About the Author - Acerca de yo

Brian Lloyd French was born in Eastern Canada and studied English Literature at the University of New Brunswick and generally interacted quite well with some much smarter people. He was previously a columnist for one of Canada's largest circulation newspapers. He reports that he tried soldiering, but that just proved that he was a bad shot and had a slight problem with authority. He lives in Toronto Beaches with the most beautiful and wonderful friend and lover in the world and her two terrific kids. One of whom is already a better writer than he is. He's 15. The Cuban people and places in Mojito! are all real and were experienced over a decade during his visits there. But their fictional existence doesn't necessary match their realities. He is member of "Crime Writers of Canada". 
Since completing "Mojito" he has been working on a new one and is at about 68,000 words working toward 100k. Its title is "Tintamarre" and it follows an Acadian family in Nova Scotia from 1749 to 1760 and includes they heartbreak of their being deported to South Carolina. It is a tragic but inspiring thriller with romance in the midst of turmoil with plenty of severe violence. It's like "Gone with the Wind" but with a French accent. He has discovered that to write one page of historical fiction, you have to read fifty...
He says, if he has accomplished anything with Mojito, he hopes it is that he has portrayed Cuba and Cubans fairly and as they are and have captured their bravery, culture and sense of humor. He hopes this book is seen as much (or more) a story of the place and the people, and their customs and lifestyles as it is a book about adventure, suspense and politics.    

On Writing Mojito!

"My main credentials for writing “Mojito” come from my experience with Cubans. The sights and scenes of the novel are from first hand visits. The characters exist and I know them well, but not necessarily in their Mojito personae. 
"I’ve travelled there regularly for the last 10 years and have not spent my time on resorts but with Cubans – most with a story to tell and many with nefarious means of getting around the Castros’ rules. Some are dangerous. And my contacts with Cuban exiles in the US have educated me on the complicated politics that exist with the place as well as with some great vignettes to add to the plot. I’ve even interviewed a Bay of Pigs veteran.
"Mojito reveals some stories about the Castros that have not been told before and Cuban politics are gathering as much attention now as it has at any time in the past. This is a great time for “Mojito”. "

Yoani Sanchez and Me

I met Yoani Sanchez. I felt like a putz and a little kid when I met this tiny, skinny waif of a Cuban Hero...
I was among the first international bloggers to share her message with the world and she was appreciative of the efforts of me and others. She should win a Nobel Peace Prize, but I expect the politics are against that.