Eric Volz graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Latin American Studies in 2005. Born of a Mexican mother and fluent in Spanish, he moved to Nicaragua in 2006 and started a magazine called El Puente (“The Bridge”).

During his year-long incarceration, Eric kept a diary that forms the foundation of this book. Lobbying for his release, his friends and family shared updates on his situation on MySpace, YouTube, and through their website FriendsofEricVolz.com. Upon his release Eric was able to tell his own story on major US media, including the New York Times, “The Today Show,” CNN’s Anderson Cooper’s “AC360,” and Spanish-language channels Univision and Telemundo.

Please visit www.gringonightmare.com



GRINGO NIGHTMARE
St. Martin’s Press, May 2010
Genre: Current Events & Politics
Agent: Faith Hamlin

“[A] near-perfect frameup involving murder, tabloid headlines, police corruption, and political power plays…scalding”—Publishers Weekly

In Nicaragua, 2006, Eric Volz was falsely accused of murdering his Nicaraguan ex-girlfriend. He was imprisoned for over a year for a crime he did not commit. A victim of rampant political corruption, Volz became a media sensation and a pawn in an international game. He was eventually released through diplomatic intervention at the highest levels.

This dramatic firsthand account enters the political intrigue of corrupt courts and complex international relations. Volz’s story ultimately highlights the power of political activism, as his community effectively rallied the general public and the government to support and obtain his release.