GRATIS / FREE TIS / FREE - fuerteventura magazine hoy

28
Año IV - Nº 38 - Julio | July | Juli - 2009
ARTE Y CULTURA / ART AND CULTURE / KUNST UND KULTUR
Alberto Vázquez - Figueroa: Novel writer, journalist and cinema producer
«No one will print a book, it costs more
than to buy it»
FMHOY - Silvia Comeche
Novel writer, journalist, cinema producer,...those are
the many adjectives that can define Alberto Vázquez-
Figueroa, the multi-talented man who benefits from a
formidable career. At present, he is enjoying the
success of his latest piece «Saud el leopardo», which,
like the rest of his novels, can be downloaded free
through the internet. To the amazement of the editorial
world, Vázquez-Figueroa confirms that «more get
sold» this way. «Readers can become buyers, buy
buyers rarely become readers», he adds.
He was the first author to offer his books free of
charge, and gives an advice to the edition industry: «It
is absurd that they are not adapting, that they don’t
realise that, like discography and cinema producers
have done before, Internet is not the enemy; it should
be an ally».
In order to put a stop to polemics from the start, the
author from Tenerife says that it is «absurd» to talk
about pirating when it comes to literature. «Nobody is
going to print a book, it would cost more than to buy it
in the shop».
LITERATURE FOR EVERYONE
Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa wants everyone to have the
opportunity to read his books. «Blind people or people
who have bad eyesight cannot read a normal book. I
send it to them by internet and they can print it in large
FOTOS: José Luis Hourcade
Alberto Vázquez - Figueroa: Novel writer, journalist and
cinema producer
writing. For blind people, their computer can translate
it or I send it to them recorded».
The other case is when people can’t afford to buy a
book. «Why not offer it to them?» wonders the prolific
author. «I wrote Tuareg 30 years ago and sold millions
of copies. It has already made its profits, what do I
care if someone reads it free of charge?», he says with
confidence and wisdom gained from experience and
sales figures.
He keeps on looking forward to the future and works
on various projects. His next novel is already finished
and ready to be launched.
«THE WORLD OF VÁZQUEZ-FIGUEROA»
Vázquez-Figueroa’s personality does not go
unnoticed. At present, TC Canarias is preparing his tri-
bute: El mundo de Vázquez-Figueroa. «There are 13
programmes about me, speaking with journalists as if
it was a get-together after diner», he explains. It will
deal with themes that are part of the author’s life such
as diving, the forest, or the desert.
FUTURE PLANS
Other subjects have caught the attention of Vázquez-
Figueroa over the past few years such as reversed osmosis.
It is a system of desalination plant using natural
pressure that according to the inventor will solve
the problem of water shortage at a relatively low cost.
However, after years of investigation and studies
from the Government and the electric companies, the
project has not been applied in Spain. When faced with
this situation, the Spanish author the most read in the
world made a decision: «I have decided to sell it». Once
more remember that, if something slowed down its
development, it is «the interest of businesses».
Now, he has taken a new direction. «I have to go to
Dubai, to the Arab Emirates, to negotiate with them. I
wanted to sell and keep the rights for Spain, but they
want it all. In the end they will make the desalinations
plants and we will have to buy them from the Arabs»
he complains.
«TUAREG» IS SPECIAL
Going back to his speciality, which is literature, the
author has one favourite amongst his 40 novels: Tuareg.
«It is a very good novel that has had worldwide
success and was translated in almost every language»,
he says proudly.
Regarding his undeniable success, Vázquez-Figueroa is
auto-critical and recognises that he has been wrong in
many occasions. «When you write a book you always want
it to be a success, but unfortunately it is not always this
way. We can only really be aware of the quality of the piece
when we look at it from a distance. What is absurd is not
to admit it. No one, not even Cervantes, has only written
good pieces. We learn from our mistakes», he concludes.