INTERVIEW WITH BRUNO NIEVAS, AUTHOR OF "augmented reality" In recent weeks I have been talking about various topics related to the world of publishing in the 2.0 environment and the digital revolution that threatens to move the traditional deep foundations of the sector. Among other issues we have discussed the successful case of Bruno and his novel
Nievas "Augmented Reality" , making available to the public free of charge to Internet users in the author's website. One initiative that has become a media
boom, with 40,000 downloads of the work through various platforms.
We wanted to talk quietly with Bruno Nieves on these and other issues that may be of interest to all who follow developments the publishing world.
P: First of all, Bruno, is to ask about the origins of your passion for writing. How does a pediatrician to write a futuristic thriller? We would like to know also that literary references when you face the blank sheet.
R: I assure you it is very difficult, even for me , resp onder that question, lol, so you tell me I've always wanted to write, but, for lack of time, initiative and tools, I've been putting off. However, not long after I "converted" to Mac, I found a programa enfocado específicamente a la escritura, llamado Scrivener. Probé la demo y, me gustó tanto, que lo compré inmediatamente. Para aprender a manejarlo, decidí probar a escribir una novela, sólo como una prueba. Se me ocurrió una idea de tres líneas, que empecé a desarrollar. Tras varios meses, ¡tenía cerca de 100.000 palabras escritas! En cuanto a los referentes, me gustan muchísimos autores; pero los que más me absorben son, sin duda alguna, Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Douglas Preston y Lincoln Child, además del gran maestro, Ken Follet. En cuanto a españoles, siento auténtica devoción por los libros de Juan Gómez-Jurado, I consider the height of the top global bestsellers. Not to mention another teacher, Arturo Perez Reverte e, and this new wave of authors who have done many hours I lose, as Javier Sierra, Matilde Asensi and, of course, Manel Loureiro. are muc hos!
Q: In your novel is detailed scientific experiments seem futuristic, but that may be the order of the day in less time than we think. The protagonist of your work is a physician and computer scientist, a true love of technology and art equipment. Are you very que ver con tu personaje? Creo que tú también eres un auténtico geek...
R: Curiosamente, los experimentos que se nombran en Realidad Aumentada… ¡no tienen nada de ciencia ficción, al contrario de lo que muchos piensan! Esa parte es completamente real. Hoy en día existe tecnología de sobra para realizar ese tipo de desarrollos, como me han demostrado muchos lectores, enviándome webs y vídeos donde se ven trabajos similares a los descritos en el libro, aunque a una escala menor. Eso sí, estoy seguro de que el proyecto del libro, se está desarrollando en algún sitio. Como ves, la ciencia ficción de la novela… está en otra parte, lol. The protagonist, Jacob Assavar, it is clear that you "dress" with a lot of me, as a personality and hobbies ... But this also happens c on the rest of the characters! In the case of Jacob, the supporters of the technology itself that is shared with the author ... Not only is unable to leave home without feeling the weight of your Macbook Pro to the back or the surface of the iPhone in your pocket, but these devices are of great importance in the development of the story ... how could it be otherwise way! P: The work has a frenzied pace, almost cinematic, engaging the reader from the first moment. Would you like to see the work on screen, whether for film or television? If so, do you involve directly in the project?
R: Ugh, makes my hair stand on end to hear that! But I think we must be careful ... If you have a fairly rapid pace, it's just because I love this type of novel, so typical of Michael Crichton and Douglas Preston. I think they are the area lment catch the reader. As a film adaptation, of course I would love to, but it sounds so distant and unreal that I can not imagine it, lol. Implications? It would be mandatory. First, by sheer restlessness and curiosidad. Y segundo, porque creo que la novela juega mucho con los pensamientos y sentimientos de los personajes, sobre todo el protagonista. Y eso es tan sumamente difícil de adaptar al cine, que creo que sería necesario trabajar, codo con codo, con director, guionistas e incluso actores. ¡Vamos, que como me dejen, la hago yo entera, jajaja! P: Tu iniciativa está siendo uno de los asuntos más comentados en el ciberespacio literario en las últimas semanas. Sabemos la dificultad actual para que las agencias y/o editoriales se fijen en un escritor novel pero, ¿cómo surgió la idea de publicar tu novela a través de la Red? ¿Qué ha supuesto para ti la espectacular response of thousands of readers?
