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Ìý ÌýÌý Growing up, I was always thrilled to see or hear any mention of Venezuela in movies, comics books, TV, etc. Who am I kidding? I still do. I guess when you come from a relative obscure country, you are always surprised that someone knows about it. Personally, when people ask me "You have an accent, where are you from?" the range of reactions go from "Venezuela? Isn't that the capital of Buenos Aires?" to a horrified expression followed by "Where the hell is that?" and everything in between. Mind you, I'm no geography expert, but I'd rather ask questions than make statements. Those better informed would know it's in South America and would talk about our numerous Miss Universes, Miss Worlds and the fact that we are one of the top crude oil producers in the world. That seems to be the extent of our international projection.ÌýÌýÌýÌý In the past decade or so, the feedback from the casual interloper inquiring about the origin of my unusual inflection went from ignorance to infamy. It is not without reason; the media–which rarely paid attention to my country–is short on niceties when reporting about Venezuela lately. Granted, the place they talk about is very different than the one I lived in close to two decades ago.ÌýÌýÌýÌý When I was about 14 years old, I decided that I would make my living as a creator (the medium was irrelevant). I wanted to help bring Venezuela out of obscurity and dispel erroneous notions that we all live in the jungle, are poorly educated, involved in some criminal activity, homogenous and indistinguishable from other Latin American nations; big thoughts in the mind of a kid living in a place where everything seems so far away.ÌýÌýÌýÌý Yes, there's a great deal of crime, corruption and poverty in Venezuela. I'm a pragmatist; nice speeches can't eclipse our track record. Our culture does share a common bond with our Latino brothers and sisters, but we all have our own identity. Racially and ethnically, we are lucky to have a wealth of influence from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the Middle East, Africa and other countries (those beauty queens don't grow on trees). In my case, I'm the first generation of my family born outside Spain. I grew up influenced by my heritage, my place of birth, and a steady diet of Japanese cartoons (Anime) and American entertainment (like the rest of the world).ÌýÌýÌýÌý Like me, the book's protagonist is multicultural; making him the best guide for readers to experience his world, while at the same time, giving him a more objective point about his environment.ÌýÌýÌýÌý One of the main things I want to achieve with "Sleeper's Run," is to portray a more realistic Venezuela. In my opinion, the political climate of recent years has made my birthplace ripe for an interesting story that deals with our relation with the United States and our collective past, present and maybe even our future. Keep on running!

ÌýÌýÌýÌý When people ask me about my "book's hero," I quickly correct them and say that in my novel there are no heroes, or villains for that matter. "Sleeper's Run" is not about good vs. evil. I wanted to create a story that reflected the world as it is, not as we wished it were. Unlike what the media would like us think; life is far more complicated than a news bite. Truth is relative and popularity seldom qualifies an opinion. The characters in "Sleeper's Run" are people; they have their alliances, ideas, idiosyncrasies, personal baggage and all the accoutrements proper of a person.ÌýÌýÌý One of the earliest comments my first editor had, was that Eric didn't seem too heroic and Nathan wasn't antagonistic enough. Earlier drafts of Sleeper's had no clear opponent, other than a system of international politics and corruption. According to the editor, this concept was too esoteric for a thriller and I should go back and study the rules of the genre. Sure, I compromised at certain points; after all, I wanted to be a publishable, commercially viable author. But the whole "good guys vs. bad guys" angle seems too shallow and insincere to me. As much as I like cartoons, I have no interest in writing one.ÌýÌýÌý I could do stories with Eric Caine until my fingers fall off; I love the character. Yet to me, he is a man. He had done things that were heroic and others that were questionable at best. Nathan Blake and the rest of the cast are the same way. I leave it to the reader to bestow the qualifiers as they see fit.ÌýÌýÌý Eric is a character born out of contradictions; he's physically tough, but mentally brilliant; educated and privileged, yet very hands-on and laborious. These are but a few of the traits that comprise him. Thrillers have great laconic characters: tough, blue collar, disenfranchised loners, who are amazingly capable in their respective fields, but hapless in the larger society. I'm a sucker for this type of protagonist, but I wanted Eric to be a departure from this concept. He wants to be part of society and thrive in it. Eric doesn't want to be alone and has more skills than those he learned in the military. He is highly educated, well traveled, eloquent and funny. The Air Force was part of his life, not the sum of his existence. Originally, he wasn't going to have a connection with the armed forces, but the story makes it clear that it was going to take a certain type of background in order to confront the plot's challenges.ÌýÌýÌý Eric's similarities to the genre's main characters might appeal to the lovers of this kind of thriller, but is the differences that make him stand out and appeal to those who might have never given this type of book a second glance. Perhaps that is one of "Sleeper's Run" main strengths; a book that is so familiar but takes the reader to uncharted territory. Keep on running!

