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| Eric B. Maldonado |
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Tell your readers a little about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now, where you went to school etc. Let them get to know the personal you.
Detroit, Michigan is where it all started; the place I was born and raised. Being born there, I never realized that I lived in the ghetto. The run-down city and neighborhoods, at the time, seemed normal to me. It was home. In my mind, the safest place in the world; gunshots, gangs, garbage, and all.
My mother, raising twins on her own, thought it prudent to send us to The Academy of the Americas, a private school when we were young. This didn't last long, we were veracious trouble makers. The school kicked us out and we bounced around to a couple of schools after that--until we landed at South River Elementary School in Harrison Township. Here I would have the privilege to go to school far from the ghetto of Detroit. Also, to somehow be blessed as the only student to be in both remedial classes and classes for the gifted, simultaneously.
Fifth grade, at the ripe old age of ten years, is when I tested out of both elementary school, and middle and high school and straight into college. That was at least what the school system wanted. They offered me a full-ride pre-collegiate scholarship to the University of Michigan because of my test scores--apparently well above the standard. In university at the age of ten, going on eleven--it sounded crazy.
After the summer and some long consideration, my parents finally asked me if I wanted to move and go to college in Ann Arbor, a place where we had no family and that was far too expensive to house me, as the university did not offer room and board for me (a minor), and my answer was what most ten year old kids answer would have been, l said, "No". To be specific, my answer was, "well, all my friends are here, so I would rather stay." My parents weren't sure if they should be relieved or disappointed.
Life continued full steam ahead, through puberty, middle school, adolescence and all. High School was a bit more turbulent a time than the years that came before and I was once again blessed to be in remedial and gifted classes the whole way through. In my Junior year I had skipped so many classes and bailed on so much homework, that I would need straight 'A's all through my senior year to earn a hope of graduating.
It wasn't that I lacked mental acuity or intelligence, mostly I was just lazy, school didn't challenge me and... well I hated school... As a matter of fact, the first words that came out of my mouth after my first day in first grade, when my mother came to pick us up from school were exactly that, "Hi boys, how was your first day?" my mother asked. "I hate school", was my response. Don't get me wrong, I love to learn, but goodness gracious did I hate school.
Finally, my senior year, so what did I do? I attended all my classes and did all my homework; earning the highest grade in every one of my classes. I suppose my motivation was spite. For a lifetime of schooling in a system that couldn't decide whether to call me "gifted" (in the sense that they really meant "special") or just to call me outright stupid--which a few teachers actually did along the way.
Later on, after a few tours overseas in the Navy, Afghanistan, Spain, Senegal Africa, I finally did go to College. A dirt sailor, boots on the ground, with the Navy Seabees (Construction Battalions). After "doing my time" I used the Post 9/11 GI Bill to pay for my schooling. It would provide a stipend for housing and living expenses. My mother put it best when she said, "Of course you would figure out a way to go to college and get paid to do it. That's probably the only way you would do it." She wasn't wrong.
Truth be told, in the beginning, I only went to school because it was my mother's desire that all of her children graduate from college, a sort of proud generational thing I suppose. After everything she did to sacrifice for and endure us, it was the least I could do--even if I wasn't too happy about it. The University of North Alabama would go on to give me, a man now (who hated the institution of school to his core) a Bachelors of Science in Communications.
Through all of this, and so many other adventures, misadventures, fortunes and misfortunes, there was so much in my life that was still missing. Unfulfilled. Empty. My family had its roots in Catholicism, another institution that I had begrudgingly become involved in. Moreso out of obligation to family traditions and culture than anything else.
One day I decided to seek out truth for myself. Afterall, I only believed what I had been raised to believe. Told to believe. So I started a journey to search out truth. The truth, I found, was both elusive, and blatantly obvious at the same time. There were so many paths that I had taken, roads I had gone down, in my search for truth. All of them dead ends. All but one.
