Protogenesis Novel Becomes Best-Seller
Alysia Helming’s debut novel, ‘Protogenesis’ offers a completely unique story, where ancient gods and science fiction unite with an American girl in modern Greece
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.
The original theme song to the book, “Forever & Tonight,” was created with Greek music star, Kostas Martakis, in collaboration with Panik Records (watch the making of the song video here). 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, which will be available soon on a new interactive and animated website www.protogenesis.com. Coming soon!
View the original release on PR Newswire. 211 press and media outlets in the United States picked up this article, while PR Newswire did a special feature of Protogenesis becoming a best-seller in Times Square, NY!
