About the Book
- HollyBuzz: Can you give us a brief overview of your new sci-fi thriller book?
Cezar: “Against the World” is about a big family business, along with some powerful politicians, who find a way to control or privatize the afterlife, or the idea of paradise, using a huge software located in a massive building. People “live” a perfect life there, but their souls or spirits can’t move on to other levels of spirituality or any place defined by religions. One day, some creatures I call Angels come to Earth to destroy this system. At first, it seemed to benefit the planet, but it was actually used to control the population and practice corruption.
- HollyBuzz: What inspired the plot of your sci-fi thriller? Was there a specific event or idea that sparked it?
Cezar: I’ve always been fascinated by how a small group of people can influence a large society. We see this in the history of The Founding Fathers in early America and Lenin’s gang in Russia. Some had good intentions, others bad, but these small groups influenced huge countries. In my book, I explore how a small group of people manages to influence not just societies around the world but the universe as well.
- HollyBuzz: Who are the main characters, and what drives them in the story?
Cezar: The main character is Antony Sims, a rich guy and heir to Sims Corp, the corporation that controls a system called Cloud, which stores people’s consciousness after death. Another character is Glenda Jackson, a simple woman who just wanted to live with her family, but her plans were destroyed by a member of Sims Corp. Despite being rich and super intelligent, Antony can’t stand the corruption and bad intentions of his family to gain more power. For him, power and money are useless if they can’t help society. So, he plans a crazy idea with Glenda’s help to save the world and his family. Another character I loved creating is Muriel. She’s a determined Angel who initially seems to just want to destroy Sims Corp, but she really wants humanity to change on its own and realize that Cloud is a bad idea for Earth and the universe.
- HollyBuzz: What sets your sci-fi thriller apart from others in the genre?
Cezar: Even though I mix sci-fi and fantasy, I loved including quotes about facing family relationship problems and how current policies influence people’s decisions. I want readers to see things in my book and think, “Hmm… I saw that in my neighborhood… at my family reunion… on the TV news.”
- HollyBuzz: Can you share any surprising twists or turns that readers can look forward to?
Cezar: Of course not… hahaha… but I guarantee that Antony’s existence and his real relationship with his family, especially his grandfather Allan Sims, the inventor of Cloud, will bring great surprises.
- HollyBuzz: Is there a central theme or message you hope readers take away from your book?
Cezar: I want readers of this story to face their lives as they are, with all their difficulties and challenges, without relying on some government or corporation offering a “magic solution” to their problems. Also, I want people to respect all religions. For me, no religion can explain everything, but they can help us a lot and are our best options.
- HollyBuzz: Did you conduct any special research for the book? If so, what did that entail?
Cezar: Nothing very special. As I wrote, I included ideas I had accumulated over my years of study. One year I studied Buddhism a lot, another year politics, and another year I read a lot about motivation. The only special research I did was on some places in Paris, Germany, and some cities in the USA, where the story takes place and places I’ve never visited before.
About the Writing Process
- HollyBuzz: What is your writing process like for a sci-fi thriller? Do you plot everything out in advance or write more spontaneously?
Cezar: In my head, everything happens pretty naturally, especially when I’m in front of the computer. I usually have an idea of how things might start and end. One of my techniques is to imagine two completely different things coming together, like in “Against the World.” I pictured a battle between angels and robots, and the story just flowed easily in my mind. A few days ago, I imagined a battle between dinosaurs and aliens, but it’s better to save that idea for later.
- HollyBuzz: How do you keep the suspense and tension high throughout the book?
Cezar: First, I make the reader get attached to the main characters by highlighting their personalities and dramas. Then, little by little, through dialogue and situations, I show that these characters aren’t what the reader thought, revealing their secrets at the end. Another technique I use is a kind of countdown. In “Against the World,” there’s a great battle coming, and throughout the story, I build up the anticipation that this battle will be epic and terrible.
- HollyBuzz: What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
Cezar: For me, it’s all about patience, taking a deep breath, and rereading the pages many times. The whole story is complete in my head, so it’s easy for me to write quickly and forget to explain some details to the reader. I’m always focused on bringing the reader into the story, explaining what’s happening in the scene, and showing the feelings surrounding each situation.
- HollyBuzz: Do you have any specific routines or rituals when writing sci-fi thrillers?
