Guest Post – The Great Chocoplot – Author Interview of Jelly & Gran by Chris Callaghan

Happy Easter Everyone!

Today I’m so excited to be featuring a chocolate filled guest post from hilarious debut author Chris Callaghan!

The Great Chocoplot was released on the 3rd March 2016 published by Chicken House books and is a brilliantly funny and quirky novel centering around the horror of all horrors: a chocopocalypse!

The Great Chocoplot was discovered through Chicken House’s Open Coop and is the first book to have been discovered and published following the, now yearly, open submissions.

So today we thought we would do something a little different…..what better Easter treat than letting the author of this wonderful chocolate adventure, Chris Callaghan, interview his own characters –  young Jelly, the protagonist, and her Gran.!

Yep!  You heard me right!

So grab those Easter Eggs, relax and enjoy!

Jelly and her family live in Chompton-on-de-Lyte, where everyone loves a Chocablocka bar or two. So when the end of chocolate is announced, she can’t believe it. Determined to investigate, Jelly and her gran follow a trail of clues to a posh chocolate shop and its owner, the pompous Garibaldi Chocolati. Gari’s suspiciously smug, despite his failing business and yucky chocolate. Is it really the chocopocalypse, or is there a chocoplot afoot?

The Great Chocoplot – Author Interview of Jelly & Gran

 Chris: Hello Jelly and … er, is it OK if I call you Gran?

Gran: Yes, of course dear. But don’t expect any birthday presents!

Chris: Fair enough. Can I start by asking how it feels to be in a book?

Jelly: Strange. Very strange. And weird.

Gran: I’m an author myself, you know. A long time ago.

Jelly: Yeah, Gran was a scientist and had science stuff published.

Chris: Really? That sounds very interesting, but about ‘The Great Chocoplot’, for those who have not read the book, could you tell them a little about it.

Jelly: Well, it all starts with an announcement on ‘The Seven Show’ …

Gran: Oh, I don’t watch that. Ever since your dad ‘fixed’ my telly, I can’t get that channel. I wish he’d leave things alone.

Jelly: Yeah, well, on ‘The Seven Show’ a professor found an ancient prophesy that said in six days there would be no chocolate left in the world!

Chris: And how did you feel about that?

Jelly: Well, it was proper crazy. We thought it couldn’t be true at first. But then over the next few days, things started happening and chocolate became harder to get hold of.

Gran: People went raving bonkers! It was embarrassing.

Jelly: Yeah, and they had to call in the military …

Chris: Probably best if we don’t give too much of the story away here.

Gran: Well, I haven’t read it. I’ve heard that there’s mention of my knickers!

Jelly: Yeah, there is! (Giggles)

Gran: There was no need for that sort of thing.

Chris: And you are on the cover of the book, Jelly.

Gran: Not me though. No, no. They put old snobby-pants-what’s-his-face on it.

Jelly: Garibaldi Chocolati.

Gran: Don’t say his name, dear. I don’t want to hear it.

Chris: So, would you recommend that people should read this story?

Jelly: Don’t know. If they want to, I suppose. It’s a bit silly.

Gran: I wont be reading it!

Chris: That’s all we have time for … thank you for talking to me. And I hope you enjoy being in your very own book!

Jelly: You’re welcome, I’m sure we will.

Gran: Do we get a free copy?

The Great Chocoplot by Chris Callaghan out now in paperback, for 7+ year olds (£6.99, Chicken House) www.chickenhousebooks.com 

You can buy a copy here or why not visit your local independent bookshop!

About Chris Callaghan

Chris’ first job was on a Pick ‘n’ Mix counter, followed by a career in the Royal Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. Even though fully trained on how jet fighters work and fly, he still suspects that there is a little magic involved somewhere.

Then as an Environmental Scientist he spent a lot of time getting wet on factory roofs, measuring pollution. He left all that behind to become a Stay At Home Dad where his brain began fizzing with stories. His wife and daughter kept insisting that he wrote some of these stories down. So he did.

You can find out more about Chris by visiting his website – www.chris-callaghan.com

Or why not follow Chris on twitter – @callaghansstuff

A huge thank you to Chris for a fab post and to Laura at Chicken House for organising!

Have you read The Great Chocoplot?  What did you think?  Who was your favourite character?  What is your favourite chocolate that you couldn’t live without?  Why not leave a comment using the reply button at the top of the post or tweet me on twitter using @chelleytoy !

Happy Reading and eating lots of chocolate!