Max G. Flat gave me the chance to explain why I am so interested in your opinion to decide the future of my publishing activity. it was in an interview on his Blog (in Spanish) that I have translated with his kind permission to share it here.   

Invitación a dialogar… / an invitation to start a dialogue

A few days ago I saw a video on Facebook of Georgina asking her friends to help her decide the future of her publishing activity. She also referred to our project “Under The Music Tree”, and I thought I owed her this interview.

Max. Georgina, I see you a little bit pressed to choose between books, videos… is it so important to get right with the media? Are not they all worth? To me, you know that books still are my favorite, an actual need, even though I like this screen more and more, as it allows me to stay connected with my grandchildren …

Georgina. Well, I agree that all media are valid today because we are living together individuals from different generations with different backgrounds, education, and customs. In general, everything is valid for me: each medium has its virtues, and I am not interested in that debate of whether one is “better” than another. Actually, I think it’s not interesting to fight over whether a book is better than a video, a video game or the latest fashion app. The technological advances fascinate us so much that it is easy to let go and forget the essential, what we want to tell…

Max. So why do you insist that we help you choose between books, videos …? Why can’t  we start editing my stories with your illustrations as books?

Georgina. Well, there are two main reasons. The first and very practical reason is that until now I have faced my mission alone, and I do not have the capacity or the financial limits to edit in different formats: I am an author willing to edit, but I have to choose as the day has 24 hours! The second reason is more important: it’s about what I have to tell, and I want to be heard. I actually need to have someone willing to listen, to receive my invitation. That is why, if I have to choose the best way to reach those who have so far offered their attention to me, it’s time for them to give their opinion and help me choose. In fact, could you leave in your Blog a link to the survey I have on Facebook? It’s just a question, maybe some of your readers will be encouraged to answer

The future of the tales by Georgina and Mirlo?

Max. There I leave it, of course, although I do not know if the readers will feel like participating. My grandchildren and my recent readings tell me about the future of Humanity, the customs of “the people”, the future of “society”, to know “the audience”, the “public” reaction. And everything is measured in numbers, statistics, “data” … However, I can not help feeling that the individual in those generics is lost, and loses all interest in participating because there is already someone who deals with offering you what you want according to their “profile”.

Georgina. That’s right, and the more you look like your profile, the less you look like yourself. For a long time, that profile was the profile of a consumer, a listener, a spectator… in the hands of the producer, who dominated the media. For long time authors and readers have been in the hands of the indispensable publishers, today we can communicate directly. It does not escape me that we retain this dependence on the new intermediaries, Facebook, YouTube … It is the servitude of our times, a servitude for me much more bearable, however, a servitude that technology will maybe ease some day.

Georgina García-Mauriño’s Facebook page 

Max. Here above I’m leaving a link to your Facebook page where any reader can see that what you say does not stay in words. But do you think that this will help the works of artists, creators, writers, musicians, etc., what you call “the message”, to better reach that reader, listener…

Georgina. Well, communication will certainly be easier and more natural, and even more: together we can create new works. The network is already full of content created by people who were never considered authors, but part of the audience. The concept of ‘author’, artist, is in crisis. I myself would like to count on those who believe in the power of the best music to enrich OUR message. I wrote my stories, but they only come to life, they only truly ARE when someone reads them and makes them their own. The interest of any human work doesn’t reside on who is the author, but instead in the message it carries. In the case of a work of Art, the message should hopefully be the excellent communication of a Human experience.

Max. I think we should not extend this blog entry. Let’s leave it here hoping these lines will get the readers be interested in participating in your projects, in entering your office and commenting with you.

See you soon, my friends!