Cezar: When I have a free day to write, I wake up early, sit in front of the computer, and write until night when I go to sleep. I only break this rhythm to eat or have a black coffee. Most people don’t know that an author’s routine is lonely and sometimes depressing, but it’s also full of ideas “exploding” in their mind.
- HollyBuzz: How do you develop your characters, especially the antagonists in a sci-fi thriller?
Cezar: I developed it through an exercise of imagination. When I create a character, I imagine myself as them. I picture myself as evil, sad, calm, nervous, good, fearful, courageous, etc. This is the power of being an author, imagining yourself in different personalities. I also like to be inspired by movie characters with completely different personalities from mine. For antagonists, I think a lot about their objectives and survival instinct because, to me, antagonists or villains have a powerful survival instinct that overrides everyone and everything.
- HollyBuzz: Were there any particular scenes or moments in the book that were especially difficult to write?
For me, the action scenes were the hardest to write. As I said before, my main concern is making the reader feel the moment of the scene, feel that the character they like is in danger. Every time I finished writing an action scene, I felt tired, as if I had actually participated in the scene.
Personal Insights and Inspirations
- HollyBuzz: What drew you to the sci-fi thriller genre?
Cezar: A science fiction thriller is the best opportunity to create ideas that break the limits of imagination. It’s also a great way to tell stories that criticize situations and problems in our society today. If someone disagrees with my point of view, I can just say, “Hey, calm down, it’s just a science fiction story.” The freedom to play with my ideas attracted me to this genre.
- HollyBuzz: Are there any sci-fi thriller authors or books that have influenced your writing style?
Cezar: Dan Brown and Michael Crichton are authors whose storytelling I love. Their descriptions of action scenes and explanations about science really drew me in. I’m also very inspired by Alan Moore and George Orwell when it comes to describing characters’ personalities and their relationships with the society they live in.
- HollyBuzz: How do you handle writer’s block, especially when crafting a suspenseful narrative?
Cezar: I’ve never had writer’s block. The story happens when it should happen. If it doesn’t, I’ll create another one.
- HollyBuzz: What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write sci-fi thrillers?
Cezar: Don’t be afraid to write. If you want to write about love, write. If you want to criticize society, write. Also, get into the habit of writing every week. I didn’t have the habit of writing or reading when I was a teenager. I developed it when I started attending university because the classes encouraged me to write and read every day. Watch movies and read books that you like, and when you decide to write science fiction, you can blend different things like I did in “Against the World.” But that’s not the only technique. The true technique comes from your heart.
- HollyBuzz: What do you enjoy most about writing sci-fi thrillers?
Cezar: The freedom to write what I really want to write and convey a good message to readers.
Future Projects and Final Thoughts
- HollyBuzz: Are you working on any new projects now? Can you give us a hint about what’s next?
Cezar: I’m starting a new book called “Next rEvolution”, (the name is correct) where I’ll explore the relationship between new technologies like AI and the religiosity of people. It’s like AI takes on a life of its own and wants to replace the idea of God in society.
- HollyBuzz: How do you see the sci-fi thriller genre evolving, and where do you see your work fitting into that evolution?
Cezar: I’m really optimistic about science fiction these days. We can see its evolution in movies. Classics like “Jurassic Park”, “Dune”, and “Blade Runner” always come back. Superhero films always bring a bit of science fiction into their stories, and so do action films. For example, look at the latest “Mission: Impossible” (Dead Reckoning Part One); one of the enemies in that film is “pure science fiction.”
- HollyBuzz: What has been the most rewarding part of your journey as a sci-fi thriller author?
Cezar: It’s seeing what was only in my imagination come to life. It doesn’t matter if it’s in words or illustrations. Ideas are worthless if they stay in our minds. They need to take shape and be shown to everyone. It requires time, desire, money, and sacrifice, but it’s very rewarding.
- HollyBuzz: How do you engage with your readers, and what kind of feedback are you hoping that you receive from your readers?
Cezar: I’m free to interact with them on social media. Negative and especially positive opinions about my work are very welcome.
- HollyBuzz: Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers about your new book or your experiences as an author?
Cezar: Regarding my new book, I just want readers to enjoy the story and have a good experience. About my experience as an author, I can say to others: “Be careful to understand what is happening to society today.” That phrase is always on my mind when I’m writing. Everyone can see from the news and social media that the world isn’t moving forward naturally. So, believe in what your eyes see and what your heart feels. Study, read, connect different opinions, and don’t let people with bad intentions choose what you
You can purchase Cezar’s new book on Amazon.
