SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Author Alysia
Helming's debut novel, Protogenesis—the first installment in
a seven-novel YA series, the "Protogena Chronicles"— hit number
one on Amazon in its category, in less than a month after
its release. Protogenesis chronicles the story of a
young girl, Helene, whose entire life is uprooted upon her mother's
sudden, tragic disappearance.
Helene moves to Greece to live
with a godfather she has never met with a mission to investigate
her mother's mysterious disappearance, which she believes involves
the Greek mafia. There, she faces all the usual travails of
being a teenager: adjusting to a new school, learning and fitting
into a new culture, and navigating her love life.
Soon, she finds herself ensnared in a love triangle, but that is
the least of her problems: she finds a mystical portal into a world
where Greek mythology and the roots of modern civilization
converge. Helene hopes the portal will help her find out what
happened to her mother, but whether the Greek gods and goddesses
are on her side remains to be seen.
The appeal to teenage girls goes far beyond Helene's relatable
problems—as well as her otherworldly ones—and her love triangle.
Think DaVinci Code
meets Twilight, but no vampires; and instead, Greek
gods…where ancient mythology and science fiction unite.
This story is completely new, never been done before in
fiction. As one reader put it, "Helene's world is a fantasy
that seems only a step or two from our reality."
Although many of Helene's experiences may be supernatural, much
of it is rooted in real-life, highlighting the serious economic
crisis that plagues Greece. To bring Helene's world to life,
Helming visited Greece nine times
between 2015 and 2016. What really sets apart this story from
all others, is that in each of her trips to Greece, Helming crossed paths with people that
would eventually play a key role in the creation of her book story
– chance encounters with everyday people, and even celebrities,
that turned out to be vital sources for her fictional writing.
The original theme song to the book, "Forever & Tonight,"
was created with Greek music star, Kostas Martakis, in
collaboration with Panik Records (video). Renowned Greek American
artist, Philip Tsiaras, designed the
book's cover. These experiences enabled her to grasp and unite the
"past" of ancient Greece and
mythology with the "present" challenging reality that the Greek
people currently face, with science fiction and technology offering
a "futuristic" twist.
Now, Helming's mission is to help Greece by offering a message of hope and to
drive tourism there through her book series. To this end, she
collaborated with Panik Entertainment and Filmskin, one of
Greece's top Directors, to produce
a series of six short films, each cinematically spectacular, in
locations following Helene's footsteps through Athens.
Alysia Helming
Alysia Helming started writing at an early age, and throughout
her successful career in renewable energy, has never forgotten her
passion for writing. She has coauthored a pilot for a TV series,
written a full-length feature film screenplay, and assisted in the
nationwide release of the feature-length movie The Great
Warming. She was also a student of Screenwriting at
the University of California, Los
Angeles. (video)
Connect with Alysia Helming on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, website, her blog or Youtube.
For media inquiries or request a review copy, please
contact:
Brittany Bearden
britt@atlargepr.com
866.703.9111
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SOURCE Protogena Chronicles Inc.