Visit with A. A. Alvarez

www.aaalvarez.com

Today, I have the pleasure to interview A. A. Alvarez, author of CHRONICLES OF A NOMAD: MEMOIRS OF AN IMMIGRANT, and his upcoming novel, v2036, to be published later this year.

As reviewed by TRT in 2009, CHRONICLES OF A NOMAD, enjoyable by teens and adults alike, is an inspirational story that provides a close look at the immigration process through a young man's eyes. It’s about his journey of adaptation not just in the United States but also in his very own country and in the world as a whole.



This time, however, we have the honor of introducing Alvarez’s upcoming title, v2036, a novel that brings entertainment and cohesion to an otherwise depressing and incomprehensible subject: Venezuelan politics. It transposes the depth of rivalry that exists between the most influential sectors of today’s Venezuelan society by having them battle one another not in the streets, but in a brilliantly-written story filled with delightful characters that push the boundaries of fiction to tell a different kind of tale; the kind we can only see in literature.

Taking historical events as a starting point, v2036 introduces fictional characters in roles that alternate the way that these events enfolded to create an engaging political plot.

Following the lives of Eleazar Maso (a military leader), Bernardo Acosta (a politician), and Carlos Rodríguez (a college professor), we travel in time through the Venezuela that was, the one that is, and the one it might become in the not so distant future.

Perhaps a book more geared toward the adult reader, there’s no reason why older teens wouldn’t enjoy it, as it is packed with soldiers, politicians, riots, assassinations, coup d’états, and betrayals. That’s enough to keep anyone flipping its pages.



1) If you could bring any character from one of your books to life, who would it be and why?

I’d bring out Carlos Rodríguez from my book CHRONICLES OF A NOMAD. He’s just the kind of guy I’d have a lot in common with. ;-)

2) Your own six-word memoir.

Venezuela, Economic Disaster, Coup, Immigration, Success.

3) Twitter your newest or upcoming release in 140 characters or less.

v2036 the next novel by A. A. Alvarez deals a heavy blow to third-world politics. Set in a past, present and future Venezuela, it is sure to break the norm.

4) You have the chance to spend the day with any character from one of your favorite books. Who would you choose and why?

I’d love to spend a day in the woods with Aragorn, from THE LORD OF THE RINGS, learning the ways of a ranger from the north.

5) What was your favorite book growing up as a teen?

THE HOBBIT.

6) Your favorite subject in high school – and your least favorite.

My favorite subjects were Universal History, Arts, and Drafting. My least favorite subject was Venezuelan History. Talk about a bias . .

7) The one book everyone in the world should read.

AWAKEN THE GIANT WITHIN, by Anthony Robbins.

8) The book you wish you had written.

Read above.

9) The 2010 release you’re most looking forward to reading.

v2036

10) Your family has the chance to describe you for an interview. What ten words would they say describe you best?

Loving, Friendly, Achiever, Cynical, Dedicated, Organized, Dirty-Minded, Blunt, Adventurous, and Nomadic.

11) You’ve invented a new national holiday. What is it called, and what does it celebrate? (Plus, would we get the day off of school and work??)

Although we have a “book day”, I believe it is not explicit enough. Therefore, I’d nominate Reading Day! A day for families to turn off the TV and the PC and read to each other the favorite chapters from some of their books. Would we get a day off of school and work? Not for this one. I’m sure this isn’t going to make me very popular, but if a day off is given, people will use this day for anything “other” than reading.

Now, if I could nominate a national day where everyone gets a day off, I would nominate FAMILY day. A day for everyone to spend with their families and do whatever they please, but do it together. Similar to a Thanksgiving, but all about having fun with the family (as opposed to eating Turkey).

12) Using the letters J L W (my initials!), create the title of your next bestseller. (For example, Jumping Love Walrus.)

Who Jumped Last? A self-help guide for procrastinators. (you didn’t say the initials had to be in order!)

13) What is your astrological sign? How closely does it match your personality?

I was born the last day of Pisces, but I must have rolled over to Aquarius because that’s the sign that best suits me.

I’d like to believe that the position of the planets has absolutely no effect in the way we turn out to be, but if the alignment of the planets can change the gravitational pull here on Earth (as in the case of tidal changes), then for us humans, who are mostly made up of water, I must concede that astrology may have some logic after all. Besides, based on the common traits attributed to the sign Aquarius, I feel pretty well represented.

14) You’re going off your diet for one day and only eating food from restaurants. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? (Include the restaurant each meal comes from.)

