Books

Into the Dust

The Virgin

A Burning Man Story

Amazon4

Burning Man is just a hedonistic music festival, a decadent party for burnouts, druggies, and hippies. Or so Diane believes, until an unexpected invitation from her closest friend opens a door to unknown possibilities.

Leaving her carefully ordered life behind, Diane accepts her friend’s invitation and immerses herself in the harsh, unfamiliar environment of Burning Man. After an intense, life-changing two weeks of unimaginable experiences, she emerges into a reality more extraordinary and rewarding than she ever could have hoped for or imagined.

Diane’s world will never be the same.

WHAT IS BURNING MAN?

A place made sacred by people who need a sacred place.

Why are people drawn to Burning Man, and what brings them back again and again? What actually happens at the maligned, misunderstood, iconic event staged in the middle of a Nevada desert? More importantly, what happens to the people who go?

Background

While attending Burning Man in 2019, I looked around at the city taking shape. This being my fourth year attending, I proclaimed aloud that someone should write a book to explain in a way that people would understand what it was about. A friend promptly told me to do it. So I did. I decided that the best way to communicate with the reader was in a fiction format. Any Virgin that reads the book will have more knowledge than most people about the culture, expectations and realities of Burning Man. There are both actual and fictitious people, representations and events depicted in the book. All of them could and would happen at the event. 

Interesting Trivia

The words Burning Man are copyrighted by the Burning Man Organization. I contacted them and submitted the book for their input. After a few very minor edits, I received a license to use the words on the cover. The Burning Man Organization could not have been more accommodating and supportive. I am deeply grateful. 

There are characters in the book from a Maori tribe in New Zealand. They share their culture and perform a traditional dance, a haka, called Ka Mate. In the interest of respectful representation of First Peoples culture, I contacted the tribe of the composer, Te Rauparaha, of the Ngati Toa Rangatira. The relevant representations were submitted to the elders and subsequently approved. 

The audiobook was done through Findaway Voices who matched me with an absolutely incredible artist, Marnye Young. Although I had to wait a few months until she was available, I was blown away by how well she brought the book to life. 

Would you like to sell this book in  your store? 

OTHER BOOKS BY JACK LYONS

Racing To the Dawn

Jim Stabbert is a Marine corps fighter pilot and combat veteran. Wearied and scarred by his wartime experience, returns home to marry the woman he loves to live a peaceful life. Fate has other plans.  A tragedy, a miscarriage of justice, sets Jim onto a path of revenge. A path that leads to places he would never imagined.

En el Polvo - La Virgen: A Burning Man Historia (Spanish Edition)

¿QUÉ ES EL HOMBRE ARDIENTE? What is Burning Man?

Un lugar hecho sagrado por personas que necesitan un lugar sagrado. ¿Por qué la gente se siente atraída por Burning Man y qué los trae de vuelta una y otra vez? ¿Qué sucede realmente en el evento icónico, difamado e incomprendido que se lleva a cabo en medio del desierto de Nevada? Más importante aún, ¿qué sucede con las personas que van?

Background

Racing with the Dawn was the first novel I wrote. I promptly uploaded to Amazon KDP. That’s the before I understood  the importance of having an editor. I took the book back down. After writing, editing, and producing Into the Dust – The Virgin, I took another look. It was a good story and a bad book, so back to editing. This time around I believe it is a solid story and entertaining book.