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ÌýÌýÌýÌý As a kid, I always liked fighter jets and used to build models of them. When I decided to write my book, one of the skills I wanted my protagonist to have was the ability to fly a plane. I had no idea about civilian aviation. So, after talking to a friend who was learning to fly, I took a few classes at a local flight school to understand what being a PIC was like. ÌýÌýÌýÌý There's an incredible sense of freedom in being able to pilot an aircraft. My favorite part was always seeing the blue Californian coastline under my wing. The part that I hated was the lack of patience my instructor had. Once, he scared me stiff when I made a mistake at takeoff. I never understood how stressing out an already nervous person would solve anything. I was so shaken by the event; I went home unable to work and downed a few beers just to calm myself down. It goes without saying that I had a nice, long chat with my instructor on my next class. Sadly, the economy made sure I didn't get too far in my training, but left me with enough knowledge to accurately portray a civilian pilot in my novel. Hopefully, one day, I can finish what I started.ÌýÌýÌýÌý I once got a critique from an editor about the 'hyper-competence' of my main character. This argument flew on the face of an anecdote my Urban Survival instructor related to us during class. The details were vague, of course, but basically he was teaching a few SEALs from DEVGRU and presented them with a problem in which they have to escape a city in a hurry. A few minutes later, one of their answers was to commandeer an airliner. Surprised, my instructor said, "OK, how about if there's no one in the airport?" To which the SEALs shrugged and said "We¹d steal an airplane and fly it ourselves." Skeptical, my instructor asked, "Yeah, right. How many of you can fly an airplane?" Half the class raised their hands. Honestly, I'm not surprised. If that were my line of work, I'd make it my business to know how to fly and sail. Keep on running!

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ÌýÌýÌýÌý Martial arts has been part of my life from a very early age. When other kids wanted to play baseball or basketball, all I ever wanted to do was throw punches and kicks. Since then, I had the pleasure of being exposed to several styles in different places; from different forms of Karate (mainly Shito Ryo), Aikido, Kendo, Boxing, Brazilian Jujitsu, Eskrima, and Martial Blade Concepts, to more serious and dedicated training in Hapkido and Krav Maga. ÌýÌýÌýÌý So when the time came for me to write a novel, a thriller no less, I knew Martial Arts would have center stage. Film is the best medium to showcase a fighting style; writing action is tricky. If you get too technical, it reads like stage direction, but I wanted to give the reader a similar thrill one gets from a film without bogging down the story. If I can fault "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," it is that the fight scenes were handled poorly; especially when they were showcasing the Keysi Fighting Method, a little known self-defense system that should have gotten a better cinematic debut. ÌýMy challenge was to write fights that were technically sound, real and the reader could follow; all of this without slowing down the pace or going off on unnecessary tangents.ÌýÌýÌýÌý Eric blends traditional Jujitsu, Eskrima and Krav Maga making him a very versatile fighter. I also wanted to show a progression from traditional martial arts –which generally are our introduction as children –to more pragmatic systems. This gives the knowing reader a perspective to understand part of Eric's formatting years. It also mirrors the character's life: Jujitsu shows the discipline and balance in his early years. Eskrima could be analogous with the aggression and danger-seeking nature of a teenager. And Krav Maga shows the no frills approach in his adult life and former military career. ÌýÌýÌýÌý Needless to say, a lot of care went into my book's fight scenes and self-defense situations. I hope my readers enjoy them as much as I did writing them. Keep on running!

ÌýÌý When they say that books sell less every year, these people must not be paying attention to the number of ebooks sold. rpass-print-it-only-took-four-years/ ÌýÌýÌýÌý The growth of digital book sales grows astronomically every year. The advent of smartphones and tablets have ushered a new reading era. Of course, we old-schoolers can always make the argument that nothing feels like a book: the weigh, the smell of paper, the feel of the pages on your fingers, etc. In that same vein, we can also make another argument about LPs, but the truth is the e-format is here to stay.ÌýÌýÌýÌý I would have been remiss not make "Sleeper's Run" available on ebook stores. This was a brand new arena for me, so I did a little research and came up with two companies: Smashwords and Publish Green The former is free, has a one size fits all methods and is perfect for do-it-yourselfers. The latter isn't cheap, but it offers expert manual formatting and distribution to 28 international vendors.ÌýÌýÌýÌý In an unlikely move, I went the lazy way and chose Publish Green. I didn't want my work not to look great as an ebook, having my baby distributed around the world dazzled me and I was pissed off that companies like Apple need an official "aggregator" (read "middleman") to make my manuscript available on their ebook stores. ÌýPlus, I have to admit having someone shouldering some of the crazy amount of work involved in self-publishing my novel was gladly welcome.ÌýÌýÌýÌý PB delivered as promised, their customer support was quick to respond to any of my questions, polite and very helpful when I ran into a few scheduling problems. My only complaint is the actual formatter. If you want the human touch, you'll also get the human fallibility. The formatter omitted changes, and typos were produced, so I had to double-check everything that was done (not that I wouldn't have anyway). Also, they lack a way in their website for you to track your sales. You have to wait until the end of the month to get a report and see how your book did. ÌýÌýÌýÌý Aside from that, PB is solid, but me being me, I'd like to give the DIY way a try next time just to compare. You may also want to check out this article on self-publishing an ebook I found it very useful. Keep on running!

