J.D. Netto's Blog

**This interview was originally published by Fandomsnews.com at http://fandomsnews.com/2013/10/10/int...

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF ‘THE WHISPERS OF THE FALLEN’, J.D. NETTO

Fandomsnews got the chance to Interview the author of the spectacular action adventure fantasy book The Whispers of the Fallen, J.D. Netto!

The Interview

1.) What was your inspiration for writing The Whispers of the Fallen?

I always looked at The Whispers of the Fallen as more than just a fictional novel. I obviously aimed to write something that would entertain and leave readers on the edge of their seats, though I always knew that Whispers was going to be a story that carried a message. That’s what always inspired me: the power that a story has to change people.

2.) When did you start writing Whispers of the Fallen?

I was seventeen when I started to create the story. At the time, The Whispers of the Fallen was going to be a comic book entitled The End of Days. Looking back at that tile today, I think it sounds a bit cliché, nonetheless, it kept me focused on my writing. When I was nineteen, I decided to turn my story into a novel, naming it The Diary of Lucifer. That version of the story contained many scenes and characters that you know today. It was when I was twenty-one that I realized that the Diary of Lucifer was only a small facet of the story, so I decided to change the title to The Whispers of the Fallen.

3.) How much time did it take to research your books topic on Angels, Lucifer and Tristar?

I would say the research process started when I was a child! Mythological stories and tales have always fascinated me. Even as a kid, I was always reading books on the subject of angels, demons and gods. Research for The Whispers of the Fallen in particular started when I was nineteen. I used the book of Enoch and some passages from Isaiah to help me mold the character of Lucifer. Demonology and Angelology were also subjects of extensive research as I created the Stars and the Underwarriors. I am a strong believer in doing your research when writing any story!

4.) What character do you relate to most in your books?

That is a hard question! As a writer, all your characters, either those that fight for good or evil, have a bit of you in them. Isaac and Devin are the ones I can relate to the most. Isaac had many surprises come his way, unexpected situations that changed the course of his life forever. All of us have or will experience moments like that, when the solid foundations of life are shaken and we are forced to move on without knowing what lies ahead. Devin is very much related to my (our) inner man. The constant battle he endures against his own self is plausible and easy to relate to. Mankind has both light and darkness inside. It is solemnly up to each one of us to decide which of these will be stronger in the end.

5.) What is your favorite book series or book?

I have two series that I hold dear to my heart. While I love many, The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter have a very special place.

6.) Favorite author? Who is your role model?

You keep making this hard! I cannot simply choose one favorite author. I am a big fan of J.K.Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and J.R.R.Tolkien. When it comes to storytelling, Tolkien has always been my role model. The way he crafted his world and the extensive detail that his novels contain is absolutely inspiring.

7.) Who would you fancast as your characters if The Whispers of the Fallen became a motion picture?

Thank you for giving me the chance to be a casting director!Here are my choices for the “amazing five”.

Isaac: Jeremy Sumpter

Demetre: Dylan Minnette

Devin: Chris Hemsworth

Nephele: Amanda Seyfried

Adawnas: Maggie Grace

8.) Where do you see yourself in a year from now?

I see myself being happy with whatever life brings my way. I obviously want to achieve many things in the coming year as an author and as a businessman (I believe these two go hand in hand). My main goal is to finish Rebellion and to expand the series even further!

9.) What can your readers be expecting from the second book in The Whispers of the Fallen series, Rebellion? Can you give any hints?

Fans are in for quite a ride! Readers will get to meet some of the kings and rulers of Elysium, including one with power over White Dragons. The blood-drinkers play a pivotal part on the second novel, revealing many secrets about the Book of Letters. I might also reveal who the traitor inside Tristar is. I cannot forget about the Fallen Rulers! I guess you will have to wait and see…

10.) Are you a part of any “Fandom”, if so which one?

Harry Potter! My friends and I are big potter-heads. If you look at our contact list on our phones, we have named each other after the characters. We go to the Wizarding World almost every month (yes friends, I live two hours away from Orlando) and spend most of our time in Hogsmeade. One of my friends knows all the spells and is constantly correcting us when we say them wrong. I always say she would have been a Slytherin due to her “Malfoy” qualities.

