For much of my life I have felt like an outsider, out of place. I am older now, and I have come to believe that this is a common way for many if not most human beings to feel. I have my personal reasons.
My family came to this country from Mexico when I was six years old. Then we moved back to Mexico for one year when I was eight, then back to the US. It was a lot of moving, a lot of goodbyes, a lot of losses. I remember my mother crying, she felt so alone much of the time. She had very little support. Telephone communication to Mexico was difficult at that time, and expensive. She didn’t speak English very well, making her feel even more isolated. As kids, we pick up languages faster and more easily, so I remember having to help her communicate from time to time. We had no other family to lean on. I know now how scary it was for my parents, and how brave they were to face the challenges of immigration, all in order to give their children a shot at a better life. They are true pioneers.
So I grew up in the US without extended family, and when we did visit our family in Mexico, it always felt too brief for the sense of disconnection to totally disappear. Even though I have made many, many friends and acquaintances over the years, and I now have a family of my own, I still carry that feeling of being alone, etched into my soul from my early experiences.
I’m totally okay with all of that now. I have an incredible lot to be grateful for. I am okay with my life’s story, with my challenges, with my successes and my failures. I am in a good place spiritually.
So why am I saying all this? Answer: for you to know a little background information about the spirit of Mission 51. My protagonist Mat is an alien from space, the ultimate outsider! He is the one who came in 1954 to southern Nevada, the place we now know as Area 51. My parents were married that same year, and then came to the US, in their mid-twenties. I was born here in 1955. Mat’s story is an immigrant’s story, like that of my parents. He encounters the challenges of fitting in, the difficulties in mastering a different language and culture, he has to deal with loss, and has to adapt to survive. Mat does these things, like my parents did. He finds freedom. He pursues happiness, as is our American right. And he almost finds peace at the end of Mission 51. If the book makes it to publication and finds an audience, Mat’s story will continue in book two, already taking shape in my crazy head.
So that’s it, a little background information for you to better understand why I wrote this story. Thank you all, for your interest and your support of me and Mission 51!
Peace! :-)
Inkshares just released a new blog post where they asked the current top ten authors in the Nerdist video-game contest to single out one (or more) of their competitors, either inside or outside of the current top ten, that has caught their eye.
Greetings from Memphis!
I am continuing my onward trek across this country and taking in thee sights with Emma in tow. I do enjoy adventures, and traveling like this is no exception. We are just 6 orders away from Quill, and I can’t believe it. This is going so well, and I can’t thank you enough.
Then I get to wake up to the news The Sleeping Man has been blogged about! Christopher Irvin, the author of Wrestletown, has posted about this book for the whole internet to see if you would only just click here.
Well, I’ve taken advantage of this hotel’s breakfast they have termed as free, whereas I would use the term, nonexistent. Now I’m going to Elvis’ house to see if there’s a pretty little thing waiting for the King, down in the Jungle Room.
Sweet Dreams,
Stephen
Author spotlight!
This week, I’d like to direct your attention to the fascinating dark fantasy Borehole Bazaar: A Vow Unbroken, by Kendra Namednil
This is a fantasy epic of a different breed. Familiar fantasy creatures coexist and interact in unfamiliar but truthful-seeming ways in a world where one must tread carefully amidst hostile forces on all sides, at all times. Kendra expertly sets the tone and breathes atmosphere into this masterwork of dark fantasy. This isn’t a fantasy land for escapists: this is a brutal, savage land full of danger and catastrophe. In a world like this, where everything is at odds with you no matter who you are...just imagine what kind of hero can arise.
Get this book to Quill, because I really want to read it.
Also, Tantalus Depths is only 4 pre-orders away from 400. Just saying ;)
Good evening all!!
Since we’ve hit 125 orders, it’s time for me to reveal another piece of the digital painting! As a reminder, everyone who pre-orders a copy will automatically get this free digital painting :D 
After my recent visit to Wisconsin, I felt inspired to draw some of the characters you will meet in AYSYWTQ?. Below, I have a rough pen drawing of a certain dragon that will make his/her debut in Chapter 4 - Scorchlands. Check it out!
Please pre-order a copy if you haven’t yet :) Thank you all for supporting my project and dream of publishing my first novel. Have a great night!!
Best,
Alisa-chan
Story Update:
