Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tours Presents:
Book: The Evelyn Project Author:
Kfir Luzzatto Tour Dates :
July 2 thru August 31st
Author’s Website: http://kfirluzzatto.com
Purchase Book:
SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/147400
Summary of The Evelyn Project:
A loving father's cry for help gets into the wrong hands,
and a hundred years later things get out of control.Evelyn's father did
everything in his power to save his dying daughter, black magic included. But
when a century later his plea for help gets into the wrong hands, all hell
breaks loose. Caught in the slippery battlefield between the Vatican and a cult
that wants to change the past, a young Italian professor and a beautiful French
actress are too busy running away from murder and conspiracy to let physical
attraction develop into love.And it further complicates things when Her
Majesty's Secret Service decides to take an interest in what everyone else is
doing to pull some strings of its own.Love that lasts through the veils of
time, a mystery, and a race to end a conspiracy, "The Evelyn Project"
is a story that will stir both your heart and your intellect.
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Overall:
This book was very like the DaVinci Code in that there was a lot of Vatican involvement, with high action and drama. Some of the dialogue was a little bit of a struggle, but once I got beyond that, it wasn't too noticeable. Lots of plot twists, black magic, tinkering with time and trying to change history.
One of the things I found interesting about the book was the plot twists and the international flavor that pervaded it. Black magic was a theme at the beginning, but then it became more like a terror filled fun ride through Europe. Murder, intrigue, deception, betrayal and chock full of dark and brooding, intelligent writing that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
4/5
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Guest Post: “What Inspired
You To Write “The Evelyn Project?”
Guest Post: “What Inspired
You To Write “The Evelyn Project?”
July and August, 2012
“I am always taken by surprise when a story line somehow finds its
way into my consciousness and, once settled there, demands to be written. Then
I'm stuck with it, whether I like it or not. And, unfortunately, those story
ideas don't come equipped with a well thought-out plot; instead, you get this
rather fuzzy but nagging image that won't go away until the story is fully
developed. This is what happened to me with The Evelyn Project.
Evelyn (or, rather Evelina, as she was named in my native Italy)
was my great aunt. She died of tuberculosis in 1894. She was only 26 years old.
My great-grandfather was an influential politician who left no stone unturned
to try to save his daughter and got her the best medical care that was
available at the turn-of-the-century, among which praying was probably the most
effective measure.
Evelyn's studio portrait, which I used in the book cover, hangs on the wall beside my writing desk. My second daughter, Lilach, is her living image and her 26th birthday is approaching fast. That might have been a catalyst for me to write the book, although the sad story of Evelyn's death was always a part of my family's ethos; I must've sucked it in with my milk because I can't remember the first time her name was mentioned. When my parents died I was left with the responsibility to make sure that my family history would not be forgotten. That entailed a lot of reading in books, documents and letters, which brought Evelyn's figure increasingly to life for me. I learned of her warm relation with her father through letters she had written to him, and I discovered more than I already knew about my great-grandfather's devotion to her.
Throughout my reading and learning one persistent thought kept popping up in my head: today her death would have been an unnecessary tragedy; with readily-available antibiotics an otherwise healthy young woman would not have succumbed to her illness. So what if it was possible to go back in time and save her using medical technology commonly available today? It is probable that saving Evelyn's life would not have changed the course of history (contrary to what many science fiction books would predict), but even if it did, preventing her father's private hell would have been well worth the price.
Having got emotionally involved in her story I realized that I had to do more than just sit there and shake my head in sorrow. I couldn't just let Evelyn fade away in those yellowing papers. I had to do right by her (whatever that meant). My investigation of Evelyn's misfortune allowed me to put myself in my great-grandfather's shoes, to feel the emotions that he must have felt (he was approximately my age when Evelyn died) and to test the length to which a father would go in an attempt, no matter how futile, to save his child.
Overall, writing this book turned out to be an exceptionally emotional journey for me. Sometimes I felt ashamed that I was enjoying writing it. Instead of dishing out a uniformly gloomy piece I was writing a fast-paced thriller that, beside the suspense, also has its hilarious moments.
This is not the first time that inspiration has come to me like an assignment from above without any real control from my side. I have learned not to fight the impulse and, instead, to embrace it and to allow myself to be taken on an emotional roller coaster ride without a clear vision of where the journey is likely to end.
