Local author publishes first book in trilogy

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 8/7/14

A new local author, John Butziger, has broken into the literary world with his new novel, “The Second Tree.”

The novel is the first in “The Order” trilogy. Set not only in the rural and …

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Local author publishes first book in trilogy

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A new local author, John Butziger, has broken into the literary world with his new novel, “The Second Tree.”

The novel is the first in “The Order” trilogy. Set not only in the rural and exotic lands of Uganda, but also in the metropolitan high life of Manhattan, the book follows the story of two friends, Martin and Andrew. Without knowing it, the two stumble upon an ancient secret that just may bring to life an old Ugandan prophecy – one the world is not ready to see come to fruition.

Butziger has always wanted to write, but until last year he had thought he was too inexperienced to write a full novel. He kept himself to short stories and vignettes, never fleshing out any full ideas.

Last year, when his mother wrote a short story and asked Butziger to look it over, he realized the time was right.

“I just felt ready to write in that moment,” he said. “I had always been a technical writer ... Creative writing is compelling because you begin with a completely blank canvas and you can paint whatever you want.”

During his writing process, Butziger was still working full time on a research and development team. He said coming home late from work, he would be “wired” and couldn’t fall asleep. He dedicated that time to writing.

“It was so cathartic writing at night. In a way it was a relief I could forget about work for a little bit. The ideas would just unfold. It was amazing. I would look up at the clock and not believe how much time had passed,” he said.

The author graduated from Toll Gate and got his degree in engineering from the University of Rhode Island before getting his graduate degree from Rutgers.

Butziger said his scientific background has helped him flourish creatively during the process of writing “The Second Tree,” and allowed him to write different possibilities and explanations throughout his novel.

“I have had to work with people a lot in my career and I think that has helped me understand people’s motivations. I also learned how to direct my own thoughts, which is necessary when you are writing a full-scale novel,” he said.

The new author has mapped out the next two novels in his trilogy and is working on the second installment. His novel was on Amazon’s Best Seller List for a short period of time, and Butziger has been contacted by many book clubs throughout Rhode Island to make an appearance at their meetings.

Butziger’s family was very involved in the process of writing “The Second Tree.” His children even helped their father to pick a cover for the novel. Butziger used the website 99Designs.com, which allows artists from all over the world to compete to showcase their art, to find the cover for his novel.

“The Second Tree” is available on Amazon.com for print copies and Kindle editions, as well as on BarnesandNoble.com and Apple iBooks.

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