Chris DiGiuseppi's Blog, page 3

The Fallen – Author Interview with HCI Books

THE FALLEN – PUBLISHER’S INTERVIEW

1. First, please briefly tell us a little bit about yourselves – your background, career path–anything you’re comfortable sharing.

Chris:

Everything happens for a reason and my story is no different. In 1991 I

graduated from the police academy with high confidence that I was going to

attain a job at one of the higher paying police departments. Nine months later

my ambitions of becoming a police officer were dwindling as I had interviewed

at approximately 15 different departments all ending in rejection. My first

meeting with Mike Force was when he offered me the opportunity to become a full time police officer for $17,000 per year and although I was glad to have a job, I was disappointed that it wasn’t one of the higher paying departments. Looking back on it now I realize that it was the best thing that has ever happened to me. I rose though the ranks to become the Assistant Chief of Police, attained my undergraduate degree in human resources and my graduate degree in business administration. I also graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and the FBI National  Academy which is one of the premier certifications in law enforcement. Aside from law enforcement, I became a published author with my friend and co-author, Mike Force, in 2010 with our debut novel, The Light Bringer. Currently, we are scheduled to release our second book in the trilogy, The Fallen, on February 5th, 2013. My family is the most important aspect of my life and I’m truly blessed to have them.

Mike: Like Chris, I have a strong belief that all things that happen, happen for a reason.  I left High School and joined the Marine Corps in 1969 primarily for financial reasons but also out of a strong sense of patriotism which stemmed from the values offered by my parents. During my next 22 years of active duty in the Marine Corps, I was afforded opportunities to finish my High School education, obtain a Bachelor’s Degree and matriculated to service as a Commissioned Officer in 1981.  After retiring from the Marine Corps in 1991, I spent a short amount of time self employed in the computer industry but missed the closeness of a small group working environment. I applied for and was selected for my current position as Chief of Police in Lake Saint Louis,

Mo in March of 1992. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, A Master of Science in Human Resource Management and am a graduate of the FBI

National Academy.

Chris and I became published authors in 2010 and continue to try to bring our message to others regarding the importance of how we live our lives through writing and speaking engagements.

2. What is your new book, The Fallen, about?

Chris and Mike:

The Fallen is the second book in our Light Bringer trilogy and it builds on the

basic concepts we’ve established in the first book which revolve around “thinking beyond life.”  The Fallen is a fast paced supernatural thriller mixed with a police procedural genre where there are 4 ritualistic murders and unexplainable natural disasters that eventually coincide. This book attempts to draw clear lines between good and evil that exist in society and how each is defined and organized.  We believe that The Fallen continues to climb toward the questions that establish the main theme of the entire trilogy, which are, “Why to do people die?” and “Why to bad things happen to good people?”

3. Your first book, The Light Bringer, has done well in terms of hitting the local best sellers list and being nominated for some awards.  What else is happening that may push it even higher?

Chris and Mike:

One of the big accomplishments, regarding The Light Bringer, is that we’ve

attained an agreement with a production company out of Los Angeles California who is developing a T.V. series.  We’ve been working with them over the last year to complete a screenplay on the pilot and are preparing to begin soliciting resources and network acquisition.  We think that this endeavor will further spread the concept, story and message.

4. How is the feedback you’ve been receiving on the books?

Chris and Mike:

The Light Bringer received amazing feedback when it was released.  We were bombarded with inspiring comments from people who wanted to tell us their personal stories.  Our early readers for The Fallen have told us that they like this book even better than the first so we believe it will exceed our expectations.

5. Why do you think people like telling you their stories after reading these books?

Chris and Mike:

A supernatural thriller and police procedural genre is popular among readers,

however we believe that it’s the aspect of hope that our main character and the

overall stories tell which attract people. When society is faced with evil, good people come together to overcome it and we believe that’s what our readers see as valuable – it’s a fast paced exciting story but it brings people hope that good will prevail.

