C. Lee Tocci facts for kids
C. Lee Tocci is the pen name for Cynthia Tocci. She is an author, especially known for her young adult fantasy book series, The Chronicles of Kiva. Cynthia was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Besides writing, she has also worked as a screenwriter, film producer, and actress.
About Cynthia Tocci
Cynthia Tocci grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, and was one of eight children in her family. She studied at the University of New Hampshire, where she earned a degree in Hotel Administration.
In the 1980s, Cynthia started acting. She performed in many plays across New England. She even played a character named Vincenza Vermicelli in a special play called Joey and Maria's Comedy Italian Wedding. This was an interactive show, meaning the audience could be part of the story!
Her Own Theater
In 1994, Cynthia bought a building in Woburn, Massachusetts. She turned it into the Deco Boston Dinner Theater. For four years, from 1994 to 1998, she produced over sixty plays there. She even wrote two interactive shows herself: Polyester High 20th High School Reunion and The Wake of Maddy O'Malley. Cynthia also ran fun workshops for children's theater, teaching young people about acting.
Moving to Movies
Cynthia sold her theater business in 1999. She then moved to Los Angeles to work in acting and film production. In 2000, she wrote and produced her own independent murder mystery romance film called Title to Murder. Famous actors like Maureen McCormick and Christopher Atkins starred in it.
During the filming, Cynthia had an accident. A large generator rolled and hurt her hand. She had to stay in the hospital for a few days. Even today, one of her fingers is still damaged from the accident.
The movie didn't become as successful as she hoped. Cynthia felt that making movies had too many rules about what she could create. She realized that writing books gave her more freedom. She once said that in a novel, "no one tells you we don't have the budget to blow up a four-story building. Heck, blow up a twelve-story building instead! It's only two more letters!" This shows how much she loves the freedom of writing.
Her first novel, Stone Voice Rising, was published in 2009. It was the first book in her series, The Chronicles of Kiva. She used the pen name C. Lee Tocci for her books.
Stone Voice Rising
Stone Voice Rising is the first book in a six-book fantasy series for young adults. The story is about a young girl named Lilibit. She is meant to become the Stone Voice, which means she can talk directly with the Earth's soul. The book also features Todd, a boy who will grow up to be a strong Stone Warrior.
They face evil forces, led by a demonic character named Syxx. Syxx tries to stop Lilibit from reaching her destiny. Before it was published, the book was called The Road to Kiva. It won an Editor's Choice Award at the San Diego State University Writers' Conference in 2006.
Awards
- San Diego State University 2006 Writers Conference Editors Choice Award.