Many people have been asking me about the writing process and the inspiration behind The Whispers of the Fallen. During this past weekend, me and my Whispers Entourage attended Palmcon in sunny West Palm Beach, FL. At the event, I was bombarded with the same question, "what inspired you to write this story?". I figured this might be a bit of a long post, but I am sure it will answer most of the questions behind the creative process.

I was seventeen when the desire to write a novel began to burn inside of me. Ever since I was a child, I was always creating stories. I would lock myself in my room and I would create characters, storyboards and novels. Storytelling was an art that interested me from an early age. It wasn't until high school that I discovered my absolute favorite authors. Reading their work was almost a nostalgic experience for me. It was at that age that I first sketched Isaac Khan, the main character on The Whispers of the Fallen. You will see that I said 'sketched', that is because before I was ever an author, I was an illustrator.

I find it amusing when I look back and I see that all the other characters went through drastic changes, but Isaac has remained the same ever since I first created him. During that time, I designed a cover for my project. I called it 'The End of Days'. I was on cloud nine when I came up with that name. Looking back now, I think it sounds extremely cliche, nevertheless this was the title that inspired me to keep on writing. The only difference was that I wanted it to be a comic book. I started creating my first pages only to realize that writing a novel would reach a broader and more diverse audience.

My first idea was to have Isaac fight against gods of various religions throughout the world. Even though the idea seemed innovative, it did not resonate well with me after some time. For months, I was not able to pen down a single word. Until one day, I clearly remember driving down interstate 95 in South Florida and thinking, 'what if Lucifer had a diary? What if a boy found it?' I vividly recall driving home as fast as I could so I could begin writing.

As I continued to write the book, I decided to alternate the title to the Diary of Lucifer. For the fans of the novel, you know that the Diary of Lucifer is an integral part of the mythology I created for my world, but as the story and the characters developed, I realized the Diary was just one facet of the saga. It was in 2009 that I decided to call my novel The Whispers of the Fallen.

Despite all the hard work, I consider myself to be very lucky for having friends that supported this series from its very beginning. I call them my "first readers". They were the ones who read The Whispers of the Fallen in its early stages, giving me their input on some of the events throughout the novel.

In 2011, The Whispers of the Fallen was completed. I spent that whole year editing, correcting and tying all the loose ends I could find. My editor and me spent hours discussing the many possibilities to enhance a scene, to slow it down, or to cut it from the novel completely. It was an arduous process - but so worth it. It was during this time that I started to see that The Whispers of the Fallen was not a "one man dream", but it could be a collaboration of the talents of many.

It was in 2012 when I started doing heavy promotion for The Whispers of the Fallen, building up to its official release date (November 30th, 2012), which consequently is also Isaac's birthday. I recall opening the official facebook page for the novel and having hundreds of readers ask me what the novel was about, how they could get it, etc. That was such an amazing feeling (still is!). After much planning and hard work, The Whispers of the Fallen was released in both paperback and digital version.

When I look back today, I see that this is simply the beginning of the journey. I am currently writing the second novel entitled 'Rebellion' and I am also still touring around the country, promoting The Whispers of the Fallen. There is still a long way to go, but I am proud to say that when I reminisce on all these past experiences, I can see that all the hard work is paying off.

I have to say that I am always very happy to know that The Whispers of the Fallen has been impacting so many people in so many different ways. From drawings and sketches to jewelry, I am always humbled that the story I started writing in my bedroom is growing at such a rapid pace. But I can never forget that in order for some people to love it, there must be people that will loathe it. This post is to better explain to all of you the influences behind The Whispers of the Fallen and why I am not the anti-christ!

A couple of weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a reader that claimed the novel was too dark and dwelled too much on dark events of the surrounding the characters. Shortly after, I received a private message on facebook from a reader asking me if the devil himself had given me the manuscript (I had no reaction when I finished reading his email). Then another email came, and this time the person claimed that I was the anti-christ himself!