6. What do you attribute your success in your writing endeavors to?

Chris and Mike:

Faith, family and friends.  If you have those three, you’ll live a purpose-filled life. Without that, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

7. What does writing do for you personally?

Chris and Mike:

We deal with a lot of tragedy in law enforcement and we’ve found that writing

helps us cope and perhaps tell a story in a way which aids us in making sense

of horrific situations – like we said earlier – “Why do people die and why do

bad things happen to good people?”  We’ve found that through our writing we can also help other people by stimulating thought and letting them know that they’re not alone in dealing with trauma and grief.  We believe that living your life by doing what’s right is critically important as is showing others compassion, kindness and empathy.

8. What other things have you two done to further this philosophy of showing others compassion and empathy?

Chris and Mike:

We were prompted by some close friends to start an organization which could

further those core values that we believe are so important.  Last year we put together a non profit organization called The Light Bringer Foundation which seeks out ways to recognize people for showing compassion and helping others in need.  We held our first award ceremony in September of 2012 where we honored two people, who exemplify those values, with the first Light Bringer Awards.  It’s our hope that the recognition of those people who live their lives by these attributes will continue to influence others to do the same. You can see more at www.tlbf-inc.com.

9. Where can readers get a copy of The Fallen or The Light Bringer?

Chris and Mike:

They should be available in all the book stores who should either have them in

stock or be able to order them.  They’re also available online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million – here are the links:

Amazon – http://goo.gl/R0E3L

Barnes & Noble – http://goo.gl/SXIoI

Books-A-Million – http://goo.gl/WUAFo

Readers can also see more about both books at www.thelightbringerbook.com to include both book trailers and both books are available electronically – Kindle, Nook and other e-readers.

10.  So in conclusion, what’s next for Chris and Mike?

Chris and Mike:

We are continuing to work on the third book to conclude the trilogy and await

our next unknown adventure in the literary world.  Things seem to happen without much advance notice sometimes so we try to be open-minded and ready for whatever opportunities or challenges arise.

The Fallen – 1st Chapter Teaser

Curtis could see people running by him toward the barn entrance as the sound grew louder. It was now like thunder that never ended, and he noticed the old wooden barn wall rattling violently.

As he stumbled to his feet, he saw the last of the boys scramble out the door, except for the one who had been stabbed. On shaky legs, Curtis plowed forward, and as he made it to the front door, he felt something tug at his pants leg.

Looking down, he saw the blood-soaked hand of the wounded boy, who pleaded with him, “Please, don’t leave me. I’m sorry, please help me.”

Curtis kicked his hand away and pushed the barn door hard.  The rusted hinges screeched, and a cool breeze kicked up a small whirlwind of dust that danced around the barn. He paused for a moment as his father’s voice echoed in his mind, “Always do what’s right.” Then reluctantly, he bent down to where the boy was lying, picked up the steak knife, and cut off the arm of the boy’s shirt completely, exposing the wound. Quickly, he tied the material around the boy’s shoulder and pulled it tight to stanch the bleeding. With one arm, he hoisted the boy to his feet and placed his uninjured arm over his shoulder.

As Curtis focused his gaze through the open door, he could see what was causing the sound. A storm must have blown in, and as the two boys distanced themselves from the barn, Curtis could see a huge vortex whirling across the sky beyond the field. The wounded boy yelled, “Twister! We need to get to a cellar! Run for the house!”

Curtis plowed forward as fast as he could toward the old brick house, with the weight of the injured boy dragging him down. The tornado was at the barn now, and Curtis looked across the field to see the other boys scattering in all directions. Shaking his head as he tried to maintain his balance, he wondered how the storm had blown in so quickly. It had been clear and sunny when he entered the barn.

The edge of the field was very near, and the fence was only a few feet in front of them. Heaving the wounded boy over, Curtis watched him topple to the ground on the other side. Curtis jumped the fence and once again lifted up his maimed counterpart, then braced him against his shoulder. They ran by the parked cars, and as they approached the opposite side of the roadway, a sudden jerk caused Curtis’s feet to fallout from beneath him. The rope that was still tied around his neck had tangled around a fence post. The wounded boy’s body flung forward and landed on the grassy area near the driveway that led to the house.

