PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT
THE DELPHI TRILOGY
Author: Chris Everheart
ASIN: B00DXFGPBW
Series: Delphi Trilogy
Publisher: Yellow Rocket Media
Pages/File Size: 20pages/375KB
Formats Available: E-Book
BLURB from Goodreads
A short prequel to the gripping Delphi Trilogy. Find out what drove Zach to return to his wealthy hometown against ever grave warning.
Was the dead boy in the boarding school chapel really who he claimed to be? Are the headmaster’s ominous words meant to reassure the rest of the boys—or warn them? Why is Mom making one of her secret visits now? Answers are scarce for Zach, a boy who was taken away from home nine years ago and hidden away, forbidden to ever return home or reveal his true identity. But the questions are driving him to make a fateful decision that will change his life for the darker.
Author: Chris Everheart
ISBN: 978-0985912505
ASIN: B008NYEJP2
Series: Delphi Trilogy
Publisher: Yellow Rocket Media
Pages/File Size: 300pages/752KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book
BLURB from Goodreads
History’s darkest secrets hide in plain sight.
One of the freshest new voices in the world of young adult suspense, Chris Everheart confirms that he’s here to stay with this fast-paced, ingeniously plotted, unputdownable thriller.
A lone teen, a suspicious death, an ancient conspiracy. The first book of the gripping new Delphi series, The League of Delphi draws you in, takes you on a tense and thrilling ride, and leaves you wanting more.
Ten years after his father's mysterious death, 17-year-old Zach secretly returns to his wealthy hometown in search of answers. Why did his mother move him away then go into hiding to die alone? Why did she change his name, forbidding him to ever reveal his true identity? Why was he never allowed to return home?
Left with nothing and no one, Zach is desperate to reconnect with this seemingly “perfect” town. But something isn’t right. When a local teen commits suicide and no one seems to care, Zach’s hopes collapse into disenchantment and suspicion. Ashley, a local teenager on the fringe, piques his interest with whispers of a secret committee controlling the lives of everyone around them. Could it be true? Together, Zach and Ashley delve into the hidden life of the town and discover a dark connection to Ancient Greece and the Oracle at Delphi. Their suspicions are confirmed - but the conspiracy is more terrifying and dangerous than they ever imagined...
Fans of Charles Benoit (You; Fall From Grace) and Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) will instantly connect with Chris Everheart’s “visual” storytelling style and relatable characters. The League of Delphi delivers a fascinating thriller filled with nerve-wrenching suspense that confounds the reader to the very end and solidifies Everheart’s status as one of the hottest newcomers to hit the shelves.
Title: The Delphi Deception Bk2
Author: Chris Everheart
ISBN: 978-0985912543
ASIN: B00FIN60VM
Series: Delphi Trilogy
Publisher: Yellow Rocket Media
Pages/File Size: 332pages/529KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book
BLURB from Goodreads
A desperate teen, a dangerous alliance, an ancient foe. The gripping Delphi Trilogy continues with Book II, THE DELPHI DECEPTION, plunging you deeper into a dark world of conspiracy and danger.
After ten years in hiding 17-year-old Zach made the mistake of returning to his wealthy hometown. He slammed head-on into the conspiracy that killed his parents, drove a childhood friend to suicide, and exploits other teens to fulfill an ancient agenda of greed. Zach should have run. But he stayed, and now the consequences are burying him.
His blind pursuit of the town’s deepest secrets has left him injured and terrified. The answers he’s gotten about his true identity are more disturbing than he could have imagined. And his first love, Ashley, is in more danger than ever.
Desperate to save Ashley, Zach is deterred by the mysterious man he thought was his ally. Forced to team with Ashley’s ambitious sister who’s willing to help—for a price—he enters an alliance fraught with deception and betrayal.
As the League of Delphi’s vicious new security chief closes in on him, Zach is propelled back into the jaws of danger by a cryptic command from beyond this world. Will his misguided mission save Ashley? Or will it get them both killed?
Author: Chris Everheart
ISBN: 978-0985912543
ASIN: B00FIN60VM
Series: Delphi Trilogy
Publisher: Yellow Rocket Media
Pages/File Size: 332pages/529KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book
BLURB from Goodreads
A desperate teen, a dangerous alliance, an ancient foe. The gripping Delphi Trilogy continues with Book II, THE DELPHI DECEPTION, plunging you deeper into a dark world of conspiracy and danger.
After ten years in hiding 17-year-old Zach made the mistake of returning to his wealthy hometown. He slammed head-on into the conspiracy that killed his parents, drove a childhood friend to suicide, and exploits other teens to fulfill an ancient agenda of greed. Zach should have run. But he stayed, and now the consequences are burying him.
His blind pursuit of the town’s deepest secrets has left him injured and terrified. The answers he’s gotten about his true identity are more disturbing than he could have imagined. And his first love, Ashley, is in more danger than ever.
Desperate to save Ashley, Zach is deterred by the mysterious man he thought was his ally. Forced to team with Ashley’s ambitious sister who’s willing to help—for a price—he enters an alliance fraught with deception and betrayal.