I do believe that The Whispers of the Fallen might not be a story for all, but I believe everyone can relate to the journey of all these characters. Despite Lucifer being the villain in the story, the darkness inside each character is no different than the darkness inside all of us. Humanity has both light and darkness lingering in their inner being. Of course, it is up to us to choose which one will grow stronger inside ourselves.

To answer the question many have been asking: Yes, I studied Demonology to write this book along with the Book of Enoch. One just does not simply have an idea about Lucifer and does no research about it. Every author will tell you that whenever you are writing something, you must always do your research. I knew that by keeping the name of the antagonist Lucifer, I would cause many people to shy away from the novel - and I was always awayre that I would have many religious folk criticize the series. Now if you pay close attention, I did name some characters after those mentioned in these books.

Now to claim that the story is too dark without having read the very end of it to me is nonsensical. In my humble opinion, if a person claims that one should not meddle with dark themes when writing stories, they are either hypocrites or they are simply too disconnected from the world around them.

To Isaac, Lucifer is the enemy, and to so many, cancer might be the foe that is consuming them; death might be the enemy haunting them. My desire is when readers finish the series, they will know that hope remains strong no matter how costly the sacrifice.

J.D.The Whispers of the Fallen

It all started on June 1st, 2013. We all headed to the Javits Center in the heart of New York City for the last day of BEA 2013. It had already been a great show not only for me but for the whole entourage that accompanied me. Just like in the previous days of the expo, we arrived precisely at 9:30AM to make sure our booth was ready to receive all the power readers that were going to flock their way in, savagely looking for the latest releases.

Banners up, books ready, postcards at hand, our day began. Hundreds of readers made their way to The Whispers of the Fallen booth to get their free copy of the novel. Around 11AM, a man came by the booth, grabbed a hold of the novel and asked me some basic questions such as: How long did it take you to write the book? Who designed the cover? When will the second book be released? He analyzed every detail of the cover as he continued to talk to me.

"You will go places, my friend," he said, giving me a smile. He walked away and our day continued as fans came by to take pictures and get their novels autographed; the entourage kept handing out invitations throughout the whole Javits Center, inviting everyone to come to the booth for their free books.

At exactly 3:30PM, the same man from that morning returned to the booth, which we had already dismantled. He asked me if I had a minute to talk. We sat down at a table and a very interesting conversation began. LIttle did I know that man was Jay Hartman, Editor-in-Chief of Untreed Reads Publishing.

"You ruined my day," he said as he took out his copy of the novel from his bag. "I cancelled all my meetings and appointments today because of this." He pointed to the now-bent cover of the book. To my surprise, Jay told me he had already read most of the novel, and was asking me questions about the story that only a reader would ask.

"This book is crawling under my skin," he said. "It has been years since I found something like this." (By now, I was shaking on my seat, dumbfounded at everything this man was saying). To complete my surprise, on that day I was offered a publishing contract!

Yes, my friends. Starting this month, The Whispers of the Fallen will be re-released by Untreed Reads Publishing in both paperback and digital version. Soon you will be able to find The Whispers of the Fallen not only online, but also at your local book store. We have added exclusive content not found in the previous version of the novel that I am sure will satisfy all the hardcore fans of the series. Untreed Reads will also publish The Whispers of the Fallen Part II - Rebellion, due next year! (I still can't believe that I am writing a blog about me being picked up by a publisher. It surely makes up for the fifteen rejection letters I received in the last two years!)

To all the fans, thank you for all your support and for loving all these characters.

J.D.NettoThe Whispers of the Fallen

Three days of intense meetings, long walks, and exciting moments. BEA 2013 was everything I expected it to be. As an author, it felt great being in this environment where I could connect, meet, and share experiences with other authors as well.

At times, it all felt a bit surreal (Jim Carrey was next to me). So many fans came to The Whispers of the Fallen booth to meet me and get their books signed. The best part of doing all this is definitely the experience of meeting the readers in person. There is no better feeling than to know that they love your characters as much (if not more) as you.

Of course, the people that came along with me on this "journey" made all the difference. BEA 2013 would not have been as successful for me if it hadn't been for them.

Let's also say that we might have a few surprises in the next couple of months.

