Interview With Henry Mosquera and Giveaway

Curling Up By The Fire would like to welcome Henry Mosquera, author of Sleeper's Run, which released July 27th, 2011.  This psychological thriller / suspense novel takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride as the principal character searches his memory for clues to his identity and the reasons why is he the target of an elite team of CIA assassins.  A gripping story that is difficult to put down, the plot will grip you right from the beginning and not let go until the very end.

For those who are interested, enter the giveaway found at the end of the interview.

1) To start off, can you tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you become interested in writing suspense novels?
Of course. I’m a writer and artist born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. I studied film and graphic design at University of Miami. I'm married and currently work as a freelance graphic artist in Los Angeles.

I became interested in writing thrillers because I like to tell stories, no matter the medium. It could be through film, books, graphic novels, video games; I just enjoy creating. I love the genre and I had been playing with a few ideas in my mind, which I thought would make for a great novel. So, I rolled up my sleeves and almost four years later I find myself as an author.

2) Can you tell us a little about your novel, Sleeper's Run?
"Sleeper's Run" is about Eric Caine, a self-destructive War on Terror veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. A chance encounter helps him straighten out his life and find a new job that takes him back to Venezuela, the country of his childhood (Eric is half-American and half-Venezuelan). Once there, he gets tangled up in an international conspiracy that threatens the very future of the government. Eric has to outwit a team of assassins while trying to uncover the truth in a world in which nothing is what it seems.

3) What inspired you to write Sleeper's Run? How much research was involved in the writing?
The book was inspired by a combination of things: a few ideas I had to write a thriller, the current political situation in Venezuela, and a interest in history and global matters.

Research was extensive as the novel is based on non-fiction sources; even the more farfetched elements. Books, articles and documentaries became the basis of the research. I also used my knowledge of certain topics like martial arts, traveling, the military, etc. Not satisfied with that, I went the extra yard and took urban survival classes, flying lessons, weapons training and a few other helpful skills. Whenever possible I picked the brains of people who either teach or experience things related to the story. It was a fun, educational and eye-opening process.

4) What was your greatest challenge while writing this novel?
The greatest challenge was to write a highly engaging and entertaining fiction story that touched on very serious, real themes. On top of that, I wanted to portray everything in the book as accurately as I could, without turning it into a technical manual. Everything had to be grounded in reality.

5) In this novel, we are introduced to some very interesting and intriguing characters. Who was the most fun to write about? Which character presented the biggest challenge?
Eric was the most fun, hands down. I love his cynicism, his sense of humor and his inner narrative. Blake was also great fun to write, especially his dialogs. James deserves a special mention, since he started out as a minor character and grew to become someone who is as interesting as Eric.

The most difficult character for me was Trishna. She's a very complex character and it took a long time to develop her. Editors kept picking on her almost right into the final draft. With that said, she ended up being one of the book's most exciting players.


Giveaway

* One lucky reader will win one copy of Sleeper's Run. 
* To enter, leave a comment with your email address. 
* Contest is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. 
* Contest closes 31 October 2011.

Good luck everyone!!