Writing About Tsarnaev's Trial

*Read more Book Reviews from readers at the end of this blog.*

Dear Reader,

You may have come to this site wondering what this Boston Marathon Bombing book is all about. As the author of Jahar The Lone Boston Bomber #2, I am not an investigative reporter or a journalist from the news department.

I am a storyteller and an independent author.

This blog is about my experience writing about Tsarnaev’s trial. Although Tsarnaev’s trial in Boston ended on May 15, 2015, this book stands as a timeless memoir or a historical account that brings back heartbreaking memories, images, and stories of the Boston Marathon Bombings. The book especially puts emphasis on the perpetrator, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston Bomber, who, along with his older brother, Tamerlan, detonated two bombs at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. The bombs killed three young spectators and injured hundreds of people watching the marathon. This book covers the trial and readers will learn and observe mostly everything that happened to Tsarnaev on a day-to-day basis what really went on in the courtroom or when he stood trial for his crimes on March 4, 2015.

In the beginning, I objected to the idea of publishing because I didn’t think others would understand or appreciate my book. Later, I received some encouragement from my friends and people who were interested in my book. They had said to me: “You should publish your book. You did so much work.” and “So many people are curious about it.” It wasn’t until after I had distributed my book at Christians for Jahar, I began thinking about how my book might be read by other people who might also really care. I wrote about the Boston Marathon Bombing Trial because I was passionate about the case. I also was praying for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

It all started on October 9, 2013, when I wrote a bunch of emails to my friends about praying for Dzhokhar. In November 2014, I decided to write a book about his trial. Although his trial did not begin the following year, I wrote about Tsarnaev's capture first. Afterward, I took all the emails that I had written to my friends and edited it. These emails became a part of a collection in this book, and it is all about his pretrial. When Tsarnaev's trial approached, I was writing my book simultaneously as the trial happened. The only way I could follow this story closely was to follow Twitter. I could not attend the trial, so I discovered twitter reporting when I followed Tsarnaev’s arraignment on July 10, 2013. I was taken away by how visually the journalists tweeted on twitter throughout the arraignment. My book, Jahar The Lone Boston Bomber #2, is a direct transcript of the tweets taken right from Tsarnaev’s trial. This source is reliable because the journalists would tweet the same information, but they were all very different from each other on how they tweeted the corresponding information. Most of the information from the trial is online and from news web pages. I had taken steps to gather that information and put it into this book. In the First print (2016) or published print, I downloaded thousands of tweets and transcribed thousands of tweets into sentences. The First print retains the original tweets in the narration. In the Revised Edition (2018), an edited version, most original tweet sentences in this edition have been altered and edited correctly to ensure that the sentence flows better. The Revised Edition is below the author’s name, on the book spine, and inside copyright page.

I originally intended this book to be given to my friends and for Christians. I distributed it at the blog site “Christians for Jahar.” Christians for Jahar was an active group during Tsarnaev’s pre-trial days and we followed the case all the way through and to mention many others who came together to follow this case. We had mercy for Jahar, and I wanted to write about it. Many Christians didn’t know there were other Christians praying for Dzhokhar, and that is commendable. There is nothing wrong with this book having a Christian view and agenda, throughout the factual information. There were so many Christians praying for Dzhokhar's salvation. It inspired me to write this book from my heart. If my book was only about the Boston Marathon Bombings, the court case, and records of facts or evidence, then there is nothing substantially more to this book. This book has a purpose. I respect Dzhokhar’s faith, but the purpose of this book is not only about his redemption, but about us learning who he is so that we can forgive him.

I knew there wouldn’t be many books that would detail Tsarnaev’s trial and I had set out a goal to write one and to write about my faith from a Christian perspective. Moreover, it will be a bit about Christians for Jahar because this will set this book apart from others. I am a fiction writer and my writing is simple. It's not bogged down with too much information. I wanted to tell a story, that is what the subtitle of this book is about, “The story about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev from his capture to his trial.” Some people had wondered how I could write this story because I am not a reporter. Did I interview anyone? No. The information I gathered is all from online and it's me, passionately following the case. I’ve read several cases of convicted murderers on death row. However, there is a limited amount of information that I know after I had read about those who were convicted or executed, and I wondered what their trial was like. This propelled me to write every detail that happened during Tsarnaev’s trial so that in the future, the younger generation can learn the important things about this horrific tragedy. His story, as it unfolds, is all recorded for the historical record. I hope people will appreciate the tremendous amount of work I’ve done to write about this case. There will never be another book like this one.

No one takes time out of their ordinary life each day to write about someone who was despised and convicted. Not many will go far to write a book about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Today, our world is waking up to the news of terrorism every day. Every day, we grow weary and fearful and ask ourselves why this is happening in our world today. Could there be another Tsarnaev out there? How can one who seems so nice, but the next day kill people?

This was not an easy project for me to do. Most of the time, I felt very exhausted, and I wasn't feeling well. I wrote and put this material together. I am a self-published author and I work independently. I have limited resources: no staff or editors, etc. There is no one who works along beside me. Luckily, I had a few individuals who volunteered their time to help me; however, I needed additional help, and I struggled to find someone with editing skills. This search became a dead-end, and I took up the matter myself to self-edit my book.