After suffering a grievous injury, due to falling off of a bridge, I died three days into my hospital stay and by the grace of God, was revived. Once released from the hospital, having a broken hip (in three places) and a broken leg, I couldn't work. Naturally, I lost my job, my wife divorced me, lost my house and was homeless, broke, and broken--physically, emotionally and spiritually. My absolute rock bottom. It was there, in the deepest, lowest and darkest time and place in my life, that I had no place left to look... So I looked up.
However, this didn't happen right away. There was a lot I had learned on my journey to truth. I traveled back to Michigan--to my mother's house and stayed there for a few weeks--until I got back on my feet. Once there, I decided I would continue my journey to truth by doing some research. I had suspicions of some nefarious things happening in global and federal institutions and governments, so I set out to "follow the money" so to speak.
What I found is what I testify of in the introduction of my book. This discovery was ultimately what led me to that one truth. The one, incontrovertible, indomitable, undeniable truth. The truth that led me back to Jesus. Not through Catholicism, not through religion, but through relationship. From this pivotal day and moment, my life was never the same. My world was flipped upside down. Everything changed. I was changed. My transformative journey had begun and it lead first to earning another degree. A Bachelors of Divinity for the Christian Faith. Then, it lead me here. To this interview. To this book. To the V Prophecy.
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What inspired you to author this book?
After seeing life through the light of truth, I developed a love for the truth. This newfound love came with an aversion to deception. I cringe at lies and deceit. It stands out like a stark shadow against the blindingly bright backdrop of what is absolute and undeniable.
No amount of so-called experts, regardless of title or pedigree, could ever again pull the wool over my eyes. No onslaught of propaganda was going to deter me from what was real. After the chaos of covid-19 I realized that the truth had been lost in the shuffle. So much smoke and mirrors had confused the course of truth's straight path that almost the whole world was thrown into a labyrinth vexation.
The water was muddied and someone had to clean up its murky depths. This is a controversy, a dividing catastrophe, that has touched nearly every citizen of earth. Almost everyone in the world who has had breath in their lungs in the last four years has had this one shared experience. That shared global atrocity known as Corona Virus.
What was it? Was it everything they said it was? Was the vaccine safe? What is true? What is false? And most profoundly, most intriguing, could this pestilence and its alleged pharmaceutical cure be found in the annals of Holy Writ and history? The answers are sure to surprise and shock you, and they lie within the pages of "The V Prophecy".
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Where did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
The inspiration for the cover, stark, contrasted, bleak, was from one of the most pertinent and distracting pieces of this pandemic puzzle, masks. Hinting at the silencing of its victims. With one eye exposed in the light and the other hidden from view, it gives off a metaphorical whisper of, hidden in plain sight, or perhaps, to turn a blind eye. Seeing only half the truth, or hiding the other half from view.
Subtle text, nearly camouflaged with the black cover, reveals the words vax and victory. Revealing upfront a dichotomy of possible context. Either the vaccine was the victory, or we have gone from vaccine to victory. Which is it and why does it matter? A crimson V connecting the two words. Perhaps the blood spilt, representing the millions lost. Perhaps the red blood cells, now contaminated with a mysterious injection. Perhaps a hint at the red letters of Scripture that represent the blood of a Redeemer, long forgotten by many in this world. Perhaps, a representation of life as it pertains to the words in the Bible that reveal that life is in the blood.
Only the one who reads to the end will know the truth. The bad news, and the good news that follows.
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Who/What has been the most significant influence on you personally and as a writer?
My faith. Plain and simple.
What were your struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?
Timing was the major obstacle I was faced with when writing and publishing this book. It has very sensitive subject matter and the world was volatile and highly emotional. Sensitive. Releasing it too soon and almost everyone would reject it, or worse, downright hate me.
Release it too late, and no one would care. Not after the emotion died down. Let's face it, we are an impatient, shortsighted, selfish race. Mankind. As soon as what is becomes what was, we move on quickly. It is a part of our nature in these modern times. Yesterday's news, by many standards, already seems like ancient history when today comes around.
My greatest enemy in writing this book was timing. Letting the heat die down, but releasing it before it went cold.
