I am often asked about the how behind my work. Surprisingly, with The Marién Revelation I am being asked the why. The how has a simple answer and it applies to all my work, persistence. I don’t believe in writer’s block though I do have moments in which I sit at the computer and have no idea in which direction I will go. Usually, those moments allow me to edit and to revisit my progress. By the time I am done with the revision, I have a clear idea of where I am headed.

The Marién Revelation was particularly enjoyable to write. Especially the chapters focusing on Mary, where I have amalgamated Ancient Scripture with my own voice. In writing these chapters I let myself be guided by the power of prayer, asking each morning to be lead in the right direction. Every day, I cleared my mind of distracting thoughts and surrounded myself with good energy. I asked to be given the ability to listen, to tune into the voices of characters that, two thousand years after their existence, are very much present.

In the case of Mary, my research helped me learn that much of what we know about her is a result of speculation conceived over many centuries to serve particular points of view. For me, it became necessary to explore her world without the distortion of modern Christianity. Sometimes I had a vague idea of the direction I would take. Other times, I let biblical text inspire me as I opened the Bible and randomly selected a quote for inspiration. It was in these moments of intense reflection that Mary spoke to me, not as the manufactured icon we have inherited in our western hemisphere, but as a vibrant young woman, torn between duty and personal ambition. It was her voice that became my own revelation.

Trying to answer the why of a particular work is a bit more difficult. The first time I was asked this question about The Marién Revelation I was not expecting it. I was doing the last conciliatory edit between the English and Spanish versions and had not yet put myself in a promotional frame of mind. I was at a benefit for Studio@620 in Saint Petersburg, Florida, having a conversation with none other than Alexander Payne, yes, the Academy Award Winner of Sideways. My answer was “Because it is the novel that I was born to write.”

I understand that I have written a book that may cause controversy as it goes to the core of our Christian beliefs. I hope, however, to engage in an intelligent conversation about the book. My belief system, in any area, has been formed through dedicated bibliographical investigation. I’ve never been a follower nor do I accept absolutes based on tradition. Tradition is a double-edge sword. If it unites us because of our commonalities with a group of people, it also preserves ideas that may not be time appropriate. My intentions have never been to impose my own belief system upon another, rather to provoke curiosity and instigate my readers’ own quest.

Am I political? Absolutely. I am an advocate for human equality. I’m a soldier against ignorance and indifference. In a time in which loud voices of hate are projected though the media, I have a moral responsibility, weak as it may be, to use mine to defend my family, to claim for them the same protection under the law that any other person enjoys. As an artist, these principles are reflected in my work. If I have outed myself as a skeptic of organized religion, I should also clarify my deep commitment to spirituality, to the two commandments Christ left us, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… And you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (MT 22:36).

These values, in my perspective, have been lost in many churches, where the agenda seems to focus on the judgment and condemnation of others. You simply have to listen to the immoral comments made by Pat Robison and Rush Limbaugh after the Haiti tragedy to realize the climate of intolerance being cultivated among many Christians. At the end of the day, I f I can touch at least one person with my work, The Marién Revelation has been worth the effort.