From Trilogy to Series: The Oracles

Just two and a half years ago I had a few seconds that changed my life forever.

A single thought struck like lightning while on my drive into D.C. (right before the bridge). It was so vivid and intense that as soon as I parked, I pulled out my iPhone and began writing as I walked. That first scene from The Sibylline Oracle, has remained much the same as it was then on my tiny notepad. Ten weeks later I had the first draft to a trilogy.

While writing The Last Oracle, Book Three of what is now known as "The Oracles" (Sibylline Trilogy), I realized the problem. I had promised to resolve all of the issues in THREE books by calling it a trilogy.  But the novels had introduced characters, that in the initial vision I had never even considered. These characters had their own stories that were begging to be told. Also I felt there was much more to Alex and Valeria's story. Book Four has proven that.

Paolo Carrara became my favorite character and I felt that to end the series without giving him a future was to deny him what he deserved. Also I had written an entire back story to Paolo's mother, Kristiana, that was thoroughly researched and linked to historical events. I loved that story, and it guided events through all three books, but it had to be cut due to the length of The Last Oracle.

With that said, I am excited about Book Four: The Mists of Time, which will be released this year. It has been my favorite novel to write.  I'm hoping to have Book Five out by Christmas. Book Five will focus on Kristiana and who she really is. I think you'll be surprised (there are clues in all three books).

The very talented photographer and movie maker Fazil Ahmed will be working his magic in a cover shoot for Book Four, starring the intense and very sexy Paolo Carrara, captured perfectly by Attila Kozma and feisty Nicky/Antonia Morgan, to be portrayed by the beautiful and talented Trista Tripp. Both of these actors/models are just phenomenal and exactly what I envisioned for these characters.

I don't know if five books will tell the whole story. In the meanwhile, I hope you follow the release  at www.Facebook.com/DeliajColvin.

xox!

Delia

Finding Happiness

I've tried to stay out of it--despite my passion...despite my losses. I've tried to remind myself that my purpose in writing is to help people "feel good".

But there comes a time when knowing the truth just isn't good enough. There comes a time when you must speak up.  Robin William's suicide was yet another reminder that I need to say what I know to be true.

This is for you sweet Michael.

Many years ago, my brother married a woman who had given birth to an extremely premature child; Michael.  When I first met Michael, he was five years old, but the size of a three year old. He wore thick glasses for his reduced vision and hearing aids. He was nearly deaf without them. But the boy's pure JOY of life was contagious! Michael was one of the most beautifully sweet beings I have had the pleasure of meeting in my life.

In the early 90's, I read about various "feel good" drugs and had also been fortunate to have been warned of the price of that kind of "happiness". There were a number of them, mostly Prozac, Zoloft and to handle kids, Ritalin.

Once Michael was in school, his weak eye sight and over-stimulation from what he couldn't quite see or hear, made him a "perfect candidate" for Ritalin--which later led to many other drugs...and problems.

Once Michael was on Ritalin he constantly battled his emotions to find happiness. By the time Michael was in his teens, he was a problem child. He still had the beautiful smile that I remembered, but without any of the previous joy. He was on numerous prescription drugs designed to alter his mood and personality, and he was addicted to  street drugs.

When he was only twenty-two, he walked into his mother's house, hugged her and apologized for being such a failure in life. He walked into the shed in their backyard, took a gun to his head and blew his brains out.

Happiness is not measured in deeds done or goals met, but in the process of achieving your goals. When you rely on the pharmaceutical  "solutions" it offers neither happiness nor the ability to achieve your goals.  YOU were meant to climb MOUNTAINS not molehills--don't ever allow yourself to believe less of yourself.

I'm not telling you this heart-breaking story without purpose. It's because I wanted to understand WHY! In my research I found so many stories of Ritalin and Anti-psychotics/Anti-depressants linked to extraordinary violence (including every single one of the school shootings) and suicides from people that had been on these drugs for only weeks. Look at the side-effects! Read them! They aren't there as a mild warning.  And if you truly want to understand what we are doing to our children and to ourselves check out the site below.

YOU deserve a life full of happiness and joy. So did Robin...So did Corey...So did Michael.

http://www.cchr.org/videos.html

xox!

Delia