Welcome, Booklovers!
Are you ready for a cup of your favorite hot brew and a chat about books? It’s time to meet another author, and this week’s guest is a prolific writer, children’s author Chris Eboch (aka Kris Bock (adult fiction)).
Thank you for coming, Chris. What may I get you to drink?
CE: I can't stand coffee! My mom is the same way, so if you think I'm crazy, blame her. Instead, I'm totally a tea drinker. In fact, hang on – I need to go make my second giant mug of the day.
Ally: Oh, wait. Wait. My magic pot can prepare anything. Why don’t you stay here and introduce yourself, and I’ll get that mug for you.
CE: Well, okay. I like my tea hot and sweetened. I use a spoonful of sweetened condensed milk, a trick I learned from a former roommate who picked it up in the Caribbean.
Ally: No problem. I’ll be back by the time you’ve gotten acquainted with readers.
Are you ready for a cup of your favorite hot brew and a chat about books? It’s time to meet another author, and this week’s guest is a prolific writer, children’s author Chris Eboch (aka Kris Bock (adult fiction)).
Thank you for coming, Chris. What may I get you to drink?
CE: I can't stand coffee! My mom is the same way, so if you think I'm crazy, blame her. Instead, I'm totally a tea drinker. In fact, hang on – I need to go make my second giant mug of the day.
Ally: Oh, wait. Wait. My magic pot can prepare anything. Why don’t you stay here and introduce yourself, and I’ll get that mug for you.
CE: Well, okay. I like my tea hot and sweetened. I use a spoonful of sweetened condensed milk, a trick I learned from a former roommate who picked it up in the Caribbean.
Ally: No problem. I’ll be back by the time you’ve gotten acquainted with readers.
BIO:
Chris Eboch is the author of over 50 books for children, including nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teen. Her novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting. Learn more at https://chriseboch.com/ or her Amazon page, or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog.
Chris Eboch is the author of over 50 books for children, including nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teen. Her novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting. Learn more at https://chriseboch.com/ or her Amazon page, or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog.
Chris also writes for adults under the name Kris Bock. Kris Bock novels are action-packed romantic adventures set in Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows a treasure hunt in New Mexico. Whispers in the Dark involves intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. Counterfeits starts a series about art theft. What We Found is a mystery with romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. (some adult books are 18+)
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “My first clear childhood memories are from Saudi Arabia. We moved there just before my fifth birthday and lived in an American camp for six years while my father worked for the oil company. My classmates were mostly American, but I had friends from Britain, India, and Pakistan. My family camped in the desert and shopped in the nearby Arab town. Santa visited on a camel.”
Interview:
Ally: What can readers expect from your books? Are they suitable for all ages?
CE: My books for children and youth are G rated – The Well of Sacrifice has historically accurate violence, and one kiss, and that's as strong as it gets. My adult novels vary from closed-door sex to one or two explicit sex scenes.
Ally: How did you become a published author? Were there pitfalls along the way?
CE: I wrote my first novel, The Well of Sacrifice, shortly after finishing grad school, while I was looking for work as a magazine editor. I loved books such as Julie of the Wolves and Island of the Blue Dolphins growing up and wanted to do a similar young adventure story. The novel is set in Mayan times, inspired by a summer I spent traveling through Mexico and Central America. Astonishingly, I sold the book! This gave me the mistaken impression that having a writing career wasn't so hard. I have since written many novels that I haven't sold, but I've managed to make a career of writing by focusing on more steady moneymakers such as educational publishing.
Around 2008, I was feeling restless and wanted a change. I had mostly been reading adult romantic suspense novels, so I started writing those under the name Kris Bock. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.
So I have over 60 published books now, but that includes fiction and nonfiction, for children and adults. The variety keeps me interested!
Ally: Most writers are also avid readers. What are your reading habits?
CE: I like romantic suspense and mystery, but nothing too gruesome. I don’t need dead bodies strewn on every page. Lately historical romance seems to be my comfort reads. It generally makes a nice break from whatever I’m working on. Maybe because I don’t write it, I can turn off the editorial brain and just be a reader. These days I mainly read on the Kindle, both for convenience and because my eyes can no longer always handle tiny print. I can get ebooks from the library without actually going to the library. Our small town has a good but small library, and the big library system I primarily use is over an hour away.
Ally: So tell us something about your home life.
