January 19, 2016
E-book only
ISBN: 978-0-9969780-0-2
E-book only
ISBN: 978-0-9969780-0-2
ABOUT
THE BOOK
For the teenagers of Chicago’s North
Shore, everyone has something to hide.
In a daring attempt to impress the
elusive Sophia, Michael makes the biggest decision of his life, stealing
over a hundred thousand dollars from St. Theodore Community Church.
That same night, Nichole’s
insecurities are finally forgotten with a drug she soon won’t be able to
control.
When Michael makes his getaway, he
sees his friend Joseph cheat on his girlfriend with the priest’s daughter
and knock over a candle that sets the church ablaze.
As the consequences of that night
unfold, Joseph is blamed for the fire and the missing money. Can the
teenagers of the North Shore confess their vices to help their friend? Or will
their greed, infidelity and jealousy change all their lives forever?
Dean Economos and Alyssa Machinis (Chicago, IL) Co-authors, A North Shore Story
Dean
Economos
Give us
some background, what did you do before writing this book?
I went
to college at Loyola University Chicago and received my undergrad in Biology
and a minor in Biostatistics. I then went on to receive my M.B.A. from Loyola’s
Quinlan School of Business with a concentration in Entrepreneurship.
What
were the events that inspired the book?
The
book was inspired by different experiences growing up. Those key events and
experiences were then intertwined with the more current events of our church’s
media coverage.
Some
parts of your book are things you actually experienced, they must have stuck
with you for you to want to write about them years later. Did you always know
you wanted to tell these stories?
I kind
of had a premonition growing up that these events would be shared. My friends
and I would always say we should’ve had a show like Laguna Beach, or something
of that nature. So, in a way, I did think these stories would be told in one
way or another, I just didn’t think I’d be the one to tell them.
Like
other stories of turmoil, we are drawn to A North Shore Story because we can
relate to the characters. Can you elaborate on what is relatable about the
internal struggles of the book’s characters?
What
makes these characters extremely relatable to readers are the confidence and
relationship problems each one of them goes through, whether it be friendship
or romantic. Some characters go through other internal struggles such as
underage drinking, drug use, and sexual peer pressure. I think that everyone at
one time or another has been in one of these circumstances.
What
was your favorite part of writing this book?
Since
this was my first book, I didn’t know what to expect. I thought I was supposed
to have a template or well-thought out plan before writing anything. Instead, I
jumped into it head-first and developed the story as I wrote. I feel that doing
it this way allowed myself to be more creative and not stick to a “script” per
say. I was even surprised at what I was able to create.
What
inspired you to write this story so many years later?
What
originally got my gears turning was the media’s coverage of our former priest
and his embezzlement of church funds. I then started to think about our time
growing up at our church and the
events
that our friends and I experienced. After pinpointing key events, I began
formulating the plotline which now makes up A North Shore Story.
You
know some of these characters in your waking life. Who was the most exciting to
write? How have they changed because of what happened?
The
most exciting character to write about was definitely Kate. Kate, and the girl
who she’s based off of, has a very exciting personality and a distinct
attitude. When our friend read the story, she loved how she was portrayed in
the storyline. I think that she, along with the rest of our friends, have changed
in that we’ve learned how to tackle the problems that Kate and the rest of the
group are dealing with right now.
Tell us
more about your personal part in the stories. Are you in the book? How did you
change your story for the fiction rendition?
I am in
the book. With my character, and with all the characters, I left elements of
real life in the story and in the personality, but overall the fundamental
qualities of each character are unique from their real life counterparts.
What
strengths did you and Alyssa bring to the table to help one another write the
book?
I felt
more connected to writing the actual story. I was able to figure out and
connect the different sub- plots of the book, while Alyssa is very familiar
with novels and creative writing. With those skills, she helped make the book
come alive.
Do you
anticipate a sequel?
I’ve
thrown ideas around in my head, and I’ve talked about it with Alyssa. We’re
open to it, but haven’t started writing anything yet.
Alyssa
Machinis
Tell us
about your background, what have you done since the events that occurred that
inspired A North Shore Story?
Well, I
went to college at University of Illinois and graduated with a degree in
Advertising and minors in both Business and Communications. Now I work at an
advertising-technology company as a Digital Strategist.
What is
your side of the story depicted in the book? Did you change the reality for the
fiction version?
My side
of the story is depicted in the book, but it’s pretty separated from reality.
The biggest and only consistency between my character and I are our driven
personalities.
What
was the most difficult part about writing this book?
The
most difficult part of writing the book was helping it come alive. The content
was there, and the story was strong, but fostering the story from a passive
standpoint into an active point of view was a challenge.
What do
you think the most important lesson from the book is?
The
most important lesson from the book is to be confident in who you are. Don’t
worry about what other people think because the fear of judgment can turn you
into a person you don’t want to be.
What
part of this story do you think appeals to young adult readers most?
I think
what appeals to young adults about A North Shore Story are the pop
culture references mixed with struggles that I think a majority of teens have
experienced or encountered at some point in their lives.
What
clique were you in in high school? Can you tell us an event that happened to
you and your friends that almost made it into A North Shore Story but isn’t
included?
I was
definitely in the choir group throughout high school. There weren’t many events
that didn’t make it into A North Shore Story, but we almost wrote
in a choir sub-plot. However, we switched it to fashion as the story developed.
What
were some of your favorite books in high school, when the story takes place?
I loved
the Harry Potter series and the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. He writes
excellent mystery novels, and J.K. Rowling is a genius.
Who is
your favorite author? What were a few books that inspired your writing?
I don’t
necessarily have a favorite author (I read a lot). However, I do think that
J.K. Rowling’s writing style was very influential on my own. It’s also
comforting to know that she had humble beginnings just like Dean and I have
now.
Do you
think you’ll write another book?
Like
Dean mentioned, we’ve talked about it a little bit. However, as of now we have
not made any strides toward writing another book.
Again, thanks Dean and Alyssa for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. We
appreciate you both and your work.
Buy
Social media handles:
- Hashtag #northshorestory
- @DeanEconomos, @lyssa_machinis, @prbythebook
Alessandra Wike | alessandra@prbythebook.com | 512-501-4399 ext 710 | @alessandrawike
TALKING
POINTS
- Truth Behind The Fiction: The real church scandal that inspired A North Shore Story
- Ten years later: The authors of A North Shore Story on the regret and haunting nights of high school
- Laguna Beach, Skins, 90210: The iconic scenes every 90s kid loves
- The YA craze: the development of teen fiction through the years
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