ÌýÌý The unwritten rule in the general media is not to review self-published books. We all have heard of the few exceptions to this rule, which gives us all hope that we too could work our way through the system. We also hope to win the lottery, that our books become instant international bestsellers, and other nice things. The indie community is no better. The "we might review your book" attitude is everywhere. Unless, of course, you shell out some cash on a service like Kirkus and hope you get a good review, because what you pay for is the honor of being evaluated.
ÌýÌý It could be worse; those few companies could not offer review services at all. Sure, they make a buck out of every eager author out there shunned by the publishing industry, but at least there are systems in place that help us pursue our passion. Yet, I wonder how publishers expect to get any new authors. I experienced something similar trying to break into the comic book industry for years. This is a medium that welcomes all kinds of artists as long as their medium is not the written word (letterers are exempt of course). That's why mainstream comics are nothing but gimmicks, rehashes and rip-offs. Every once in a while a drop of new blood gets in and then that person becomes the next visionary writer. If you move to a small and isolated community, everything you do would seem pretty original to the locals as well.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý What I don't get is that, on one hand, the publishing industry complains about shrinking readership, sinking sales, dying genres; yet they don't seem to be doing anything to promote new talent. So we are left to Machiavelli our way as best as we can in hopes to find an audience, or make enough noise that a publisher sees some dollar signs in our foreheads. Keep on running!

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Ìý The technology presented in "Sleeper's Run" ranges from the theoretical to the mundane. The former is always tantalizing, but personally, I'm more fascinated with the latter. Since its inception, the book was going to have an ad hoc approach to technology. I love the idea of Eric having to think on his feet and using anything that was available to him. The hacker and social engineering stuff I had to research using books, documentaries and articles on the subject. I also got to experience social engineering first hand, when I underwent urban survival training. I stumbled upon an article for a homemade Radio Frequency Identification reader, which to me was like striking gold. Ìý ÌýÌýÌýÌý I was fascinated by this aspect of the research, and at the same time, terrified of how easy it is to do certain underhanded things like fake passports, steal information, hack the average computer or spy on someone. At the time, even Wired Magazine had a very interesting article about a reporter trying to stay off the grid. That was very interesting as well as helpful. ÌýÌýÌýÌý Of course, some of the information in my research was usually kept vague. It wasn't in the interest of the writers to open an outlaw school. I too left out key elements the few times I could have done otherwise for the same reason; I was writing a fiction novel, not a training manual after all. There are people who love when an author gets into the nuts and bolts of a certain subject i.e. the way a sniper rifle works. I'd rather learn as much as I can and then try to distill the information in a way that shows that the character is proficient, without alienating the majority of the readers. The story comes first.ÌýÌýÌýÌý It's a challenge to write a character that is far more intelligent and resourceful than the author. Thankfully there are so many brilliant and resourceful minds out there to lend a hand, even if it's indirectly. To me, research is not only a book-oriented activity. One of the things I love about being a creator is to step into unknown worlds and learn new things. Keep on running!

ÌýÌýÌýÌý I found this article when I was about to write this post: , which reminded me of yet another one I stumbled upon months ago when I was searching the Internet for articles about self-publishing. ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý If you read the date, you notice it's old, but for the first time Stephen King didn't deliver fear through his writing.
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Women have always been good readers, but so were men. I'm a little baffled when trying to understand what happened to my literary-inclined brothers. In my life, I can clearly divide the guys I've known into readers and non-readers; it seems there's no room for dabblers. But Mr. King makes a good point; someone is buying authors like Lee Child, Tom Clancy and John Le Carré. For god's sake, Robert Ludlum has been dead since 2001 and they're still milking his name. 2010 in particular seems to have been a great year for thrillers; everyone from Stephen Hunter to Robert Forsyth had a new novel out. So this begs the question, is the male reader a species in extinction?
ÌýÌýÌýÌý The publishing industry claims that these men sell because they have already amassed a large, loyal following throughout the years. That might be true, and so is the fact that many of their fans are a little bit tired of the same old characters and the same old stories. Why the industry is so sure these male readers are unwilling to branch out into new authors is beyond me.. Instead of injecting the genre with new blood to maintain its base and hook to new readers, their solution seems to let them wither and die. Well done. Were these the same people who asserted, "Kids don't read anymore?" Tell that to J.K. Rowling and the string of children and young adult writers who followed.
ÌýÌýÌýÌý The point about reading being considered "unmanly" is just ludicrous. I'm an author, an avid reader; I love museums, good food, traveling and having an engaging conversation in just about any topic.. At the same time, I can ride a motorcycle, play with guns and knives, hold my own sparring, climb rocks and dive the ocean in the dead of night. Being uncouth doesn't make you a real man; it just makes you really ignorant.
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Maybe genres don't die; perhaps those in the inside kill them with their pursue of a quick buck and lack of vision. So to all my fellow men reading this lines, keep on reading and keep on running!