CE: I live in a small town in central New Mexico with my husband and our ferrets. I am a full-time writer, and my home office looks out on nature, complete with distracting wildlife such as roadrunners and foxes. I take breaks and use my BFA in photography to show Facebook friends how lovely the Southwest is. The only ways to get around are on foot or by car, but it's such a small town that I can often walk to friends’ houses and rush-hour is less than five minutes.
Ally: Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?
CE: My historical novels for children don't use a lot of real life experience, since they are set in different cultures, hundreds or thousands of years ago. Of course, I assume that people haven't changed that much – the seven deadly sins are pretty relevant today – so I draw on my understanding of people and my general experiences with emotions. For example, in The Well of Sacrifice, the main character idolizes her older brother and is envious of her prettier sister. She's at an age where she thinks the adults should take care of things but is realizing that they don't always do what's right. I think those aspects resonate with kids today, even if you're talking about a pre-Columbian Mayan setting with a very different culture and lifestyle.
Real life experiences often give me ideas for my adult novels, written as Kris Bock. What We Found is a mystery inspired by finding a dead body while hiking. Someone in law enforcement said that people often don't report crimes they stumbled across. That got me thinking – Why? What reasons would you have for not calling the police? The book also includes falconry, based on experiences I’ve had hanging out with a falconer.
Whispers in the Dark follows a young archaeologist who stumbles into danger as mysteries unfold among ancient Southwest ruins. That was inspired by a trip to Hovenweep National Monument some years ago. I loved that setting and had to use it in a book!
I had an idea for a series about treasure hunting adventures in the Southwest, so I read up on some lost treasures. In The Mad Monk’s Treasure, two friends search for the Victorio Peak treasure – a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. Their experiences in the desert are based on my experiences hiking in New Mexico, though they get more danger and drama.
Ally: Do you include animals as characters in your books? What kind of parts do they play?
CE: My treasure hunting adventures each have a different main couple, but some characters show up in each book. The Mad Monk’s Treasure introduces two friends, Erin and Camie, and Camie’s oversized orange cat Tiger. Camie and Tiger help out in The Dead Man’s Treasure, and they’re the main characters – along with a love interest for Camie – in The Skeleton Canyon Treasure. I think Tiger may be my most popular character of all. He goes hiking with Camie and has been known to attack intruders. Some people think his behavior is unrealistic, while others swear they’ve known a cat just like him. These are novels for 18+, written as Kris Bock.
Ally: Let’s wind up the interview with a few short answer questions:
CE: Love to. Thanks for having me!
CE: My books for children and youth are G rated – The Well of Sacrifice has historically accurate violence, and one kiss, and that's as strong as it gets. My adult novels vary from closed-door sex to one or two explicit sex scenes.
Ally: How did you become a published author? Were there pitfalls along the way?
CE: I wrote my first novel, The Well of Sacrifice, shortly after finishing grad school, while I was looking for work as a magazine editor. I loved books such as Julie of the Wolves and Island of the Blue Dolphins growing up and wanted to do a similar young adventure story. The novel is set in Mayan times, inspired by a summer I spent traveling through Mexico and Central America. Astonishingly, I sold the book! This gave me the mistaken impression that having a writing career wasn't so hard. I have since written many novels that I haven't sold, but I've managed to make a career of writing by focusing on more steady moneymakers such as educational publishing.
Around 2008, I was feeling restless and wanted a change. I had mostly been reading adult romantic suspense novels, so I started writing those under the name Kris Bock. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.
So I have over 60 published books now, but that includes fiction and nonfiction, for children and adults. The variety keeps me interested!
Ally: Most writers are also avid readers. What are your reading habits?
CE: I like romantic suspense and mystery, but nothing too gruesome. I don’t need dead bodies strewn on every page. Lately historical romance seems to be my comfort reads. It generally makes a nice break from whatever I’m working on. Maybe because I don’t write it, I can turn off the editorial brain and just be a reader. These days I mainly read on the Kindle, both for convenience and because my eyes can no longer always handle tiny print. I can get ebooks from the library without actually going to the library. Our small town has a good but small library, and the big library system I primarily use is over an hour away.
Ally: So tell us something about your home life.
