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.