I don't believe in stereotyping ghosts, so I won't say that I recognize Evelyn's hand or my great-grandfather's stick behind my urge to write the story. It is true, however, that now I feel much closer to them than I did before; they have assumed characters and a presence so real that at times it feels as if we had actually met. I often wondered whether they would have grudged me the use I made of their characters in a commercial book, but something tells me that if they can see us they understand that this is my way to give Evelyn some of the life she has been denied, even if only on paper.
But this is not only about Evelyn. My great-grandfather was no less of a victim to her disease than she was. The Evelyn Project is my tribute to them both.
1) What brought you to writing fiction? What's your earliest recollection of wanting to write a book?
I actually wrote a short story when I was 12 years old. The plot was strong but, being honest with myself, I realized that the result stunk. So I hid it deep in my drawer and moved on. It took me some 30 years to sit down and do it again, and this time when I was done I liked what I read.
2) Who are your favorite writers? Why?
My list is very long but the four at the top are:
John Wyndham, because he writes science fiction that reads like real life;
P. G. Wodehouse, because nobody writes dialogue like him and because his are the best escapist books ever written;
Franz Kafka, because of his genius in devising haunting plots with multiple layers, and for writing books that make you skip dinner;
Robert A. Heinlein, because of his sparkling, down-to-earth, transparent (and often funny) writing.
3) How did writing "The Evelyn Project" come about?
Evelyn was my great aunt, who died of tuberculosis at 26. I have always been intrigued by her and her relation with my great-grandfather (her father). I have three daughters and one of them is her living image and will be 26 this year. That got me thinking and I started researching the family archives. One thing led to another and here we are.
4) Do you believe the spirits of our ancestors can "haunt" a family?
Not really. My favorite uncle, who died twenty years ago, promised to come back to haunt us but he’s been AWOL so far, so I guess that settles it.
5) Open you book to page 78. Tell us what's happening there...
It’s actually a defining moment in the book, when my two main characters really start to connect and an important sub-plot develops. Good choice of page!
6) What do you like to do when you're on vacation? Where's your favorite vacation spot?
There is one place on earth that is the closest to Paradise as I can imagine it. It is called Cortina d’Ampezzo and is located in the Dolomites, which belong to the Italian Alps. There is where as a youngster I used to go mountain climbing in the summer and skiing in the winter. Give me some food and let me wander around in the mountains and in the woods; that’s all I need.
7) If you could choose any time and any place to live, where would it be and what would your life be?
I guess I’m strange, but I tend to be happy with my life as it is, and that includes my home.
8) Psychologists tell us that what we wanted to be as a 10 year old is a sign of what our true avocation is. What did you want to be when you were ten? How has it manifested itself in your life?
If my memory serves me well, I wanted to be a sailor. Since in later years I realized that I hate the sea, I guess that those psychologists were talking through their hats.
9) Tell us about your next book!
An Italian Obsession is a different kind of book. Different, I mean, from what I have written so far. It is drama written as a very personal slice of life of an Italian youth, who is growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Although it is pure fiction, it is also a faithful testimony of middle class life in a healing post war society.
Evelyn's studio portrait, which I used in the book cover, hangs on the wall beside my writing desk. My second daughter, Lilach, is her living image and her 26th birthday is approaching fast. That might have been a catalyst for me to write the book, although the sad story of Evelyn's death was always a part of my family's ethos; I must've sucked it in with my milk because I can't remember the first time her name was mentioned. When my parents died I was left with the responsibility to make sure that my family history would not be forgotten. That entailed a lot of reading in books, documents and letters, which brought Evelyn's figure increasingly to life for me. I learned of her warm relation with her father through letters she had written to him, and I discovered more than I already knew about my great-grandfather's devotion to her.
Throughout my reading and learning one persistent thought kept popping up in my head: today her death would have been an unnecessary tragedy; with readily-available antibiotics an otherwise healthy young woman would not have succumbed to her illness. So what if it was possible to go back in time and save her using medical technology commonly available today? It is probable that saving Evelyn's life would not have changed the course of history (contrary to what many science fiction books would predict), but even if it did, preventing her father's private hell would have been well worth the price.
Having got emotionally involved in her story I realized that I had to do more than just sit there and shake my head in sorrow. I couldn't just let Evelyn fade away in those yellowing papers. I had to do right by her (whatever that meant). My investigation of Evelyn's misfortune allowed me to put myself in my great-grandfather's shoes, to feel the emotions that he must have felt (he was approximately my age when Evelyn died) and to test the length to which a father would go in an attempt, no matter how futile, to save his child.
