The Journal – Issue No. 2

THE ERIC VALDESPINO JOURNAL

Eric’s Insight Into His Writing

Where Stories Begin as Questions
Issue No. 2

A Letter from Eric

The Star Child tells the remarkable story of five-year-old Abe Cohen, a child born with an extraordinary mind and knowledge that defies everything we believe about human consciousness. As his astonishing abilities attract the attention of academics, scientists, religious leaders, and the media, Abe becomes the center of a mystery that challenges the boundaries of science, faith, and human understanding.

More than a speculative novel, The Star Child is a thought-provoking exploration of fear, compassion, and society’s response to those who are profoundly different. It asks a timeless question: What if the impossible were standing right in front of us—and we simply refused to believe it?

Warmest regards,

Author | The Eric Valdespino Ambassador Program

Every novel I write begins with a question, and The Star Child is no exception.

I found myself asking a simple but unsettling question: What if a child entered our world possessing knowledge that no education, experience, or scientific explanation could account for? Would we celebrate such a child as a miracle? Would we fear him as a threat? Or would we spend our lives searching for an explanation that allowed us to preserve our understanding of reality?

That single question inspired Abe Cohen’s story—and an exploration of consciousness, memory, identity, and the possibility that the human mind may be far more mysterious than we had imagined.

Abe and his faithful companion, Leo, drew inspiration from countless conversations and observations of people who move through life accepting the world as it appears, rarely questioning whether human consciousness might be more than we currently understand. We often mistake familiarity for truth. Yet history reminds us that many of humanity’s greatest discoveries were once dismissed as impossible.

Abe is only five years old, but he views the world through a perspective untouched by convention. His innocence lets him ask questions most adults have forgotten how to ask. Through his eyes, I wanted readers to rediscover a sense of wonder and to consider the possibility that consciousness, memory, and identity may extend far beyond what we can measure.

Leo represents something equally important. Animals do not judge intelligence, status, or belief. They respond to trust, kindness, and truth. Throughout the story, Leo becomes a quiet reminder that understanding often begins with acceptance rather than explanation.

At its heart, The Star Child is not simply a story about an extraordinary child. It is a story about humanity’s response to the unknown. It explores how fear, curiosity, faith, science, and compassion collide whenever we encounter something that refuses to fit within the limits of our current understanding.

My hope is that long after you finish the final page, you will find yourself asking the same question that inspired me to write the novel:

“What if being human is far more extraordinary than we have ever imagined?”

What are your thoughts?

Research Notebook

One of the questions I’m asked most often is, “Where do your ideas come from?” The answer surprises many people.

Although I write speculative fiction, my imagination is grounded in science, careful observation, and a lifelong curiosity about the natural world. My professional career has focused on research, engineering, and the development of new technologies.

Years spent solving practical problems taught me to question assumptions, recognize patterns, and ask one simple question before accepting conventional wisdom:

What if we’ve overlooked something?

That same philosophy guides every novel I write. I rarely begin with a character or an action scene. Instead, I begin with an idea—one that appears impossible, misunderstood, or simply unexplored. From there, I examine it through the lenses of science, philosophy, history, psychology, and human behavior, searching for a path that transforms the extraordinary into something that feels not only believable, but possible.

Before writing The Star Child, I spent countless hours exploring questions about consciousness, memory, identity, and what it truly means to be human. Could a child possess knowledge that no education could explain? Is consciousness confined to the brain, or is there more to our existence than we currently understand? These questions became the foundation of Abe Cohen’s story.

I have never believed that science and imagination exist in opposition. The greatest discoveries often begin as questions that seem impossible—until someone dares to investigate them. My goal has never been to convince readers that my stories are true. It is to invite them to consider possibilities they may never have explored and to leave them wondering whether the boundaries of human understanding are broader than we imagine.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Eric Valdespino
Author | The Eric Valdespino Ambassador Program

What are your thoughts?

Question for Our Ambassadors

I created the Eric Valdespino Ambassador Program to build more than a community of readers. I wanted to create a space where thoughtful questions could spark meaningful conversations.

Every novel begins with a question. Sometimes that question comes from science, sometimes from history, and sometimes from a simple observation about human nature. Whatever its source, curiosity has always been the starting point of every story I’ve written.

Now I’d like to turn that conversation over to you.

What would you like to know?

Perhaps you’re curious about one of my novels, a character, a scientific concept, the research behind a story, or the writing process itself. You may have questions about consciousness, artificial intelligence, human behavior, or the ideas that inspired books such as The Star Child, The Listeners, or Marium’s Ivory Box.

No question is too small or too ambitious.

Beginning with future editions of The Eric Valdespino Journal, I’ll select questions from our Ambassadors and answer them here for everyone to enjoy. Your question may inspire an entirely new discussion—or perhaps even the beginning of another novel.

I look forward to hearing from you.

What would you like to ask?

Thank You

Thank you for taking the time to read this issue of The Eric Valdespino Journal. Your interest in my books and your participation in the Eric Valdespino Ambassador Program mean more than you may realize.

Writing has never been just about telling stories. For me, it has always been a way to explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and ask questions without easy answers. If these pages encourage you to think a little differently or to see the world from a new perspective, then they’ve accomplished exactly what I hoped they would.

As our Ambassador community continues to grow, I encourage you to share your thoughts, your questions, and your perspectives. The most rewarding conversations often begin with a single question.

I’ll continue writing the stories. You continue asking the questions.

Together, we’ll keep exploring.

“The purpose of this community is not to tell readers what to think, but to inspire them to think.”

Thank you for being part of this journey.

With my sincere appreciation,

Eric Valdespino
Author | Founder
The Eric Valdespino Ambassador Program

Coming Next Month

Issue No. 3

Why I Wrote Hunt for the Bad Guys

Hunt for the Bad Guys is more than a novel title—it is a phrase rooted in military culture, representing the relentless pursuit of those who prey on the innocent. But beneath the action and suspense lies a deeper question: What compels ordinary men and women to risk everything for people they have never met?

In next month’s journal, I’ll share the real inspiration behind the novel, the research that shaped its authenticity, and why I wanted to write a story about courage, sacrifice, and the difficult moral choices those who confront evil faces. I’ll also discuss the remarkable bond between military handlers and their K9 partners, and why that relationship became one of the story’s emotional foundations.

Join me next month as we explore the story behind Hunt for the Bad Guys—and the question that inspired it: Why do some people choose to run toward danger when everyone else is running away?