N.B. Austin

Author of the Civilands Series

Series Songs and Video

A Civilands Series Sea Shanty: “The Keagan Anthem”

The above song is based on the melody to the Wellerman (Sea Shanty). All lyrics and vocals are my own.

The inspiration to do this came from the Game Stop saga and subsequent, hilarious sea shanty meme. A few weeks after that meme released, a friend requested I re-work the lyrics for a video game contest he entered. The objective of the contest was to write an inspirational piece based on the history of a specific nation in the game. Well, the re-worked song ended up providing me so much inspiration to visit this nation (play the game), I thought it’d be cool to do this again for the Murrieta Territory, the main setting of my series Civilands.

And so, the Keagan Anthem was born. The anthem is now officially a song the Keagan brothers used to inspire their gang in the early years of their travels west over the Chorisma River and into the Murrieta Territory. It was sang in many saloons, especially by the men Clovis Keagan led following their many conquests. As a fun Easter Egg, be on the lookout for it in the final book!

The Keagan Anthem (Sea Shanty)

Sea Shanty Murrieta Map

Verse 1:

There is a land to the west, you see

Called the Murrieta Territory

It’s wild there and vast and free

Onward, Keagan gang, go!

Chorus:

Soon may the promised land come

A kingdom under the Keagan thumb

One day when the quest is done

We’ll at last be free to roam

Verse 2:

The Chorisma River was rough to cross

But the cities of the East are good and lost

So we found our gang, we found our boss

William Keagan said we’d go

Chorus

Soon may the promised land come

A kingdom under the Keagan thumb

One day when the quest is done

We’ll at last be free to roam

Verse 3:

The rumors spread of native clans

Controlling grizzlies was their brand

But we’ll focus on the task at hand

And fearlessly we’ll go

Chorus

Soon may the promised land come

A kingdom under the Keagan thumb

One day when the quest is done

We’ll at last be free to roam

Verse 4:

The V’ahani clan and the Tokali

From the north and the south, respectively

We didn’t want trouble but they won’t heed

We must protect our own

Chorus

Soon may the promised land come

A kingdom under the Keagan thumb

One day when the quest is done

We’ll at last be free to roam

Verse 5:

We found a town, Fayette its name

A settlement where our kind came

We built a mansion, some remained

To help this new place grow

Chorus

Soon may the promised land come

A kingdom under the Keagan thumb

One day when the quest is done

We’ll at last be free to roam

Verse 6:

But we’re not done the fight’s still on

Until this land has all been won

So William will makes his regular call

To encourage the gang to take it all

Final Chorus

Soon may the promised land come

A kingdom under the Keagan thumb

One day when the quest is done

We’ll at last be free to roam

Soon may the promised land come

A kingdom under the Keagan thumb

One day when the quest is done

We’ll at last be free to roam

Live Action Book Trailer: The Civilands Series

This post is the home of the official live action book trailer for the Civilands series

Those who have been around here graciously supporting a while know this trailer isn’t brand new. However, I realized I never added a post specifically for it and decided it made sense from a logistics/SEO standpoint to do so.

Background

I never used to be a reader. The thing that got me into writing was good stories and the best stories I was exposed to were mostly in music and TV shows. Shows like Breaking Bad inspired me to take the leap into telling my own stories, but I didn’t know the technical composition of a show script. So, I decided to write a book.

Next thing I knew, I had a series on my hands. As I was crafting the chapters though, I could see the TV show influence remained in various ways. It had been a dream to envision my story playing out on a screen, gripping people the way I had been gripped. Eventually I decided I needed to test those waters. So I got together some friends/family with experience behind a camera, found an actress to play the part of Jeannie Morrell, and we got to work.

To say I am proud of the result would be an understatement. The trailer features a song from the book that I wrote/recorded, the amazing videography and acting work of those who stepped up to support me, and the epic opening of a series that’s been years in the making. When I watch it back it’s crazy to think how far it’s all come from the initial desire to just tell a story.

Now, without further ado, the book trailer

A new fight for power and control begins now in the Murrieta Territory. Whose side will you take?

** 2016-2017 BooksGoSocial Daily Book of the Year Award Finalist **

Jeannie Morrell is on the run. Chasing behind her is the expanding Keagan gang that just burned her home to the ground. Before her–through the forest of the Riverlands–is the native V’ahani clan and the grizzlies they control.

With her family now gone only months after her thirteenth birthday, young Jeannie will be thrust into an adventure of survival. Somehow she will now have to build a life all her own, in this newborn territory torn apart by greed.

Parts 1-4 of the Civilands series are available now. The final book in the series, Crevasse Colossus, is coming soon!

Hope you enjoyed! For those interested, here’s an update on my current events. 

Crevasse Colossus (Civilands #5) is barreling on toward the editing process. It’s been quite a massive undertaking wrapping up such a huge series, but I am confident I did so in the most epic possible fashion. Did I expect the absurdity of 2020 and now the Great Blizzard of ’21 situation down here in Texas to be added to the equation? Certainly not. But hey, here we are now on the other side of those things. I don’t know about you but I feel stronger for it and have been blessed throughout.

That’s it on the book updates for now. Other than that, be on the lookout for the Keagan Anthem sea shanty. So far I posted the lyrics, but I’ll also be recording and posting the song itself today. Hopefully it’s as hilarious to hear me sing a sea shanty for you as it was for me. Doing so gave me a new appreciation for comedic actors. Maintaining your composure while doing/saying funny things is no simple task.

As always, thanks so much for being a part of my Civil gang and hope you’re enjoying the ride!

Jeannie’s Song: When the Shadows Run

Today is a HUGE day!!!! I am so thrilled and proud to say that you can now find below a full, extended version of the song “When the Shadows Run,” which Jeannie Morrell sings to herself in chapter 3 of Crimson River!

I never would have thought that I’d be able to blend my love with music with my newfound love of story-telling, so it brings me great joy to have been able to put this together.

Hope you like it and hope you’re enjoying the Civilands series!

 

Verse 1:

When you sound the call, with spirit true,

I swear I’ll hear that sound in you.

And when you run, with a head and a start,

From shadows that would break your heart,

My love you’ll see my light shine through,

Those shadows chasing after you.

So even when the black night hums,

Still don’t look back, the sun will come.

No don’t look back, the sun will come.

Chorus 1:

What you’ve seen, see once again

You will find, find what you’re missing

And the voice that I’ve left will be heard with the songs of the wind.

Still won’t leave you then.

Verse 2:

Will you focus up, ignore their stares?

Watching from the trees, they’re so unaware.

The forest calls, the river coos

Inside you have an answer too

My love this storm will, dissipate

A hurricane you’ll anticipate

So even when you hear thunder’s drums,

Still don’t look back, the sun will come.

No don’t look back, the sun will come.

Chorus 2:

What you’ve seen, see once again

You will find, find what you’re missing

And the voice that I’ve left will be heard with the songs of the wind.

All the time, time that we spend

Making sense, of what we’re given

May you break down the dam, let it bleed so the healing begins

Still won’t leave you then.

Outro:

So even when the black night hums,

Still don’t look back, the sun will come.

No don’t look back, the sun will come.