Avila, Alexander 1961-

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AVILA, Alexander 1961-

PERSONAL: Born June 6, 1961, in Miami, FL; son of Antonio (a journalist) and Eneida Avila. Ethnicity: "Cuban-American." Education: University of California—Davis, J.D., 1987; California School of Professional Psychology, Ph.D., 1998. Religion: Christian.

ADDRESSES: Offıce—P.O. Box 40, Alhambra, CA 91802. Agent—Sheree Bykofsky, 11 East 47th St., New York, NY 10017. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Law Offices of Alex Avila, owner and attorney in private practice of personal injury and criminal law, 1988-96; LoveTypes International, president, chief executive officer, and seminar presenter, 1998—. Los Angeles Community College District, professor of psychology, 2001—.

AWARDS, HONORS: Toastmaster regional championship award, 1993, in best speaker category.

WRITINGS:

Mystery LoveTypes: How to Solve the Dating Riddle and Unmask the Love of Your Life, Universal Publishing (Alhambra, CA), 1996.

LoveTypes: Discover Your Romantic Style and FindYour Soul Mate, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1999.

The Gift of Shyness: Embrace Your Shy Side and FindYour Soul Mate, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Mastery of the Soul.

SIDELIGHTS: Alexander Avila commented to CA: "My primary motivation for being a writer is to inspire others and help them live to their fullest potential. I believe writing, at its best, is a supremely spiritual act in which writers impart their very essence to help enliven the lives of their readers.

"I am influenced by the prolific and special American writers such as Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Isaac Asimov, and O. Henry, as well as spiritual heroes such as Christ, Mother Teresa, and Gandhi.

"I write the first draft hot, with the fire of passion. I let the words course through my veins and typing fingertips, without interruption or thought. Then, I let the manuscript cool down—I put it away for hours, days, and sometimes weeks, so I can come back to it with a renewed perspective. Finally, I put on my logical, thinking editor's hat as I excise the fat from the bone; that is, editing carefully and precisely. What I have left, I suppose, is the best God-given work I can do.

"My inspiration for writing self-help psychology/spirituality comes from my own quest to find the meaning in life. All of my life I have felt different, somewhat isolated and alone. As I grew older I realized that there were millions of people who also felt the same way—the shy, introverted, deep-thinking people who pondered the meaning of their lives. My words are for these profound and often very caring people, to help them live lives of excellence, love, and connection. That is why I write, and I love it more each day."