ÌýÌýÌý A book annalist once told me that he didn't care for Eric's "excessive and casual violence." Kindly enough, this gentleman proceeded to help me by suggesting that I read one or two books from a popular author with a character he felt was similar to mine. The good news was I had already read the first novel from the recommended author. The bad news was the example he chose had a brutal protagonist. If I omit the writer's name it's because I respect him and enjoyed his work, and it's not his fault his writing was disparately used to illustrate a point.
ÌýÌýÌý I admit that the condescending way the annalist presented his report was off putting (an exception among the others who helped me shape my novel). A couple of things became clear to me within the first few paragraphs of the dossier: He had little real understanding of the elements presented in the story and he read the book in passing.
ÌýÌýÌý There is a glamour in violence as shown in film, TV, comic books, etc. or at least there is an element of coolness associated with it. I enjoy this fantastic portrayal as much as the next guy, but when I wrote, "Sleeper's Run," I wanted to take a different road. You picked a fight with multiple opponents? Sorry Bruce, chances are you'll be making a stop at the emergency room. You want to play with knifes? You better listen to your mom, because your super model career will be short-lived. Speed is more your thing? Then I hope you are insured, Speed Racer, and I'm talking about liability. Innocent bystanders often get the brunt of the violence. In 2003, an old man drove his car by mistake through a farmers market in Santa Monica, California killing nine people and injuring almost 60 others. No trained stuntmen jumped out of the way in the nick of time.
ÌýÌýÌý I depict violence in my work, but I don't glamorize it. This is a conscious choice. However, the more I understand about self-defense, whether with a gun, blade or empty hands, the less inclined I'm to romanticize myself in a situation that might require the use of any of those skills. This has been reinforced by listening to men in the military, law enforcement and even those civilians that have the uncomfortable experience of having to defend themselves. If I were to treat violence casually, I wouldn't spend so much time writing about the price of unleashing it. Keep on running!Write a reply...

I loved researching "Sleeper's Run." Well, I love research, period. Granted, many of the themes portrayed in the story are of general interest to me, so not only did I have a good running start, but it also made the process more enjoyable. Piles of non-fiction texts, documentaries and articles informed me about history, politics, military units, tactics, technology, espionage and other topics. My life-long affair with martial arts definitely came in handy. I've been exposed to a wide variety of martial arts throughout my life, even becoming an instructor for a few years. The fighting systems involved in the plot were not randomly chosen. Needless to say, a lot of care and technical savvy went into to the fight scenes/self-defense situations in the story. I also drew from my knowledge of rock climbing, scuba diving, interest in Special Operation Forces and passion for history and traveling. Yet, that wasn't enough for me. When we think about a writer, one pictures some disheveled hermit wearing an old robe with socks and sandals, ie. Johnny Depp in the "Secret Window." There's some truth to that, but how many authors do you know spend a day escaping a team of trackers after having been kidnapped?That was the final exam of an urban survival class I took in the name of research. The course taught me how to pick locks, do social engineering, disappear into a crowd and other cool skills that came handy when writing Sleeper's. That and it was also a popular topic of conversation at social gatherings. "Come here and entertain us with your stories of urban survival," someone asked me in a recent friend's wedding. Tactical shooting, knife self-defense and a few flying lessons also became part of the repertoire of things I chose to experience first hand.Make no mistake I'm a weekend warrior. In no way do my forays into these exciting worlds put me anywhere near in the same league as my protagonist, the true professionals he represents, or the people who spend their lives dedicated to their respective disciplines. Curiosity and personal edification aside, this type of research informed me of the mechanics and psychology required to represent Eric Caine's abilities as realistic as I could. In some instances it even changed the way I looked at certain things, and it made me gain a whole new appreciation for the work of those who have to use this knowledge in the real world.These experiences also put me in front of people who have to learn those skills as part of their job: federal agents, the military, law enforcement, etc. and of course, their instructors. I spent those priceless encounters trying to pick their brain as much as I could respectfully do.I always say "Sleeper's Run" is a fiction novel built on a solid non-fiction foundation. Research was a lot of fun, in fact, it still is. I can't wait for the next adventure, whether is a class, book, person or a trip that will inevitably find its way into my work. Keep on running!Urban Survival: Shooting: Knife Self-Defense: