Background
He was born in Pozoblanco in Cordoba in Spain.
He was born in Pozoblanco in Cordoba in Spain.
His parents moved to Barcelona when he was young, and he graduated in English Literature from the city"s university, before coming to London to study in summer 1989, and live from 1992 onwards.
There, in a relationship with the film maker Constantine Giannaris he acted in the films "Jean Genet is Dead" (1989) and "Trojans" (1990) credited as Rafael Peñas. After completing an Master of Arts in Hispanic studies at Birbeck University of London, he worked at schools and colleges teaching Spanish and Hispanic culture. Cruz started work at the London School of Economics in 2000 in the Language Centre.
The story was loosely based on a young student of Cruz"s, Charlie Aldridge, from his days as a schoolmaster at the City of London School in the capital.
He is now working on his third novel, with the working title Celia"s Legacy which is due for publication in 2016, and an autobiographical chronicle provisionally entitled Up and Out in Barcelona and London.
