Getting to Know You
Start by telling us a little about yourself.
LMG: I’m a writer. I’ve always been a writer and I’ll always be a writer. However, I didn’t always know this about myself. I thought I wanted to be a secretary. Yes, not an administrative assistant. I wanted my own desk and my own typewriter. I achieved that goal. Most of my working life has been in the medical field. For the last several years, I’ve worked in home health.
What do you write and who do you write for?
LMG: I write contemporary romance for the woman who has lived a little. The Wild Rose Press, who is my publisher, has a nice category for these stories - The Last Rose of Summer. Not that my heroines are on their last legs, but they’re at their most beautiful and poised for the next adventure in their lives. My stories also have a definite Latina flavor.
What authors inspire you?
LMG: The authors I first met when I joined the local chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA). I met them when they were on the brink of publishing their first book and some are multi-published now. Others persevered until they sold. Truly inspiring! This helped me to realize that I could get published as well.
Do you have a favorite book or series?
LMG: My all-time favorite book is COTILLION by Georgette Heyer. I read this book to help me through tough times because it’s so humorous and the hero/ heroine think of everybody but themselves until near the end. Now, since I write romance, I read murder mysteries. I recently discovered the Father Dowling mysteries by Ralph McInerny. Love ‘em!
When you’re not writing, do you have any hobbies or interests?
LMG: Scrapbooking and family history are two of my other passions. I wish I had more time to indulge.
About Your Books
Tell us more about your latest release. What’s it about and what inspired you to write it?
LMG: TOO LATE FOR ROMANCE? was released digitally December 2007 and in print on June, 2008. The story is about a woman, Gloria Amaya, who is content with her life until she decides to grow roses and meets a man, Matt Cerda, who helps her to realize there’s more to life. A contest, which had to feature a rose garden, inspired me to write this story. I knew nothing about growing roses and I can kill your ivy if you let me! Somehow, though, the story fell into place.
What’s coming out next from you? Our readers will want to mark their calendars!
LMG: I’m working on edits on a short time-travel story. The heroine travels back to 1955 to find her happiness. No release date yet, but I’ll let everyone know as soon as I know.
Do you come up with your characters first or the plot of the story?
LMG: I come up with scenes. I don’t even know the names of my characters. However, once I write that first scene, I start writing lists of names. Names are very important. It has to be just the right name. Once I write the first scene, then more and more scenes come to my mind and I write and write until there’s no more. Then, I go to bed and as I’m drifting off to sleep, more scenes come. The plot of the story works itself in.
Do you have a favorite book or one that’s closest to your heart that you’ve written?
LMG: Yes. I haven’t finished writing it. I call it, CARING HEARTS. It’s a heart-wrenching book because it involves the loss of a child and the illness of another. However, two people come together, work through the various issues, i.e., betrayal, unforgiving attitude, grief, fear to arrive at a passionate love, which also includes family.
Random Questions
If you were stuck on an island, what 3 things would you take with you?
LMG: My two sons - because we’ve been through tough life storms together - and a laptop
Give us 5 words that describe you.
LMG: I recently had a birthday and I received cards from my family and when I put them on a shelf I saw - Daughter, Sister, Mom - to that I add, Writer, Procrastinator.
What’s your favorite movie? Actor? Actress?
LMG: LITTLE WOMEN (the one with Winona Ryder as Jo March; and the older version with June Allyson as Jo March)
Actor - Jimmy Smits; Actress - Meg Ryan (especially in YOU’VE GOT MAIL).
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
LMG: I’d like to be able to travel to my favorite small West Texas town whenever I wanted, soak up the quietness and - just write.
Do you have a beverage of choice? Something you can’t write without?
LMG: Before I start to write, I have a glass of iced tea and something sweet. While I write, I just write. Afterward, I may want a glass of white wine.
Do you write to music or the TV?
LMG: I can write to anything, but usually it’s the TV, just background noise.
What’s your favorite holiday and why?
LMG: Christmas because it always seems to me that miracles can happen.
Do you have any advice to new writers?
LMG: Keep writing! Through thick and thin, through rejections, through life’s problems. Think of writing your stories as a career, a way to make a living from your writing.
How can readers get in contact with you?
LMG: Readers can contact me at laniez4057@yahoo.com. They can also visit me at www.myspace.com/lesmora and at my website, though it’s a work-in-progress, www.lmgonzalez.wordpress.com.
Is there anything we didn’t cover that you’d like to mention?
LMG: Yay for small presses and e-publishers!
Thanks so much!
