Once There Was a Tribe Where Every Man Was A King
The Jungian Archetypes which we use as metaphors in the ManKind Project both challenge and comfort us in our daily work as New Warriors. The roles of Lover, Warrior, Magician and King represent both the shadow and the gold as it shows up in all our interactions with our families, our communities and especially with ourselves. It is therefore unsurprising that New Warriors are inspired to tell and retell their own Hero’s Journey in metaphors which speak particularly to their world. One such metaphor can be found in Edmond Manning’s first novel, which has just been published.
Edmond describes the book for readers of The ManKind Project Journal.
ONCE THERE WAS A TRIBE WHERE EVERY MAN WAS A KING
by Edmond Manning
Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words when trying to describe the transformation that is possible when doing men’s work? Ever thought, ‘I wish I could convey the heartbreaking grief in witnessing a man weep out his greatest betrayal? How can I articulate the golden majesty that follows?’
Me too. I struggle to find the words.
It’s hard to live as a warrior for any number of reasons, chief among them the fundamental inability to convey exactly what we do, the power available to all of us, every man, if he (ahem…if I) just submit to grief, anger, and fear. I do honor these feelings (reluctantly at times) to find out what greatness lurks just beyond them. You get it too, I know you do. But it’s damn hard to explain.
So, I decided to write about it.
For almost eight years, I have blogged my warrior heart out, sharing my grief , my ridiculous fears , my love for men . I have revealed hurts from childhood , shared my weaknesses and inadequacies, and also written about the great love inside me radiating, sparkling, shining. Last year, I wrote quite a bit about the death of my father and the intense healing in our relationship made possible by doing this glorious men’s work.
It’s not enough.
Sharing my stories is definitely mission-centric and I will continue to do so. But I want men out there to understand what we do in a more visceral way. I want them to experience it. In the past two years I adopted another mission, a secondary mission: I inspire kingship through my writing. I’m delighted to announce that as of March 1st, 2012, my secondary mission is available for purchase on amazon.com. My very first novel is now available; it’s titled King Perry .
Guess what it’s about ?
A brief synopses may provide a clue. The mysterious narrator offers Perry an invitation: spend one weekend with me and I will help you discover your kingship, help you remember the man you were always meant to be. Roughly 40 hours to unleash a man’s greatness? One weekend to remember your giftedness?
Do you think that’s even possible? Heh. You already know the answer.
The novel follows the hero’s journey, the descent, the mess of confusion and worry, the crippling fear, letting go of all that is known. Poor Perry suffers much like men do on the NWTA, stripped of everything familiar and comforting, complying with unreasonable demands that eventually bruise free his stunted heart.
It’s important for me to let you men know that the novel bears zero resemblance to our own NWTA. No processes are the same. No language is ‘borrowed’ from our warrior life. There is no talk of ‘creating a container.’
But the hero’s journey remains the molten core of this tale; as the four main masculine archetypes escort Perry through his initiation weekend. Perry and his guide, narrator Vin Vanbly, sneak around on Alcatraz, steal a baby duck, and play heart-opening games throughout the San Francisco area. Yet the true setting for this novel is an ancient kingdom, an ancestral plane where the mystical meets reality.
“Once there was a tribe of men, a tribe populated entirely of kings. Odd,
you may think, and wonder how any work got done in such a society with
everyone making rules. But these were not those kinds of kings.
“They required no throne rooms, no jewels, no gold crowns. They
chose to king as they went about the business of living. The gardeners,
the blacksmiths, even the tax collectors, were fair and just kings.”
“The orchards were full of ripe, luscious peaches; the beer brewed
amber and frothy. King Nareeb the Baker of Gifts delivered blueberry
pies and fresh, buttery croissants. You could often find King Jimbo the
Bruiser stomping across the countryside tracking Kalista, his beloved
falcon. Life continued exceptionally well for a timeless age, more kings
discovering themselves and suddenly arriving.
“Yes, life was good. Until some got lost.”
King Perry will be the first of six books in The Lost & Founds; a series which explores the relationship between lost kings and those who remember who they were meant to be in this world. What does it mean to be lost in our modern world? How does a man live as a Found King? There are no easy answers.
I debated writing this piece for the ManKind Project Journal because I didn’t want to write something in shameless self-promotion. I’ve got no problem with self-promotion. I wrote a damn good book and my early feedback is that it makes men and women bawl their eyes out.
But I don’t view my MKP brothers as targets for book promotion; I wanted to share my exciting news to men important to me in my world. Over the years I have staffed with you. I’ve staffed in your city. I’ve taken trainings from leaders in this community. What I want is to say this: look how you helped me grow my heart. Look how you’ve shaped me.
I love the fantastic men with whom I have witnessed miracles. Should you read my book? Maybe. Maybe not.
I won’t lie: it may be a little hard for straight men to digest, because there are some amazing sex scenes between the two male characters. I read books all the time where straight people have sex and while it doesn’t turn me on, I can appreciate the good writing and intimacy. I won’t be offended if you choose not to read King Perry; I just wanted to let you know what was in my heart.
Sometimes, it’s worth the struggle to find the right words.
Your can purchase paperback and eBook copies of King Perry at Amazon , and visit the author website here
Edmond Manning has been writing for many, many years. After graduating from Northern Illinois University with an English Education degree, Edmond pursued and completed a Masters of Science in the field of Instructional Technology. These two curious backgrounds have allowed him to practice a unique blend of creative and technical writing; skills that were enhanced over a twenty two year career as an e-learning consultant. Over the years Manning feverishly wrote fiction, completed three novels, and yet never pursued publication because the writing simply didn’t meet his own standards.
In 2008, Manning experimented with writing a new type of fiction, and ended up with his first “kinging” novel, published in serial format on a free website. (The original novel has been removed from that site.) The intense reaction from hundreds of readers around the globe suggested to Manning that something had indeed changed, so he decided to create a new novel based off these wild, frothy characters. The result is his new book, King Perry.
cjc
– is a deeply personal issue that everyone decides for himself. Sometimes the price is high, sometimes low. But this is not very important for life. Life is an interesting thing. And the price on Viagra – too.