“Keep going!” Curtis screamed at the boy. The wind was now unbearable.

Running back to the fence, he began tugging at the rope to free himself. Despite his desperate attempts, the rope would not budge, and he could see the vortex

closing in. Giving up on breaking free, he decided that the only chance he might have would be to lie down in the ditch next to the fence.

As he did, he watched the path of the whirling mass of air coming across the field, and he noticed something odd. He’d seen many twisters before in his lifetime, since the small area that he lived in was known as Tornado Alley, but never before had he seen a tornado behave as this one did. It seemed to move and change directions frequently. It weaved through the field and quickly shifted to the left, then back to the right.

Refocusing his attention to the horizon, Curtis could make out the distant image of the other boys running across the field. To his disbelief, it seemed as though this tornado was following them. Watching more intently, he saw one of the boys get sucked upward into the wind. The twister changed direction once again and seemed to be tracking another boy; it quickly was upon him and scooped him from the ground, like an enormous cat pouncing on a mouse.

Once it had consumed that victim, it backtracked into the field again, and Curtis could see it closing in on Johnny, who was running in the opposite direction from the others. It enveloped him quickly, and Curtis saw Johnny spinning upward, flailing his arms and screaming.

Looking toward the house, Curtis saw that the wounded boy was nearly up to the small trap door that led to the old cellar. The twister plowed through the center of the field and into the front yard of the farmhouse. As the wounded boy opened the cellar door, the tornado moved directly overhead, and he clung to the handle with his body waving in the wind like a kite caught in an updraft. The force of the wind was too much, and Curtis watched as the wounded boy was sucked upward.

Fear began to grip Curtis, and he sank low into the ditch. The swirling air reversed its course once again and came back across the road directly toward him. His heartbeat quickened as he tried to find the lowest spot possible to hide in. The twister was now on the other side of the parked cars, and as Curtis looked up into it, a feeling of sheer horror overtook him. As the vortex grew closer, he lowered his head to wipe the dust and debris from his eyes. When he looked up again, the twister was directly in front of him, and he stared into the center. His fear peaked as he continued to gaze at it in horror. Something hovered in the middle of the massive tornado, and although Curtis could not make out its exact outline, he was definite about one thing. It was laughing.

THE FALLEN – Upcoming Book Events

THE FALLEN – Upcoming Book Events – In case I missed anyone on the invite – here they are – Please join us:

February 7th – The Meadows in LSL – at the Soma store 6:30-8pm

February 16th – BOOK LAUNCH PARTY St. Charles Co Library Spencer Rd  St. Peters 1-3pm

March 2nd – Barnes & Noble Mid Rivers Mall Dr. St. Peters – 1-3pm

March 23rd – All on the Same Page Bookstore in Creve Coeur 1-3pm

THE FALLEN – on Stltoday.com

THE FALLEN – Featured on Stltoday.com

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/second-thriller-written-by-lake-saint-louis-cops-set-for/article_08264800-053d-5dfb-9be2-cddc53859f1f.html

The Fallen – Book Trailer – In Book Stores Feb 5th

THE FALLEN WILL BE IN BOOK STORES FEBRUARY 5th – RESERVE YOUR COPY NOW!

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER – http://www.thelightbringerbook.com/trailer2.html

 

THE FALLEN – The Light Bringer Book 2

The second book in our Light Bringer Trilogy is set for release on February 5th, 2013.  Below is the cover art for THE FALLEN

The Light Bringer #9 Best Seller’s List

The Light Bringer #9 Best Seller’s List

The Light Bringer – #10 Local Best Seller’s List

The Light Bringer – #10 Local Best Seller’s List

The Light Bringer #9 Local Best Seller’s List

The Light Bringer #9 Local Best Seller’s List

The Light Bringer – Amazon Rankings

According to Amazon author rankings, on November 10th 2012 Mike and I ranked #37 out of 4000 in action adventure books and ranked #30 out of 4000 in action adventure in Kindle eBooks.  Thanks to everyone for the support.