Jahar The Lone Boston Bomber #2 was first published on November 27, 2016. However, the First print needed more editing and some of the information that was taken from Twitter might have been difficult to read. This is a massive project for me to revise and to edit. I soon realized and learned from my mistakes. I couldn't do it alone. Finally, on March 30, 2018, I finished editing the Revised Edition, and it is an improvement to the First print and to two previous pre-publication PDF files. The Revised Edition, I have to say, is more comprehensible and vivid (descriptive).

I have sympathy for the victims of violent tragic events. This is a sick world we live in because of our human sinful nature. I know it’s hard for some people to read this type of book. Murder cases are not pleasant reading. This tragedy brought a lot of emotions. A reader told me that some of the reading is ‘heavy’ (grief, sorrowful) and some of it was ‘light.’ All that matters to me is that I deliver the message. All that matters to me is that we have compassion for the people who were injured and to pray for mercy and repentance for the convicted.

Imagination is an important aspect of storytelling, and I use it often to tell Tsarnaev’s story. These imaginary scenes are historical fiction. It’s not anything I made-up. I am being realistic. They were all serious situations. It is based on observations and from what I've read and I referenced it. I knew the details of the situation, and for me to write about it, I had to describe the setting which I am not seeing. I want this book to be far different from the mainstream (of the BMB books). It is written as a visual story, a memorable moving picture that takes readers into Tsarnaev’s mind and into the courtroom. Since there were no cameras to record the trial, this book preserves the memories and tweets from reporters at the Tsarnaev’s trial for years to come and tells it like a story.

I wrote this book for a purpose, and it’s not to satisfy your curiosity or interest. This is not an investigative book about the Tsarnaevs and the bombings. There are plenty of other books about the investigated side of the case that may have straightforward answers; however, you will not find any answers or new information in this book. Other journalists or writers have already achieved this, but I am more interested in conveying the compassion some people had for Jahar, and the testimony from Christians responding to the outcome and giving him hope.

I hope my book, Jahar The Lone Boston Bomber #2, will be a source that people will look back to and learn everything that happened to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev when he was brought to justice.

- Aileen

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BOOK REVIEWS from readers

Review for Second Edition of book on Jahar - By C.J. Converse - July 29, 2018

This book will challenge you with the following questions:

How is forgiveness and mercy expressed in a free democratic society?

How does the legislative and judicial system reconcile the circumstances to be considered once they are framed by social and political bias?

To what extent should the sins of youth define the future and any possibility for redemption?

What can a society learn from this story and how can we prevent it from reoccurring?

Many lives changed on April 15, 2013… the victims and survivors of the Boston Marathon Bombing will repeatedly ask the question “Why?” They endured courtrooms, social media, adjustments to a new way of life, and a wide range of emotions. As a society we must mindfully accept the responsibility of looking into the future and deciding what kind of a society we want to create and live in. Will that society be open or closed? Will there be equal access to the opportunities the United States has to offer?

We live, work, play and express our faith in diverse communities that we share with others. Tolerance is essential if a nation is to grow and flourish; it is a commitment to our children and their future. When we are able to see our self in others we begin to understand the depths found in humanity.

This documentary takes you through the journey of a society as it struggles to find justice and peace. It was an event that informs its citizens daily about the power and consequences of our choices.

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“This book is not an “investigative” book like from other authors about fake trial, prosecutorial misconduct and the lying witnesses. The author used available information from media (mainstream media), court transcripts and the tweets of journalists present throughout the trial. I can say she did it perfect, so the reader will receive very fine-tuned and precise written summary of all events. What is important though – the book is written with compassion and mercy, and that is very special because for the majority of people he is one of the most hated people in America. The author and many others from the whole world pray for Jahar and will never let him be buried alive. So, I recommend this book.”

– Alžbeta Perenyi - January, 2017

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“Jahar The Lone Boston Bomber” is so thoroughly researched, brilliantly organized and simply amazing!!! It is so evident that Lee put a great deal of time, energy and heart into her writing. She captured all of the fine details and tells the story as if it were a movie.

I will say that I am going to start praying for Dzhokhar now. Her preface was very touching and allowed me, the reader, to see a viewpoint not previously explored. This story needed to be told and she has done it. – G.S. - 2016

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Notes from the author….

* Avoid Retailers price! Buy it new.

While the book was put on hold for edits, several third book retailers (ex: Better World Books Distributors) and many off Amazon sites had put my First print (2016) book on their sites selling it new, old, used, cheap or overpriced. Amazon has listed it under paperback as new or used. They may not have an actual physical copy of the book. Please purchase or buy new the Revised Edition (2018) book on Amazon.

Book Title:

Also, a couple readers had asked me why I named the book, “Jahar The Lone Boston Bomber #2” when Jahar wasn’t the only bomber who bombed the Boston Marathon.

The reference is from the Opening Statement in the court documents when Tsarnaev’s attorney, David Bruck, asked the jury what we are to do with the younger brother. Bruck stated, “The man who conceived, planned and led these crimes is beyond our reach. Only the 19-year-old younger brother who helped is left.” Bruck’s statement about Jahar being left behind as the survivor is why I chose to title the book, “Jahar The Lone Boston Bomber #2.”

Readers can contact Aileen Lee at this address.

Author's Contact email: abookaboutjt@gmail.com