Svensk was born in Sweden and, at the age of seven, moved to Kenya with his parents when they assumed duties at a mission post on the outskirts of Nairobi. This was literally down the road from the house in which Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke, of Out of Africa fame, lived. His early schooling took place at the St. Aloysius Jesuit School in Nairobi. Thereafter he was a border at the High School in what was then Umtali, Rhodesia.

After completing a degree in Political Science at the University of Göteborg and a Master's degree at Harvard University, Massachusetts, Svensk joined Amnesty International. He has travelled worldwide monitoring human rights abuses. Much of his time is spent in Africa, especially Southern Africa. He suffers from recurring bouts of malaria, which he contracted on his travels.

Ironically, his only real brush with authorities was when he was researching for this, his first novel, in Nepal. He was interred by the Napalese Government on suspicion that he was involved in subversive activities.

The novel represents an attempt by Svensk to reconcile the belief system he inherited from his parents with the UFO sighting that he experienced in Central Africa and a premonition that came to him in a dream.

The author is not willing to disclose his present whereabouts or family details as he fears he will meet a similar fate to that suffered by Alberto Rivera, mentioned in the book.

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