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Tag: Adam Bender

DIY government surveillance in Watched Sweeper game

sweepersplashEver wonder what it would be like to be the NSA or another government surveillance agency?

In Watched Sweeper, a new HTML5 game about surveillance, players must observe a crowd and arrest people who don’t look like true Patriots.

As that old saying goes: “Patriots are the true. Heretics are the damned.”

Once you’ve given it your all to separate the Heretics from the Patriots, you’ll want to check out my novels WE, THE WATCHED and DIVIDED WE FALL (where the above quote appears). If you submit a high score, you’ll be treated to a discount on the price of the eBook version of WE, THE WATCHED.

Screenshot from Watched Sweeper
Screenshot from Watched Sweeper

You’ll need a recent browser capable of rendering HTML5 to play. I programmed Watched Sweeper in Clickteam Fusion 2.5 and used the HTML5 exporter.

Please leave any feedback on the game in the comments below.

Click here to play. Happy watching!

Note: Sorry, high scores are currently broken.

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Out now! DIVIDED WE FALL — a note from the author

The war has come home. The mission has failed. Eve just wants Jon back.

Divided We Fall by Adam Bender
Divided We Fall by Adam Bender
Agent Eve Parker refuses to accept Jon’s change of heart when he loses his memory and becomes a revolutionary known as Seven. But when Eve learns more about the President’s plan to broaden citizen surveillance, she begins to question what she’s always believed to be right.

Hey, Adam here — I am super excited to announce the release of my new novel, DIVIDED WE FALL in paperback and eBook. Writing this book was a long labor of love. It was crafted in the late hours after the work day and in spare moments of the weekend. But in my mind I was working on it always, inspired by news about government surveillance and my day job at the time reporting on the U.S. Congress.

This novel brings to an end the journey that Seven began in WE, THE WATCHED. However, for those who have not yet read that story, I encourage you to read these books in any order you like.

This is also a self-published work and I thank you in advance for your support.

The paperback costs $13.99 and the eBook is $3.99. Also, if you buy the print book on Amazon you can get the digital version for free through Kindle MatchBook! Below is a list of stores where you can buy DIVIDED WE FALL. There may be a delay in some stores posting the book — I will update this list as more stores come online.

Paperback

eBook

Even more info is available at the official website for DIVIDED WE FALL — www.wethedivided.com

And here’s a sample of the eBook version, courtesy of Scribd.

Divided We Fall by Adam Bender

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Coming this May: Divided We Fall

Okay, so a lot has been happening behind the scenes on my new novel, Divided We Fall.

But let’s start with the release date: May 10, 2014. As in, less than two months from now. Get hyped.

What’s that? How should you get hyped? Well, a good place to start might be the brand-spanking-new website for the novel! If you didn’t already click the link above, here it is again: www.wethedivided.com.

The paperback proof has arrived!
The paperback proof has arrived!

Preorders for the eBook will open soon at select online book stores including Apple iTunes, Barnes & Noble Nook and Kobo. On release day, you’ll be able to buy the paperback and eBook from Amazon.

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, let me take a step back. Divided We Fall is a dystopian love story about surveillance. An elite agent of the Guard finds out that her fiancé has become an Underground revolutionary and tries to win him back. Complications ensue.

It’s also a sequel to my first novel, We, The Watched. Should you read We, The Watched before Divided We Fall? Well, of course you should, but you don’t have to. I’ve written the new book so you won’t get lost without reading the first. You will gain a more full experience reading both, but really, I don’t mind about the order.

A sneak peak at Chapter One of Divided We Fall.

Anyway, we’re almost there, people. The cover and book layout is complete for both the eBook and the paperback. I’ll soon be getting the paperback proof in the mail (UPDATE: It’s here! See above photo) and will just have to do a check to make sure everything looks all right. Then it’s just a matter of getting it into the stores!

One more thing! Remember that time I invited you to submit pictures of surveillance cameras to my Facebook page? Well, I’ve just moved all of that to Tumblr, which I think is a far more effective place for that kind of thing. So, please follow my Tumblr page and submit your own pics!

Keep your eyes on this blog for more updates on Divided We Fall. Between now and release day I should have a fun surprise for you…

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Revealed: Divided We Fall cover

It’s here! The cover for my new novel, Divided We Fall, coming this spring!

Divided We Fall is the sequel to We, The Watched. The manuscript was a quarter-finalist in last year’s Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards and received a great review by Publishers Weekly.

Belinda Pepper, who designed the cover for We, The Watched, has returned to do Divided We Fall with brilliant results! Please let me know what you think in the comments.

Divided We Fall by Adam Bender
Divided We Fall by Adam Bender. Coming this spring.

Quick status update: With the cover finished and the book fully edited, we’re nearly there! I’ve still got to get the interior text formatted for the print and eBook versions. Then it’s pretty much just a matter of clicking “Publish.” Keep your eye on this blog for more updates!

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My top rock albums of 2013

Wow, there goes another great year of music! There were some great comeback albums (Saves The Day) and at least one big disappointment (MGMT). Today, the last day of December, I thought I’d highlight my favorite LPs of the year.

Please keep in mind this is not a definitive “Best of 2013” list since there was no way I could have listened to every single album out there. Also, my tastes are mainly within the indie and alternative rock realm. In other words, just take these recommendations!

Saves The Day

This eponymous release was the Saves The Day album I had been waiting for. Combining the bright spunk of early 2000’s hit Stay What You Are with the mature soundscapes of its underrated followup In Reverie, this is 21st Century pop punk at its best. Read my full review here.

Cloud Control – Dream Cave

Cloud Control play sunny harmonies against dark grooves on their mesmerizing second album. That might sound heavy but rock anthem highs like singles “Scar” and “Happy Birthday” prove that this is a band that wants to have fun, too

Snowden – No One In Control

Haunting synths and echoing vocals take the listener on a journey. Hope shines through the gray in the catchy and immediate “The Beat Comes.” While the brilliance fades in the second half, the strength of the first five tracks more than cover the price of admission.

Minor Alps – Get There

Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) and Julianna Hatfield (Blake Babies, Some Girls) join forces to spellbinding effect on this excellent debut. Side projects often disappoint but Get There showcases a pair of rejuvenated musicians performing at the top of their game.

The Dodos – Carrier

While they have always showed talent, The Dodos demonstrate growth through control on their most recent LP. Carrier conveys tragedy and triumph through tight guitar-and-drum rhythms and powerful lyricism.

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Adam Bender | adambenderwrites.com | watchadam.blog