To check out pictures, log on to http://www.thewhispersofthefallen.com...

J.D.Netto

May is right around the corner, meaning BEA 2013 is approaching! It will be my first time exhibiting at BEA and I am excited for all the new people I will meet, deals I will close, and fans that are coming to check out all the amazing books and authors that will be present.

BEA will take place in NYC (making it 10,000 better!) at the Javits Center! If you plan on attending the event, I will be at booth #490 from May 29th to June 1st.

Hope I get to see some of you there!

J.D.Netto

**This article was originally published on "The Boca Tribune Newspaper". Written by Pedro Heizer.

Jorge De Oliveira Netto is a new up and coming writer from Boca Raton who late last year completed his first novel, The Whispers of the Fallen.

The book follows the epic fantasy route as rumors about the Diary of Lucifer echoed throughout Elysium, the world Netto created so beautifully. Hidden from all human knowledge, the Diary was kept a secret, locked away in the small village of Agalmath.

The protagonists Isaac and Demetre find themselves in a dangerous journey as they uncover the truth about the Diary and its guardians. However, for Isaac and Demetre, danger lies at every step, hidden in the most unexpected places. Hunted by the Nephilins and the Fallen Stars, they must find others who will join them in the battle against the coming darkness.

One star, Lucifer, rebelled against the Creator. He and the stars he deceived fell from grace. Lucifer was banished to the Abyss. But before, as a precaution, he left a Diary behind for his followers.

With this Diary, he can be reawakened and return from the Abyss, to defy the Creator once more. When the novel starts, the dispersed and battered forces of Lucifer have regained dominance and openly claim their rule over the world again. They are at the point of getting hold of the Diary and its power, to make Lucifer reappear.

“The idea came to me while driving down Interstate 95,” says the 24 year old writer about the inspiration behind this marvelous plot. “I got home that night and I wrote about 40 pages of the book and knew the direction I wanted to take it.”

Netto has been passionate about writing, and fantasy from a young age, “Ever since I was a young kid I was always interested in fantasy,” says Netto. “I would always be in my room either drawing, writing, or making little books to give to family members.”

Netto did a sensational job on the book; the plot draws the reader in and will instantly hook them for the entirety of the book.

The reader will fall in love with the protagonist from the moment they meet him, they will cry, laugh, feel pain, and feel the power of choice.

In fact, what Netto wants his readers to get from the book is simple, choice.


All the characters in The Whispers of the Fallen had many choices. “When you choose something be ready for the consequences,” says Netto. “No matter if the consequences are good or bad.”

It took Netto over six years to complete The Whispers of the Fallen. But he is already working on book number two.

“There will be four books,” says the writer. “I’ve started on book two already, I don’t want to wait another six years to publish the next one,” he said jokingly.

Book two, which will be called Rebellion, is slated for a 2014 release.

Despite the recent success of Netto’s The Whispers of the Fallen, this wasn’t always the case.

“I got letters back saying there isn’t a market for the book,” says the writer who devoted six years of his life to writing the book. “But in the first two weeks the book has been out, it had already sold over 200 copies, which for an unknown writer is really good”

Netto didn’t let those rejection letters bring him down, “I clearly remember when I sent my first letter to a New York house and my first rejection letter arrived two months later,” Netto recalls. “The rejection letters actually made me believe more in my story and on myself as an author.”

“Rejection inspired me to write a better story, believing that “Whispers” could be more than just an entertaining novel,” said the writer.

Since then, over 500 copies of the book (electronic and hard copies) have been sold on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, on the official book website, and iTunes.

Many have criticized the themes of the book, saying it’s too dark but this isn’t news for Netto.

“The controversy surrounding the dark themes of this novel are not anything new or unexpected to me,” explains Netto. “Many have criticized the characters in the story, saying that they go against the beliefs of many. Honestly, my goal here is to inspire and entertain, showing that even during the darkest times, there will always a shining light.”

Netto will be attending the Book Expo of America, in New York City on May 29-June 1, 2013, the South Florida Super Con from July 4-7, 2013, and the New York Comic Con on October 11-14, 2013.

