User:Orlando81/Orlando Santiago Jr

Orlando Santiago Jr. (born September 13, 1981) is an American author best known for his books Swift Killas, Rogue Accord and The Rake. Santiago was born in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from William Howard Taft Highschool in 1999. In primary school Santiago took an interest in poetry and speech which would later in his life develop into an interest in acting in small time productions. Santiago also took part in drama at school and became the envy of his high school's drama department, an interest that he would later pursue by directing amature video productions on the south side of Chicago Illinois.Other hobbies include world history, writing and playing computer games.

Unique Realities

Unique Realities was created by Orlando Santiago Jr. and his best friend Brandon McGruder in 1994 while the two were creating new story lines for a comic book. Orlando Santiago Jr., having written multiple stories in the past began researching names to start his own company and with his best friend the two began putting names together that would entice people to read the stories they were creating. After a short while they came to the conclusion that Unique Realities would fit perfectly. Years, and many short story ideas, later Brandon ventured out to be more productive in other areas of his life.

The first books from Unique Realities

           In 2004 Orlando Santiago Jr. released his first book Swift Killas which was picked up by Booksurge.com and later bought by Amazon.com. Swift Killas was to be the flagship that would bring Unique Realities to the world. While Swift Killas became an underground hit Orlando Santiago Jr. teamed up with his younger brother, Eric, to do a science fiction trilogy called Alone: Stage One in 2005. Due to poor marketing by Eric the book failed selling an estimated fourteen copies. 
           In 2006 Orlando Santiago Jr. began working with Utah poet Tiare Tuairau to create a poetry anthology titled Unchained. Afterward Tiare Tuairau branched off and created When the Quiet Screams and Orlando Santiago Jr. took the opportunity to work on another project. Though the fans wanted another Swift Killas story and a volume two to Unchained Orlando took a year off to contemplate writing another story altogether. 
           In 2008 after a near fatal accident Orlando Santiago Jr. returned with Petals of Rose, a romance loosely based on his dear friend Rose Eloriaga Aikins. Sales went through the roof, making Petals of Rose an instant hit. Petals of Rose also included a cross over where the main character from Swift Killas made a surprise appearance which is said to have helped boost sales. 
           Under pressure to create another Swift Killas book Orlando Santiago Jr. consulted with two friends on the matter. Maryam E. Sousan, whom was written in as the female love interest in his first book and Fye Sousan,(No relation) who became a fan after having been stuck in a hospital. Both said that they would love to see a sequel to Swift Killas. In 2009 Orlando released Swift Killas: Vengeance and later that year The Rake.

The Unique Models

           Since his first book Swift Killas, every book ever written by Orlando Santiago Jr. although published through different publishers, has always been under Unique Realities. Unique Realities has also used models to promote the books, their first model called ‘Unique’ was a drawing done by Brandon McGruder for Swift Killas and Swift Killas: Vengeance. Celena Candelario-Santiago became the first live model for the books Alone: Stage One and later in 2009 Alone: Stage two. 
           Due to creative differences between Eric Santiago and Orlando Santiago Jr. Unchained was the first book under Unique Realities not to have a model of any kind. Instead Eric insisted on an image of the ‘U’ and ‘R’ that abbreviates Unique Realities. For Petals of Rose we see a new ‘Unique’ model, Rose Eloriaga Aikins as the second live model for Unique Realities. In 2009 Orlando Santiago Jr. could not find a male to take on the role as ‘Unique’ for his book The Rake and hired models to pose throughout the book. Since then there has not been a Unique model to live up to the high standards of Celena Candelario-Santiago and Rose Eloriaga Aikins. 

Unique Realities book covers

           During the production of Swift Killas, Orlando had no money to produce a suitable cover. He needed one that would bring readers in so the book could flourish. He asked older brother Juan Antonio Rivera, who had been an artist in the past to create the cover but due to his incarceration could not produce a cover. Taking computer classes in high school Eric Santiago created the first cover and instantly became the ideal person to take on the weight of lead graphic designer for Unique Realities.
           After Swift Killas, Eric Santiago created the cover for Alone: Stage One as well as creating many characters and even a chapter inside. After stating his resentment over the cover of Alone: Stage One, Eric forced himself to make an even better cover for Unchained. Though the cover was visually appealing it quickly lost to his previous work. With so much at stake for creating Petals of Rose, Unique Realities first romance book, Eric Santiago created two covers for the book, both of which were not up to par with what Orlando Santiago Jr. was trying to convey.   
           Upset at his failure to create a cover Eric Santiago walked away stating he would create his own company. Orlando Santiago Jr. reached out to Pam Olesky, a friend from a former job, to create the cover. Pam drew the first cover for Unique Realities and to date is considered to be the best cover in Unique Realities next to The Rake. When it came time to create Swift Killas: Vengeance, Orlando reached out to his younger brother. 
           At the time Eric created D.B.D (Death By Design) a but had no following. D.B.D (Death By Design) would be his version of Unique Realities but with no way to start or anyone willing to invest in his work he reluctantly did the cover for Swift Killas: Vengeance, creating a grittier version than his first cover with Unique Realities. When fans saw the return of their favorite assassin sales went through the roof sending Orlando and Eric even further than they had been with the previous books. 

Once Swift Killas: Vengeance took off Orlando went back to work on another project but quickly became overwhelmed with the onslaught of fans. Afterward Orlando Santiago Jr. and Eric Santiago began working on the Stoned Cold project, a series of videos of people doing silly things. It was to be Unique Realities first ever podcast.

           However, Due to the creation of The Rake, Stoned Cold was shelved and Eric went to work trying to create a cover. Easily angered, constantly depressed and consistently fighting his older brother on his vision Eric turned down the opportunity to create the cover. Orlando Santiago Jr. reached out to someone at Author House and they quickly understood what Orlando was trying to do. The Rake’s cover was created and to this day rivals all covers done inside Unique Realities with the exception of Petals of Rose. Late 2009 Eric Santiago released AoM (Antics of Madmen) His version of Stoned Cold which has over four hundred viewers (Unconfirmed) 
           Eric Santiago did come back again to Unique Realities and created the cover for Rogue Accord and Fast Freddie before walking away again to focus on his own projects, while his older brother Orlando Santiago Jr. began his attempt at breaking a world record for the Guinness book of world Records.

Guinness book of world Records

           In late 2008 Orlando Santiago Jr. wanted to create more buzz about Unique Realities and all the books he had written. After watching a television broadcast about the Guinness book of world records, he decided to try and be the first to set the record for most books published by a single author in one year. Unfortunately Orlando learned in June of 2009 that the record had already been set by Japanese author Shinichi Kobayashi.
           Determined in setting a higher record, Orlando Santiago Jr. went to work creating Swift Killas: Vengeance, The Rake, Inforcers, Rogue Accord: volume one, Rogue Accord: Pride before fall, Alone: Stage Two and Chaotic Realms in his first three months. Later he created Sensory Overload: volume one, Stoned Cold: What would you do and Flying Solo. The Guinness book of world records has yet to confirm his breaking of the record as Orlando Santiago Jr. plans to come out with two more books before his end date.