Liano Iuva is a pen name I took recently, being a variation to my own. I'm a Philosophy major from Puerto Rico, but while Spanish is my mother tongue, I don't think it's arrogant for me to say English is henceforth, for all intents and purposes, my first language. Since I read a lot of 18th and 19th century texts, my dialect may be slightly 'off' than what you're normally used to-- Tolkien, Poe, de Sade and Voltaire have been among my most influential teachers. Of course, I'd be lying if I denied the contributions of my contemporary fellows; namely teachers, and most of all, beta readers. It is to you that I truly owe my success. This is why I highly recommend people to actively seek out beta readers and demand the harshest and most constructive criticisms. Trust me, your self-esteem may take a dive; your writing will appear somewhat repulsive; you may even see a certain futility in all of this. In the end, you wouldn't have been better off. Of course, that's merely my opinion. You’re more than welcome—no!—You’d be an object of my eternal gratitude—if you take the time to give me constructive criticism. Tear my writing apart; show me how it’s really done. I dare you. Crucify me in the Forum at the heart of Rome. I need to improve my writing. I may prove to be an eloquent man, but I haven’t the slightest idea of my worth as a writer; it takes more than words, but a plot weaved with the same elegance that permeates our reality. I must craft characters and entire populations, if need be, and like the god Epimetheus needed Prometheus to inspect his work, I need someone to do likewise. I need to know if they lack depth or any tangible reality; if they fall into the vile sin of cliché. A gamer I may be, but I cannot count an extensive library since my hobbies are also vast. My philosophical spirit made me become a dilettante. I read science fiction and fantasy, while I also enjoy literary classics and philosophical texts; I play Real-Time Strategy and Role-Playing games; I write stories and essays, spend a lot of time having discussions with close friends and watch great movies. Time is premium real-estate in my life. I’m planning on writing fiction in the realm of Oblivion or even Fallout simply due to the freedom it provides. I might even get around to doing a few pieces on Final Fantasy XI or XIV, but I can’t make any promises. |
White and Black by Zerbinetta reviews