You can check out the book at www.whispersofthefallen.com, or if you want more information you can email info@tristarpublishinggroup.com.The Whispers of the Fallen

Let's face it, you spend countless hours writing, plotting, and creating your masterpiece. You go through the arduous process of writing, re-writing, and editing. Let's not forget cover creation, website design, and all the endless necessities you have as an author.

Many authors believe that at this point, all the have to do is sit down, relax, and wait for the millions of dollars to come. Many believe that by having their books available on online retailers and websites is enough.

If you are one of them, I highly recommend you to keep on reading.

Social media today is a powerful tool to market your novel to millions of people. But on this blog, I would like to share some tips on Facebook Advertisement.

If you are not familiar with this platform, you have been missing out on a great opportunity to connect with your audience. It is basically a pay-per-click platform where you, the author, uses keywords to connect with your target audience. For a daily amount, Facebook delivers your ads to thousands, giving you an immense chance to be discovered by your potential readers.

A great way to get new likes is to advertise a giveaway. Think on something your potential readers would be interested in and tie it with your novel. Your readers want to connect with you, not only with your work.

Post updates about your work and about yourself. Do not be a stranger to those who love your characters and your story. Remember to always be "present online." Share inspiring thoughts, character-related articles, intriguing news, etc.

Do not fall on the mistake of believing that all an author does is write. Your book is your business. It is your job to display it on the shelves of the world.J.D.Netto

You wrote the book, you edited it, re-edited it, spent countless hours tying the loose ends of your masterpiece, only to have it misrepresented by a poorly-designed website.

Your website is your "virtual business card". It will not only showcase who you are, but it will also represent the excellence of your work.

Often times, I stumble upon websites that do little to the author's visual representation. Website crowded with fonts that are too small, useless text, bad graphics, 11234356675443 different colors.

We as authors have to see ourselves and our books as a thriving business that needs to be represented well in this industry.

One's visual identity is the hook to attract fans, customers, etc. I am sure most of us get extra excited about new releases when we see posters, ads, commercials, etc.

When speaking to a designer about your website, have in mind these simple steps:

1) What will entice my readers?
2) Is my website easy to navigate?
3) Is my website engaging?
4) Is my contact info visible?
5) Does it look professional?

Follow these simple guidelines and you will have a successful website!

J.D.Netto


**J.D.Netto is also a graphic designer. For portfolio reviews, go to http://www.jdnetto.com

The Whispers of the Fallen

I heard it said once that every story worth telling is a story worth writing. Before even considering publishing, I had to love my story first and believe there was more to it than mere entertainment.

So this post is an encouragement to you! If you have amazing characters bubbling inside of you, eager to get out, I have one thing to say to you, “Write!”

Write your novel because…

1): …it is your story.

No one will ever write like you. Stories are written every day but the amazing thing is that no one can create your story for you. Imagine if all the great authors thought there were already too many stories out there and decided to bottle their gift. Stories can shape a generation. You never know who will read yours.

2): …you love writing.

With the revolution in the publishing industry, many people see it now as a gold mine. But above the money, you need to love the craft. By loving and investing in your talent, money will be a consequence rather than the focus.

3): …you believe in it.

From fiction to biographies, every author needs to believe in his or her story. Even fantasy stories have hidden truths in every line. If you don’t believe in the world you are creating, than your readers will never believe in your characters.

4): …there is a purpose to it.

Have a purpose to your writing, even if the purpose is entertaining yourself or your readers. Never write your novel without a goal. If we have a goal to reach with our writing, we will make the time and effort to invest in it.

5): …of you.

Write for you and no one else. It is a great deal when someone decides to write a book and actually sticks to the idea. I learned so much by simply deciding to finish that which I started. I met so many great people and stretched myself to limits I never thought I could go.

There were times when I thought I was going to stop. The frustration of not being able to decide a character’s fate, the agony of spending longs hours writing only to find that you are not satisfied with what you have written discouraged me.

But I knew aside from everything else, I was doing this for me. I had to know the fate of those characters. I had to write them.

That is why when one decides to write a novel, he also decides to challenge himself in not only his art but in his character. I hope you are ready for the journey.

The Whispers of the Fallen