About the author
Tell us your story? What made you start writing?
I’m a musician and a computer engineer. Since I was a child, I loved art. I dreamt of being a singer and an actor. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but when I was ten years old, I suffered an accident on a small train—I was unable to walk for a year and almost lost a foot. During those months when I couldn’t even get up, I wolfed down dozens of books by Agatha Christie and other authors. I also wrote my first short story. It was in the horror genre, and I always pictured the main character running away from a horde of zombies with the first part of the song “Magnetic Fields I” by Jean Michel Jarré playing as a background music.
What are you passionate about?
Oh, my passion is music, cosmos, literature, and philosophy.
What is one thing that instantly makes your day better?
Excellent question.
So many things. A good pizza, a good conversation. Also, anything positive related to the Pulstarverse, other earthlings, and the people I care about. Oh, of course, a sublime song, book, or series-movie.
If you could choose one superpower, what would it be?
Well, I’m not a fan of superheroes, but if I could choose one superpower, it would be to be able to roam the cosmos at my own leisure. Come on, what can beat that?
If you had a warning label, what would yours say?
Hehe, this is fun!
Right, my warning label. Let’s see, let’s see!
There, I got it.
“No banality, at least today.”
What’s your go-to guilty pleasure?
Oh, this one is easy.
Eating too many snacks, especially under stress.
Would you rather cook or order in?
Cook, and if it is pizza, even better. I love to fix pizza from scratch (attempting to cook it like pizzaioli masters) and enjoy it with other people.
If you were ruler of your own country what would be the first law you would introduce?
Hehe. Great question.
Well, it’s impossible for me to picture myself in a situation like that, especially because I believe Sapiens Status Quo is a colossal disaster. Let’s see, my laws would be things like this:
1.- Cannibalism towards any earthling (with the exception of some insects) is forbidden.
2.- Let’s reset the cumbersome and incomprehensible economic, political, and social system.
3.- Let’s base our existence on ethics and respect of other beings, on seeking to understand through science and the cosmos why the hell (or Slapher, to put it in Astralvo) are we on this insignificant but precious planet.
4.- It is forbidden to award and encourage bad taste in art, food, music, whatnot.
What a disastrous of a government, right? It would kindle the apocalypse of the Sapiens. So, answering your excellent question, here is my single and definite law:
“Emergency elections. Tomorrow, everyone must vote me out of office. Anyone who doesn’t will lose a lot of money in their bank account.”
What do you think? Everyone would comply, wouldn’t they? 😉
About Pulstarverse
Three strangers who share a forgotten past confront a vengeance they incited when their bodies weren’t human.
Time is short … the ultimate reckoning is coming … and it’s unthinkable, indescribable—the worst thing that can happen to any human being.
This book is everything you’d wish a sci-fi dystopian speculative fiction would be. It is complex, intriguing, thought provoking and once you finally grasp at the connections between… well everything, you’ll realize it is an absolute masterpiece. Completely mind-blowing.
Tell us about the books. How did you come up with the idea behind the story?
During my teenage years, at my sister’s birthdays, a party guest talked about an intrinsic and mysterious subject. That’s where the idea for Pulstar came from. I felt I had to write about it somehow, heavily influenced by Blade Runner and my favorite books. I published the novels Astralvia I and II in Spanish in early 2000. Then I stopped writing and focused fully on my band Fractaler until 2012.
Today, the concepts raised in the Pulstar trilogy and Nerve are my belief and my way of understanding the cosmos and existence. Also, the social, economic, and political disaster in my country, Venezuela, influenced those works.
At any point in the (re)writing process did you feel discouraged? If so, what made you keep going?
I love this interview. Thank you, Victoria.
Since the process of rewriting the Pulstarverse has been ongoing for over ten years (not counting the books Astralvia I and Astralvia II that I published decades ago), I’ve felt discouraged every day. There have been too many sacrifices, some of them even extreme. The most difficult was the translation from Spanish to English.
Nevertheless, there are two things that were my main driving force to complete this project: The promise to a special person who is no longer on this planet and the final part of Pulstar III.
Without knowing anything about Winston Follver’s origin would you strive to work for him should you live in the universe you’ve created?
Please, excellent question, how about answering it after we find out the end of the trilogy?
Victoria: I suppose I’ll have to wait until then!
Who was your favourite character to write and why?
Now, this is straightforward.
My favorite character was Jeral. However, the least complicated to write was Esther because I wanted a sort of carefree POV.
Victoria: I enjoyed Jeral’s point of view. I can see now where her character comes from and the interest in cosmos originates from. However, my favourite POV to read is undoubtedly Aris!
About writing
What is one of the most interesting things you have researched while writing a book?
I did most of my research on the cosmos. Every single thing about the universe is mind-blowing. Now, the most interesting and tricky part is quantum mechanics. Let’s see, particle connection at distances of billions of light years? The Uncertainty Principle? But especially: What’s really out there? That’s why I wanted the first sentence of the book to be related to the secrets of the cosmos. Also, the first line Jeral says in the book is: “There is something out there.” Yes, for me there’s nothing more fascinating than discovering the mysteries of the universe.
What were your expectations for writing and publishing your first book? Have they changed since then?
What I want the most with the Pulstarverse (including its soundtracks) is to connect with readers, to invite them to take part of this journey and discuss my humble theory of what may be an answer to our existence, even if it is not the most positive one.
How long have you considered yourself a writer? Did you have any formal training, or is it something you learned as you went?
I am still learning this craft. The little thing I know I learned it writing and rewriting, but above all, thanks to so many great authors and my editors.
What are you currently working on?
I’m finishing editing Pulstar II and Pulstar III, plus the prequel Marlenh (an erotic thriller whose story takes place 30 years before the Pulstar trilogy). I’m also completing the production of the soundtracks for Nerve, Pulstar I, and Marlenh.
Special question:
You are trying to convince your disbelieving colleagues that aliens exist an you’re one of them. There are no visual signs of your story being true. How do you go about it?
Hehe. I’m an alien, Victoria. Haven’t I told you? You don’t believe me? 😉
I have hundreds of thousands of trillions of dollars. Yes, I am the wealthiest being in the world. And all my fortune is being spent on bringing the most important earthlings to my home hundreds of light years away. Homo Sapiens are not included in my list; sorry. People may think I’m crazy, stupid, but when there are only humans, insects, most reptiles and fish, and one or two other mammals left on Earth, then …
Victoria: Oh no, are you Winston Follver?