I’m John Calicchia and I write stories of fantasy, action and adventure. In the fall of 2015 my book Mirror World was released! It’s a story of two powerful young sisters and their epic battle against evil. But, this book has something in it most do not: hidden secrets. It’s a teen and young adult fiction book with a self-help book hidden inside. You see… after publishing in psychology books and journals for decades I felt my writing was not helping the young people I love to work with. So, I took famous psychology studies and put it in the characters and plot in Mirror World. As you become part of the story you can learn about psychology or you can just enjoy the story! You can also get a free copy of the users guide to help you understand the psychology behind the book by joining my website www.johncalicchia.com
John Calicchia Ph.D. is a professor of psychology who also works with children and young adults as a licensed psychologist. He lives near Boston with his lovely wife and two amazing daughters. You can usually find him in the pool swimming with his two big dogs.
For More Information
- Visit John Calicchia’s website.
- Connect with John on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about John at Goodreads.
About the Book:
What would you do if you saw the future apocalypse of the world in a mirror? Would you try to save the world and those you love, or die trying?
Welcome to my life, this is the vision of the future I’ve been cursed to see. – Cailyssa Larkin
When Cailyssa Larkin looks in a mirror she has an ominous feeling that someone is watching her. Stranger still, she has visions that foretell the future. While visiting her Uncle Spencer, Cailyssa gazes into a mirror and sees a dark future that only she can change. With the future of her own world hanging in the balance, Cailyssa bravely enters the portal to the Mirror World. Here, the Dark Lord controls all the mirrors and bends reflections so all creatures see evil within themselves. With her sister Terry, her mysterious best friend Daemon, and a host of weird and wonderful creatures, Cailyssa embarks on an epic quest to overcome the evil forces trying to destroy her world. She can only defeat the Dark Lord by finding her true self and discovering the family secret that has led her to Mirror World.
This book, written by a psychology professor, integrates famous psychological studies in the story. Readers will enjoy learning important life lessons through the psychological concepts illustrated in the book.
For More Information
What made you decide to become a published author?
The inspiration for this book came from the things that I love in life. I have always loved reading and writing young adult fiction and fantasy, I am also passionate about my work as a psychologist with young people, and since I have two daughters that I love dearly, I have always been disappointed with the lack of strong female heroines in literature and movies. Although this has changed a bit recently, not long ago it was difficult to find a female lead character especially in strong action roles. So I wrote a YA book with strong female characters, and elements of psychology are embedded within!
Would you consider your book to be a one of a kind? How so?
I will let you be the judge but I think so. Mirror World is almost like a self-help book hidden within a fiction book! This book, written by a psychology professor, integrates famous psychological studies in the story. Readers will enjoy learning important life lessons through the psychological concepts illustrated in the book.
What do you believe a writer should not do as far as getting his or her book published?
Publishing is secondary to having a great manuscript. Publishing will come if the work is good! I think the most important thing is you have to write what you know and love! I know and love psychology and young adult fiction – so writing comes easy to me. Using voice dictation is a wonderful way to spin your first draft. It’s also very helpful if you have been an avid reader and are very familiar with the literature within your genre. For example, if you are interested in teen and young adult books you should read the earliest works of Tolkien and also the newest stuff like Divergent or the Hunger Games and the hundreds of great books in-between. You’ll be so familiar with the themes, writing styles, metaphors, and plots – writing a similar work should go well for you. I also believe everyone has a book inside them that is just dying to come out, so follow your dreams and write what you love and you will love what you write! Others will love it too. Definitely don’t forget the beta readers and excellent editorial help.
What inspires you?
I didn’t feel that my published academic books and journal articles were helping the young people I love to work with. So, I decided to write a teen and young adult fiction book that had famous concepts in psychology embedded in the characters and the plot.
Did any real life experiences find their way into your book?
As an author and a psychologists I must say I agree with the idea that all first novels are autobiographical. Read the book and let me know if you think I have two daughters and two dogs?
What’s next for you?
The Users Guide for Mirror World is almost finished. It has the secrets to where the psychology studies are hidden in the book, you can get more information at my website www.johncalicchia.com. There will be two more books in the Mirror world series. The next book Angelus starts literally in Hell with a dark angel being tortured for failing to destroy Cailyssa Larkin. Cailyssa has returned from Mirror World and is trying to finish her senior year in high school, when she discovers the war of the Angels she became involved in has followed her home. The Angels in this book are not what you think of in pictures or the Bible. Angels have been living among us and walking the earth for thousands of years – you probably even know a couple – hopefully they’re not the evil ones. Here’s a biblical quote that starts off the book:
“His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And Lucifer stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.” After the mirror World Series I have plans for a psychological thriller PSYOPS which is a dystopian world in which the government and the military control dreams through neuroscience and psychology.
I better get writing!!!!!
the book rack 