R: The truth is that, today, I am awed by the spectacular response. The idea began to emerge, as usual, in the most innocent. As the famous received negative responses from publishers and agencies, commented, jokingly, that the novel will find its place, alone. And I started to say that if necessary, the gift online. The fact is that, as remarked on family and friends , always told me it was a good idea. And eventually, I started thinking that it was. Now, just two months after it hung, I'm delighted. Forty thousand downloads, over a thousand fans on Facebook and, more importantly, the countless emails and tokens of affection from those who have read it, not to mention the wonderful people I've known these weeks. That is what has more value, no doubt, of this initiative. P: An audience that not only have downloaded the novel by the famous "all free", but have read in many cases by computer, and also leave you glowing praise and feedback through private messaging or through social networks. Are you surprised that enthusiasm?
R: What if I ha sorprendido? ¡Aún tiemblo al recordar algunos de los mensajes! Hay quien me ha contado que es lo primero que se han leído en la pantalla de un ordenador, porque no podían dejar de hacerlo; una chica, ciega, la convirtió para pode r leerla con un dispositivo especial, y me escribió para darme las gracias por haberla colgado gratis; y otro que me emocionó especialmente fue un chico, que me dijo que… ¡se había aficionado a leer gracias a ella! Eso, por no hablar de las personas que me han ayudado con las correcciones (dos de ellas, Amparo Luque y José María de Haro, han revisado la obra entera, por ejemplo). Cuando conoces las historias de las personas que están detrás the figures, those thousands of downloads, is when you realize how far reaching pu ede something you've done. And that is something that goes so deep, that makes all the hours of work, and all the negative comments received, do not weigh anything in the computation of this. I think putting the novel on the Internet has been one of the best things I've done in my life, and I assure you there are many that I'm very happy. 
P: The work had been widely disseminated, and has even talked about it in various media, though perhaps to also participate recently in the initiative created by Juan Gómez Jurado's
"1libro1euro" , for Save The Children, has managed to take off even more. What can you tell about this platform?
R: What little I can say about it, obviously, can only be fascinating. Is an initiative have launched their own Internet, supported by technology and social networks (in this case, Twitter). In it, I was lucky to be in the beginning, no less than by Juan Gómez-Jurado (God's Spy), and Manel Loureiro (Rev. Z). Now there are more authors, and each day that passes over me proud to be one of them, seeing the overwhelming response of people are using it. But if all this le añades el que su finalidad (lo más importante) es ayudar a una ONG enfocada a los niños, entonces es cuando te das cuenta de que, en este día a día tan gris de nuestras vidas, un par de clics de ratón pueden hacer mucho más que un ejército de tanques. Y no sabes lo gratificante que puede resultar contribuir a algo tan importante. Lástima que aún quede tanto por hacer… P: Aparte del tuyo, en estos días se habla también del caso de Amanda Hocking, que ha vendido casi un millón de libros a través de Amazon sin editorial que la respaldara, u otro parecido en nuestro propio país, donde “El bolígrafo de gel verde” empezó su particular periplo a través de Internet antes de conseguir editorial. ¿Está el futuro en estas tendencias o ya es el presente más rabioso?
R: Agradezco las comparaciones, pero creo que en ambos casos esos libros han demostrado muchísimo más que el mío. El libro de Eloy Moreno ha conseguido dar el «gran salto», gracias a su gran narrativa, la genial historia que cuenta y, sobre todo, su trabajo e insistencia. He tenido la suerte de leerlo y comentarle a Eloy no sólo lo que me ha gustado, sino lo mucho que me ha hecho pensar. Algo que, como él mismo me dijo, era su intención. Pues lo consigue. De Amanda, aún no he podido leer su libro (pero lo haré, para something I have my Amazon account), but output, one can only applaud their success, even before knowing the work. I obviously think that these cases can no longer be considered isolated, much less a thing of the future, luck or science fiction. Only Hocking, it alone, and is billing more than many publishers. I'm sure more than one agent is going berserk. But considering that it already happened to JK Rowling or Stephen King himself should not be surprised. What should surprise us is that a few years ago was very difficult to find a King or Rowling, but now the authors are in the network, available to all the world, just a few clicks away. If agents and publishers do not find them in time, because they are not putting this up knowing that the authors have been able to engage itself ... Although I know that some are doing themselves and finally homework. The question is, will arrive on time? P: imagine that your original intention was to get to know the general public, a fact that has achieved a great success. But fear that this digital awakening even more suspicious then the traditional publishers when betting on a new author or otherwise, will be a real editorial letter with which to take the plunge?
