What does Blue Jeans think of artificial intelligence and the streaming adaptation of its books?

“They always treat me very well in Peru, it is like my second home” is the first thing that the Spanish writer Francisco de Paula, better known by his pseudonym, tells us blue jean. His arrival in Lima occurs amid the expectation for the International Book Fair (FIL) and the excitement increases when he knows that he will meet his Peruvian followers, whom he approached for the first time more than ten years ago, in 2012. However, all this journey for the author would not have been possible if, around 15 years ago, he had not left his career as a journalist to dedicate himself completely to building his own path in youth literature.

During his brief stay in the Peruvian capital last week, Blue Jeans spoke with Skip Intro of El Comercio about his most recent publication “Chopin’s Last Melody” (2023), the second part of “Chopin’s Crimes” (2022) with Planeta editorial. The story, according to the author himself, was born on a sleepless night in the middle of 2021. The writer was listening to music and the phrase “Chopin’s crimes” came to mind. At that time, he did not want to wake up his wife Esther, so he sent her a message on Whatsapp with the title and the possible plot for his novel.

“The next morning he woke up and asked me: ‘what is this?’ I told him ‘I think it could be my new novel’. Then I investigated and learned more (about the composer Frédéric Chopin). He was living in Spain, we have been in the statue that he has in Mallorca ”, remember.

This latest installment in biology (continuing Blue Jeans’ trend of moving away from romance and toward suspense) follows the clues to the disappearance of detective Celia Mayo as Triana and Niko try to find her during the recovery of journalist Blanca Sanz; at the same time that more deaths occur in Seville.

“After ‘The Camp’ I wanted to continue with the mystery and start with a story set in Seville, which is my city. So (I created) a few robberies, a mystery, murders, a lot of people who seem suspicious of being the culprit. I think it’s a bilogy that has turned out the way I wanted, and the truth is that I’m happy with the result”, clarified.

Your books in streaming

However, and as we have already mentioned lines above, this is not the first book published by Blue Jeans on paper. In 2009, she launched her first literary series entitled “Canciones para Paula” with “Do you know I love you?” (2009) and “Shut me up with a kiss” (2011). On that occasion, as Francisco tells us, social networks began to become a trend and she saw that it was the perfect opportunity to make herself known.

“I wanted to see if I was able to write something that people like and once ‘Canciones para Paula’ went viral on the internet, a traditional publisher came along and put it on paper. It really is the reader and the publishers that allow you to dedicate yourself to this (being a writer) professionally. As much as you want to be a writer, if you do not have editorial support and the reader on your part, it is impossible ”, assured.

For the year 2012, Blue Jeans published what would become one of his most beloved works by his followers: “Good morning, princess!” The excitement surrounding the story of Valeria, Raúl, Bruno, Ester, María and Elísabet, the members of El Club de los Incomprendidos, caused the author to release three books, two ‘spin-offs’ and, shortly after, a movie.

Directed by Carlos Sedes, the film produced by Atresmedia Cine recruited the Spanish actors Charlotte Vega (“Velvet”), Àlex Maruny (“Sorry if I call you love”), Ivana Baquero (“Demons your eyes”), Michelle Calvó (“ Disappeared”), Jorge Clemente (“Elite”), Andrea Trepat (“Red Queen”) and Patrick Criado (“The paper house”) for the project that hit theaters in 2014. Blue Jeans still fondly remembers that first approach to the film adaptation of books.

“I was still starting on this, so (I was surprised that) they came saying that they want to make the movie of my book. Besides, making a youth film from a Spanish youth book, at that time, was almost a miracle. There were practically no Spanish youth book movies. I lived it very intensely. To the ‘Good morning, princess!’ It favored them because it is in its 30-something edition. To those who didn’t know me (before), as a result of the movie, they got to know the books and it was something intense. It was very nice. The misunderstood club is an important part of my life”, he says between laughs.

But, it was not until 2020 that the entertainment giant Disney became interested in one of its sagas with which it came (even closer) to the suspense genre: “The invisible girl”. In the month of April, and in the midst of the worldwide rise of COVID-19, Blue Jeans announced that the production company had decided to make a series based on the story of Aurora Ríos, a young woman whose death cannot be found responsible. Zoe Stein and Daniel Grao were the actors chosen for this adaptation that had the full approval of the author and has been available on Disney Plus in Spain since February (while Latin America can see it via Star Plus since March).

“Everything that is extras from the books is one more life (to the story). Readers like the books they read to then appear on the screen. It has been a very intense experience, I have lived this one more than the previous one, because The producer has taken me into account to be informed of everything. I read the first version of the script, we had several meetings. Also, Disney came to me, who knew? The ‘Invisible Girl’ project turned out very nice, I’m satisfied. I have let the scriptwriters, the directors, the actors work. I think they are the professionals in the audiovisual world, they are the ones who have to make the decisions, I write the books”he clarified.

Thanks to these couple of experiences, Blue Jeans has formed an honest and concrete opinion of how a film or television adaptation of a book should really be viewed.. This is what it tells us:

“You don’t have to be afraid, you have to trust when people are professional (…) They have to know that a novel is not the same as a series. I always give the advice that, when they see an inspired series or movie in a book, don’t think about the book all the time because then comes the phrase ‘it disappointed me’ or ‘this is not the same’. I think ‘The invisible girl’ is a good series”.

Francis of Paula Spanish writer

artificial intelligence in literature

On the other hand, it was inevitable to consult Francisco de Paula about the evolution of technology and the possibility that artificial intelligence (AI) will replace writers in the future. It’s not strange to think of the possibility, seeing that servers like ChatGTP do comprehensive reports for students.

In this regard, the Spanish writer says that, essentially, the interference of AI in literature will depend “on the ethics of the writer and the ethics of the editor”. “Right now artificial intelligence is not developed, it can be identified when a story is written by a person and when it is done by a machine”highlight.

However, Blue Jeans knows that, at some point, we will be in that situation. “So, it’s going to depend on what the publisher decides. It will have to be reduced, legalized, studied well (AI); as well as what can or cannot be done in the world of books. It will depend a lot on the editor as well as the writer. Also (I imagine) there will be contracts in which there will be a clause in which both agree that the published text will not be prepared by artificial intelligence and there will be methods to identify it. But hey, it is beginning and we are going to see what future it has “ended.

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