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Exclusive: Author Richard Paul Evans Opens Up About His Tourette’s Syndrome & ‘Michael Vey 2’

Richard Paul Evans Talks About His Tourettes Syndrome and Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgin

Author Richard Paul Evans

Richard Paul Evan’s “Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen” is already number 8 on Amazon’s top 100 books and expect that number to change — as in get smaller.

The Michael Vey series has grown into one of the most popular among both adults and younger readers despite the total absence of vampires and wizards. Yes, an author can still write a book that appeals to a young audience without using vampires.

“I‘ve gotten fan mail from ’92-year-old teenagers’ as one woman called herself,” Evans told TheBlaze. “I have a lot of adult and youth readers. It really is one of those books that transcends the young adult. The genre has been so changed, where young adult books are appealing to adults too, and Michael Vey fits into that category.”

Evans sat down with TheBlaze in Dallas and gave us an exclusive sneak peak into his brand new — and already best-selling — book. You can get your copy of “Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen” here.

“The book begins with them going back to Idaho to regroup, that’s where Michael is from,” the author explained. “And a few things happen. First of all, there are a couple traps waiting for them.”

“And you also realize what the Elgin (the bad guys) are doing to take over the world. And what is scary is, it would actually work. It took me about 45 minutes to figure out how to take over the world,” Evans added, chuckling to himself.

He explained that a large part of the book, though, is really about finding the inner power within ourselves and using it do the right thing, a concept that is regularly omitted from modern pop culture.

“The power I am most interested in is inner power,” he said. “It’s really about the love and hope that these kids have. And for Michael, his greatest power isn’t his electricity, it’s his heart. The reason he has done so well is because he loves. He loves his mother and is loyal to his friends.”

Richard Paul Evans Talks About His Tourettes Syndrome and Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgin

Personality wise, Evans said Michael Vey reminds him of himself as a child almost completely. Like Evans, Michael Vey‘s character suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, many times manifesting itself through a nervous tick.

But he didn‘t only use his own experiences to craft Micheal’s character.

“I didn’t actually write it for me. I wrote it for my son, Michael, who has Tourette’s syndrome that is more severe than my own,” Evans said. “So as I’m drawing the characters as coming through me, I‘m really thinking about his experience and his life and how he has to get up in the morning and deal with Tourette’s syndrome, which is not a small part of his life.”

He continued: “What I wanted to write in the book is that… I didn‘t want my son to be defined by his Tourette’s syndrome anymore than I want to be defined by it. I don’t people to say: ‘There’s the author with Tourette’s.’ I want people to say, ‘Hey, there’s the author.’ In the case of Michael Vey, people forget he has Tourette’s syndrome as the book goes on, and that’s a good thing because they are more focused on what he is doing and who he is.”

Evans opened up even more about his Tourette‘s syndrome on Glenn Beck’s show Friday, recalling a painful experience when he was a kid and a group of other children surrounded him and called him a “freak” because he was nervous and his face was twitching, displaying just how cruel people can be. He said growing up with the disorder was “terrible” but he was determined to not let it define him as a person.

Evans also told Beck that “Michael Vey 2” can be read on several levels. It can be read as just a fun adventure, but it can also be read it on a deeper level about finding the power within ourselves and making the kinds of decisions that we should be making on a day to day basis.

“There is something happening with this book… this is a great, great book,” Beck said. “If you’re ready to stop fighting with your kids about text message limits and start instead fighting over whose going to get to read the book next, this show is for you.”

Beck is also urging his viewers to buy two first editions of each of the Michael Vey books and put one on a shelf. He believes they will one day be worth a lot of money — similar to a first edition copy of Harry Potter, some of which have sold for nearly $30,000.

Watch Evans on the Beck’s show via GBTV soon-to-become TheBlazeTV:

And without further adieu, here’s a special sneak peak into “Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen”:

Comments (11)

  • JBaer
    Posted on August 20, 2012 at 2:41pm

    I read this book aloudto my husband and 19-yr old son as we were driving long distance. We all loved it! Just got book 2 and my husband has already gotten into it before our Labor Day weekend long drive when I’m supposed to be reading it loud again!

    I told a high school English teacher about this book and she wrote it down. Hopefully she will read it and recommend it to her class!

    I hope there will be a book 3 also!

    Report Post » JBaer  
  • Foxaholic
    Posted on August 19, 2012 at 7:19pm

    Read the first book and can’t wait to read the next. Would like to buy them both and donate to a needy student in my area.

    Report Post »  
  • deloclem
    Posted on August 19, 2012 at 12:39am

    I bought three copies of “Michael Vey, Prisoner in Cell 25″ for my grandchildren, but before I gave the books to them I read one. I couldn’t put it down. They loved their books. My grandson liked it so much he did a book report for a grade and got an A. I just received “The Rise of Elgen” and can’t wait for the kids to read them.

    Report Post »  
  • Coredestroy
    Posted on August 18, 2012 at 9:56pm

    I bought 30 copies for my 7/8th graders. every single kid loved the story and learned to advance their interpretive skills in a short period of time. I highly recommend this novel as a teaching tool for reluctant readers. I promised I would buy each of them the next one in the series when it comes out. I placed my order today. thanks RPE.

    Report Post »  
  • Hope_and_Restore
    Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:46pm

    Several in my family are now slightly sleep-deprived: We bought the book on Tuesday, and already it’s being read for the FOURTH time (different family members). It’s a why-do-I need-to-stop-to-eat and a I-don’t-care-if-it-IS-one-in-the-morning kind of book. Fantastic!

    My only complaint is that now I’m having to anxiously wait for the next book.

    Report Post » Hope_and_Restore  
  • TheFederalist
    Posted on August 18, 2012 at 9:14am

    Hmm, these books must be really good from getting these kind of reviews. Looks like I`m in for a surprise. I have not yet read either of the Micheal Vey books. I just ordered both of them today.

    Report Post »  
  • beaufordj
    Posted on August 17, 2012 at 11:20pm

    We were supposed to be in the GBTV audience Tuesday for this show, but something got messed up and our confirmation became “unconfirmed” the day prior to the taping of the show. The GBTV staff did however let us know where there was a book signing taking place earlier in the day so we headed out to go see RPE and pick up the new book. Since the singing was pretty much unpublicized and very last minute, there were no large crowds. RPE had everyone gather around and we had a chat session with him for about 30 minutes, and my 13 yr old daughter thought it was the coolest thing in the world that she could ask questions and offer suggestions directly to the author of one of her favorite books, and that he would take the time to discuss them with her. I couldn’t have asked for a better “consolation” and I am ever so appreciative to Mr Evans for taking the time to really talk to the kids who were there and give them all so much attention and time. He even posed for pictures with her, and asked her to email him regarding some of the things they talked about. I will make sure to own every book this man ever writes, simply because he is humble and gracious enough to create a memory for my daughter she will remember forever.

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on August 17, 2012 at 7:57pm

    EVENS… for WH Press Secretary to the MainStream Media!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • Gorp
      Posted on August 17, 2012 at 11:04pm

      I‘m 66 years old and read the first book and couldn’t put it down. I hope this one is as good.

      Report Post » Gorp  

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