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Tell your readers about your book.
The book is like no other. It seamlessly melds the realities of this world with the truth of scripture and it has the evidence to back up its claims. All cited in the book. The research is deep and the study is profound. Drawing not just from the surface of things, but looking behind the curtains. Diving into even the original Greek and Hebrew of scripture to reveal what has been right there in front of us the whole time and a wonder that no one has seen it till now. A revelation of seismic proportions.
Everything that has happened in the last four years was right there, in the Bible, this whole time. Not only does it shed light into what this was and was not, but it will even reveal what comes next. It is a mixture of scientific and medical peer reviewed research and insight that, believe it or not, ties in effortlessly with prophecy from one of the oldest books of all time. A book that has been the number one best-seller for generations. After reading "The V Prophecy" you just might see why it has and always will top the charts.
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Who is your target audience, and why?
My target audience is everyone that went through Covid. Regardless of beliefs. Regardless of whether they agree or disagree with one another. Regardless of age or station. My aim is to answer the questions that so many people had and still have. My hope is to bring hope and comfort to anyone who has fear or anxiety about the choices they may have made during such uncertain times. This book starts off with some very uncomfortable truth, but it wraps up with a life changing, mind-altering hope and freedom.
If you were going to give one reason for anyone looking at your book to read, why should they buy it?
If I could show you all of the testimonials I have received from people, young and old, from all over the world, about how this book has changed their life, you may think that reason enough. Since I cannot show you here, then I suppose that my one reason would be this: It is the book you never knew you needed and you will never know just how much you needed it, until you have read it to the last page.
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What do you consider your greatest success in life?
Marrying my wife, Sarai and having our daughter, Eleah.
What one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in your genre?
In one word, boldness.
Especially with something so sensitive and especially in the Christian community. The word of God in theology is the absolute foundation of truth and is not to be trifled with. Not one jot or tiddle shall be changed or a single word added or removed. To do such a thing would be a travesty in the field and absolutely condemnable. I would be utterly ostracized and outcast if I were to be found guilty of heresy or falsehood. After excruciating pains and unrelenting diligence, I have assured that no such thing has been done in this book. Everything in the book is true, correct, accurate and provable. Even so, as true as it is, it is still a very bold book to write and publish. Even in my field and genre.
Groundbreaking to say the least.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
My book was helped along with a lot of research and resources. Even so, I could not have found them if I were not looking. What was I looking for? Answers. Answers to questions. Writer's block can happen to the best of us. My advice would be to never stop asking questions. Questions that you may have. Questions that others may have. Questions you might imagine your readers would ask given the chance. Ask questions from different perspectives. Not just your own. Just ask questions.
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What one piece of advice do you have for new authors?
Don't try to do it all at once. Write, rewrite, edit, proofread, edit again, design a cover, add a title, publish, market, promote, distribute. It is a lot. But you can only take it one step at a time. So take a breath, take it one step at a time. Left foot. Right foot. Suddenly, you are there.
What is next for you in your writing career?
God only knows. Truthfully. I have no idea. Now that I have written and published and seen so many enjoy this book and be uplifted and changed by it, I have the itch I suppose. I want to write more. Perhaps a personal testimonial. Perhaps something more like C.S. Lewis, or J.R.R Tolkien. In the realm of Biblical Fantasy and narratives to engage readers of a broader audience. Maybe something not so niche next time.
Tell your readers anything else you want to share.
This book is not for the faint of heart. However, if you have the courage to read it, to stick it out to the end, then you will not be disappointed. It will take you on a journey of edge-of-your-seat, thrilling emotions. It starts off with the bad news, and the second half is the good news. The worse the bad news is, the better the good news will be. I have heard many testimonials about this book. Some people have to take a break halfway. Some find themselves holding their breath. Others pace or bite their nails. In the end, most cry, or shout with joy, sigh relief, or sing hallelujah. It is one of the most thrilling and worthwhile rides of a lifetime... If you're brave enough.
