Interview with Ray LaCroix!

Hello to all the nighters!
As I mentioned before, you'll know a little more about Ray LaCroix, the author of Oculus, but because I had the opportunity to interview him recently, both on his story as the issues he raised in it, I'm sure more than one of you will be interested.
I hope you take the chance and read it, because it's one of those plots that trap and make you think without much effort, with new ideas. You can get the review right here on the blog, but it was much introduction, let's go to what matters to us!

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1. What made you decide to write?
Since I was a child I did for fun. I preferred to create comics, stories, or even record a "movie" with dolls to other activities such as playing football. To fly and escape from reality, and also be yourself who decides exactly where to travel was certainly what pushed me to write.

2. Where the history of Oculus born?
A 150 words micro story I sent to a contest. I thought it was worth delving a little deeper into that future and have plenty of reflections and opinions that were around in my head for some time.

3. Is there any part of you on the main characters?
Yes, especially when Tyler is critical of certain customs of the past. Although I have to say I don't feel fully identified with them, as if it has happened with other characters in other manuscripts that I keep in the drawer.

4. Why did you decide to pick the eyes as the central theme of the novel?
I guess it all started with the micro story I did before the novel, in which everything revolved around the eyes. It was my passion for technology and new developments that led me to imagine and give them the role they have. In addition, as a symbol of truths and lies that pass before our eyes every day, I thought it was spot on. As I said at some point in history, technology is not a must for humanity to wear a blindfold.

5. Do you think the Earth's future is so dark or is it just one of many possibilities?
I like to think that what awaits us it's much more hopeful. More people die every day because of the imbalance, so I think there has to be a drastic change at some point, and I think perhaps some measures to take may resemble closely those of Oculus.

6. While the world of Oculus is extremely advanced, there is a latent danger everywhere for the same reason, don't you trust technological advances?

Yes, I do trust, and largely support the decisions these IAs portrait. But of course, although I understand it, I wouldn't be in the skin of its inhabitants because of what it takes.

7. Would you say the human race is doomed to extinction?
I think humanity is famous for making huge mistakes throughout its history, and I see quite possible that one of them will finally bring us to the brink of extinction, no doubt.

8. The end of this first story in the book is rather curious, are we born tyrants or become tyrants in the course of our lives?
In my opinion, no one is born good or bad and it is the environment that makes us change to adapt. For example, one of the characters, doesn't conceive the possibility that a human being can kill another. He was born and learned in an environment where something like that didn't exist, it is one of the messages I wanted to give.

9. For you, are we all characters of a great novel like in your second account?
I don't think so, but to fully deny it? The funny thing is that if we were, we wouldn't be aware of it. We could be the fruit of the imagination of someone or something, the possibility, however remote for many, is there.

10. If you knew who writes your life, what would be the meeting be like? What would you say?

I would be grateful for having created me, as I owe my existence. I would ask for the possibility to change some previous chapters and to write some new with my hands.
I won't see it at any time as someone who absolutely controls what I do, because I cannot control my own characters at all. I have general ideas of what will happen, but they are the ones that surprise me as if they were really alive, making their own decisions.

11. Any project you're currently working on? A sequel of Oculus, perhaps?
I'm finishing a novel I begun more than three years ago and resumed and started again last Christmas. The main character is a seventeen year old girl named Ellen who has suffered bullying and other serious disorders that unfortunately affect many young people every day. The world has been a living hell for her. In the story the world grows into that hell she saw and we'll see if she gets out alive or not.

12. Is there any advice you want to give to those who are starting out?
Be constant. It is the most difficult, in my opinion, and is the difference between finishing something and stay halfway.

13. Thank you for your time! I hope to hear from you and your stories soon!
Many thanks to you for reading and for this interview.