To write about something, you need to know a lot about it. I have always liked to read and fancied to write, maybe not as a way of life (although who knows), but alittle bit more than a hobby. I find it easier to write about fiction than non-fiction, although both genres mixed just do for me. For example, I'm reading now a spanish author called Cesar Vidal Manzanares, la lawyer turned historiand and radio and TV presenter with more than 100 books published (and going), some of them classed as best-sellers. He uses his vast knowledge of History and mixes it with a little bit of fiction to make a very amenable reading. However, as with everything in life, there are titles not to everyone's liking, specially when writing about the old spanish dictatorship.

Right now, I've just finished a book called "The Fisherman's Testament" by the aforementioned author that is the perfect example of mixing History with fiction: the book is abouth a sort of interview between Caesar Nero and an old man called Petros, or Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, remembering the final years of Jesus and his whereabouts, a few decades before that meeting between the Emperor and the old fisherman took place. Quite an interesting read indeed, if only for the way that the author has developed the storyline and makes it very enjoyable and educating.

I've never been a religious person, having been brought up into a catholic family (although barely practising). Now, in my early thirties, having achieved greatly in my personal life as a husband, a father and a professional I turn my interests into what I've always liked: reading and writing.

I recently read a book, "Heaven is for Real" (Todd Burpo & Lynn Vincent) that was such a great read: not only made me weep and sob like a little girl, but it also made me change some of my views and aproach to those special moments in life that you need to turn to a something for help. This little book about a little kid made me reflect over things that I have witnessed in my life, over those intimate little chats with those people dear to me and, all together, made me wanting to know more about what's been there all my life. Not in a religious way, but in a historic one: who was this Jesus the Nazarene? who were the disciples? what was life like at the time? how could the powers that be get it so wrong (or right) on the many centuries afterwards? who were the powers that be? etc etc. Definitely, it doesn't help being a scientist (never a "sicentist" - made up word, albeit not very methodic as I tend to get diverted from my main objective quite easily.

Proof: another interest I have is to learn as much as possible about the Spanish Civil War. I'm aware that too much has been written and said about the subject but I just want to follow my mother's footsteps. She put her soul and very little available spare time to put into words a little story that was a catharsis for her, a way of letting go her feelings over her parents, who lived through those dark years of the war. She wasn't successfull, so I'll try this time.

I want to develop that story in a way that could be understood as "what-if non-fiction genre", although I might have just made that up. In two lines: what if some events that happened 80 or so years ago converged with my own present in the case that I did something that I would not do. It could be like living your life onwards time-wise (inevitably) but backwards History-wise. It is much more complex than that but, as you can see (if YOU are still there, reading me) I lack plenty of experience in writing.

So, this has been a kind of introduction from me, although I might have overstayed my welcome with such a long, incoherent, tirade. Oh, always the optimisthic. Never mind.