Ask the Author: Alexander Ruiz
Answered Questions (3)
Alexander Ruiz
Empyrean was culmination of ideas I'd toyed around with for a while. After reading Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku I knew I wanted to write something where this nearby future was realized. I see very little representation of minorities in YA and I wanted to have a diverse cast. Having traveled to many parts of the world, and I drew from the people I've met and the stories they've told me. However, the most powerful catalyst in my writing of this story was the death of my mother. It gave me a purpose for the story. Grief is so different for everyone and I got a ton of unwarranted advice on how to cope. In the aftermath I realized that no one was right and yet everyone was also right. Empyrean explores the many ways people deal with grief. Losing a parent is a very different experience for everyone as our relationships with them and our diverse personalities can make that end very messy even in the best of circumstances.
Alexander Ruiz
I read a lot of books and a ton of articles on politics, science, and entertainment. If I come across an idea that I feel I can flesh out or that hasn't been explored as thoroughly as I feel it can be, I will start to put together ideas on how I can make a story out of those thoughts. If once I organize my thoughts I feel like I have a unique story to tell I will begin writing until I come to a point where I feel I have said everything I wanted to say. Sometimes an actual story comes of it, sometimes it just becomes something else to add to my stack of notes.
Alexander Ruiz
I'm currently working on a YA political fantasy novel. With everything that's going on in our country's political climate, I've been inspired to write a response to what I see and hear. I'm hoping to have it completed by the end of the year.
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