A FATHER COMPETES WITH HIS BRILLIANT SON IN A VERBAL GAME OF WITS. THE GAME TURNS INTO A DUEL AND TAKES OVER THEIR LIVES.
A novel of psychological suspense that weaves present-day action with the American frontier, THE GAMEMAKERS FATHER is told through emotionally charged relationships of strong willed characters—Zachary Boldt, his wife Rebecca and their brilliant son Nate.
Father and son fight through traffic in their beat-up pickup truck and play The Game—a verbal sparring match of the boy’s own design. Nate’s game is unique. What’s done can’t be undone so nobody can control the story or its consequences. The Game is the story and the story is The Game.
Father and son run each other through a maze of increasingly dangerous challenges and Zachary soon learns that he needs all his experience to compete with the little genius. Through a struggle of wills, they carve out a historically accurate world in the Wisconsin frontier of 1830 that becomes as real as life and death.
Zachary dazzles his boy with backwoods technology—canoe building, a blacksmith shop, frontier medicine, black powder rifles, fishing and hunting. The Game escalates into suspense, murder and mystery.
Rebecca tries to stop The Game but Zachary ramps up the intensity. His goal is to teach his boy to be a man. Rebecca has a different idea how to raise their son. An independent businesswoman who fiercely defends her young, she directly confronts her powerful husband. To Rebecca, every day is a gift. To Zachary, every man is an opponent. Meanwhile, Nate works to soften his father, who has never expressed his love to the boy.
THE GAMEMAKER’S FATHER blends suspense with accurate backwoods technology and the modern human drama of a family’s struggle to save one man.
SEE VIDEO FROM READERS AT www.JohnJonelis.com/video/
“A masterpiece of suspense with heartfelt conflict and strong characters.”—Jim Kren—Chicago Venture Magazine
“I’m about 50 pages from the end of the book and feeling sort of sad that it’s almost over...You must have done lots of research or you have sheer genius inside you. I’ve been reading a book by Leif Enger titled “Peace Like a River” and your writing style reminds me of that one.”—Robert Page—Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist–The Kent State Shootings
“In my experience, your treatment of The Game is unique.”—Les Stobbe—Literary Agent
“Readable and entertaining.”—Gregg Patz—Outdoorsman, professional copywriter, author of numerous novels
“It was easy to read, and drew me in with action scenes and description of life in the 1830′s.”—Kathy Kirk
“I love the concept of your novel, a father and son using a game to overcome barriers between them.”—Gerry Souter—Author of over 20 novels, scripts and screenplays
“I’m fascinated by the whole issue of a father trying to teach his son to be a man.”—Kayliana Wesby
“Father/son relationships are uniquely lifelong. John, I’m very thankful...they’ve opened my eyes to the relationship I have with my own dad.”—Peter Gault–Your Topical Content
“You have captured the way it was for me growing up. My dad never complimented me. It seemed to be a rule of thumb that a compliment would immediately breed arrogance and pride. Yet all of us are desperate to have someone believe in us.”—Robert Page
“I think you have touched on a significant issue for boys and their fathers. Thank you for addressing this soul issue and deep wound that too many disregard and even shun. May your book inspire healing for all boys and men.”—Theresa Roy
“Your book hits a hot social topic. Many kids today are lost in a world of video games. Their friends are avatars. The Game in your novel presents a unique form of communication between parents and kids.”—Pamela Binnins Ewen—Author of The Secret of the Shroud, Dancing on Glass, The Moon in the Mango Tree, and Faith on Trial
“Tell your agent that you pre-sold a copy. I’m a buyer.”—Gene Lerner—The Lerner Group, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
A novel of psychological suspense that weaves present-day action with the American frontier, THE GAMEMAKERS FATHER is told through emotionally charged relationships of strong willed characters—Zachary Boldt, his wife Rebecca and their brilliant son Nate.
Father and son fight through traffic in their beat-up pickup truck and play The Game—a verbal sparring match of the boy’s own design. Nate’s game is unique. What’s done can’t be undone so nobody can control the story or its consequences. The Game is the story and the story is The Game.
Father and son run each other through a maze of increasingly dangerous challenges and Zachary soon learns that he needs all his experience to compete with the little genius. Through a struggle of wills, they carve out a historically accurate world in the Wisconsin frontier of 1830 that becomes as real as life and death.
Zachary dazzles his boy with backwoods technology—canoe building, a blacksmith shop, frontier medicine, black powder rifles, fishing and hunting. The Game escalates into suspense, murder and mystery.
Rebecca tries to stop The Game but Zachary ramps up the intensity. His goal is to teach his boy to be a man. Rebecca has a different idea how to raise their son. An independent businesswoman who fiercely defends her young, she directly confronts her powerful husband. To Rebecca, every day is a gift. To Zachary, every man is an opponent. Meanwhile, Nate works to soften his father, who has never expressed his love to the boy.
THE GAMEMAKER’S FATHER blends suspense with accurate backwoods technology and the modern human drama of a family’s struggle to save one man.
SEE VIDEO FROM READERS AT www.JohnJonelis.com/video/
“A masterpiece of suspense with heartfelt conflict and strong characters.”—Jim Kren—Chicago Venture Magazine
“I’m about 50 pages from the end of the book and feeling sort of sad that it’s almost over...You must have done lots of research or you have sheer genius inside you. I’ve been reading a book by Leif Enger titled “Peace Like a River” and your writing style reminds me of that one.”—Robert Page—Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist–The Kent State Shootings
“In my experience, your treatment of The Game is unique.”—Les Stobbe—Literary Agent
“Readable and entertaining.”—Gregg Patz—Outdoorsman, professional copywriter, author of numerous novels
“It was easy to read, and drew me in with action scenes and description of life in the 1830′s.”—Kathy Kirk
“I love the concept of your novel, a father and son using a game to overcome barriers between them.”—Gerry Souter—Author of over 20 novels, scripts and screenplays
“I’m fascinated by the whole issue of a father trying to teach his son to be a man.”—Kayliana Wesby
“Father/son relationships are uniquely lifelong. John, I’m very thankful...they’ve opened my eyes to the relationship I have with my own dad.”—Peter Gault–Your Topical Content
“You have captured the way it was for me growing up. My dad never complimented me. It seemed to be a rule of thumb that a compliment would immediately breed arrogance and pride. Yet all of us are desperate to have someone believe in us.”—Robert Page
“I think you have touched on a significant issue for boys and their fathers. Thank you for addressing this soul issue and deep wound that too many disregard and even shun. May your book inspire healing for all boys and men.”—Theresa Roy
“Your book hits a hot social topic. Many kids today are lost in a world of video games. Their friends are avatars. The Game in your novel presents a unique form of communication between parents and kids.”—Pamela Binnins Ewen—Author of The Secret of the Shroud, Dancing on Glass, The Moon in the Mango Tree, and Faith on Trial
“Tell your agent that you pre-sold a copy. I’m a buyer.”—Gene Lerner—The Lerner Group, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
