has a winner on his hands. I can hardly wait for the next installment.”~ Cynthia A., About Towne, ITCN“Soulware doesn’t miss a beat as it continues Jonathan’s story, the story of his quest to find out exactly who he really is and why the Tels are so interested in him. The ending makes it clear that there’s more to come, and readers who crave their science-fiction with a hint of weirdness can look forward to the next book in the series.” ~ Steve Powers, Dallas Morning NewsIt (The Presence) was a fast read and I enjoyed the trip that it took me on. The characters feel realistic, and tension was built at a good pace. It's also fairly straightforward, and doesn't get too far off the beaten path....meaning it's perfect for film. ~ Jordon Maison, TheMoviePool.comThe Presence is fast-paced and well written. Paul pulls futuristic tech into a believable and seamless world. ~Darcia Helle (Amazon)

ForeWord Magazine

The Independent Publisher's Book Award

THE ERIC HOFFER

AWARD

Writer's Digest Magazine

Contact

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Book trailer

The Presence book trailer HD

Book tour

I'll be at the 2012 Sci-Fi Expo , February 11-12, 2012, SATURDAY 11:00AM - 6:00PM, SUNDAY 11:00AM - 4:00PM. I'll be signing and smiling. It will be at the new convention center in Irving, near the DFW Airport! Come on out and say hi!

I'll be at ConDFW , February 17-19, 2012, discussing the craft of writing. The Con will have lots of authors (many who are famous!), music, games, and lots of panels and break-out sessions for the aspiring author. So check it out at their web site and see if's right for you!

I'll be at the 2012 Houston Comicpalooza , May 25-27, 2012, Friday & Saturday 9:00AM - 6:00PM, Sunday 9:00AM - 6:00PM. I'll be signing and smiling and doing some panels. There will be movie and TV stars, comic celebs, artists galore and people dressed up as, well, take your pick...! Come on out and say hi!
Barnes & Noble Stores:The Presence Barnes & Noble 2011 book tour is over. Check back to see when I'll be signing next!

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