Name: Jeremiah (Miah) Sanchez

Hometown: Loveland, Colorado

Book Title: Parachute Minds: Leap of Fate

Genre: Sci-Fi/Adventure

Dorrance Publishing (DP): Describe your book in 10 words or less.

Jeremiah Sanchez (JS): An exploration beyond the unknown through biological light travel.

DP: What made you want to write your book?

JS: I’ve long been fascinated by the explorers of old, who looked across the horizon and braved the unknown by venturing where no one else dared. That was real. That was visceral. And, in our modern world, it’s something that no longer exists. We’ve mapped out the globe. Adventure has been whittled down to tourism. As the adventurers we innately are, we’ve begun exploring into our solar system, which is incredible! But it’s slow.

Obsessing over these floating details, I remember I was staring at a beam of light breaking through a window, marveling at the intricacies too small for me to see or understand. In a moment of unexpected inspiration, I remember wondering what possible properties of light are yet to be discovered. We’re always learning more of the scientific workings around us. So, the first “what if” of many in my “Parachute Minds” adventure hit me: What if light had elasticity properties? And furthermore, what if we could biologically harness it and leap impossible distances at amplified light speed? From there, the book flew out of me, and I’m currently working on the fourth installment.

DP: How long did it take you to write your book?

JS: The first book took about half a year.

DP: How do you choose the names of your characters?

JS: My main protagonist, Gideon, is a name that has been on my heart since I was in my teens and one of my friends randomly asked me, “Hey, if you ever have a son, what would you name him?” The name “Gideon” hit me out of nowhere. I thought it sounded trustworthy and adventurous. Like, “Hey, mom, can I go over to Gideon’s house?” Who would say no to that? His name was ready before the story even existed.

My second of three protagonists, Traveler, is the representing embodiment of the call to action in the book. While I do have a first name for him, I wanted him shrouded in purpose. He is an observer, a recruiter, and a traveler, and he prefers title over birth name. And lastly, Dumakleiza, my third primary protagonist, was pure universal inspiration. I needed a new and unique female character that inspired fear and respect, admiration and wonder, and I spent days going over forced names until “Dumakleiza” just popped in my head. Her name is by far my favorite invented name of the series.

DP: What do you do when you have writer’s block?   

JS: I have a small group of trusted individuals whom I call “my parachute minds.” I have shared the plotline with them, all the way through my planned five books of the series. I’ve insisted upon honest, critical, and creative feedback. Whenever I’m stuck or unsure, their perspectives and guidance have given me fresh eyes and inspiration moving forward. It’s all too easy for us writers to hide away as hermits and covet our art, but one of the best decisions I’ve made on this journey was asking for help from other creative and critical minds along the way.

DP: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

JS: In the first book, my favorite chapter is easily the first. While it has nothing to do with the scope of the story’s plot, it wholly exemplifies the story’s heart. The majority of the book is saturated in epic adventure, mystery, and danger, but the first chapter is a simple view into Gideon’s soul. Exploring his unconditional love for strangers has changed who I am as an author and a person.

DP: If you were stuck on an island and had to have one person from each category with you, who would they be and why:

a. One character from your book:

JS: Ha! Easy! Dumakleiza. She’s a medieval pirate, who’s lived on an island for most of her life, so she’s well versed in fishing, cooking, and survival tactics. And, not to toot my own horn, but she is passionately brimming with confidence, faith, and perceptive intelligence.

b. One fictional character:

JS: Jack Sparrow seems like an easy answer since he’s a master of getting off islands but after thorough consideration, I would say Raymond Reddington from “The Blacklist.” His intelligence, survival prowess, and calm demeanor in dangerous situations, make him an ideal survival buddy. And between James Spader’s captivating voice and Raymond’s poetic darkness, he would be spellbinding to join staring up at uninhibited stars from our isolated beach.

c. One famous person (living or dead):

JS: This one came to me instantaneously. Mark Rober, the NASA engineer turned YouTuber. His vibrant charisma would make him a pleasure to be stuck with, and his ingenuity would make life fun and efficient, and he would be a great teacher to learn from. If I ever made it off the island, I’d have gotten the equivalent of a college education!

DP: Besides writing, what are your other interests?

JS: In all aspects of life, I think of myself as a student (foreshadowing for book #2). I enjoy trying my hand at anything that piques my interest at all, even if I end up proving terrible at it. This year, my business partner and I started a card and board game company, “Alien Architects,” which will be launching soon. Since writing remains my favorite passion, whenever I’m not working on my books, poetry is still my first love. Day to day, I live in the gym, training under strongman influences such as Brian Shaw, Eddie Hall, and others. I’m an independent model and actor, amateur filmmaker, and voice actor. Check back with me tomorrow. I’m always up to something new!

DP: Do you keep a journal?

JS: I’ve always wanted to! However, I tend to put them down and resort to keeping my journal mental.

DP: How did you celebrate the publishing of your book?

JS: By getting to work. I am beyond excited to finally be able to hold a physical copy of my book, but it only makes me want the next steps of this dream even more, and now they’re within reach. I have a YouTube channel, also titled “Parachute Minds,” which discusses subjects similar to those in my books, where I’m promoting the release. And in addition to other promotional work, I’m preparing the second book of the series for publication. Expect more very soon!

DP: If your book was made into a movie, who would play the main characters?

JS: At this point, I would want Gideon played by Dylan O’brien, Dumakleiza played by Zendaya, and Traveler remains a mystery as to who I envision portraying him best. I’m open to suggestions.

DP: What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing?

JS: The freedom. The professionalism, promptness, and guidance, were all ever-present, but at the end of the day, Dorrance ensured that this was my project and that every step met my standards and vision. This resulted in me getting a product I’m truly happy with and proud of.

DP: Five favorite books of all time?

JS: Frank E. Peretti’s “The Oath” inspired me as a young reader. Growing up, I loved the imagination and creativity of Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” and Douglas Adams’ “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” The book that most inspired me while doing research for my own books: “The Future of Humanity” by Michio Kaku still blows my mind! And lastly, while it seems like a lazy answer, my book. When I decided to write “Parachute Minds,” I decided not to tailor it to any audience or demographic beyond myself. I wanted to write the ultimate story I would want to read.

DP: One sentence of advice for other writers:

JS: Create your characters and then let them do whatever they’re going to do.

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