As the League of Delphi’s vicious new security chief closes in on him, Zach is propelled back into the jaws of danger by a cryptic command from beyond this world. Will his misguided mission save Ashley? Or will it get them both killed?
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Chris Everheart is a Moonbeam Children’s Book award-winning writer (for graphic novel Recon Academy: Shadow Cell Scam), an award-winning filmmaker, an actor in various independent productions and a former archaeological illustrator at the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology where hours in the exhibit halls and collections rooms filled his imagination with the stories of people lost to time.
Chris recently began a boys’ learning-themed comic strip called “Reader & Guiness,” that approaches boys’ learning issues in a lighthearted way through the experience of the world’s most distracted middle-grade boy, Reader, who accidentally builds a robotic guinea pig named Guiness who is better-read than his creator.
A Minnesota native, Chris now lives in with his wife in the mountains of East Tennessee.
What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
My name is Chris Everheart. I was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN and currently live in my wife's hometown in East Tennessee.
Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
No! As a kid I was a reluctant and struggling reader. I wanted to be an astronaut or a motorcycle cop. I loved art and did as much of that as possible. In high school, a teacher inspired me to start reading and exploring the arts, so later on I wanted to be a professional studio artist. I farted around with writing but never took it seriously until after college. I found that I liked it so I kept doing it.
When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
After actively and consistently writing for a couple of years, I realized that it was more than just a pastime. Then I could say "I'm a writer" and mean it.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
The Delphi Deception: Book II of The Delphi Trilogy
A desperate teen. A dangerous alliance. An ancient foe.
Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
I've been published by several houses and we established Yellow Rocket Media last year to publish titles – like The Delphi Trilogy - that my agent couldn't place with other publishers.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
It can be different for each book. And I write for young readers, so my books tend to be shorter. Some take a couple of months, some can take a year or more.
Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?
My ebook novella "ZomProm: a high school zombie romance" came very easily. It was fun and just sort of popped out once I had the idea. The hardest book to write was my adult thriller because it was my first manuscript and I was learning as I went. It was way more work than I expected but it was a great experience. That book may finally be published soon.
(I actually have an e-copy o ZomProm on kindle ready to read!)
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
I'll definitely be writing and publishing more thriller and action adventure books.
And my agent wants me to start writing books that are more personal – with deeper themes and feelings. I have hesitated up to now because I haven't wanted to go back and mine my teen years for the deeper feelings and sentiments. It's painful to even think about. But I can see that I have to. So, there will be a variety of books coming soon.
Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
My latest book is The Delphi Deception: Book II of The Delphi Trilogy. Book III will be out next year with the conclusion of Zach's harrowing adventure.
What genre would you place your books into?
The Delphi Trilogy is a YA Thriller series. I call it a "conspiracy thriller." Other books of mine include action/adventure and what I call "techno-mysteries."
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
I like high-concept stories for the pressure it puts on the characters to do something. I truly believe that thrillers and action stories are outward expressions of our inner journey and transformation. Teens can rise to extraordinary challenges in books like The Delphi Trilogy just as they face and overcome the challenges of their daily lives.
Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
In The Delphi Trilogy books my favorite character is Ashley. She's a teen on the fringe who has the courage to tell the truth about what's going on in her weird town and is repeatedly punished for it. I know what it's like to be a kid with a secret and I really feel her pain over it. But she also has a truth that even she's not aware of. To me she's a very complex and interesting character. She's hard not to fall in love with, so the protagonist Zach doesn't know what hits him when he meets her.
How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I started writing seriously in 2000 out of creative frustration. I never really intended to be a writer before that. I was an artist from junior high through college and immediately stopped doing art when I graduated college because it had become too much like work. I went several years with no outlet for my creativity and wanted to go to film school, which wasn't an option financially or schedule-wise. So I took one of the stories I'd been saving for film scripts and started writing it into a book. That's how it started.
Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
Ideas can come from reading true stories or the news, from history, from daily life, or seemingly out of the blue. When I get an idea, I think about how the challenge could be amplified to be bigger than what a character could easily overcome. Then I ask what a teenager would do in that situation. A story is born that way.
Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
Yes, I ask several people to read my manuscripts and give me feedback. Books really aren't completed in a vacuum. The writing is done by me alone, but I need other people's eyes on the manuscript to point out flaws. My wife is my first editor and she'll tell me when something's not working. It's a process that makes the books better than I could do on my own.
Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?
Yes.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
So far, I've been able to read a lot of them but not all.
What was the toughest/best review you have ever had?
I have to laugh when one or two reviewers have complained that the stories move too fast. That's the intention – to keep turning the pages. Librarians and teens are telling me they can't put the books down till the end, which is perfect, especially for the reluctant readers I like to reach.
Best review: A friend has a 20-year-old autistic son who has always had great reading and learning difficulties. She brought him to a signing to meet me and bought him a book as a keepsake, assuming he'd never read it. A couple of weeks later, she emailed me to say that he read my book cover-to-cover – the FIRST BOOK HE'D EVER READ. No one will ever beat that for a good review – and no "bad" review could matter compared to that.
(I think that is brilliant!, kind of the ultimate compliment/review!)
(I think that is brilliant!, kind of the ultimate compliment/review!)
Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
Never. I value readers opinions. I love hearing that people love the books, but I also learn from readers who have criticisms. Readers are smart and understand when something is missing or wrong with a story. I also account for taste when it comes to reviews – not every book is for every person. I think that some reviewers don't ask if a teen would like the book and so the mark is missed sometimes for the intended audience. But the book sort of belongs to the readers once I'm done with it, so I have to respect their opinions.
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
Usually, it's book/story first; title later. Sometimes a title can come first. In fact, I've been working on a book that came from a title idea. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
Usually, character traits are determined by the character. I love it when a character speaks or acts "on their own." The author is not always in control of who the characters are.
Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
Some stories require outlines and some resist outlining. I try to get started banging out the story as soon as I get the idea and see what I can get on the page for concept, plot, scenes, and characters. Then I often have to go back and figure out what the story is really about so I can shape it into a "book." Sometimes – especially with short stories – the story won't let me do that and I have to just drive on into the fog and see where the road goes.
How do you market/promote your books?
We do a bit of online and social media marketing, but I'm an in-person kind of guy. Because I write for young readers I go directly to librarians and teachers to talk about my book and about their readers and programs. I've set a goal to visit 100 libraries by the end of the year. Next year I may set a bigger goal. Librarians are my best advocates and their teens who read my books tell others.
What do you think makes a book a really good/bestseller?
I believe concept and characters combine to make a book exceptional. When there are characters that we really care about and an interesting or unique setting and plot, that story is irresistible.
Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?
I don’t believe in "writer's block." My philosophy is that if I name it then I have to feed it, maintain it, clean up after it. It's too much energy wasted. To me, I'm either writing or not writing. I know I feel better when I'm writing, so I try to do more of that.
What do you do to unwind and relax?Do you have a hobby?
I live in the mountains and love to hike and go backpacking. I also watch way too much TV, but it helps me unwind (I think).
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Nothing hidden. I just want teens to be able to have an experience with the book that allows them to be entertained while also exploring their feelings and their power. The Delphi Trilogy, for example, is about a teen trying to find his identity. Most teens are, so they relate to Zach and his plight.
What is your favourite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?
I've always said my favorite book is Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. The stories are delightful and the characters are so endearing. Lately, though, I realize that I'm becoming more and more fascinated with A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It's way more than a Christmas story and it seems to be moving up to the top of the list. And, yes, I've read both books multiple times. (Note: each of those books is short – very important to my reading temperament.)
Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst book to movie transfer?
I make a short film occasionally so I understand that films and books are two very different art forms. They don't transfer as easily as people expect. Also, the reader creates the "movie" in their mind as they read the book. Then the filmmakers create the movie version that they see – and only have 90-120 minutes to tell the story. Those are just a couple of reasons that movies don't always reflect the books they're based on. Having said that, a couple of my favorite movies – The Firm and Fight Club – are based on books that in my opinion weren't as good as the film. So it can go either way.
Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
I'm finding librarians, schools, and teens are still loving paper books. I think for kids it's a sense of "ownership," which I remember and can relate to from that age. I don't want ebooks to completely replace paper, but I love the technology that's available and enjoy reading on my Kindle. Maybe some genres or book forms like textbooks will go completely digital while others like poetry will still be mostly printed.
Do you think children at schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do Imaginative writing?
I was a reluctant reader as a kid and I have struggled with reading throughout my life, so I understand the challenge. Schools don't necessarily have time to focus on reading for pleasure, so that slack has to be picked up at home, at libraries, or by special programs. The most important thing for young learners is to have role models for reading and learning. I love visiting libraries and schools because kids respond to dedicated grown ups who focus on reading in a positive way.
Do you have a treasured book from your childhood? If yes, what is it?
There was a collection of "Little Scientist" books that had come with an old set of encyclopedias we had. I grew up in a big family with lots of mayhem, so I would find these tiny volumes around the house at different time and "rescue" them to put in my collection on a corner of my dresser. I loved the pictures and the short descriptions of rocks, birds, trees, astronomy, etc. Someday I'll try to recreate that collection.
Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?
Have you ever tried reading the original version of Robinson Crusoe? The text is so thick and different from our modern style that I couldn't plow through it with a bulldozer. My attention span won't last that long. Great story, but I'll probably never finish the book.
Is there anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it be?
I'm an author. I could tinker with every book into eternity and never by satisfied. At some point, though, I have to let each one go and just be what it is. Back to the earlier question about reviewers: Once the author is as done as s/he can be with a book, then it belongs to the readers. I have to accept that and get on the next book.
What do you think about book trailers?
I love the concept of book trailers. Some are terrific and imaginative. I enjoy watching them. We're talking about making a live-action one for The Delphi Deception.
What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
There are two things you must do if you want to be a writer: read and write.
Where can readers follow you?
Please connect with me. I love staying in touch with readers and writers.
Your Blog Details?
ChrisEverheart.com
Your Website?
ChrisEverheart.com
Your Facebook Page?
Facebook.com/ChrisEverheartWrites
Your Goodreads Author Page?
Your Twitter Details?
@ChrisEverheart
And any other information you wish to supply?
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