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Chris Whitaker is an award-winning British author that writes YA fantasy novels. Whitaker’s journey to publishing success was quite chaotic. He made a mess of his A-levels by missing his Economics exam because he got drunk the night before.
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Order of Chris Whitaker Standalone Novels
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tall Oaks | 2016 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | All The Wicked Girls | 2017 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | We Begin at the End | 2020 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Forevers | 2021 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | All the Colors of the Dark | 2024 | Description / Buy |
The author did one exam, and he failed. However, he did not fret about his poor performance. His parents were far from happy. But Whitaker had no interest in going to University. Therefore, he saw little point in passing his A-levels.
The author had no idea what he wanted to do. He hoped his purpose would find him along the way, or he would fall into it somehow. But none of the jobs he tried stuck. Whitaker’s life fell off a cliff when someone mugged him.
The author was 19 at the time. He blames his age for his decision to fight back. The mugger wasn’t that big, and Whitaker thought he could win. He was partially correct. The author held his own until the mugger pulled out a knife. He stabbed Whitaker three times before fleeing with the author’s phone.
The event was traumatic. But he was determined to dismiss it, mainly because he thought it could have been worse. But he couldn’t move on. The author couldn’t eat or sleep. Nothing gave him joy. Every time he tried to read, he would get stuck on the same page.
Films were just as bad because he couldn’t follow the plots. Running did not help. Eventually, Whitaker turned to drugs and alcohol. He was too young to associate his symptoms with depression and PTSD.
The author would have continued to spiral. But then he sat down one day, put his thoughts on paper, and for the first time in months, Whitaker slept. The following day, he wrote some more.
This continued for a long time until the author recovered. But even though writing had saved his life, Whitaker had no interest in publishing. Instead, he decided to enter the financial arena after reading an article about a stockbroker that had everything he wanted, including a Ferrari.
Considering his poor track record with math, Whitaker’s friends expected him to fail. But they were wrong. The author attacked his new career with unparalleled dedication, working eighty hours a week and sleeping at his desk on some days.
The hard work paid off. Whitaker was making more money than he had dreamed of, and everyone, including his parents, was happy with his success. But then luck turned against him. First, he lost a million pounds. Then he made things worse by hiding his mistake.
Whitaker was fortunate. When his actions came to light, the author’s bosses could have gone to the police. But they gave him a chance to pay back half of the money he lost. By that point, Whitaker had fallen into another bout of depression.
His reliance on drugs and alcohol had returned. Once again, his hard work paid off, and he cleared his debt. The author might have continued to climb the financial ladder if he hadn’t encountered an interview in which one of his favorite authors (John Hart) talked about abandoning a successful law career to write.
This was the push Whitaker needed. He moved to Spain and wrote his debut novel (Tall Oaks), which became an award winner.
Chris Whitaker Awards
Whitaker has won the New Blood Dagger and CWA Gold Dagger. He also took home the Ned Kelly International Award.
Chris Whitaker Books into Movies
Disney bought the rights to ‘We Begin At The End’ with the intention of turning it into a TV show.
Best Chris Whitaker Books
The author’s literary heroes include Stephen King, Cormac McCarthy, and Dennis Lehane. Whitaker’s best novels include:
We Begin At The End: Duchess is a 13-year-old child caught in a destructive web. Walk, the Chief of Police, sent Vincent King, his best friend, to prison thirty years ago. But now, Vincent is a free man.
Duchess’ mother, Star, spent her childhood with Walk and Vincent. Once Vincent returns, he wastes no time in dragging Star down a tragic path. Duchess is determined to pick up the slack. That includes keeping her 5-year-old brother alive. But even with his help, Walk is doubtful that Duchess can carry the burden on her shoulders.
Tall Oaks: Three-year-old Harry has gone missing from Tall Oaks, a town with numerous secrets. One detective must find him by navigating a bevy of suspects, including a desperate mother, a charming newcomer, and a photographer with a controlling mother.
When Does The Next Chris Whitaker book come out?
Chris Whitaker doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is All the Colors of the Dark and was released on June, 25th 2024.