Spotlight & Giveaway: Santiago, Chronicles of a Young Traveler by Eduardo Rios Lasso

Author Bio:

Eduardo Rios Lasso emerged as a writer during his career as a medical doctor. Born and raised in Panama City, Panama, his journey has taken him around the globe to dozens of countries. Along the way, he found a passion for travel writing that seeks out positive life experiences while also sharing the common interests and challenges that bring different cultures together. Eduardo currently resides in Germany, where he is completing his training in Internal Medicine. SANTIAGO – Chronicles of a Young Traveler is his first book.

Author links:

– Website
– Instagram

INTERVIEW

How did
you do research for your book?

–       
Since this book is my first, I educate myself first
on how to write a book. Every book that came to my hands about “how to write a
book” was devoured by me. I also attended writers’ conferences to learn more
about the different literature and writing genres. I touched on topics like
prostitution and human trafficking, which was very hard to show in the book the
way I wanted. I made my best effort for it. I interviewed people who work in
NGOs with trafficked victims and with people who work as sex workers. Read and
inform myself as much as possible about every topic I will discuss in the book.

 

Which
was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

    –    The hardest was probably Laura. Since
I wanted (I hope I made it) to show her as a strong          woman who could move
forward despite moments of sorrow, I hope it can lead young girl readers to
stay strong.

–           The easiest was Santiago. When I came
up with the idea, I knew exactly how I wanted him to be.

Where
do you get inspiration for your stories?

–       
From my own travel. The more I travel, the more
stories and ideas come to me.

 

There
are many books out there about travel. What makes yours different?

–       
My book combines traveling with social issues
affecting our cities and where a traveler can potentially make a big
difference. And it is also directed to a younger audience.

 

What
advice would you give budding writers?

–       
If you don’t know how to write a book and you want.
Start writing your idea as if you were talking with yourself; explain and try
to convince yourself of what you write. On the way, your creativity will be
unleashed. And read, read books; if you know what type of book you want to
write, make sure you find excellent examples. And last, get involved in writing
groups and get to know fellow writers who support each other. Prepare yourself
for it.

 

If you
could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

–       
I could see myself as Adyn, the character that
plays in chapters 7 through 9.

 

Do you
have another profession besides writing?

–       
Yes, I am a medical doctor; I work in internal
medicine and emergency medicine in Germany, where I’ve lived for the last seven
years. It happens that I love both traveling and writing combined. I want to
establish myself now as a writer.

 

How
long have you been writing?

–       
Continuously since 2016.

 

What is
your next project?

–       
I am already working on the second part of
Santiago. I am building the story arc of a family saga – more of a local story
in Panama, fiction, but as always inspired by real-life stories. But probably
the most significant project is to travel west and south of Africa and write a
story about my connection as Latinamerican to Africa. That would be my first
non-fiction book.

 

What
genre do you write in and why?

–       
Fiction mostly! Because it allows me to do more,
say more, and express more. I also love coming-of-age books because they can
teach, inspire, or give a lesson. I am convinced that the generation of the 80s
and 90s is our future. They are the ones who can make changes in our society.

–       
 

What is
the last great book you’ve read?

–       
The last great book I read was Pachinko von Min Jin
Lee. I loved it!

 

What is
a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

–       
That my writing reaches readers’ hearts!

 

How are
you similar to or different from your lead character?

We both love traveling and have a strong desire to see the
world but also to do good!

 

What
were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?

–       
The most significant rewards were:

●       
The learning.

●       
Knowing that I could do it.

●       
All the people I got to meet and be in touch with
during all these years.

The challenges? Probably was the
time since I had some demanding schedules at work and sometimes a little free
time where I also had to study. With a lot of work, it somehow worked.

 

In one
sentence, what was the road to publishing like?

–       
Tough, very tough, and lonely sometimes.

 

What is
one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?

–       
To sit and write and believe you can do it,
everybody has the potential to do it. It would help if you also have patience.

What is
something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?

–       
The scene when Santiago sold his old car to get
more funds for his travel.

  

If
there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

–       
That my books are fun, but they also left them with
a message that they could put into action at some point in their lives. Be more
empathetic to other cultures, especially the ones different than them.

 

What is
something you’ve learned about yourself during the pandemic?

–       
Patience! That I need more patience!

 

Tell us
about your longest friendship.

–        My older
sister! She has been there like a guardian since day one! Helping me through
all my challenges, dreams, wishes, and all!

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of his book, Eduardo is giving away a copy of the book and a $10 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky person from 7/19 through 8/2/22 at 11:59 pm EST. Please note that entries will be verified.