Breakfast: Spanish Omelet with Bacon, Sausage, Indian Bread and Assorted Fruits (Royal Olympic Cruise Buffet)
Lunch: Tour of Italy with Mussels di Napoli (Olive Garden).
Dinner: Paella (Authentic Spanish Restaurant)

15) What is your ultimate vacation destination?

Even though I’m not a gambler, I think Las Vegas takes the prize. It has so much of everything! I also would love to go to Tokyo. . . even though I avoid crowded places. I probably need to get my head checked.

16) The world has suffered from a one-day only loss of power. You have no cell phone, computer, lights, or anything else that requires a computer, cell battery, or electricity. What do you spend the day doing?

Conspiring with the rest of the leaders of the new world order to come up with new and exciting ways to keep the population oppressed during this time of volatility.

17) If you weren’t an author, what job would you be doing?

I’d be a pamphleteer in the streets of Paris in 1798. It would most likely be a short career as I would probably be executed within weeks for rattling the cage.

18) You get the chance to star in an upcoming film release. What movie would you star in for your acting debut? (If you can’t choose an upcoming film, you can choose a past release.)

Zorro!

19) You’re invited to a White House function, and you have the chance to give a 10-minute speech to the President and everyone else attending. What do you speak about?

The impact of politics on society.

20) A movie is being made of ONE of your books. Which book is it, and who will star as the main characters?

Oh, this is a fun question! I’d love to see my upcoming book v2036 on film and the following actors playing the main roles:

Benicio del Toro as “Eleazar Maso Gallardo”
Mark Anthony as “Bernardo Acosta”
Antonio Banderas (or Colin Farrel) as “Carlos Rodríguez”
John Leguizamo as “Gabriel Fonseca”
Danny Trejo as “Colonel Paz”
. . . and Roselyn Sanchez as “Eleonor Maso”

21) The paranormal genre is big in teen/YA literature right now. Most bestsellers feature vampires, werewolves, faeries, angels, or the like as a main character. In your opinion, why are teens currently fascinated with all things paranormal?

For teenagers, the paranormal gives them not just the opportunity to let their very active imaginations run wild, but also a way to escape reality. Teenagers are going through such a heavy charge of physical and emotional changes that the “real” world may not necessarily as welcoming as the fantasy world where the good guys always win against the evilest and powerful despite the most insurmountable odds.

Nevertheless, fantasy is not only big with teens. Everybody is crazy about vampires, witches, and such. That tells us something about society nowadays, doesn’t it?

22) You’re writing a book where you can change one major historical event. Which event do you change? (For example, Abraham Lincoln wasn’t assassinated, or Japan never bombed Pearl Harbor.)

Alternate history, huh? Right up my alley. I’d write a fictional story where Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez was no longer the president of the country.

23) Remember those “classics” that you were made to read in high school English class? What was your favorite, and which title should students never have to be subjected to reading?

Out of the classics, ROMEO AND JULIET would be the book I’d pack for a long train trip, and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD would be the book I’d toss out the window before it could cause any more harm to English literature.

24) Someone tells you that you’ll never publish another book that you write. Do you still keep writing?

Absolutely! Besides, just because someone says you can’t do something, doesn’t mean you can’t. You can do anything as long you put your mind to it.

25) A group of teens asks you the best way to become a published writer. How do you answer the question?

Read . . . learn, and start writing!

Share your work, get feedback, polish it, and bind it. You’ll have more chances of getting published if you actually have a collection of finished works, even if they haven’t been published. Also, begin your writing career with realistic goals in mind, and write about subjects that fascinate you, not about what others tell you that you should write about. What matters is what “you” want and only thus will you be able to fully dedicate to your work. Once you’ve landed a contract with a publisher, if that’s the route you wish to pursue (since you can always self-publish), then you may branch out to more “mainstream” subjects.

But before you start writing, ask yourself if you write for pleasure, to effect social change, or to make money. Factor this into your career expectations and you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful writer.

**Thank you, Alex, for visiting us today!

A. A. Alvarez has been so kind as to offer free e-book copies of his current title, CHRONICLES OF A NOMAD, to those who express their interest in the comments section, and a paperback copy of v2036 soon after publication for those who post Amazon.com reviews of a hundred words after reading Chronicles of a Nomad.

Be sure to visit his website, listed above, or check him out on Facebook, Twitter, or Good Reads.

Make sure you leave any comments or questions you have for him in the comments section, as he'll be stopping by later today to see what we're talking about!