CE: I live in a small town in central New Mexico with my husband and our ferrets. I am a full-time writer, and my home office looks out on nature, complete with distracting wildlife such as roadrunners and foxes. I take breaks and use my BFA in photography to show Facebook friends how lovely the Southwest is. The only ways to get around are on foot or by car, but it's such a small town that I can often walk to friends’ houses and rush-hour is less than five minutes.
Ally: Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?
CE: My historical novels for children don't use a lot of real life experience, since they are set in different cultures, hundreds or thousands of years ago. Of course, I assume that people haven't changed that much – the seven deadly sins are pretty relevant today – so I draw on my understanding of people and my general experiences with emotions. For example, in The Well of Sacrifice, the main character idolizes her older brother and is envious of her prettier sister. She's at an age where she thinks the adults should take care of things but is realizing that they don't always do what's right. I think those aspects resonate with kids today, even if you're talking about a pre-Columbian Mayan setting with a very different culture and lifestyle.
Real life experiences often give me ideas for my adult novels, written as Kris Bock. What We Found is a mystery inspired by finding a dead body while hiking. Someone in law enforcement said that people often don't report crimes they stumbled across. That got me thinking – Why? What reasons would you have for not calling the police? The book also includes falconry, based on experiences I’ve had hanging out with a falconer.
Whispers in the Dark follows a young archaeologist who stumbles into danger as mysteries unfold among ancient Southwest ruins. That was inspired by a trip to Hovenweep National Monument some years ago. I loved that setting and had to use it in a book!
I had an idea for a series about treasure hunting adventures in the Southwest, so I read up on some lost treasures. In The Mad Monk’s Treasure, two friends search for the Victorio Peak treasure – a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. Their experiences in the desert are based on my experiences hiking in New Mexico, though they get more danger and drama.
Ally: Do you include animals as characters in your books? What kind of parts do they play?
CE: My treasure hunting adventures each have a different main couple, but some characters show up in each book. The Mad Monk’s Treasure introduces two friends, Erin and Camie, and Camie’s oversized orange cat Tiger. Camie and Tiger help out in The Dead Man’s Treasure, and they’re the main characters – along with a love interest for Camie – in The Skeleton Canyon Treasure. I think Tiger may be my most popular character of all. He goes hiking with Camie and has been known to attack intruders. Some people think his behavior is unrealistic, while others swear they’ve known a cat just like him. These are novels for 18+, written as Kris Bock.
Ally: Let’s wind up the interview with a few short answer questions:
- a) book you're currently reading: I just finished Thunder on the Right, by Mary Stewart. Her books are the ones that first made me fall in love with romantic suspense, and I model my adult books after hers.
- b) high heels or sneakers: Since I work at home, I wear socks in summer and slippers in winter. Leaving the house, it's hiking boots or running shoes. We're pretty casual in New Mexico.
- c) hiking or sunbathing: Definitely hiking! I try to go hiking every weekend. My skin appreciates me not getting any more sun than absolutely necessary.
- d) What comes to your first - character or plot? Typically plot, or at least premise. In The Eyes of Pharaoh I started with the idea of friends uncovering a plot against the Pharaoh. I chose a time in ancient Egyptian history where the country was politically vulnerable.
- e) Your pets: We got our first two ferrets in 2012. Zonks and Rico came as a pair. Ferrets don’t live very long, unfortunately, especially when you get them as older rescues, so we’ve loved and lost two more since then. We’ve had our current two, Teddy Black Bear (Bear) and Princess Pandemonium (Panda) since August. They love to wrestle and to sleep cuddled together. I have yet to use a ferret in one of my books, but I’m sure I will someday.
CE: Love to. Thanks for having me!
The Eyes of Pharaoh
Genre: Mystery, MG and up
Rated: G
The Eyes of Pharaoh, set in Egypt in 1177 BC, brings an ancient world to life. When Reya hints that Egypt is in danger from foreign nomads, Seshta and Horus don’t take him seriously. How could anyone challenge Egypt? Then Reya disappears. To save their friend, Seshta and Horus spy on merchants, soldiers, and royalty, and start to suspect even The Eyes of Pharaoh, the powerful head of the secret police. Will Seshta and Horus escape the traps set for them, rescue Reya, and stop the plot against Egypt in time?
Readers agree: “Mid School students and their teachers will love this fast paced mystery that has so much history and culture hidden in plain sight…. You won't be able to put the book down until you learn what happens to the three friends.”
See Chris’s books at Amazon, B&N/Nook, Kobo, iBooks, or IndieBound.
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