R: I think it is too early to draw any conclusion. Forty thousand downloads in just over two months is a lot, but I always say it's just a number. To me much more passionate people who are there, the "other side", which are what you write and tell you, transmitiéndote feelings and back at you from what you have given to them. However, agencies and publishers, of course, move numbers, as criteria of profitability, marketability, etc. Some will see my presence on the Internet as something positive, but others certainly see it as negative. The problem probably lies in this "revolution Digital "is going too fast, and many were not prepared for it. The trouble is that a handful of those "not-ready" remain, to date, convincing their bosses and colleagues that these are isolated incidents and that the current model will still last many years. And they are right eye. Your problem will be that there are others who do are seeing the change. And, without being big or known to date, and are building in their homes or in their offices, the way forward. Nothing would make me happier than knowing that my story can have helped to put a small stone on that path. P: Whether this novel in particular, or in other works in which you work or have in mind, could you explain briefly how to face the face the development of the story and characters, the daily life of every writer worth his salt. Do you plan plots, subplots and characters, with a default script before attacking the blank? Or do you have an idea in mind, which unfolds as you type and it takes you perceive as unexplored paths as the characters take their own life story growing up?
R: My experience so far is simple, because it reduces ... a novel! To be completely honest, one and a half, since I'm writing the second. And, since even I have not given the "great leap", I do not know if I am just one example of how to write a novel ... In both books I have followed the same technique: search for a topic that I liked writing and see if he could tell an interesting story . In both cases, the stories can be summarized in just three lines. Then, I developed a draft or a script, in the case of the latter, has been much longer than in Augmented Reality, as its plot is much more complex. Then, once developed the basic plot, I write, little by little, scene by scene. Normally, when you write these, you realize that things would be better otherwise. Or characters that should be otherwise. Or that there are whole sections that do not match, and you have to discard or replace. As for the characters is easy to get an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat you expect of them. However, it is not uncommon as you go on writing ... they will surprise you! They do react differently to the ones you expect in a scene, and you see that fit better. Therefore, you might get to change the fate of the character and history ... because of a reaction of one of them! see, at least for me, is a fascinating process, lively, complex and challenging that ultimately ends up being a drug really "hard" and difficult to disengage ... P: Por último, nos gustaría saber si “Realidad aumentada” va a tener continuación en una segunda parte o si estás trabajando en algún otro proyecto. Y por supuesto, siéntete en plena libertad para añadir lo que creas conveniente, sea para tus lectores, presentes o futuros, o los responsables de la industria editorial.
R: Es cierto que "Realidad Aumentada" tiene un final muy peculiar y sorprendente, que, por cierto, tuve claro desde la primera línea. Pero, a pesar de lo que muchos lectores me preguntan o sugieren, es una historia cerrada. En teoría no está pensada para tener una continuación, aunque, quién sabe, ojalá one day there was a "groundswell" so immense that the end had to write it, lol. Yes I'm working on another project. It's a thriller, with just science fiction (although it appears a lot of technology, of course), set between New York's September 11, 2010, and Auschwitz in 1945. Is much broader and ambitious Augmented Reality in every way, and in fact it is costing me more time and effort writing it. My biggest fear, of course, lies in the day, in any manner whatsoever, may reach around the world ... and not like, I'll shoot, hahaha! No, seriously, I hope you can complete a good book that really like to decide to lend your time to read. That, after all, is the most valuable thing a person has. Thanks for everything, Bruno. A pleasure to have chatted with you.
