D.C. Gomez
Online Links:
Website: http://www.dcgomez-author.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcgomez.author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dc.gomez
Bookpub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/d-c-gomez
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/dcgomez
Biography
D. C. Gomez was born in the Dominican Republic and at the age of ten moved with her family to Salem, Massachusetts. After eight years in the magical “Witch City,” she moved to New York City to attend college. D. C. enrolled at New York University to study film and television. In her junior year of college, she had an epiphany. She was young, naive, and knew nothing about the world or people.
In an effort to expand her horizons and be able to create stories about humanity, she joined the US Army. She proudly served for four years. Those experiences shaped her life. Her quirky, and sometimes morbid, sense of humor was developed. She has a love for those who served and the families that support them. She currently lives in the quaint city of Wake Village, Texas, with her furry roommate, Chincha.
Taking Time With The Author
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? What/who inspired you to write/publish your first book?
I have always been in love with books but it wasn’t until high school that the idea of storytelling took over. My freshman year in high school I signed up for a television production class. From that moment I knew I wanted to tell stories. I spent my college career writing movie scripts and working on character development. It wasn’t until my deployment in the Army that I published my first book. I wrote a collection of short stories in Spanish for my parents.
Is there a message in your novels you want your readers to grasp?
In my fantasy series one of the reoccurring themes is the search for family and a support system. In the military I spend a lot of time in search of that “family” and a sense of belonging. Even as adults we are always searching for our own tribe of people who will love us unconditionally. I wanted to create that experience for my readers.
What books have most influenced you in your life? If you had to choose, which writer/author would you consider a mentor?
Some of the books that have influenced me the most are: The Alchemist, The Four Agreements, and my favorite- Oh The Places You Will Go.
One of the most influential authors in my life is Juan Bosch. The works and anecdotes from El Professor (the Professor- as he was called in the Dominican Republic) have been a part of my life as far as I can remember. Bosch was a political leader, a former president and an incredible writer. He believed a storyteller should be able to communicate with all people, regardless of their educational level and background.
What is the biggest challenge you face in writing your books? How do you combat it?
One of my biggest challenges is unrealistic deadlines. I always underestimate how long things will take to get accomplish. As a result I assume I have a lot more time to finish the book than I actually do. To combat this, I forced myself to follow a schedule.
Can you share something about you that most people don’t know about you?
Oh this is a hard one. I honestly think I’m an open book, but most of my friends have told me that I’m really private. One huge thing in my life that I didn’t realized I rarely mentioned is having thyroid cancer six years ago. By the grace of God, the cancer was discovered very early on and removed very quickly. Unfortunately the process to get my thyroid levels back to normal is an ongoing one.
Would you mind sharing a little of your current work-in-progress with us?
Right now I’m in the editing stage for Forbidden War, the third book in the Intern Diaries Series. The goals is for the book to be released at the end of January. I’m so excited about this book and watching my characters grow.
Where do you get your inspiration for your books?
Inspiration for my books usually comes from situations or people that I encounter. I have been really blessed to meet exciting people with incredible stories. That is usually what kicks off an idea for a book or storyline.
Are you a planner or a pantser? What does your writing process look like?
I’m probably a little bit of both, a planner and a pantser. I do start every book with an outline for my chapters. The outlines are done in index cards with basic info like date, location, characters and main plot. Once I have all the chapters developed, I’m able to let the pantser side come out. Sometimes the final chapters are completely different than the index card I started with.
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Was there anything about your publishing experience you wish you did differently? If so, what is it and why?
I would love to share the best advice I received when I started writing. I was told to focus on writing the entire book without going back to edit. At first I thought that was insane. Then I realized it was a lot easier to focus on one task, then trying to switch between writing and editing.
If I could change anything in my publishing experience would be the amount of time I spend promoting. I honestly did not do enough promotions when I started. I’m having to learn that process now and at times it can be a bit overwhelming.
Is there anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
My biggest dream is to inspire others to follow their dreams. I’m originally from the Dominican Republic and English is not my native language. As an adult I was criticized for my writing style and at times discourage not to write. I had to prove to myself that I was worthy of being a writer and that people wanted to read my stories. I encourage everyone, if God put a dream in your soul to pursue it. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. They don’t know what you are capable of doing.