Overall, writing this book turned out to be an exceptionally emotional journey for me. Sometimes I felt ashamed that I was enjoying writing it. Instead of dishing out a uniformly gloomy piece I was writing a fast-paced thriller that, beside the suspense, also has its hilarious moments.
This is not the first time that inspiration has come to me like an assignment from above without any real control from my side. I have learned not to fight the impulse and, instead, to embrace it and to allow myself to be taken on an emotional roller coaster ride without a clear vision of where the journey is likely to end.
I don't believe in stereotyping ghosts, so I won't say that I recognize Evelyn's hand or my great-grandfather's stick behind my urge to write the story. It is true, however, that now I feel much closer to them than I did before; they have assumed characters and a presence so real that at times it feels as if we had actually met. I often wondered whether they would have grudged me the use I made of their characters in a commercial book, but something tells me that if they can see us they understand that this is my way to give Evelyn some of the life she has been denied, even if only on paper.
But this is not only about Evelyn. My great-grandfather was no less of a victim to her disease than she was. The Evelyn Project is my tribute to them both.
1) What brought you to writing fiction? What's your earliest recollection of wanting to write a book?
I actually wrote a short story when I was 12 years old. The plot was strong but, being honest with myself, I realized that the result stunk. So I hid it deep in my drawer and moved on. It took me some 30 years to sit down and do it again, and this time when I was done I liked what I read.
2) Who are your favorite writers? Why?
My list is very long but the four at the top are:
John Wyndham, because he writes science fiction that reads like real life;
P. G. Wodehouse, because nobody writes dialogue like him and because his are the best escapist books ever written;
Franz Kafka, because of his genius in devising haunting plots with multiple layers, and for writing books that make you skip dinner;
Robert A. Heinlein, because of his sparkling, down-to-earth, transparent (and often funny) writing.
3) How did writing "The Evelyn Project" come about?
Evelyn was my great aunt, who died of tuberculosis at 26. I have always been intrigued by her and her relation with my great-grandfather (her father). I have three daughters and one of them is her living image and will be 26 this year. That got me thinking and I started researching the family archives. One thing led to another and here we are.
4) Do you believe the spirits of our ancestors can "haunt" a family?
Not really. My favorite uncle, who died twenty years ago, promised to come back to haunt us but he’s been AWOL so far, so I guess that settles it.
5) Open you book to page 78. Tell us what's happening there...
It’s actually a defining moment in the book, when my two main characters really start to connect and an important sub-plot develops. Good choice of page!
6) What do you like to do when you're on vacation? Where's your favorite vacation spot?
There is one place on earth that is the closest to Paradise as I can imagine it. It is called Cortina d’Ampezzo and is located in the Dolomites, which belong to the Italian Alps. There is where as a youngster I used to go mountain climbing in the summer and skiing in the winter. Give me some food and let me wander around in the mountains and in the woods; that’s all I need.
7) If you could choose any time and any place to live, where would it be and what would your life be?
I guess I’m strange, but I tend to be happy with my life as it is, and that includes my home.
8) Psychologists tell us that what we wanted to be as a 10 year old is a sign of what our true avocation is. What did you want to be when you were ten? How has it manifested itself in your life?
If my memory serves me well, I wanted to be a sailor. Since in later years I realized that I hate the sea, I guess that those psychologists were talking through their hats.
9) Tell us about your next book!
An Italian Obsession is a different kind of book. Different, I mean, from what I have written so far. It is drama written as a very personal slice of life of an Italian youth, who is growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Although it is pure fiction, it is also a faithful testimony of middle class life in a healing post war society.
Author Bio.:
Kfir Luzzatto was born and raised in Italy, and moved to
Israel as a teenager. He acquired the love for the English language from his
father, a former U.S. soldier, a voracious reader and a prolific writer. Kfir
has a PhD in chemical engineering and works as a patent attorney.
He lives in Omer, Israel, with his full-time partner,
Esther, their four children, Michal, Lilach, Tamar and Yonatan, and the dog
Elvis. He has won numerous awards for his writing.
Contact him:
Twitter: @KfirLuzzatto
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kfir.luzzatto
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